If You Could Change CS Advancement

[DeanRx]

Hopefully, I am not straying too far off topic, and I've already posted on my ideas for what to do within CS advancement, but the attrition issue stems from several colliding factors IMHO....

 

1) Leader burnout by the Web II year - already been discussed and due to a multitude of reasons...

 

2) The view of a large number of scouts and parents that AOL is a FINISH LINE, instead of the starting place for Boy Scouting. I've even heard parents lament, "I just want to get Johnny to stick it out until AOL, then he can go do football, baseball, soccer, music, etc..." - they view it as a goal to achieve and then be done.

 

3) Far too much repitition in Webelos and 1st year of scouts. Basically, if a cubbie earns the AOL, they should just tack on the Scout rank because they've already done almost all the requirements for Scout when earning the AOL. Add to this the fact that to earn AOL, they have to often redo many of the belt loops they have.... well - been there, done that (got the t-shirt too if they did it at Webelos Woods).

 

4) The largest factor for BOYS LOOSING INTEREST - the lack of challenging outdoor activities / high adventure availible to scouts from Webelos II to age 14 that is different than what they have already done as a Webelos. Moving water canoing? Nope. Shoot anything bigger / badder than a 0.22cal? Nope. Rock Climbling? Nope. - just boldering says G2SS. Obstacle course / cope? Nope. Horseback riding? Maybe.

 

The list of the things you CANNOT do until you are age 14 or higher seems to grow every year. I understand the safety concerns, but these are the same kids who are playing football, hockey, etc. Many in rural areas already shoot shotgun, large caliber hunting rifles and some black powder with their dads, but can't go anywhere near it on a BSA range. This screams "LAME" to a 11-13 y/o.

 

If BSA is serious about retaining / recruiting Webelos into Boy Scouts and not loosing them the 1st 2 years, they need to rethink the age restrictions on a LOT of the "high adventure" activities.

 

Heck, I was at Northern Tier at age 13 doing open water canoing. Not sure that's even allowed now and its only been 1 generation. I WON my summer camp belly flop contest one year as a 12 or 13 y/o - yes doing belly flops off a diving board (gasp!) - There's not a council pool in existence that has a low or high board anymore. Yet almost EVERY public pool in teh US has diving boards and water slides now.

 

Get the dang lawyers out of the decision tree on what kids of a certain age can or cannot do and put the adventure back in for ALL scouts, not just the older ones!

 

This became VERY appearant to me at the Webelos Woods, when a mature Life scout (he had to be close to 18y/o) gave a tour of the council camp to our group of Webelos. He kept on stating, "Once your a scout and over 14, you can do this at camp, or you can do that, etc...".

 

Two of our Webelos Scouts looked at him and asked, "Well, what can we do next summer at camp as a Boy Scout?" - His answer, "Well, pretty much what you are doing right now."

 

That is the killer of retention right there.

[BadenP]

Dean is so right , the same old same old stuff regurgitated for another year is the death knoll for not only cubs but scouts as well. If they get to do everything too soon or whether some paper pusher at National rules certain activities will not be allowed these restrictions for the most part are killing scouting. If they can't do certain fun activities with scouts there are plenty of other programs available where they can.

[dkurtenbach]

DeanRx wrote: "2) The view of a large number of scouts and parents that AOL is a FINISH LINE, instead of the starting place for Boy Scouting. I've even heard parents lament, "I just want to get Johnny to stick it out until AOL, then he can go do football, baseball, soccer, music, etc..." - they view it as a goal to achieve and then be done."

 

Arrow of Light IS a finish line. It is the highest rank in Cub Scouting. Receiving the Arrow of Light is, quite often, the very last Cub Scout-ish thing these boys do -- it is the end of their very last pack meeting.

 

If parents are saying, "I just want to get Johnny to stick it out until AOL . . . ," it is already clear to the parents that Johnny is not having fun in Scouts.

 

Retention is not rocket science.

 

If Johnny is having fun in Scouting, he will want to continue. Period. If Johnny is not having fun in Scouting, he will not want to continue. Period.

 

If Johnny is having fun in Scouting and the parents are happy with Scouting, they will bend over backwards to help Johnny stay in Scouting. If Johnny is not having fun in Scouting, most parents (not all) will allow him to move on to other things. That is easiest to do at a natural end point or natural break, such as completing Arrow of Light. It teaches Johnny to finish what he started, but also offers a ready exit.

 

Dan K.