Common Traits of Highly Successful Packs

[sctmom]

I guess in a perfect world Packs have a full committee. I know that is a serious problem in our Pack. Right now we barely have enough Den Leaders. I'm eyeing a few parents in my den to get them on the committee.

 

At first I sometimes helped my husband plan meetings for the Wolf Den. Then I became the Webelos leader a couple of years later. Now I am a Bear Leader. Program Helps is the best thing around! In the last few weeks I have practically planned out the next 9 months of meetings. This way I'm not running around at the last minute getting supplies. I also work outside of the home, most leaders I know work full time.

 

I feel that by only having 2 meetings per month, we are giving the families only 1/2 a program. Where I live it is hard to start a meeting before 7:00. If we went for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours, people would not get home until 9:00 or later. These little guys have to go to bed by 8:30 or 9:00. I do too!

 

I think we have to believe in and trust the program. It is my understanding (Bob White correct me if wrong) that BSA is constantly reviewing the program, how children learn, and what works. Sure some tweaking might be needed. But why recreate the wheel?

 

With Program Helps I don't have to think of a theme, I can look at the one in the book. If I just don't think it will work I can go to a different theme from a previous year's Program Helps. Our Pack has not begun to use the themes. Maybe soon.

 

My new mantra is "Use Program Helps"!

 

[janssenil]

forestengr - I just wondered about the idea behind leaving it to the Den Leader as to whether the boy is a good fit for the Den - what happens if the Den Leader doesn't think he'll fit in? As a Den Leader, I've always operated under the philosphy that Scouting is for everyone. Picking and choosing wasn't in my realm of possibilities. I've groaned a time or two, but I feel like you have to give all boys a chance unless the size of your Den is getting too hard to handle.

[Bob White]

right onthe money sctmom. The only part I disagree with is that it takes a perfect world to have a full committee, or even enough leaders for that matter. All it takes is correct recruiting. Most units (packs especially) do it wrong.

 

They have someone stand in front of a crowd of adults and beck, threaten, plead and whine for help. doesn't work , never has, never will.

 

1. Identify the specific job

*what are the goals

*what are the resourses

*what are the time constraints

*What skills are needed to be successful

 

2 Identify people with those skills

 

3 prioritize your selection

 

4 Approach the individuals with the resources in your hand and explain the job program's importance to your community and their children.

 

5 Let them know you don't want just anyone . You want them.

 

6 Recognize them

 

Bob White

[janssenil]

I agree, program helps was a great thing when I was doing Bears! I would have been lost without it when I first began. Now I'm doing Webelos and, I think I'm correct in saying, they don't have the monthly Den themes for Webelos. I love doing Webelos, but the boys get bored with mundane activities so I try to do things like making Pinewood Derby stands and other a-bit-more complicated projects. I've just gotten into the idea of letting them plan which activities they want to work on, but, still, I'm sure they're going to want to do the more interesting, complex things like getting on the internet for communications and to earn the internet patch. That all takes time and planning on my part. Hey, just getting my house cleaned up enough to have them all over takes time. ) We're meeting on Sunday afternoons because they're involved in so many other activities, it just works out for everyone including me and it allows us to hang-out for 2 hours at a time. We have time to sit around a campfire and discuss issues along with finishing a craft or activity. We go on lots of field trips and that always takes at least 2 hours. Hey, I'm writing a book here, but bottom line is, I think, even if I'm not following the program to the letter, it's working for them and me. I love Scouting, but I do think there's room for improvement in the program even outside of the idea of weekly meetings versus bi-weekly.

 

Wow, I think I'm getting off subject.

 

And, Bob, I just read your response about selecting Committee members. I've tried doing that, but we still didn't get all our positions filled. I personally called 3 people to fill the Wolf Den Leader position and they all said no, yet we have 5 little boys who show up at every pack meeting since they were Tiger Cubs. Any other suggestions? We just don't have enough people to choose from at a small school in a small town.

[sctmom]

Do you have the Webelos leader book? It has the meetings laid out like Program helps. Webelos is tough on the leader. The problem I made was I tried to do it all myself. If I do Webelos again, I will be signing up parents to do each activity badge and I will sit back and watch.

 

Bob, I am trying to remember your recruiting ideas. One of my personal goals is to recruit more pack members. I did the family survey in my den. Have one mom pegged for coordination of the Blue & Gold. Will try to get all the parents to show up for the committee meeting. Then I'll move to another den...hehehe.

 

[Bob White]

You cannot expect to recruit successfully over the phone. you MUST look the person in the eye and tell them face to face that they are important to the success of the scout unit.

 

Janssenil,

Yes there are monthly themes for Webelos and 4 planned meeting agendas just like in Program Helps. It's just that they are in a different book. You need to get the Webelos Leader Handbook.

 

Bob White

[CubsRgr8]

Bob is 1000% correct about eye-to-eye recruiting! Last year, the Webelos 1 den was floundering and no parents were stepping forward. I evaluated each parent (custodial and non-custodial) of every Webelos 1 boy. Then I decided who I would want to be the den leader if my son was in that den. I sat down for coffee with him and eye-to-eye discussed the need, the actual time commitment, AND the support available. It worked.