Service designing rowers : Tyne United Rowing Club’s membership experience
Jokipaltio, Vappu (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025123139054
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025123139054
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This thesis studies the current state of and membership experience of Tyne United Rowing Club, a volunteer-led rowing club in the North East of England. The club depends on a small group of volunteers for day-to-day operations and governance, which creates challenges for the long-term sustainability of the club. The aim of the study was to explore the current state of the club, identify possible issues, and co-create solutions to strengthen its membership offering in the future.
The research applies service design methods, using a human-centered approach to understand the members’ needs and develop improvements. Methods included desk research on the club’s structure and stakeholders, benchmarking against regional rowing clubs, interviews with key volunteers, a membership survey, and a retrospective service safari based on the author’s own journey from learner to active member. Finally, three co-design workshops engaged members in generating ideas and concepts for improvement.
The research shows that while TURC offers a welcoming culture and diverse rowing opportunities, members find things also challenging: Many responsibilities among not many proactive volunteers, siloed communication and limited transparency in decision-making. Survey responses highlighted the importance of social connection, inclusivity, and skill development, alongside challenges such as time constraints and unclear volunteer roles. Workshop participants proposed practical improvements and concepts, from clearer communication and event calendars to skills development sessions and better volunteer coordination.
To address these findings, the thesis proposes an engagement model based on the SCARF framework. Recommendations include celebrating achievements and volunteer contributions, clarifying roles and responsibilities, improving communication channels, introducing themed club circles for volunteering, and enhancing cohesion through mixed social events. Yearly co-design workshops and open agenda submissions are suggested to maintain transparency and member involvement.
By implementing the proposed engagement model and prioritising inclusivity, efficient communication, and collaborative development, TURC can position itself as a future-ready club.
The research applies service design methods, using a human-centered approach to understand the members’ needs and develop improvements. Methods included desk research on the club’s structure and stakeholders, benchmarking against regional rowing clubs, interviews with key volunteers, a membership survey, and a retrospective service safari based on the author’s own journey from learner to active member. Finally, three co-design workshops engaged members in generating ideas and concepts for improvement.
The research shows that while TURC offers a welcoming culture and diverse rowing opportunities, members find things also challenging: Many responsibilities among not many proactive volunteers, siloed communication and limited transparency in decision-making. Survey responses highlighted the importance of social connection, inclusivity, and skill development, alongside challenges such as time constraints and unclear volunteer roles. Workshop participants proposed practical improvements and concepts, from clearer communication and event calendars to skills development sessions and better volunteer coordination.
To address these findings, the thesis proposes an engagement model based on the SCARF framework. Recommendations include celebrating achievements and volunteer contributions, clarifying roles and responsibilities, improving communication channels, introducing themed club circles for volunteering, and enhancing cohesion through mixed social events. Yearly co-design workshops and open agenda submissions are suggested to maintain transparency and member involvement.
By implementing the proposed engagement model and prioritising inclusivity, efficient communication, and collaborative development, TURC can position itself as a future-ready club.