Webelos Retention

[Chippewa29]

With crossover season coming very soon, I was wondering how to get more Webelos to stay with Scouting. Every one keeps talking about the retention rate after one year. If my troop can get the kids to cross over and stay for a month or two, then we have no problem keeping them for a year or so. Our problem is 1) getting Webelos to cross over once their den has decided to join our troop; and 2) how to keep baseball season and summer vacations from destroying a Scouting career.

 

1. Only about 1/2 of the Webelos (15 packs within 10-15 minutes of the troop) in our area end up crossing over. Some of the packs are not recruited at all by Boy Scout troops while a few super packs (with 12+ 2nd year webelos each year) are fought over by 4-5 local troops. Obviously, I'm shooting more for the unrecruited packs at this point. I've tried calling every single one of the Cubmasters in our area to get the names and phone numbers of the Webelo leaders. Out of 15 packs, I was never able to get ahold of five packs. I left several messages explaining the reason for my call (on answering machines), but I never received a call back. Then, out of the ten packs I did call the Webelo leaders, three didn't contact me back once again. That left us down to seven packs, four of which were the super packs that everyone is trying to recruit and two others that we were trying for with another troop. I think a big reason why a lot of kids never cross over is because the Cub leaders don't make any effort to help them move on. How can we change that?

2. Although the Webelos program is designed to be a year and a half so the Webelos can cross over in February or March, many still don't cross over until the Cub program ends in May or June. When that happens, we always have kids that crossover but their parents say "he's in the middle of baseball season, so he can't do Scouts right now" or "We're travel a lot during the summer, so he can't come to Scouts until fall", or "We need a break in the summer, but we'll be back in the fall". We've tried both the nice approach of letting them know what kind of great activities and the wonderful learning experiences they'll have over the next couple of months and it would be a great experience for their son to have and also the approach of letting them know that virtually every Scout that tells us that never returns.

 

We had a pack that used to feed into us (until it folded) that between 1996 and 1998 crossed over 25 Scouts into our troop in April. However, this pack always shut down after their April pack meeting and didn't do anything again until September. The parents looked so proud that their sons were joining the Boy Scouts and were so happy that their sons were continuing on in their Scouting careers (Oh, being an Eagle Scout will look so good on his college applications...)

However, they always said that they didn't do Scouts during baseball season or over the summer and they would be back in the fall. Over those three years, two of the 25 Scouts that crossed over stayed over the summer. Amazingly, they both stayed over two years (one only left because his family moved to another state, where he picked up with another troop). The other 23 were never seen again and when I ran into their parents in the fall, they wondered why their sons didn't want to come back to Scouts.

 

Does anyone have any solutions on how to cut these problems off at the stem?

[sctmom]

Let me give you my thoughts as a parent and a Webelos II leader. Even though I seem to have boys falling off the face of the earth in the last few months.

 

Many boys cannot cross over in February, if they do not have their Arrow of Light and don't turn eleven until the summer. What happens to them? I have a few in my den like this. My son would be in that group if I had not been pushing him to get his AOL. Some of these boys just joined Cub Scouts this past year so they haven't had a lot of time to earn their AOL, it's not anyone's fault.

 

About those who say I'll be back later and never return -- these are just some ideas off the top of my head.

 

Get their names and addresses. In the fall have a big shindig. If not a campout at least a full Saturday of "come work on your Tenderfoot Rank" or some fun merit badge. Maybe a special participation patch (the generic ones cost about $2.00). Come up with a catchy name. Send the boys invitations, call the parents. A back to school / back to scouting fun day. Some of the existing parents could be around to talk to the new parents, talk up the scouting program and what it has done for their sons. (he tucks in his shirt now, he can pack his bag for the weekend, etc.)

 

Maybe as school is starting back, see if the troop can do a little demonstration in a visible area on Saturday afternoon -- front of grocery store or discount department store. Everybody is doing their back to school shopping and sees the scouts doing stuff. I know I feel that our scouts (packs and troops and girls) aren't very visible. I see them when they are selling something or collecting food.

 

Would the non-ball-playing scouts be willing to show up in uniform to watch the other boys play baseball? What about a scout baseball game (for fun)? Or we are all going to have a cookout after the game?

 

 

 

[Chippewa29]

sctmom-

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I like the idea of a Back to Scouting night if we have that happen again. If it brings back one kid, it will be worth it.

 

I wish I could deal with a Webelos leader like yourself that took the time to really research what was happening with the Boy Scouts and making sure the kids in the den had options. Some of the Webelos leaders I've talked to act like we are trying to pull teeth when we invite them to a troop meeting or activity. Also, I'd love it if a parent who crossed over with their son said they wanted to sign up as a leader and be active. In fact, I'd probably have a heart attack.

 

We've tried to get more proactive in talking to first year Webelos leaders in making them more aware of the need to finish the program in a year and a half and checking out the Boy Scout program while first year Webelos so they can get a head start on learning about the Boy Scouts and giving the kids a good idea of what to look for when trying to decide on a troop. However, most of the Webelos leaders have no clue and say they have enough going on just to do their own program. I think it is something we can do better once we've built up our troop more and I'm not needed as much on a weekly basis to help with the meetings (the Scouts are doing more and more of it).

 

I'm trying to get a Webelos den of three who said they are definitely joining our troop to do joint activities with us until they officially cross over in May. The Webelos leader seems to like this idea and I'm supposed to go speak with his den and the parents when they meet on February 18. The group of four that crossed over last year did so in June, so we lost three of the four by the end of summer (including one who crossed over but never came to a troop meeting because it was baseball season).

[Glenn]

I thought earning the Arrow of Light as a Webelo meant visiting at least one Troop, and attending an outdoor Boy Scout outing. When my den earned the Arrow of Light, I had to make sure the boys' parents knew of these requirements, and why. I wanted the parents to be involved with their sons' Troop choice. The last I heard (around Christmas), all five boys are still in Scouts.

[sctmom]

Glenn, you are right. But apparently a lot of parents don't see any need to encourage their son to get the Arrow of Light.

 

Trying not to stray off subject, but I found it interesting that one of the parents in my den who never has time for their son's scouting events, spends an hour each Saturday video taping the 10 year old play basketball. And that takes both parents to do that for some reason. On top of 2 practices each week.

:::shaking my head:::

 

[eisely]

Assuming that your troop goes to summer camp, talking that up as an immediate activity should have some beneficial impact on recruiting. Even if a boy doesn't plan on crossing over until May or June, we try to encourage him and his parents to plan on going to summer camp. It seems to help.

[Bob White]

Our experience has been that new scout retention is greatly affected by

 

1. Crossing in February so that they get comfortable with the troop and the outdoors before they head to summer camp.

 

2. If they are Arrow of Light, they get a quick review and Scoutmaster Conference the first Troop meeting. So that they can leave the first meeting with their Scout Badge. (give them their scout handbook at crossover so that the parents can complete the youth protection section prior to the troop meeting.

 

3. Most important, achieve First Class First Year.

 

4. Get the parents involved in some way.

 

Hope this helps, Best of Luck

[evmori]

Bob White,

I agree with three of your four points. The one I don't agree with is First Class First year. While this is very doable, I don't think it is necessary to retain Scouts. I have had some boys who aren't ready to advance that fast. Most of the Scouts I have had that reach 1st Class by the time they are 12 tend to get bored with Scouting. Most aren't ready for a position of responsibility at that age.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

[Bob White]

evmori, did you know that national found that boys who did not reach reach first class first year were something like 6 times more likely to quit at the end of the year and 8 times more likely to quit within 3 years.

 

First Class First year gives the scouts the frequent recognition they need at that stage of development, the outdoor skill exposure to be comfortable camping, and a buffer period to socially adjust to older scouts. It is a Primary goal of the scouting advancement program and the heart of the New Scout Patrol system.

 

Of the 13 new scouts who joined us last year, only one will not complete First Class First Year, and he is the only new scout who has quit (and according to his parents it was because of problems with his studies and he hopes to return).

 

I really urge you to implement this program using the New Patrol Method under the guidance of an Asst. Scoutmaster and a Troop Guide for every New Scout patrol of no more than 8 boys.

Rotate patrol Leadership every month so that each new scout gets to attend the patrol Leader's Council monthly meeting. This teaches them how the youth leadership operated the troop. Run a seperate program under the leadership of the ASM with the troop Guide acting as Co-Patrol Leader. They can still do some activities with the older patrols but they need their own program stressing the basic scout skills and activities from Tenderfoot through First Class.

 

Once they reach First Class they have the option to stay together and form a new older patrol or they can opt as individuals to join existing Patrols.

 

This is a tremendously powerful program to train and retain new scouts.

[slontwovvy]

An excellent program and a lot of helpful older boys help too. For their first outing with the Boy Scouts, take them somewhere exciting. We took ours on a caving trip into a small "kiddie" cave for a weekend. Lots of fun, something they never did before, and voila, hooked boys.

[dan]

Mister White

Are you a DE or something?

You have provided me with more information to give to the Scoutmaster of the troop. Sounds like excellent ideas.

But I will also agree with Ed some boys are not ready for 1st class after the 1st year, my son being one of them, but he loves scouting, he has only missed one campout last year and 1 meeting, he is coming up on his one year in scouting and just earned his tenderfoot, I could have pushed him to have more done, but I am trying to get him to take the responsiblity to start it himself and ask for help if needed.

I beleive that if you have a fun and exciting program the ranks should not make that big of a difference.

It is a fine line we walk between being a good program and a rank factory.

[Bob White]

Dan, Scout's Honor, I'm not a professional scouter. Just a volunteer who has had a successful and fun filled time in scouting for over 3 decades. More explaination in the new string on this board regarding troop literature.

by the way..Your can call me Bob, or you can call me Bobby, or you can call me B.W. or you can call me Bob W., but you doesn't have to call me Mr. White.

[andrews]

And don't call him late for dinner....

 

Brad

[evmori]

Bob,

Thanks for the info. I have always been one to let the Scouts progress at their own rate. There are skills involved with the ranks up to 1st Class that some Scouts need more work with than others. Sure, there are Scouts who are ready for 1st Class in one year and that's great. But those who aren't shouldn't be pressured to "hit the mark" if they can't.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

[KL Wisconsin]

You've received some excellent suggestions here already. I believe one of the best win/win methods to developing contacts and dialog with Webelos leaders and Packs is through having your scouts become Den Chiefs. While a Webelos leader may not respond to a phone call about what is going to happen to his/her boys 1-2 years down the line, few don't respond to the offer of an extra trained helper in the form of a Boy Scout Den Chief to come to their den meetings and be an extra set of hands. Our troop has seen great growth in interest from Packs since we have many Den Chiefs working with dens at all levels of Cub Scouts. The Den Chiefs get a chance to show off their skills and accomplishments and the Cubs are wow'd. The DC's help out at the Pack meetings, too, esp. when there are special events like pinewood derby. They are very visible at the pack meetings for parents to see what a Boy Scout is like. Our boys usually wear their sash for den and pack meetings, a great conversation starter for the Cubs and parents. We also send extra scouts to help out at the pinewood derby and similar events.

 

We also try to get the opportunity to have someone from our troop assigned as a unit commissioner to a pack. Again, we're there helping where the pack needs the help. Working on these relationships really helps communication with the packs and helps the pack people to see what scouting offers their sons.