Brotherhood Conversion

[SWScouter]

What are some ideas to increase the numbers of Ordeal members that seal their membership in the OA by getting their Brotherhood? I know that one thing a lodge needs to achieve for quality lodge is a 30% conversion rate. To me that seems rather low.

 

Some thoughts:

 

Challenge the adults that go through their ordeal to get their brotherhood and to bring along those scouts in the troop too.

 

When an adult that went through their ordeal as a scout joins the lodge as an adult, encourage him to go through the next brotherhood ceremony and to bring some scouts along too.

[sst3rd]

SWScouter,

 

 

Having any Ordeal adult member lead the way is a good start. Although in theory, the youth position of OA Representative should be leading the way, I find that position seldom used if at all. So, I always give the OA responsibility right back to the Scoutmaster. Usually they are in the OA. They are or should be current on OA info. They can get an OA Rep position filled and active. If not, the SM should be the one reminding those Scouts that are Ordeal, to seal their membership in taking the Brotherhood program. In the many years that I've been involved as a SM and OA member, our Ordeal members have been coming to me wanting to know when they can go back and earn their Brotherhood. We have a great Lodge and Chapter, so there are plenty of programs going on. Our Scouts want to be involved. Go Nawakwa 3.

 

sst3rd

[scoutldr]

Seems to me that if the Lodge/Chapter has a good program, Scouts will want to be active Arrowmen. They will be urged to seal their membership through active participation, fellowship and service. 30% Conversion is hard to get when you only have 10% participation.

[John-in-KC]

Give them great program and they will come. That's supposedly a quote from H Roe Bartle, but it sure as heck makes sense.

 

1) This is an LEC task. Adults should share ideas, but this is a youth thing. Us grown-ups need to be there to help, not to run for thm.

 

2) Year-round opportunities which pass the "so-what test". This goes from C-Team to dance team to kids learning what Ranger does to ... The more you give youth the opportunity, the better they'll respond, and the more Ordeal members will want to come back for more. It starts at the first Fall Fellowship after their Ordeals, works through Winter Banquet, then stretches round to Spring work weekends or induction weekends, and further stretches into summer camp.

 

3) The Ordeal Ceremony has to be good: This is not a time to flub lines. People remember when Mateu can't get the prayer out. Trust me. I've seen it happen. C-Team Advisor has get intelligent eyeballs looking back at him when he talks about "doing it right."

 

4) Are the service projects trivial or significant? I still remember my Ordeal service project; we had to clear a firebreak around the Reservation Director's house to comply with new fire regs. I've seen some project that were trivial beyond compare.

 

5) Finally, the hike and the brotherhood ceremony have to be good. Word of mouth does get around; if the Lodge is full of bovine excrement, the folks you want won't show up!

[Gold Winger]

My ordeal was held at a large sportsmans' club. My part of the project was clearing brush from an overgrown trail. Others got to clean the cookhouse that hadn't been cleaned for a year or more. Some built a new fence. My son's ordeal was raking leaves, his comment was that it was "boring."

 

Ordeals should be hard work.