What to Look for in a CSDC Program Director

[Eagle92]

Long story short, afetr 2 years as PD, I am taking a year off, possibly 2. Middle son willbe a TC and I cannot be PD b/c I need ot be with him. So next year is out. Oldest and middle both have expressed going to Resident Camp, so that may be done in 2 years. So I am looking for a successor.

 

What would you look for? What concerns would you have? I would leave it up to the CD as she is committed for the next 3 years, but the track record with her and recruiting staff is not the best, usually leaving everythign to the last minute. Try getting shooting sports folks certified about 2 weeks before camp.

 

So again what to look for in a PD and what to concerns woudl you have?

[SSScout]

Breathing and awake the right part of the day...

 

Just kidding. I think the CD will certainly have the last word, here, he/she will be the one working with the PD.

Some of the qualities I have admired in past PDs I have known:

* organized, see the whole camp picture, perhaps even more than the CD. Sees what can be done, what won't fit.

*people oriented, see where the conflicts between station masters might cause a problem. Not afraid to jump in to find out what's what.

*creative (need those "specials") , able to think on the run. See the connection with the theme. Find the solution to the problem. Which means they would benfit from a Scout background, Cub and/or Boy.

*might need to be the Camp Cubmaster if the CD doesn't want to be. That means being able to jump in and lead the cheers and skits when the weather goes nasty and everyone has to retreat to the school gymnasium. And who leads the opening and closing ceremonies? CD? or PD? or someone else?

* Good at "plan Bs"

 

Just a start.

[JoeBob]

From 10 yards a good PD should score 30 of a possible 50 points with a water pistol...

[Eagle92]

SSScout,

 

To be honest the CD will probably accept anyone willing to do most of the work. Not many folks willing to work with the CD.

 

CD told me I've been in the PD the longest in about 12 years (that former PD stayed long enough for his son to finish Cubs and he quit because of the CD. I was the DE at the time and I had to deal with the complaints about the CD from the old PD).

 

Long story short, I've spent the past two years building up the program. Last year was essentially doing everything on my own as the CD didn't do much. That was frustrating b/c I bought or secured everything we would need because she would not give me an inventory of what she had after I had asked several times, only to find out after camp starts that we had XYZ supplies. I returned over $300 worth of supplies, and wasted several hours of my time, and an hour of my wife's time.

 

This year after several attempts to get an inventory, get supplies delivered to a secure location at camp so that we can do outr own inventory, etc, I finally got the boxes of supplies that the CD had to camp, inventoried, and organized on the 4th of July. And I know stuff is missing b/c it was stuff either I purchased, or got donated last year.

 

I could go on and on but won't. Suffice to say a lot of folks would love to see the CD retire, but folks won't commit to taking over as CD.

 

EDITED; Sorry to vent. My CSDC is Monday, and I am still getting stuff. frustrated because I am not only dealing with my own responsibilities, but also the CD's. After last year I know if I want the Cubs to have fun, I cannot rely on the CD. I was hoping it would go better this year, with the CD realizing that I am not after the CD job but trying to get the camp going, but I failed in that regard. Heck even stating I will be a TC partner next year hasn't helped.(This message has been edited by eagle92)

[SeattlePioneer]

I would look for someone with proven leadership skills. You want someone who has a record of saying what they will do and then doing what they say.

 

Best would be someone with aq record of working with the day camp and with a history of helping to make it work. So look through your various volunteers for someone who has a promising record.

 

That also suggests that day camp leaders should be on the lookout to identify potential day camp leaders and to bring them into responsible positions where they can prove themselves and develop a commitment to the program.

 

Personally, I'm experimenting with asking Packs and Troops to take charge of particular activities, with the expectation that they will continue those responsibilities each year. Scouting is best done by making packs and dens responsible for doing activities, is my theory.

 

It's tough to keep recruiting people as individuals, but packs and troops have resources they can bring to bear in carrying out programs.

 

That's my theory, anyway.

 

 

[ScoutNut]

Getting Pack, and Troop members to act as Day Camp staff is a good idea. We get much of our Day Camp staff by asking at Roundtables.

 

However, that does nothing to help Eagle82 with his problem of finding a new Day Camp Program Director. The Program Director must be National Camp School trained, and must be an adult, not a youth.

[Eagle92]

Long story short the CS side of things in the district needs rebuilding. At the moment there is no RT commission, so few units attend. However one thing I want to do is have RT meeting with in Sept or OCT talking nothing but CSDC and try doing some of the things I've seen work, and national really recommends: putting the responsibility on the packs.

 

Lots of factors are involved into the current status of cub scouting in the district. Unfortunately a good bit of it is related to the CD either directly or indirectly.At one time she was involved in everything cub scouts: CS RT Commish, CS Activities Chair, and CSDC director. At the moment she is still the CS activities chair day camp director, and there is no CS RT Commish as no one really attends RT. When I attend, I usually am on the boy scout side of things. As a result she has left a bad taste in people's mouths, and several folks are only working CSDC because I asked them too.

 

Biggest challenge is that there is a high staff turnover. With the exception of me and the CD, this will be 4 adults's second year on staff. Everyone else is new.

 

Since we have gotten off on a tangent, let's go a little further off.

 

What would you do to recruit a new PD?

 

Also what information would you pass on to a new PD?

 

 

[SeattlePioneer]

Hello Scoutnut,

 

 

My aim is not to get pack and troop leaders to help with Cub Scout Day Camp, but to have Packs and Troops adopt activities at Day Camp as things they do and are responsible for as a unit.

 

One unit may like to take charge of the BB gun range, another woodworking, another cleanup after the camp is over for example.

 

My theory is that if units do that a time or two, they will take ownership of it and take pride in doing an excellent job at those activities. My hope is that would be more stable long term than recruiting a string of individuals to do such things.

 

 

[Eagle92]

KEEP THE IDEAS COMING!!!!!!!!! (and yes that is me shouting at ya! )

 

Right now it is as if we have a bunch of individual units with one or two coopereating with one another. May be if we can push CSDC as a unifier, it will help revamp the cub side in the district.