SMN conducted a survey of members to find out more about how our members value the services SMN provides, and what we can do to improve on the services and benefits members receive.

The Good News

• 87% of our members felt that SMN provides value for money
• 64% were prepared to support the work of the network by giving time to volunteer
• 56% of members were willing to contribute to CPD by providing mentoring or supervision to other member

What Members Want

• 90% of our members wanted to move to a rolling 12 month subscription rather than having to pay each year on April 1^st
• Free training and CPD opportunities
• An annual calendar of Practitioners Fora

As a result SMN has:

• Changed our membership fee from a fixed subscription due each year to a rolling 12 month subscription
• Advertised an annual calendar of Practitioners Fora for 2012 – the first event is free and the following are only £10 for members
• Launched a new mentoring initiative inviting members to offer mentoring opportunities

SMN provides a range of services which members particularly value. These include:

• Collaborate – which topped the poll for the most valued service/members benefit
• Website
• Practitioners Fora
• Members Newsflash
• Discounted Training Events/Masterclasses
• Access to Mediation Panels (NHS, Scottish Mediation Helpline and North Lanarkshire Small Claims Mediation Service)

Services which SMN provides and which are not currently being rated by members include:

• Members shared resources space on the website which is accessed via drop box. It may be that we need to rethink this – possibly making it easier for members to use.
• Discounted web design service – most SMN members do not seem to promote their services via the web
• Most SMN members were aware that the Scottish Government no longer subsidised the provision of member services and some suggestions on how these might be resourced were put forward including:-
  • Have members pay for services as they are valuable
  • Increase membership fees
  • Members could do more to help run the member services e.g. providing workshops, hosting events and sourcing speakers

Two thirds of the membership were happy with Members Inquiries being answered once a week. This was to take account of the fact that SMN no longer has administrative support funded to provide Member Services.

All in all this appears to be good news for SMN – our members appear to be satisfied with the services that we provide have given a number of helpful suggestions as to how we can improve our “member offer” and SMN has responded positively to all the suggestions which have been made so far.

If you have any ideas on how SMN can improve on the services that it provides to members, or are willing to take part in the Members Mentoring Network, please email us on admin@scottishmediation.org.uk.