Lions and Tigers, and Girls?
Very few packs in the council have Lion and Tiger dens with five or more members, and too many packs have one or two girl members. Take a little time to plan some fun and build those dens up so every Scout is having a good experience. A den of one or two Scouts is not providing that fun time that every family expects out of Scouting.
- Pick a date in the first two weeks of December. A holiday or winter theme is an easy one to use to host a member recruiting party.
- Create an invitation for the members to hand out to their friends. Use part of the meeting the last week of November to prepare the invitations.
- Start with an ice-breaker activity for the youth, and completing applications for the adults. The application should always be the first thing on a recruit agenda.
- Do an opening that involves all the youth
- Deliver a special activity. Below are a few suggestions:
- Ice cream social – build a sundae, blend chopped candies or cookies into a base flavor, make ice cream cone clowns, ice cream sodas….. it’s a den decision.
- Pizza party – buy and provide pizza, OR build muffin or french bread pizzas. If the meeting location has an oven the den can use, provide the fixings and let the participants build their favorite flavor combination. Crimp foil around it as a mini-pan and toast them up.
- Pine cone craft – bird feeders or ornaments are easily created with pine cones and they are an abundant free resource.
- Wood craft – keep it simple, make it fun but help the youth and adult partner build a “make and take” at the meeting.
- Provide a copy of the den and pack calendar to the families and make sure they know when and where the next meeting will be.
- Collect and check the applications, collect fees through December 2019.
- Have a good closing ceremony – and celebrate the success.
Every district’s executive or membership chairman is contacting units to get a committed date for a grow that den recruit.
Recruit a Friend or Ten
Flyers are wonderful; signs remind people that Scouts are around. The best method to recruit more youth is a simple formula of a good program in the pack, troop, crew, ship (take your pick), and members who are having a great time. Add to that an incentive to invite a friend to a meeting or event.
The members of the Boy Scouts of America are the best spokespeople for membership. It gets down to inviting someone else to join. Every unit is asked to engage their members in inviting a friend to join in November. Get completed applications on new members and submit them with a 2018 Peer Recruiter Application. Scouts inviting their friends to join will get a collection of patches, and the units with the most peer recruiters between November 1 and November 30 will get a special recognition.
Join the fun and bring a friend into the Scouting family.
On-Line Applications
The council is accepting only youth applications on-line, but it is making a big impact this fall. Of the 340 new Scouts since August 1, over 150 have come in via on-line applications. Every unit able to utilize the BeAScout system for applications is encouraged to do so. The applicant is charged the pro-rated fee through the end of the charter, The unit writes their own welcome message, giving them the opportunity to explain unit dues, fund raisers, upcoming events and who to contact.
Anyone not using the system who wants to learn more can contact their district membership chairman, commissioner or executive for information on how to make the best use of this tool.
If, for any reason, an application is not accepted by the unit PLEASE release it quickly. The district membership chair and district executive are able to re-assign that application to another unit that may fit everyone’s needs.
Go for the BIG Win
Florence flirted, and Michael may arrive as a tropical storm. The forecast for Scouting is WE CAN WIN!
October recruits are getting set up and flyers are going out. If you have NOT set up an October recruit, get it done quickly. Take a look at “Scouting’s Journey to Excellence” scorecard and you will find every program calls for a recruit prior to October 31 to achieve the membership score.
Below is a quick look at the recruiting results that have been turned in. Keep in mind, a new Scout does not exist until the application is posted by the registrar or accepted by the unit in the on-line registration system.
| Membership Buzz | ||||||||
| November 15, 2018 | ||||||||
| # Days Into Fall Campaign | 107 | |||||||
| # Days Left in Year | 35 | |||||||
| District | Number of Units | Current Members | Average Members per Unit | Membership Impact 7/31 to Date | Avg Impact / Day | Year End Goal | # Needed to Make Goal | # Needed / Day to Make Goal |
| Albemarle | 34 | 519 | 15.26 | 78 | 0.73 | 571 | 52 | 1.49 |
| Bayside | 52 | 1,518 | 29.19 | 225 | 2.10 | 1,689 | 171 | 4.89 |
| Princess Anne | 61 | 1,721 | 28.21 | 190 | 1.78 | 1,878 | 157 | 4.49 |
| Three Rivers | 53 | 1,603 | 30.25 | 193 | 1.80 | 1,733 | 130 | 3.71 |
| Council | 200 | 5,361 | 26.81 | 686 | 6.41 | 5,871 | 510 | 14.57 |
| “# Days Left in Year” represents # days before schools close for holidays | ||||||||
For a unit by unit picture of the fall recruit, just click on the district name.
[accordion] [section name=”Albemarle”]
| Unit | Impact |
| Pack 0100 | (2) |
| Pack 0111 | 0 |
| Pack 0116 | 1 |
| Pack 0117 | 20 |
| Pack 0125 | 4 |
| Pack 0127 | 15 |
| Pack 0150 | 8 |
| Pack 0154 | (1) |
| Pack 0155 | 2 |
| Pack 0158 | 6 |
| Pack 0170 | 0 |
| Pack 0175 | 0 |
| Pack 0501 | 0 |
| Pack 0771 | 11 |
| Troop 0100 | 2 |
| Troop 0111 | 0 |
| Troop 0116 | 0 |
| Troop 0117 | 1 |
| Troop 0127 | 0 |
| Troop 0150 | 0 |
| Troop 0151 | 0 |
| Troop 0155 | 1 |
| Troop 0158 | 0 |
| Troop 0162 | 4 |
| Troop 0164 | 0 |
| Troop 0165 | 0 |
| Troop 0170 | (1) |
| Troop 0174 | 0 |
| Troop 0175 | 0 |
| Troop 0182 | 2 |
| Troop 0200 | (1) |
| Crew 0155 | 3 |
| Crew 0158 | 0 |
| Post 0082 | 3 |
| Total | 78 |
[/section] [section name=”Bayside”]
| Unit | Impact |
| Pack 0005 | 0 |
| Pack 0024 | 22 |
| Pack 0028 | 6 |
| Pack 0031 | 8 |
| Pack 0062 | 2 |
| Pack 0063 | 3 |
| Pack 0067 | 15 |
| Pack 0077 | 1 |
| Pack 0180 | 8 |
| Pack 0191 | 17 |
| Pack 0314 | 1 |
| Pack 0364 | 14 |
| Pack 0375 | 7 |
| Pack 0376 | 14 |
| Pack 0382 | 9 |
| Pack 0397 | 0 |
| Pack 0406 | 7 |
| Pack 0419 | (7) |
| Pack 0482 | 32 |
| Pack 0490 | 0 |
| Pack 0493 | 14 |
| Pack 0600 | (1) |
| Pack 0628 | 12 |
| Pack 0775 | 6 |
| Troop 0001 | (1) |
| Troop 0005 | 1 |
| Troop 0024 | 5 |
| Troop 0062 | 0 |
| Troop 0063 | 2 |
| Troop 0070 | 1 |
| Troop 0077 | 2 |
| Troop 0079 | 0 |
| Troop 0180 | 4 |
| Troop 0191 | 1 |
| Troop 0363 | 0 |
| Troop 0364 | 1 |
| Troop 0372 | 0 |
| Troop 0375 | 5 |
| Troop 0376 | 0 |
| Troop 0381 | 2 |
| Troop 0397 | 0 |
| Troop 0419 | 2 |
| Troop 0481 | 3 |
| Troop 0490 | 0 |
| Troop 0493 | 1 |
| Troop 0587 | 0 |
| Troop 0628 | 1 |
| Troop 0775 | 1 |
| Crew 0062 | 0 |
| Crew 0490 | 1 |
| Ship 0042 | 1 |
| Ship 0064 | 2 |
| Total | 225 |
[/section] [section name=”Princess Anne”]
| Unit | Impact |
| Pack 0014 | 10 |
| Pack 0066 | 14 |
| Pack 0179 | 18 |
| Pack 0301 | 3 |
| Pack 0303 | (2) |
| Pack 0304 | 0 |
| Pack 0305 | 0 |
| Pack 0316 | 0 |
| Pack 0350 | 2 |
| Pack 0362 | 7 |
| Pack 0374 | 18 |
| Pack 0405 | 3 |
| Pack 0407 | 14 |
| Pack 0417 | (7) |
| Pack 0441 | 2 |
| Pack 0442 | 1 |
| Pack 0443 | 0 |
| Pack 0471 | 23 |
| Pack 0499 | 5 |
| Pack 0504 | 6 |
| Pack 0541 | 2 |
| Pack 0585 | 7 |
| Pack 0660 | 13 |
| Pack 0700 | 4 |
| Pack 0791 | 13 |
| Pack 0902 | (2) |
| Pack 0944 | (3) |
| Pack 0991 | 11 |
| Pack 0996 | 1 |
| Troop 0007 | (1) |
| Troop 0012 | 0 |
| Troop 0014 | 0 |
| Troop 0141 | 1 |
| Troop 0179 | 2 |
| Troop 0301 | 3 |
| Troop 0303 | 0 |
| Troop 0304 | 1 |
| Troop 0305 | 0 |
| Troop 0316 | 0 |
| Troop 0362 | 3 |
| Troop 0378 | 1 |
| Troop 0401 | 1 |
| Troop 0407 | 2 |
| Troop 0408 | (3) |
| Troop 0417 | 2 |
| Troop 0441 | 0 |
| Troop 0442 | 6 |
| Troop 0443 | 0 |
| Troop 0471 | 1 |
| Troop 0499 | 0 |
| Troop 0504 | 1 |
| Troop 0660 | 0 |
| Troop 0791 | 5 |
| Troop 0902 | 1 |
| Troop 0944 | 0 |
| Troop 0996 | 0 |
| Crew 0179 | 1 |
| Crew 0303 | 0 |
| Post 0017 | 0 |
| Post 0343 | 0 |
| Post 0911 | 0 |
| Total | 190 |
[/section] [section name=”Three Rivers”]
| Unit | Impact |
| Pack 0006 | 27 |
| Pack 0041 | 0 |
| Pack 0048 | (1) |
| Pack 0055 | 36 |
| Pack 0057 | (1) |
| Pack 0207 | 0 |
| Pack 0210 | 0 |
| Pack 0212 | (1) |
| Pack 0215 | 4 |
| Pack 0246 | 5 |
| Pack 0259 | 11 |
| Pack 0320 | 8 |
| Pack 0413 | 14 |
| Pack 0421 | 1 |
| Pack 0462 | 34 |
| Pack 0800 | (7) |
| Pack 0824 | 26 |
| Pack 0862 | 1 |
| Pack 0888 | 6 |
| Pack 0901 | 3 |
| Pack 0934 | 1 |
| Troop 0006 | 2 |
| Troop 0048 | 3 |
| Troop 0055 | 0 |
| Troop 0057 | 3 |
| Troop 0084 | 0 |
| Troop 0207 | (1) |
| Troop 0210 | 2 |
| Troop 0212 | 0 |
| Troop 0215 | 0 |
| Troop 0219 | 0 |
| Troop 0222 | 0 |
| Troop 0233 | 2 |
| Troop 0234 | 0 |
| Troop 0256 | 3 |
| Troop 0259 | 0 |
| Troop 0320 | (2) |
| Troop 0404 | 0 |
| Troop 0410 | 0 |
| Troop 0413 | 1 |
| Troop 0444 | 0 |
| Troop 0462 | 1 |
| Troop 0800 | (4) |
| Troop 0824 | 7 |
| Troop 0828 | 2 |
| Troop 0901 | 5 |
| Troop 0934 | 0 |
| Crew 0048 | 0 |
| Crew 0212 | 0 |
| Crew 0462 | 0 |
| Crew 0824 | 2 |
| Post 0161 | 0 |
| Post 0201 | 0 |
| Total | 193 |
[/section] [/accordion]
What Does Winning Look Like
Every January, districts draw up a membership plan for the year. Generally, the focus is on improving availability with programs in under-served areas as well as working with existing programs to help them stay strong in their market. The quick snapshot below is not program specific. It includes Cub Scouting, Boy Scouts, Venturing, Sea Scouts and Exploring. Current members are as of August 31. The “needed to achieve year end” number is the minimum to reach the goals established in January. Everyone is a critical part of the game, and this year the possibility exists to kick it over the top.
| Membership Snapshot | |||
| November 15, 2018 | |||
| District | Current Members | 2018 Member Goal | Needed to Achieve Year End |
| Albemarle | 519 | 571 | 52 |
| Bayside | 1,518 | 1,689 | 171 |
| Princess Anne | 1,721 | 1,878 | 157 |
| Three Rivers | 1,603 | 1,733 | 130 |
| Total | 5,361 | 5,871 | 510 |
Family Time
Cub Scouting is open to packs with boys only, girls only or both with gender specific dens. About 27% of the eligible packs are indicating they are family packs in the “BeAScout” system. The primary reason given for not trying family Scouting is not having enough leaders, and having a hard time getting parents to volunteer.
Reports at the national level indicate girls parents are volunteering and registering as leaders at a rate of 70% of the girls who have already joined. Boys parents are registering at about 20%. The girls are joining with their families, resulting in more boys joining in higher grades (3-5).
Every eligible pack would benefit and grow by looking at the youth around their area and deciding what best serves their community.
Scouts, BSA is open for girl troop registration on February 1, 2019. What has to happen now to make that possible? Chartering organizations who are going to offer girl troops need to start the paper trail now with an “Annual Charter Agreement” and “New Unit Application.” Charter organization representatives will need to complete an application to go with the new troop, and make sure that every adult who will be part of the start up leadership completes applications and training.
Get VISIBLE in One School
Units have been advised for years to build a solid relationship with one school to have the greatest success in building their membership. As a neighborhood program, the best results occur for everyone with one to one Scouting to school relationship.
Walk into the school lobby, library / media center, cafeteria or office. There are probably banners, bulletin boards, or handouts, highlighting community partners that work in some manner with the school. Every Cub Scout pack, Boy Scout troop (or future Scouts BSA troop), Venturing crew, Sea Scout ship and Exploring post can individually register as a partner.
Virginia Beach schools is used as an example for everyone as a starting point on learning how to partner in your district. Every school district has some method of enlisting and recognizing those who partner with them to help make the schools great.
“Virginia Beach City Public Schools’ Partners in Education program supports collaborative efforts between schools and organizations that promote students’ academic and personal growth. Partnerships are mutually beneficial arrangements designed to extend learning experiences through expanded human, material and/or financial resources.”
Start with an individual school. Cub Scout packs have a direct recruiting connection, and the direction has been to build a relationship with a single school. Many hold their meetings in that school and provide service projects to the school. The only thing needed to formalize that arrangement is to apply to be a partner with them. In Virginia Beach, the application is available on-line by clicking here. In checking the partnership activities, the natural matches for Scouts are “community service projects,” “school beautification / site improvements,” and “special events and projects.” The age of the Scouts and the needs of the school will be appropriately matched.
Virginia Beach School/Community Partnerships Coordinator, Jennifer McGowan is well versed on Scouting and able to make sure effective partnerships are recognized.
It generally takes little more than a visit to the school office to find out who their partners in education are, and even more, how to register as a partner. Take the time to register and enjoy the results of that effort. As an additional incentive, this dovetails perfectly with the Boy Scouts of America Adopt A School program, and creates more opportunities for service projects to log in for the unit’s Journey to Excellence scorecard.
Social Media
Facebook. It’s a platform that serves a multitude of functions. Many units have closed groups on Facebook to share information and pictures with their members and invited guests. Consider adding a dimension. The private group should stay private for the safety of all members.
Scouting units can add a public page that does not reveal specific members or photos. Use a public page to provide information on how to join. Make joining links go to the Tidewater council joining form, or “BeAScout” and not to individuals in the unit to provide a level of cyber-security. Create an event on the public page for recruiting events, and share it to the Tidewater Council Facebook page.
It is important to remember that all social media channels are, by nature, designed to be social, that is, shared with members of the public. As such, whatever social media activities engaged in should be completed with the understanding that the public will see them and may engage in an online dialogue as a result. Do not do anything on a social media channel that reflects poorly on you as a leader, other individuals in the council or unit, the Boy Scouts of America, or anyone else. Before posting any content on any social media channel, first ask is that content is in keeping with the precepts of the Scout Oath and Law. Do not ever post a photograph on a public page without a written release from a responsible adult family member.
Also, feel free to share the items posted on the council’s Facebook page with friends and family to help spread the word about Scouting. Nextdoor is a private social networking service for neighborhoods. Nextdoor allows users to connect with people who live in their own and nearby neighborhoods. It is a good way to post information about Scout programs and provide information on the ways people can join.
The marketing tips from August are staying in this issue. Continue to use them, and pick up on the new items added for this month.
Let’s start – marketing – the art of letting people know you exist. Certainly the Boy Scouts of America can have a marketing campaign, but the kids in the neighborhood join the pack, troop, crew, ship, Exploring post, in their immediate area, not an office in Texas. So, what makes your program special and how are you getting that message out? There are signs (stop by the Scout Shop and pick some up), flyers, “hospital” bracelets, flying disks, mini Boys’ Life magazines…..the council has all types of materials, BUT what do you have to show off the best?
- Chartering partners are overwhelmingly churches and their weekly bulletins are a great place for publicity. Make it a routine to give the chartering organization pictures and short articles about what their Scout program is doing. Invite church members to participate.
- Visit Sunday schools. Ask every house of worship in the school zone if a representative can visit the youth Sunday school classes to tell them about Scouts. Make the religious emblems program a primary focus when asking permission. Be prepared with flyers to distribute to every child with the where, when and who to contact for the pack or troop in their neighborhood.
- Get on the school calendar and marquee. Ask the school to post recruiting events in both places. If meetings are held in the school, ask for that posting to routinely go out to parents with the school e-blasts.
- At recruiting events, run a slide show of activities on a laptop (iPad, tablet etc.) with all the best photos and video clips of everyone engaged in FUN.
- Posters? Bright, colorful, action filled (skip the pictures of sitting looking, catch everybody moving) things the unit has been doing. Don’t forget to mention prominently who you are. Cub Scouts is a great description, but Cub Scout Pack 1234 clues them in to where they want to join.
- Mini Boys’ Life. Just something to hand out at recruit, or a great way to spread the message. Three column, one inch high address labels with “Pack 1234 meets 6:30 Thursday in the school cafeteria…..” Buy the labels, get your talented parents involved and deliver the message. Pick up mini mags in the Scout Shop and have a great time labeling. Reading resource teachers and school libraries or media centers love getting the support of free materials.
- Did the unit do a service project of lasting effect at the school? Do a little housekeeping. Freshen the project and put a sign or poster with pictures of Scouts in action getting it done.
- Have a great annual plan (resources for annual planning) and share the information. Print calendar handouts for recruiting events.
- Got signs? There are plenty available to put out everywhere! Be sure you know if there are any restrictions so you stay within the law, but the more signs out, the better. Pick some up at the Scout Shop and spread the word.
- Wear uniforms! It sounds simple, but having a full uniform on at a Show ‘N Sell gets more attention than an activity tee shirt.
Bring in the New Members
An application sitting in the trunk of someone’s car is not a new member. A Boys’ Life subscription starts about two months after an application is processed. Don’t disappoint new families by delaying their start date. Paper applications need to be submitted to the Scout Shop (by mail or in person) within one week of the new Scout joining. Every executive has receipt books, and can accept applications at Roundtables or while they are out and about in the district. The can process them through the Scout Shop on behalf of any unit.
On-line applications are becoming more popular. The new family can easily complete their child’s application in the “BeAScout” website. Packs that have enabled the application feature are getting flyers delivered to schools (on paper or electronically) with a pack specific QR code that goes straight to the application. Align the QR code with a smart phone camera, and the process is started – it’s that easy. Pro-rated payments through the December 31 expiration date are charged for registration and optional Boys’ Life subscriptions, and national is absorbing the credit card fees. Electronic applications will time out and refunds will be processed if they are not accepted by the unit in a timely fashion, in compliance with federal laws on retention of credit card numbers.
The method is up to the unit. The timeliness is what new families expect and deserve.
Check the Homework
Getting applications done properly is no different than double checking that homework, and making sure it has everything done. On-line youth applications force the information to be complete and corrected before the applicant can move forward. Paper applications are still the staple of the program, and take a little extra attention. There are certain show stoppers that repeat themselves with regularity. Take a look, and they can be avoided.
Youth applications
- Is the unit type and number filled in? Yes – it happens!
- Is the birth date filled in? Look at the date again, make sure today’s date was not written down.
- Is there a grade?
- Gender must be answered. There are a lot of gender neutral names, and no one will assume an answer.
- Lions and Tigers. The parent information, including birth date is required. If the adult partner and Scout do not live at the same address, the adult must complete an adult application and attach a valid Youth Protection Training certificate.
- Did the parent / guardian sign the application?
- Did the unit leader (Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Crew Advisor, Skipper or Post Advisor) sign the application? If that person is not available, the only other accepted signatures are the committee chair, charter representative (for traditional units) or executive officer may sign in their place.
- If Boys’ Life is marked, are fees included? – conversely, if fees are included, is Boys’ Life marked? Again, no one makes assumptions on applications.
Adult applications
- Are all questions answered, and all required spots initialed?
- Birth date?
- Gender?
- Social Security number (cannot process without it)?
- The background check authorization signed?
- Training certificates attached?
Checking each of those areas will help move applications forward quickly. A missed item can cause a major delay.
