You’re walking through the church lobby after your Scout meeting one night when you spot something new on the bulletin board.
JOIN PACK 123!
“But wait,” you say, “this church is where my pack, Pack 456, meets!”
It happened to Sandy, a Scouter who e-mailed me and asked that her full name and hometown not be used. And it could happen to you.
It’s a sticky situation. Yes, we’re all in the business of serving as many Scouts as possible, so we should be happy when any young person finds a pack, troop, team, ship, crew, or post to call home — even if that home belongs to a different unit.
On the other hand, each Scouter out there wants his or her unit to reach its full potential, and losing members restricts that.
How do you walk this line? And when, if ever, is it appropriate to compete against other units for members? I turned to our Facebook friends to find out:
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Work with, not against, other units
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I never consider it a competition. We recruit with other Packs and encourage families to try out multiple places before committing.0
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There should never be a fight. We have to remember that recruiting is all about giving scouts and families the information they need to pick a unit that “fits” them. At a recent school night recruitment, I met scouts who had just moved to the area looking for a Troop. I not only gave them my Troop meeting times but also the times of the 6 other Troops in the area along with who to contact. Over the years I have found that it is more important to help scouts find a place they belong so they will stick with the program.0
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We have four Packs with in 10 miles, we do Boy Talk at all the schools and on sign up night we send home a letter with all info of all the packs in town and let the parents pick what pack fits there needs. So one of our packs meet on different days so if you can’t do a Monday night then we have a pack that meets on Tuesdays.0
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Scouts are not limited to joining the Pack/Troop/Crew that meets at the school the Scout attends. Scouts are to choose the unit that suits their needs, not simply join the closest unit to their home or school.Recruitment from multiple sources and school is exactly how recruitment should be done in Scouting. Not every unit is perfect for every Scout. Scouts must find the unit that suits their needs or they may drop out of Scouting, which is something we all want to avoid. If units are only permitted to recruit from “their” school, then how will Scouts learn of the other units and the programs those other units offer?0
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Work together with all the area units to decide the best way to recruit boys. Being competitive and “redirecting” is not going to work. It never works. Have unit leaders meet at a neutral place such as a public library to communicate with each other their needs and concerns. Our area does that and we have actually enjoyed sharing resources rather than the way it used to be of being in a competition. If you don’t believe in the positive nature of synergy, try this: keep your friends close and your enemies closer and the units will learn to share in a positive way despite themselves.0
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If you are posting signs in a “public” place (church, library, school, etc); instead of recruiting for one particular pack – post an area sign that lists all packs; or refer them all to http://www.beascout.org – the the boys and parents find a pack that works best for them.0
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Get help if you need it
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Take the problem to your unit commissioner. Odds are he will be able to get it sorted out.0
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As an ADC with 6 packs in 2 towns under me I encourage them to work together. Competition is a good thing but it can (and has) get pretty nasty. I’ve always found that if you introduce the pack leadership to each other so they can work together a lot better and they both will acheive their goals.Also, pack leaderhis should let the new parents know when your pack meets and what they do for activities. Sometimes the pack meeting nights won’t work with the parent’s (or scout’s) schedule. This is when the ‘helpful’ part come in to play. You have the pack meeting dates for the other packs in the area (or, if you can’t get that have the contact for the other packs that they can call) and direct them to the other pack. I preach that it’s more important to have the scout in the program and happy than trying to fit him in where he’s not comfortable.0
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Choosing a unit, cub or boy scout, involves an interesting combination of where the prospective scout or the scout’s friends live, go to school and where they worship – any of those may drive the choice of a unit. Work with the other unit’s leaders to list the information to help the parents (and boys) decide which units to consider – what’s your chartering organization, when/where do you meet for a start. Don’t feel you have to sort this out on your own – If the other unit isn’t playing nicely get the Scout District Executive involved – they’ll likely get the District Chairperson and the appropriate unit Commissioners involved to sort things out. The goal is to get the boys into scouting and keep them there, not to have the biggest unit.0
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Compete the right way
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Run an outstanding Pack, the word will get around, and people will be lining up to join YOUR Pack. That way, you don’t have to “compete”.0
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A unit is going to try to recruit all they can to meet the goal they were assigned (if the reward for doing so is attractive enough). A unit that is run well will speak for itself by word of mouth, so I wouldn’t be too worried about another unit posting a sign in your meeting place. They might not even know that you meet there. Put your flyer right next to theirs, with one of the large Join Scouting banners above them both.0
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We have 4 packs in the area, many of which will be at school recruiting events at the same time. I usually walk away with more recruits because I am prepared, energetic and I talk to the potential scout as well as the parents. When I am on my game, I know the program, I know the plan we have for the year, I know the events, and details for what we are doing, and I can then talk to the parents and scout and just wow them with how cool the program is and what we will be doing. Other leaders are often oh yea, we can do that too, we talked about doing that… I have done it, have the t-shirt and have is scheduled for bigger and better in the coming year. That is how Pack 323 rolls!0
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Competition is a good thing! It keeps us from being complacent. In the end, it will make the packs/troops/crews better and make scouting more visible in your community.0
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Trustworthy; friendly; courteous. I would contact the leader of the unit placing the posters, politely inform that he or she is recruiting where another unit is already meeting and ask permission to take the posters down. If that leader is not friendly and agreeable in removing the poster, I would call attention to the recruiting activity with the council office and more importantly at the next round table. I would hope that sharp recruiting practices would ultimately prove counterproductive.0
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Remember why we’re doing this
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Who are we trying to serve? The scouts or the units? Whatever works out best for the Scouts and their parents is what is best. That being said, making folks aware of what choices they have is the right thing to do. The goal is to have the boy in Scouting. In cases I am working with, we are expanding Scouting to more Mosques in the area. Inevitably this will “take-away” youth from the only Chartering Organization that was operating, but at the same time because boys closer to the new unit will most likely want to attend the new unit. If every unit is doing their best to constantly recruit, in the end, we should end up with more boys in Scouting than we had before.0
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The person who is glad their unit has more scouts than another doesn’t get Scouting. I’m always happy when someone joins. Period. In fact, I encourage people to shop around and find the unit that fits them. This isn’t organized religion, it’s Scouting!
This is no different than seeing ads for various other eating places in the lobby of your favorite sit-down and eat place!! Yes, we should support the organization which has partnered with the BSA’s local Council in providing Scouting there. But there’s room in this big ol’ tent for lots of units, chartered for lots of different reasons.
When I was growing up, each major military command had their own Pack, Troop and in a couple of cases, Posts organized on the base. They catered to those boys whose fathers (and later mothers) were a part of that command; but they didn’t turn away other youth from other areas of the base.
It was and is SCOUTING, and whether you did it in Troop 126, 127, 184, 666 or 801 — you were doing Scouting!! Via la differance! *heheehehehee*
As a Cub Master that is also on the District Committee. Knowing that the ultimate goal is to serve the boys. It doesn’t matter which pack they join. It is tough when you don’t get that recruit towards your goal. But the District wins either way.
One of the ways to avoid the competition between units is to set a town wide goal.
I think it is a fine line when it comes to a single unit posting recruiting posters in the lobby of another units CO. The unit based there, if run properly, has invested many resources into reaching the members of that CO. I think out of courtesy another unit should refrain from such an act out of respect of that alone. If the Unit Commissioner put up a “Join Scouting” poster, listing all the units in the district that is another matter as the unit at that location would be listed along side all the other units. No we are not competing, but then again for a unit to survive it needs to have numbers and quality. I look at some districts and feel there are just too many units for the number of available youth. I rather see 5 very strong, diverse units than 10 with 6 that can hardly put a PLC together, but all to often all I hear about is the points given for the number of new units established! Quality over quantity is usually the best practice. We all have to work together in that regard to make sure that a Scout finds the right unit for him so he stays with the program. I have sent boys down the street to other units when I talk with their parents and find that their boy has interest different than our unit. I rather see him embrace Scouting in his way than be forced into a program he does not enjoy.
We are in an area with a high density of units. Particularly in the case of Cub Scouts it seems somewhat inconsiderate to post a unit specific recruiting poster in the location where another unit meets and is chartered. This is less of an issue in Boy Scouts and Venturing. At the Venturing level I could see multiple units at a recruiting activity since each unit might have a different emphasis. I don’t agree with active poaching of scouts from other units but if a scout is not a good fit I would help them fins another unit that is a better fit and wish them well. Most scouts (especially in Cubs) do best in the same unit as their friends, classmates, or their own church. As they mature other issues become more important such as OA and district and council involvement.
If the church in the article is the chartered organization, I wouldn’t consider that “neutral territory”. We have had 4 units that all met on our military base, so to remain neutral and offer parents an equal chance to “visit” each pack, we all met at the shared scout hut during spring and fall Cub Scout round up and set up tables. Parents could visit and choose. I would consider it rude for a pack to actively recruit at another unit’s chartered organization. There are plenty of neutral locations and district round up opportunities for packs to recruit.
Sorry, to clarify, my point is not to try to get more boys into one pack over another. My view of this simply is that units should recruit in a neutral or shared location. A generic “beascout.org” poster at the church is fine, which allows parents to choose their own patch. But parents can sometimes sense tension if they notice “hey, I thought pack 456 was here, why is pack 123 advertising Hee too?” Neutral location for recruiting is best to offer the parents the choice.
Each Troop/Pack has a unique personality so we encourage parents to visit Packs/Troop that recruit from the same schools,etc. The most important factor is to ensure you are applying the Scouting principles in your dealings with potential Scouts/Scouters, other Packs, and the organizations that are allowing you to recruit.
We’ve seen a lot of this over the last 10 years and it is encouraged by the council’s lack of understanding of our city limits and school district overlaps. Paid staffers are graded on how many kids they have, not if the units are healthy and they act accordingly. It has caused Packs and Troops to be starved out of existence to the detriment of many boys. Units are a franchise and promoting competition leads to all sort of problems up to and including being kicked out of school recruiting for their behavior. If you think the competition is good, why can’t I charter my unit with the neighboring council which is the same distance from our town?
You can’t charter in another council unless you move your pack (and charter organization) into that new council.
Paid Scout Council professionals are really up against some problems in recruiting and keeping their jobs. I saw some things that really upset me and left me wondering about the Councils priorities. This particular person was fired because his count of Scouts fell below the National Boy Scouts standards and thus lost his job. I worked with this particular professional and we spent many hours recruiting at Schools and Church facilites in our District. It was such a sad moment for me and this particular professional who had done his best and in previous years was so successful in recruiting and was well loved by all who knew him and wanted him to keep his job. His firing was announced at a Woodbadge Course and all that were there was shocked at his dismissal. Sincerely,
Trenton Spears
Scoutmaster
this is a really telling insight into the job our DE’s do. I’m not sure I’d want a DE’s job. Not so much for the long hours, low pay, and unrecognition of how much work they do, but much of it seems to be the business side of the organization. There job is about dollars and membership (which means more dollars). There’s no altruism in their job. Sure, BSA needs $$s to run, but they don’t see much direct benefit in changing young mens’ and women’s lives. They don’t look for, are not encouraged to, nor have incentives for improving unit processes, increasing camping experiences, finding ways to make scouting more fun. The few I work with are fantastic people with great hearts. And I feel we burn them out because their job is so capitalistic instead of promoting Scouting as BP imagined.
Trenton wrote in part: “I saw some things that really upset me and left me wondering about the Councils priorities. This particular person was fired because his count of Scouts fell below the National Boy Scouts standards and thus lost his job.”
No different than a teacher failing to teach his or her students and thus falling below the school district’s standards and thus losing his or her job that way, Trenton.
There ARE standards for membership growth, financial stability and growth, and programming which are required for all District-level professionals (there’s actually standards for ALL professionals working at the local Council level…) and like any job, if you don’t meet those standards over a period of time, you’re cut. Perhaps career Scouting is not what you should be doing.
Settummanque!
Mike this particular Professional had done a great job in prievious recruiting years and was very instrumental in recruiting adult leaders. Scouting has better teaching skills and our not subject to political correctness. Teachers have unions and tenure that keep even bad teachers in their jobs. If teachers would do as good of job at their profession as Scout Professionals we would have more educated children in our schools. Sincerely Trenton Spears
Recruiting is the staple of growing the Boy Scouts of America. However recruiting should be done with fairness and respect for other units that may be located in the local area. Follow the Scout Law and success will come your way. Trenton Spears
I agree. the problem is that many packs form with no direction or real knowledge of what’s to come. all franchises open with a common goal, direction and steps. outside of the LDS packs and troops that are funded by the church, non-LDS packs should be given a standardized bylaws, parent information and expectation packet and paperwork with the ability to just add your pack number and leader information in. done….realistic dues, direction and expectations are put in place. the only thing that was done right is the pack and den meeting handbook and how to run the meetings.
BSA loves to come in during recruitment and lie to parents…,”it only costs $15 to be a scout” while it may be true to be a ”registered” scout it does not cover ANYTHING else. then council leaves the leadership to the wolves (irritated parents) that were sold membership but not told anything else. we finally asked council not to come to recruitment….lying and manipulating parents is not the BSA way…yet they do it. there are even cub masters that lie to parents that they are trying to carp from other packs and troops saying they don’t charge dues, only to find out later that there indeed are dues and costs that were not disclosed….this is wrong
competition should not take place if all packs are operating the same way under BSA guidelines and ideals, the only reason for any need to change packs or troops if done right should be meeting times for dens and packs.. period. we are non-profit and volunteers we should all be working together for the boys.
Your unit, my unit, their unit — the important thing is to make sure the boy has an opportunity to be a member of A unit. It shouldn’t be a competition. Maybe one unit is closer to the boy’s home, meets on a night that works for the family, or is the unit where his friends are. Fit the unit to the boy, not the boy to the unit.
Through a school merger, we ended having two packs essentially right next to each other. Unfortunately, the other pack moved into the school we recruited from.
The district was of no help. They wished to remain neutral. The district’s mistake was not getting involved before the other pack moved. There would have been a benefit to scouting had they stayed in the south end of town.
It certainly felt like we were competing for scouts. It took more work to find youth to maintain our numbers. We had more friends of scouts join and had more join just through the word of mouth that we ran a good pack.
After my boys crossed over, I believe the packs started recruiting together since one meets on Tuesdays and the other meets on Wednesdays.
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Scouting isn’t about raw numbers, each unit has it’s own unique personality, one size does not fit all. Whether a scout is joining Tigers, and trying to choose the Troop he wants to cross into, he should visit many units, in the field and in meetings. A scout must be comfortable with a units program, scouts, and leaders for the fit to be good. Compete for scouts, never – Keep my unit open to all young men, absolutely.
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