PFR/ Howard Jones....I tried to post something similar yesterday, but it disappeared into the ether.

I too see the same thing....loads of youngsters about, in both music and mountaineering, but increasingly using social media for arranging events, get-togethers and meetings.

My mountaineering club struggles to attact young members too, but I have no trouble filling, every year, 24 spaces in accommodation in Scotland for a Facebook-based winter climbing trip. It's noticeble that a high proportion of attendees at that one are in their 20s and 30s, whereas it's rare for any attendees at our "formal club" meets to be under 50. I'll be doing an internet-organised Alps trip next summer where again many participants will be in their 20s and 30s whereas for the last 2 years our club has had to cancel its Alps trip due to lack of take-up.

Howard's point re "hidebound by too many rules" is exactly right....the idea of constitutions, club officers, subs etc is totally baffling to many youngsters, who prefer to do things more informally, and who now have the means to do it via smartphones, internet and social media.

Vic/GSS:
"One thing is certain, however. This is a worrying trend in our society."
yes, i would call it passivism, in my opinion folk clubs or any kind of music clubs should be about home made music

Nothing could be further from the truth, IMO. I'm as old as many here, but what I see is a vibrant and very NON-passive youth doing its own thing, but doing it in very different ways to how it was done in our own youth, reflecting the changes in communications and connectedness.