Originally Posted by
winia
Enough already with the it's your fault. Does that help to get the guild off the hook for not welcoming and mentoring new members? There's many, many guilds who don't welcome new members. I belonged to one who didn't even want me on a volunteer basis to help with a couple of committees. Why? Because they didn't want new people. Plain and simple. Going to a sew day at a local quilt shop is infinitely better for getting to know other quilters. Taking classes at a local quilt shop is infinitely better for getting to know other quilters. Guilds have too many cliques.
This is typical in-group, out-group behavior and it's been going on, at least, since middle school. Cliques tend to form everywhere and organizations have to put something in place to prevent it....if they want to prevent it. Jan's mentor guild sounds like one that saw the problem and addressed it successfully; other groups apparently are satisfied with their status quo, or their leadership takes no action. I've never even visited the guild in my town, where I know some of the members, simply because I don't need more of this kind of behavior...and truthfully, don't seem to need a guild to enjoy my hobby. But, recognizing that in myself, I don't say it's all that admirable, and I understand that others would love to be part of a group. Like Winia, I suggest other, smaller groups -- church, quilt shops, volunteer groups, neighbors, etc. But those are not always easy to find, either, I know. My sympathies to those who want to meet and associate with other quilters and can't find any to welcome them!