Dropped scouts

[saucydog]

I work hard to provide a really active den with plenty of fun activities, field trips, and speakers. Despite that fact, my membership numbers have been declining each year.

 

The boys tell me how much fun it is, and the parents are always commenting on how the boys are always talking about when we went to different places and did different things, and yet I still have scouts that continue to drop. If I'm providing the best program possible, is there anyway to hold onto these scouts?

 

A perfect example is a scout who is in the midst of quitting the den because he joined basketball this year, and his practices and games interfere with our meetings and activities much of the time. I know he would value from this program, but how do I convince his family you can play sports and have scouts too?

[eagle-pete]

saucydog

 

We'd need a little more information here to be able to offer any useful suggestions...

 

Would you say the scouts are "dropping out" primarily due to other activities?

 

Have you spoken with the parents of these boys? If so, what were their responses?

 

Have you brought this up in Committee meeting for discussion? If so, what were some of the conclusions/solutions which came from that meeting?

 

If, after going through these steps, you have not reached any solutions, have you discussed this with your District Leaders (at Roundtable) and your Local Council?

 

Do you know who your Council Representative is? If not, your Local Council can provide that information. If so, have you brought this to their (the CR's) attention?

 

Do you know who your Unit Commissioner is? If not, your District Committee can provide that information. If so, have you brought this to their (the UC's) attention?

 

Finally, what is your position in Scouting? This will determine, to some degree, what kinds of options you have and where you should begin.

 

Just as a note, it is typical to loose some boys, unfortunately, due to circumstances out of your control. But if you are seeing a steady drop in attendance at den meetings and pack meetings, and none of these boys return, this would be an indication that something may be amiss in your program.

 

Eagle Pete(This message has been edited by eagle-pete)

[Lisabob]

Over the years I've talked to many parents who have sons in an either-or position (football or scouts, basketball or scouts, baseball or scouts...there have been times where we had cub scouts who only attended a handful of meetings between these three seasons and that was it for the entire year. And because there are so many competitive leagues around here it didn't seem to matter what night we scheduled den meetings for either.)

 

Some of them (the parents as well as the kids) just want to have a few nights free when they don't have anywhere to go. Many of them, especially as the kids get older and more serious about sports (webelos-age), have said they want their children to understand about commitment - that you have to be there at least most of the time to be a real part of anything.

 

While I agree that scouting can be flexible I do also understand that the above views are important to a lot of parents. And if that is how they see things even after you've explained how flexible scouting is, then there is likely not a whole lot else you can do there. They have prioritized and scouting isn't as high on their list as it is on yours. So make sure they know they are always welcome to come back if things change, but then focus on having a great time with the rest of the den.

 

I suppose another alternative - if you really think they'd like to stay in scouts and the problem is simply your den schedule - would be to help them find another den or pack in the area that fits better with their scheduling needs.

 

 

 

 

[Beavah]

While I agree that scouting can be flexible I do also understand that the above views are important to a lot of parents.

 

Yah, I sometimes think most troops are too flexible, eh?

 

Parents and are lookin' for commitment - on the part of their son, and on the part of the program their son enrolls in, and on the part of their son's "teammates", eh?

 

Kids are lookin' to get good at stuff. Do yeh think kickin' a ball around a field is more fun than going campin' for a weekend? No way. But getting good at kicking a ball around and feelin' that personal success is very cool and a lot of fun. But to get good, yeh have to practice a lot, play a lot.

 

So parents and kids see more "growth" from soccer than scouts, eh? All because those silly soccer leagues expect kids to be committed, trustworthy, loyal and such.

 

And we, well, we're "flexible."

 

 

[Oak Tree]

There's only so much you can do. No matter what kind of program you run, there will almost always be dropouts. People have lots of choices, and they prefer different things, and some of them will choose something other than Scouting. Running a great program is a good way to keep them in, making sure it's fun, and that the boys get recognition. Working with the parents to keep them engaged as well is important.

 

Oak Tree

[GernBlansten]

Between Webelos 1 and Webelos 2, my son's den went from 12 cubs to 4. Every one of those loses was due to sports. Parents made the decision that scouting was a lower priority and something had to give. Of the 4 remaining that crossed over into our troop, 2 still play competitive sports. They make 50% of the meetings. Really juggle their schedules to attend any campouts. They are stretched thin. The only reason they are still in scouting is their parents are committed to it.

 

The reason my son has excelled in scouting is he doesn't play sports. Not interested in them. Scouting is his extra-curricular activity and has plenty of time and energy to dedicate to it.

[Its Me]

 

I think one could look at the drop in numbers at the Webelos level like this.

 

Parents assume that exposing their childern to a variety of activities rounds out the child. Thus having been in scouting for four-five years they have completed this chapter in the child's development. So you have the been-there-done-that mentality. (been a scout [check here]). Time is freed to pursue other activities.

 

Also if we compare scouting to sports, Boy Scout may be looked at in the same way as competitive sports program. More time, commitment, money and skills will be needed in Boy Scouts than in Cub Scouts. Only the better prepared and self driven scouts will make it in the Boy Scout program.

 

[Lisabob]

You know what I think is funny about that last point, It's Me, is that the boys who I see sticking with scouting are NOT the ones I would have expected if success in scouting were based on initial preparedness or skill. Scouting, even Boy Scouting, seems to be a haven for a lot of kids who do not quite "fit" elsewhere and who are not particularly "good at it" at first. But you're right, many parents do make this assumption and discourage their boys from sticking with the program. A shame for those boys, who probably would've benefitted tremendously from the program if they had stayed on. But you can't tell other people how to parent their children.