Bilingual Recruiting Flyer

[Fehler]

I am blessed to have a Pack Secretary who is bilingual (English-Spanish), as is her son (who has earned his Interpreter Strip). I would like to add a sentence/blurb noting that on our recruiting flyers, but I don't know the best way to phrase it. I don't want to be too wordy, I want the flyers to be short and sweet with the details. Also, I don't want to imply that we are running a bilingual program, all meetings will be conducted in English.

 

Does "Pack leaders speak Spanish" imply that all leaders speak Spanish? "Spanish Translation Available" sounds like we will be translating every form/activity, which won't be the case. Or how about "Questions answered in Spanish upon request, for more information contact packsecretaryemail.com", which is probably the extent of what we will offer.

[SeattlePioneer]

Interesting questions!

 

I am personally interested in discovering how more Hispanic families can be attracted to traditional, mostly English speaking Scout units.

 

One method I've been thinking about would use your bilingual pack leader as the central contact for other Hispanic families. That person would be responsible for staying in contact with other Hispanic families and seeing to it that they are informed about the program and get their questions answered.

 

That web of Hispanic families could then also be given pack leadership assignments as a group ---- organizing the Blue and Gold dinner might be an example.

 

I'd have a sample Spanish Den Handbook at your recruiting night, and have Spanish application forms available as well. Seating Spanish speaking families together might be a more sensitive issue, but worth considering.

 

The reverse side of a lot of recruiting literature is blank, and can be used to list details of your program, or a welcome in Spanish.

 

Good luck with your efforts and I'd appreciate it if you would post on the means you use that you find are effective.

 

 

[Scoutfish]

I used to speak enough Spanish that - if you air dropped me in a spanish speaking country...I could get out or into a lot of trouble - take your pick!@

 

Took 2 years of spanosh in school .

 

BUT.....Not using it continuosly..I have forgotten all but s few fundimental words and phrases.

 

Hdere is trhe problem about stating anything about being bilingual:

 

What if a boy joins who speaks spanish. Do you have a leader in his den rank that speaks spanish?

 

And I say leader as a parent cam miss an essential part og the program if interpretting for the leader.

 

Is your son going to sacrifice his activities in order to be an interpreter? What if 3 different age boys join the unit? You can't stick all 3 in one rank den and have them get a good program. Yet, you can have them seperate if you have only one person speaking their language.

 

I wouldn't put it in the flyer unless you truely were bi lingual.

 

And if you will have all meetings in english. what is the point?

 

And honestly, somebody might even take that as an insult: "Yeah, we could speak your language, but we're not gong to!"

 

Know what I mean? The whole draw and bling of the flyer was that you were bilingual. But you are not going to be bilingual.

 

Not saying it's false advertising, but would be a huge let down and the spanish speaking scouts "could" feel like they were misled.

 

[Scoutfish]

Ooops! I meant is HER son, not YOUR son.

 

[The Blancmange]

How about "Se habla Espanol"?

 

This is pretty commonly understood as meaning someone is available to speak Spanish, not necessarily that everyone in the business or organization displaying it does.

[Scoutfish]

Now, I don't want to give the impression that you shouldn't have spanish speaking boys in your unit...I'm only suggesting you step back and take a good look at what you plan to do .

Just try to make sure you have all angles coverd to avoid mistakes and misunderstandings.

 

 

Truth be told, having s scout who speak another language is a highy valuable tool and can be educational to both that scout and the whole den or unit he is in!

[Tampa Turtle]

I would take care to make the wording simple. There are different phrases unique to certain countries and groups.

[clemlaw]

I would simply include a sentence or two, in Spanish, at the bottom to the effect of, "if you have any questions about Cub Scouts, please call _________", and give the Pack Secretary's name and phone number. Maybe include one or two sentences paraphrasing the rest of the flyer, "Boys in 1st through 5th grade will have fun in Cub Scouts--Pack 1234 meets on Tuesday nights," or whatever.

 

That way, you're not implying anything, and she can explain how your Pack works when they call.

 

Chances are, you already have someone else's name and phone number for contact information. She's the logical person to field those particular calls.

 

Buena suerte! (Good luck!)

[FScouter]

A pack secretary and one boy does not make a bilingual pack. Recruiting Spanish speaking boys and parents doesn't make a bilingual pack. You just have two groups of people that can't talk to each other.

[SeattlePioneer]

Hello F Scouter,

 

 

I agree with you. What I'm looking for is a way to make it practical for Hispanic families to participate in a traditional, primarily English speak Scout unit. I don't know how to do that yet.

 

I don't think its a big issue for the boys --- most of them speak English. But you need ways to communicate with parents, keep them involved and make them welcome.

 

My brightest idea to do that is to appoint a bi lingual parent as a Scout Parent Coordinator, and make it their job to stay in touch with Hispanic parents. This Hispanic group could also be called upon to help with unit programs when needed. I'd like to see if something like that could be made to work.

 

 

[teresapchang]

The Boy Scouts of America has a Spanish Initiative site. They have everything flyers, posters, recruiting materials in Spanish and English on it including free copies of handbooks in Spanish (which I believe is unfair because this is not offered to the English Speaking kids.) Anyway, here is the site address: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/sitecore/content/HispanicInitiatives/Resources.aspx