How to Spread the Good News...

[OldGreyEagle]

On a "gay" thread the ageless issue of Boy Scouts as Geeks came up. A few posters had some ideas on how to improve BSA's image and differentiate between the Boy, and Cub Scout program.

 

I don't think a series of slick fast-paced comercials extolling the virtures and opportunities of scouting saturating the major media markets is due out anytime soon. So, we can all wish and project how wonderful such a national campaign would be and while we are wish'in and hop'in for such. We need to endeavor to persevere and work on the local level.

 

And before you shake your head and say we can't do anything at the local level, think of the status of the Eagle Rank. National has never done (leastwise not that I am aware) a publicity program on how great Eagle Scouts are. The public has picked this up on its own, thorugh personal observation and experience and thats why come colleges and universities prize Eagle Scouts and having Eagle Scout on a resume is usually a plus.

 

So, what have you done to promote Scouting in your Community that works, what doesnt? Lets see of we can share ideas. I need some help from the Poly Sci experts, but isnt whats called a "grass roots ground swell of support" the strongest political force?

 

Why can't we start that grass roots effort to improve Scoutings image and educate the public about the BSA and its programs?

 

If not now when, if not us, who?

[Zahnada]

From personal experience: never be bashful!

 

The best publicity is on a person-to-person basis. In our current situation, it is not unlikely that you'll meet someone who openly criticizes scouting. That is the time to tell them the truth. Be tactful and courteous, but let them know all the great things about scouting.

 

I was in group where a project was being made that required knots. I proudly announced, "It's ok, I'm an Eagle Scout!" and kneeled down and tied two-half hitches. Three more Eagles materialized out of the group and we all started tying knots. The non-Eagles were all astonished. These people are Eagle Scouts? These people who aren't geeks and aren't weaving daisy necklaces with their mothers are Eagle Scouts?

 

Proudly show your scouting skills to everyone. Being a scout and especially an Eagle has made many of us who we are today. Don't be afraid to let others know that fact.

[Zahnada]

What's also interesting is that scouting is considered "geeky" primarily in middle school. Many boys join Cubs in elementary school (and later drop out), but it's not geeky then. Once you hit high school, most consider it geeky for the early years until they start working on their college resumes.

 

"Gee, I have nothing for leadership, community service, or honors."

 

"Well, I was a Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, summer camp staffer, etc. I also have over 500 hours of community service. And I have one of the greatest honors that a young man can achieve."

 

I remember that by junior and senior year, many people were regretting their decision to leave scouting. Sure, they missed it for many of the wrong reasons, but it was no longer geeky. It was an organization that the country respected and that brought boys life skills that are meaningful on and off of a resume.

 

Once college and real life hit, scouting is often a side activity. It's always fun to know someone and then discover that they're an Eagle. Suddenly the conversation is much easier.

 

So, I think we need to focus on those middle schoolers. It's the worst time of life for many boys because popularity takes priority. Somehow, scouting is not considered the popular thing to do. And I'm stuck on how to get middle schoolers to change their minds.

[OutdoorThinker]

Grassroots efforts, movements starting from the bottom rather than the top (ie oridnary citizens rather than the govt) have be known to be successful In our case I think that word of mouth is definately successful.

 

That's how our crew first started...we had a couple of scouts go out and talk about their scouting experiences (invited us to watch/participate in Eagle ceremonies)and really excited us to join.

 

I live in a college dorm and I am often caught wearing my Crew uniform as I hustle off to a meeting or come to an on campus event right after a crew event. "So, what are you? Still a girl scout?" the freshman ask on my hall the first time they see me in my green shirt. "Well, yeah, but I'm in my Boy Scout uniform"..."Youre what?"...And I smile and I explain (or it only takes one trip to the room to see the Agent Orange picture -- five youth and OGE with orange hair and all dressed in orange, my camp staff pictures, etc for the questions to start coming...or there's the Crew symbol on my instant messanger box..WOW, I am a big crew fiend that I thought). Most say, "Hey that's pretty cool." We havent had an official recruits from college yet, but I've seen people who have shown interest, come to an event or are trying to plan around their already hectic scheudule.

 

 

[red feather]

Seems to me that good businesses and organizations survive and proper primarily on the good will of word of mouth.

 

Such it is with Scouting. Strong adult leadership (wearing uniforms and supporting scouting ideals) goes a long way in the retention of younger scouts and helps bring in the new scouts from cub scouting.

 

Our troop does demonstrations at local elementary schools and this really helps in the recruitment of new scouts. The years that we do not do this we see a definite drop off in the numbers. Maybe we should try to extend this to the middle schools and show those who make fun of scouts just what scouting does and put forth a "non-geeky" picture of what scouts do.

 

yis

[dsteele]

OGE, and the otehrs who have posted on this thread, thank you for validating what I have long believed to be true.

 

The best publicity for the BSA comes from its members in the local community.

 

I grew weary a while back when volunteers and others would tell me that recruting, fund-raising, program, etc. would be easier and more fulfilling if we just had more publicity -- television news coverage, newspaper stories, etc.

 

I think that the best publicity comes from Scouts going door to door in uniform collecting food for the community (Scouting for Food) and popcorn sales (ring my doorbell and I believe you're there. If I see it on television, it could be fiction.)

 

Community service projects and adopt a highway are good ways of saying to the community, "we're here and we're real."

 

Go to the schools in your uniform.

 

Man, grass roots are very strong and far more lasting than a 30 second commercial -- which many Americans, like me, view as a bathroom break -- can ever be.

 

As Scout Leaders, I think we develop stronger community support be airing our uniform from the campfire wood smoke by hanging it over the light on the side of the garage (outside) than hanging it inside the closed garage on the door runner.

 

It's hard, (I say, stealing from retired Chief Scout Executive Ben Love) to develop PR stories for an organization that meets in church basements and camps deep in the woods -- unless we get out and tell people about ourselves.

 

That applies to youth and adults. Do community service -- participate in Scouting for Food, realize that product sales do more than bring in money, and the public will be more aware of what we're about.

 

PS -- I love the idea that Scouts are not wimps and that we do cool stuff. Youth should be encouraged to share what that cool stuff is to others. That's more grass roots PR.

 

DS

[SR540Beaver]

dsteele,

 

I thought you weren't going to be around?!

 

I agree with you wholeheartedly.....but! Word of mouth and seeing scouts in action is the BEST publicity the BSA can have. Most adults recognize and understand the value of the program, at least on an elementary scale. The big sell is to the boys and convincing them that scouting is cool. My son gets laughed at for being in scouts and he answers with....well have you ever done this, and lists the kind of things scouts do. He often is met with answers of, "yeah right". I think that some well placed advertisement of scouting activites coupled with word of mouth might do a lot to dispel the "geekiness" factor at the youth level.

[dsteele]

Actually, beaverdude, I said, "I'll be around, but more quiet."

 

I don't disagree with you, but about four years ago the BSA spent a lot of money on television commercials that were very cool and showed what Scouts are capable of.

 

Do you remember seeing any of them? Anyone?

 

I recall seeing two of them.

 

In one, a little old lady looks intimidate to make a crossing. A Scout in uniform offers to help, and it turns out that she doesn't want to cross a street, she wants to cross a huge ravine. The Scout doesn't bat an eye, creates a zip line and carries her across. When they get to the other side, she says, "Oh my. I left my purse over there!"

 

In the other one, a man is climbing up the face of a mountain. A Scout in uniform rappels down to him to a dramatic tune, and hands the man his wallet. "A Scout is Trustworthy" appears on the screen as well as the Boy Scout logo.

 

They were cool commercials, but I doubt very much that they brought in a single member. Perhaps if two Scout age boys had been watching television at that moment and the one who was a Scout said to the other, "We can do that stuff," there might have been some benefit.

 

DS

[Fat Old Guy]

I didn't see either of the spots that dsteele mentioned and I'm up at all hours.

 

I chat with the Scouts in my car when we're on an excursion and have found that they rarely talk about what they do as Scouts with their non-Scouting friends. For example, we had a caving trip not too long ago and all said that they'd probably not bring it up.

[NJCubScouter]

I don't recall seeing any BSA ads on tv in recent years. In fact the last one I remember was the one where a man is walking down a dark alley and notices over his shoulder that 2 or 3 late-teen boys are walking fairly close behind him, and he is really nervous... until the boys walk out into the light and the man sees that they are wearing Boy Scout uniforms. That was probably in the early 70's.

 

Before that (late 60's I guess), I am pretty sure there were commercials based on the BSA's promotional theme at the time, Follow the Rugged Road. I know there are others here who are at least the same vintage as me, who will remember that one.

 

For the present day, my impression is that the BSA has concluded that the best way to get Boy Scouts is to recruit the boys when they of Tiger age -- which basically means recruiting the parents and to try to do what is necessary to retain the boy all the way through Boy Scouting and/or Venturing. It would be interesting to see statistics on what percentage of boys in Boy Scout troops joined as Tigers, and to break it down even further, what percentage joined at each stage within Cub Scouts, and what percentage were never in Cub Scouts at all. I am sure these statistics exist and that the BSA uses them in guiding councils' recruiting efforts.

[dsteele]

NJ is correct in that word of mouth is the most powerful recruiting tool we have. He is also correct in that the easiest market for recruiting is the Tiger Cub market.

 

As a point of clarification, although few recall seeing them, national has marketed several public service announcements (commercials that stations are obligated to air a certain percentage of their time gratis, but no one dictates to whom or what time) to the major television markets.

 

All are available for viewing on the national BSA web site www.scouting.org under media under press releases, under public service announcements.

 

There are 10 done in recent years. They include testimonials and the two I mentioned. They are:

 

Steve Fossett

Robert Gates

John Glenn

Barry Larkin

Jim Lovell

Scott Mitchell

Charlie Ward

Steve Young

A Scout is helpful

A Scout is trustworthy.

 

In spite of money spent creating those adds by the national office, I still say the best publicity is when John or Joan Q. Public see Scouts in action in uniform and when Johnny invites Billy to come to a campout with him.

 

DS