Recruiting Webelos

[sctmom]

As a Webelos leader entering the last few months of this current den, I'd like to share some of my thoughts about how troops could get more Webelos to cross over. Most of this is said in the official BSA literature, but of course everyone is too busy trying to run the current troop.

 

My pack is within 15 minutes of 3 troops. Not a single troop has approached the pack for recruitment. I visited one troop and basically the scoutmaster said his name and turned around and walked off. I called the other 2 troops, very friendly, we visited one, meet the other at a parade (by accident).

 

The troop should have someone to follow up with the Webelos leader after that initial contact as well. Don't bug me if I say none of the boys are interested, but call me and invite the den back. Give me specific activities we can attend and why these would be good ones. When we did do a planned den visit to one troop, they had a great evening planned for the boys. The scoutmaster took the parents off somewhere else to talk to us. Great! Except....we wanted to see the troop in action.

Just simple little "reminder" phone calls like "wanted to see if your den is interested in camping the third weekend of next month at the local state park?".

 

Roundtable in our area is okay, but not a lot of interaction between Boy Scout leaders and Cub Scout leaders. Plus that problem that people tend to talk to those they know and no on else. As a new leader at roundtable, I felt that I was invisible. Not to mention most of the Troop leaders aren't at Roundtable.

 

Within the Pack, I think there needs to be more mentoring from the more experienced leaders. My ex-husband was a leader for a couple of years and I've been a leader for the last 2 years, and I get no advice from the experienced ones. It would have been great if someone would have said "here, let me tell you what I found works and things to avoid; here's some great events to go to; here are some good field trips; etc."

 

Yes, I will be sharing these thoughts with the Pack and in the future with the Troop my son is going to. Yes, I know that means I'm basically raising my hand to be the Webelos transition person, which might be a great job.

 

[yarrow]

We visited four of the 5 local troops when my boy crossed over skipping the local LDS troop as a personal choice. We did not have the experience you encountered. All of the scout leaders were friendly, informative and attentive. Many of the older scouts stepped up to answer any of his questions and help him with nights activities. Our area has one troop only 5 minutes away the others are 20 minutes away.......still we chose one of the ones futher away. The town the troops draw from is small and the number of Webelos limited so I think they all actively recruit. THey call, invite boys, and schedule fun activities. Sorry your experience was so bad.

[AdvanceOn]

sctmom:

 

I'm sorry those troops don't seem to have a clue about the importance of contact and recruitment.

 

Our troop has made multiple efforts to recruit boys. We had three dens visit our troop recently. We also invited three dens to a Webelos day-long event in the fall.

 

I prepared hand outs for all the parents with information about when/where the troop meets, how much dues is, what the uniform requirements are, who to contact with questions, etc.

 

I have made occasional contact with each den leader checking to see if they know if they have boys who will be crossing over into our troop, letting them know when our crossover will be, asking if they have any questions, etc. Additionally, I ALWAYS tell the den leader, parent, or whoever I'm speaking with that picking a troop is a personal choice of the boy and parent. While we would love to have them join our troop our main goal is for them to join A troop and continue in boy scouting.

 

I guess what I'm really trying to say is that I agree with you completely about the importance of recruiting. It doesn't have to be aggressive and in-your-face, just friendly and available.

 

I would also encourage all troops to recruit year round. By that I mean, participate in cub scout events whenever possible. Invite the Webelos and parents to appropriate boy scout activities during the year. If the only time the Webelos and parents see your troop is in January and February then they're not getting a very accurate picture (or are they?).

 

--Melodee

[evmori]

sctmom,

WOW! As a Scoutmaster, I make a special effort to interact with visiting Webelos & their parents. My Troop always puts on a special meeting when the Webelos visit. They make rope, set up tents, etc. I spend hlf the meeting with the Webelos & half with the parents. Then I spend the other half unwinding from the 1st two halves!

 

It sounds like your talents might be better served as a leader in a Troop. You could be the ASM in charge of Webelo Transition!

 

Good luck!

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

[sctmom]

One of the troops we visited was VERY nice, put on a special program for the boys, talked to the parents. But no follow-up.

 

Evmori writes:

"It sounds like your talents might be better served as a leader in a Troop. You could be the ASM in charge of Webelo Transition! "

 

I think that's what I'm volunteering for, as soon as I open my mouth and tell the troop this! LOL.

But what a great job it would be! Webelos are SO excited to join the "big" guys. And the look on the parents faces when you say "and you DO NOT have to go on every campout with your son! "

 

 

 

[slontwovvy]

That must have been a horrible experience. Every time a Webelos den comes to our troop, our Scoutmaster takes the parents aside for a special meeting. Along with him go two or three other boys, one older, one "middle-aged" and one newbie. They discuss what the troop does for them to the parents. All this while their Webelos are integrated into our meeting. Usually that has worked like a charm.