How Do You Get Volunteers?

[kitty]

My Cub Scout Pack needs ideas on how to get parents to volunteer for coordinating events and as new den leaders. We want to have another round-up, but must get more volunteers before we take on any more boys!

 

 

[tdyer56]

In my pack, we had a parent meeting right after a pack meeting that only took about 15-20 minutes. At this meeting, we explained that in order for their boy to have fun, we needed help. Then we passed around a signup sheet for upcoming events. They could be the chair for that event, help plan the event, or help run the event. Some of the parents signed up for one thing while some signed up for all three for an event.

 

We had another signup sheet at our blue and gold banquet for summertime activites.

 

This has worked very well for us.

 

Tim Dyer

Pack56

[scoutmom]

I have found that a general "we need help" gets us nowhere. What has helped our Pack is to break up events into small parts and ask people individually for their help. Example: for our Pinewood Derby this year, we had general sign up sheets available for Judging, set up, weigh in, etc. BUT, we then went to specific people and asked them if they could help with one part. We managed to have enough help with every area.

 

When I was Den Leader, I decided I couldn't continue. I had a new job with longer hours and a longer commute and I couldn't devote as much time to the Den as they deserved. I advised the Den that I needed to step down, but no one agreed to take over. I continued to do my best, knowing I wasn't delivering the quality program the boys deserved. I muddled through until the summer. I encouraged parents to go to day camp as den guides (because I couldn't as I was on staff for day camp) and three of the parents from the den went. Well, they had a terrific time and decided that they would take over the den as leaders. ....and the moral of this story is, get the parents involved, start out small, and you just might be surprised at your results. Make sure everyone knows when your committee meetings are, invite everyone. Let them know that leadership is not an exclusive club. And then thank them and reward them if you can when they do volunteer. Little homemade awards go a long way towards motivating parents to help more. If possible, have the Pack but their Leader Shirts or subsidize the cost. Pay for the adults registration fee, pay their way to the Blue and Gold, pay for their training. If you can work this into your Pack budget, it will be worth it.

 

Got a little long-winded there... sorry.

[JaRae876]

Hi I have been active in my sons pack this year when I dediced to create a web site for the pack. I started out as a committee member and now an Asst. Webelos Leader. We have quietly asked for help from parents all this past year but nothing came from it. However at the May pack meeting we decided to put it frankly to the parents that without the help there wasn't going to be much of a pack at all next year and just not enough dens for all the boys if the parents didn't step up to the bat. When we put it that way that without there help their boys more in likely wouldn't have a place to go to next year we had several parents step up to the plate that evening. I mean we need a Tiger, 2 Wolf Leaders and a Bear Leader as well as there were 5 committee postitions that needed to be filled as well as the asst. leaders to the above dens mentioned. We now have over half of those postitions filled firmly and the other half almost there. It seemed when it comes down to it I guess it depends where you are in the need of volunteers on how to go. As a pack we couldn't ask nicely anymore we had to put it out there as it was. Hope this helps

 

JaRae876

Pack 37

[GreyingWolf]

People are naturally hesitant - bashful, don't understand the importance, risk-averse, etc. The easiest way we've found to get past all that is for parents to understudy with someone who already does it - ask them to *help* that person, not immediately take over for them. (We've enjoyed lots of volunteerism, but this fall our pack is going to strive for a high percentage of new parents teaming-up with someone handling a task.)

 

The best place to ask, BTW, is one-on-one. "We need help" from the front of the room or in a newsletter rarely gets a response.

 

You can tell them how boys get more out of the program where their parents/guardians are involved - the reverse is true, too. But don't harp on it!

 

You can make supporting resources obviously available - den leader coaches (in spite of the office having been retired), manuals, materials, training, etc. And be ready to offer sympathy, encouragement, counseling when something fails (as sometimes happens.)

 

Broaden your reach. Extended family? Chartered organization? Older siblings? Retired leaders whose boys have left the nest?

 

Pete

[FScouter]

Your "understudy" idea hits the nail on the head.