Here's a tip to get your program year started

[Bob White]

Often times packs wait until after they have their round-up nights to recruit leaders and get den meetings started. Most often then not the recuitment works like this...

 

(Cubmaster) "We need someone to be the __________leader(fill in the age group or rank of choice). If No one volunteers then your kids just won't be able to be in cubs this year. So come see me after the meeting if you are willing to do it".

 

Sound familiar? Consider a different tactic. Your current Den Leaders probably know someone looking to join the pack this year. Have them identify people that they feel would be good den leaders and go ask them to join the leadership team now. Have their friends come with you when you invite them to join. They can share the work and rewards of being a scout leader with the prospective leader. That way when you organize dens you can introduce the Den Leaders. The parents will be impressed by the organizational abilities of the pack leadership and be more inclined to help when they see things have a structure to them.

 

Another big advantage is that it takes less time to get that first meeting scheduled so the boys have a program waiting for them as soon as they join.

 

And as Red Green would say

"Hang in there. Remember, we're all in this together!"

 

Bob White(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[sctmom]

This may not work for everyone but our pack had all den meetings on the same night, same place. The new den leaders didn't have to worry about what night nor where to meet. The cubmaster and other den leaders were also in the next room. The new den leaders would see the other leaders and families at least once a week for a few moments, not just at pack meetings and leader's meetings.

 

Another source of den leaders is parents with more than one boy. Maybe they aren't leaders with their oldest, but you see they are involved and attend a lot of events.

 

[Twocubdad]

We've tried that approach but with mixed results. Last year we polled existing Scout families for the names of little brothers and neighbors who were planning to join. Of the 20 or so boys who ultimately joined, about half responded to the survey and we got one Wolf Den leader out of the bunch.

 

With the Tigers, however, if we had all the leaders set prior to Roundup, we would have missed a very good den leader who just appeared at Roundup night.

 

This year, we tried the same approach but with no response. I don't know if there just aren't any little brothers in the Pack this year, or if the parents -- aware that we are trolling for leaders -- are just sandbagging us. So this year we don't have a choice but to wait and see what the new crop of boys and parents brings.

 

But the main point of Bob's post is still well made. New dens need to have every opportunity to hit the ground running. We try to have a good, up-to-date Den Leader's kit available. It includes plans for den meetings, local resources and most of the books a new den leader needs. We also take special care to give the den leaders extra help the first few den meetings, even sending an experienced leader to help run the first den meeting or two, if necessary.

 

Of course, we attach a list of upcoming training opportunities to the adult leaders applications and try to get them to attend at their earliest convenience.