Recruiting older cubs

[Eagle309]

Our pack has always seems to start out after fall recruiting with a healthy number of Tigers and Wolves. We rarely get any new boys at the Bear or Webelos levels despite extra emphisis on recruiting there. Since we loose a few boys each year (some due to moves, some due to parents being 'too busy'--especially single moms) this leads to some rather small Webelos II dens crossing over. Over the years I have observed this phemomen, we often start out with Tiger and Wolf dens of 8-10 boys but Webelos II dens only have 3-4 boys. Does anyone have any ideas for either retaining a few more of the boys (much of this loss does appear beyond our control, though) or 'selling' the program to the 3rd and 4th graders?

[ScoutNut]

You are right, as the boys get older, & are doing more things, many times their parents decide that something has to go. Unfortunately, many times that something is Scouting.

 

What can we do? Make sure the boys & their families are having as much fun as possible. When the boys can't wait to go to the next meeting, they will be less likely to decide to drop the activity altogether.

 

Be flexible. Do not make the families choose between Scouts & other activities. There is too good a chance that Scouts will lose. Find ways for boys who can't make every meeting to participate. We are constantly doing the "sports shuffle", even at the Tiger level. Temporarily changing meeting times, or even days to accommodate the most number of boys. Trust me, the parents appreciate this because sports are NOT flexible!

 

Make sure to keep boys who you have not heard from in a while in the loop for info. Don't automatically write them off if they don't show up often. Give the family a call & let them know that they are still considered a valued member of the Den. We had a family drop out near the end of Tigers. We kept in touch & they came back in Bears. Their Den leaders both moved over the summer & this Dad is now their new Webelos Leader!

 

Have the boys talk up the fun they are having to their friends in their class. Have a "bring a buddy" Den meeting. Have the parents talk to their fellow class-parents and tell them what a great program Scouting is. I had been talking to a friend since her son was in 1st grade, trying to convince her to put him in Scouting. Finally, last year in 4th grade, they signed him up with us, despite the fact that we are chartered by a Catholic Church/School & they are Lutheran. His dad goes to every meeting with him & they are having a blast. He even brought the Lutheran religious medal program to the attention of his Pastor. He was the first child there to earn his "God & Family" award in many, many years.

 

Make Scouting more visible. This year our Cubs (& maybe some Boy Scouts) will be taking turns doing an outdoor flag raising ceremony at the beginning of the school day. The Principal has even OK'd them to wear their Scout uniforms the day they have flag duty!

 

 

[EagleInKY]

Target some recruiting at specific ages. One year we really wanted to beef up the Bears & Webelos 1s, so we went to the school's open house on the night that 3rd and 4th graders were there. I was surprised how many parents said "yeah, we thought about this a few years ago, but were so busy with _______, maybe we will try it now". We probably got 3 or 4 per age group that year.

 

Make sure you are doing activities that keep these older cubs interested. Plan a campout, go on hikes or other field trips. I've seen some Bear dens that acted more like Tigers. Remember, they are a little older and offer will have the "been there, done that" attitude already.

[EagerLeader]

As a parent and a Bear DL, I can honestly tell you that flexibility may be your only hope of retaining the older kids. My older son is a Web II this fall, but he most likely won't be returning to the Pack. His den typically meets on Sunday afternoons, and our Pack meetings are the third Monday evening of the month. He has hockey practice every Monday evening, as well as most every Sunday. Like ScoutNut said, sports is NOT flexible! He will miss most of the program this year, so he won't return. That will leave only 4 boys in his den, if the rest do return. He's not happy about it, but it was his choice to make.

 

My Bears (with the exception of my own son) are not into anything else, so I should be able to retain all 6 of them this year. But next year, who knows? Other opportunities will come up. I plan on having my first meeting be a parent's meeting, to discuss what days and times are good for everyone so we can always have the most kids attend our meetings. And my own kid will probably have the most absences, with three other sports to compete for his time.

 

I wish our pack would target that 3rd-4th grade age group, we always get 15-20 new Tigers but almost never get any Webelos.

 

EL