What smart Scout leaders do right after summer camp

As Scouts return from their summer adventures, there’s nothing quite like post-camp energy.

And many leaders know it’s this contagious enthusiasm that, when channeled correctly, can bring even more young people into Scouting programs.

After a few weeks of new friendships, adventures and challenges (conquered, btw), Scouts come home full of stories and a sense of accomplishment. So how can unit leaders make sure that enthusiasm doesn’t fade like tan lines come fall recruitment season?

Make the Scouting experience unmissable

Scouts come back from summer camp ready to tell everyone about it. So let them! They’re your best ambassadors heading into fall, and here is your cue to empower them to become advocates for the program.

“Beyond friendships, summer camp also helps us gain essential life skills that many kids our age don’t get to develop,” explained Troop 219’s Hashini Karthik of Oak Ridge, North Carolina. She recently returned from the Occoneechee Council’s Camp Durant.

Capture these kinds of stories while the memories are fresh. Ask Scouts (with their parent or guardian’s OK) to share testimonials on social media, in school and at your unit’s back-to-school recruiting events.

And remember, photos and short videos go a long way, especially when they’re Scout-generated. Consider inviting Scouts to write a short paragraph or record a 30-second video sharing their favorite part of summer camp. Post these on social media, and share them at open house events.

“I would tell someone my age that summer camp is truly one of the most life-changing experiences they could ever have,” Karthik said.

Empower Scouts as peer recruiters

As the school year starts, your Scouts are back in classrooms and at lunch tables with peers who may have never heard about Scouting. This is the perfect time to ask your Scouts these questions:

• Who would you want to invite to our next meeting?

• What would you want to show them you did at camp?

Encourage them to bring friends to a fall open-house activity featuring recent camp photos and Scout-led demos. Let the energy from summer camp catch on by giving the stage to your Scouts with awesome experiences.

Outdoor Program Coordinator Brian Gray suggested:

Leaders are hopefully taking advantage of the great time Scouts have by letting them talk about it to others. If they had the opportunity to go to a national high-adventure camp or had a great time at a local camp, have them share their experiences. Who better to tell the story of Scouting than a person who just had a great experience?

When we help Scouts turn their personal growth into peer impact, we don’t just retain members — we grow our movement.

Build future opportunity off of outdoor momentum

Keep that outdoor excitement going well into the fall. Plan a fun local campout or skill-building day soon after school starts to maintain the spirit of adventure. And don’t forget to highlight upcoming high-adventure opportunities and fall merit badge workshops. (In case you didn’t know, earning merit badges is a huge part of camp for many Scouts.)

In addition, it’s never too early to promote next summer’s camps to your new Scouts.

“Having a big event to go to the next summer that new Scouts can get ready for is an awesome ‘carrot.'” Gray explained, referring to how a prospective Scout may have their sights set on what’s in store months down the line. “Talking about how a unit will be working with the new Scout to get them ready to go to camp also shows parents that we are helping their kids be successful.”

Summer camp may only last a week, but its impact can spark a whole year, even a lifetime, of growth.

Leaders, how do you help Scouts keep that fire lit and move their excitement into recruitment season? Let us know in the comments.