Webelos Retention

[KL Wisconsin]

After AOL/crossover, is your SPL or ASPL contacting the new scouts directly to remind them of the meeting day and time? Often the troop meeting schedule is entirely different from what the Webelos had in the past. We have Webelos who only meet 1-2 times a month, while the troop meets weekly and on a different day of the week. A youth, not the SM, calling the new scout does much to help the new boy feel welcome. Emailing the new scouts also helps, anything that reaches out to them and makes them know you are really interested in his presence.

 

Are you providing the new scout and his parents with a calendar so they know what is coming up and can make plans?

 

Another thing we do is early in the spring we work on a fundraiser to help the new scouts pay for camp. Preferably a group fundraiser, like a car wash or something. In our area, one of the grocery stores helps groups by letting them hold a cookout in front of the store on a Sat. morning (we just purchase all the supplies from them). The boys keep all the money earned in their personal trust account based on hours worked. This kind of fundraising serves two purposes. One, the parents see that their son can attend scout events like camp without a major outlay of expense. And second, working together for a common goal helps to build bonds between the boys and makes the new scouts feel very important and grown-up. We make a point of telling the boys and parents about these events when they come to look at the troop, sort of Tom Sawyer style "If you become a BS, then you get to work at our annual cookout, etc, etc" Invariably one of the older scouts, says something like "oh, no, first he has to put soda into the cooler chest or grill the hamburgers." Since most 10 1/2 year olds never are allowed to do the grilling themselves, this in itself has appeal.

 

Another help for retention is to help the boys earn merit badge soon after joinng. In Webelos they are quickly earning pins. At that age, they still need some of that quick gratification/reward. In this area there is an Electricity merit badge clinic sponsored by the electric company each spring. We try hard to make sure interested boys attend it. There is also a Coin Collecting MB clinc in conjunction with a local coin collectors convention. The boys are treated like royalty by the conventioneers when they walk around there with their new uniforms, they learn a lot about coin collecting and get that first MB for their sash.

[jethehiker]

Chippewa29

I have nothing to add to this thread, I think everyone has covered it. How ever I think bob has come up with a new thread on the "First Class first year" issue so I will start it.

 

Yis

 

jethehiker

[sctmom]

New twist on this subject for me.

 

As a Webelos leader, I had a sudden drop in attendance at den meetings over the last couple of months. I was calling parents last night to remind them of a few upcoming events (since I haven't SEEN any of them). One says "oh, I thought since my son didn't go to the next level that there was nothing left to do. I thought you had gone to Boy Scouts with your son."

 

Despite the fact that I have said many times and even wrote a letter in November to say you don't have to have your Arrow of Light, and I WILL keep having den meetings for those boys not ready to cross over. I even went back and reread my letter --- yep, that's what I said. Apparently, some don't see the connection between Webelos and Boy Scouts (they've never attended any of the join activities we had together). Or they just don't get the reason for belonging to Scouts? Or they just don't care?

 

Their boys were always having fun at the events they attended. Great, smart, active kids.

 

Now, I've lost these BEFORE crossover!

 

Would a den chief have helped? Den Chiefs are a rarity around here. I asked one troop and got a "yeah, right" shrug. Seems that the troops are not encouraging being a den chief.

 

[jethehiker]

sctmom

A great source for den chiefs is the Cub summer camp commissioner. most Boy Scouts who really believe in the program join as summer camp staff and like working with Cubs. I know it works I used it as a Cubmaster.

 

YIS

 

jthehiker