What makes a great district or council

[dsteele]

I'll start this thread, which was begun by the question posted by RMV in "Schmoozin' with the Pros."

 

The question is, what makes a great district or council?

 

When I was a DE, I thought the answer was simply, consistently achieving the standards for quality unit, quality district and quality council.

 

Obviously, there's more to it than that. I spent a good hunk of time last month studying 150+ pages of "Outcomes measurement" bunk to answer this question for the United Way.

 

I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts.

 

YIS,

 

DS

[purcelce]

What makes a great district/council?

 

1. Good Communications between the silver tabbers (pros/volunteers) and the unit leaders.

 

2. Encourage units to participate in FOS/Popcorn sales. Don't ram it down their throats.

 

3. Provide training for adult leaders at every opportunity. Rountables, a few hours at summer camp, Universtiy of Scouting.

 

4. Make Roundtables fun and informative.

 

5. Good Community relations.

 

6. Recognize/Thank the volunteers.

 

7. Recognize/Thank the Pros.

 

8 Keep it fun for everyone. Remember it's Scouting.

 

This list is simple but it's not easy.

 

Just a few thoughts.

 

YIS

purcelce

[Bob White]

What makes for a great district or council? My opinion is, in no particular order.

 

1. 100% of our volunteers trained and following the scouting program.

 

2. 100% unit participation in Friends of Scouting campaign.

 

3. Professional staff responsive to the program and support needs of the youth in the community.

 

4. District and council activities that are age appropriate and aimed at the interests of the youth not the adult voulnteers.

 

5. Financially responsible professionals and volunteers that are focused on the financial health of the council this year and 20 years down the road.

 

6. Key Troop and Pack volunteers that cooperate to see that 100% of Webelos spend at least one year in a troop.

 

7. No children are harmed.

 

8. All adult volunteers proudly wear a complete uniform.

 

9. Local Concil Camp facilities that would make any any scout say WOW!

 

10. A level of community service that makes the community talk in a positive way about scouting.

 

 

 

[RMV]

Not sure I can say things better than the last two posts.

 

I have always thought of myself as a missionary for Scouting. Changing lives, one boy at a time. I would imagine that all Scouters feel such.

 

I have yet to have an eight year old tell me he is joining Scouting to get his character developed, yet my fervent hope is that we will open his mind to a new world of making choices for the rest of his life. They join because it is fun. Sometimes we forget that being a part of Scouting is supposed to be fun for adults as well.

 

When professionals and volunteers find a common cause that unites them in bringing this program to youth, there are no problems that we can't overcome. Together we are a force. Divided, we can never achieve our full potential.

 

There are so many ideas of what we can do out there that sometimes it is hard to narrow down our focus to what we will do. Sometimes, in an effort to make everyone happy, we choose to do more than we can handle. Do we need to supplant unit program with a large number of district and council programs? Or should we focus on teaching units how to run great programs at home?

 

For a district or council to be great, they must make the decision that everything they touch will be something everyone will be proud of. At the same time, they must make the hard choices of what they are not going to do. How many activities can a district do well in any given year? Only a few, if each will be great.

 

A strong group of Commissioners is the best way to make sure that units tie into trainings, roundtables, activities, service projects and outdoor program.

 

rmv

 

 

 

[Eamonn]

Man, Oh Man, there is some great stuff here. Wise Words if ever I saw them.

I am very lucky that my district is great.

We have a hard working District Executive, who has been with us for six years.

Most of our Scoutmasters, but not all have been in Scouting and with the same unit for ever !!

Our percentage of the total available youth, is really high.

If I had to point a finger and say that there is one area that needs a lot of work, it is our District Committee. We do need to bring more community people on board, and add more diversity to the committee.

One other area that is in need of some TLC, is Venturing. I'm thinking of posting a question on that one.

But as a District Chairman, I thank the good Lord, for allowing me the opportunity to work with people who really do care, and work so hard.

[dsteele]

I really like Bob White's description of an ideal district/council.

 

My first reaction was to post a request that I be the Scout Executive of such a council. What a great place to be, I thought.

 

Then I thought some more. What the heck would I do in a council such as that? Play a lot of golf, I guess.

 

Actually, the districts and councils described above are the goals of every true volunteer and professional (and if they ain't, they oughta be.)

 

When I started as a DE, I started in a district where a few key board members flat-out told my District Chairman that "Blank district (that wasn't really it's name. I'm protecting the innocent.) will never make Quality.

 

He was furious and drove several miles out of his way after the board meeting to catch me as I was leaving the Roundtable. When he told me what the VP of Operations had said to him, I went through the roof myself.

 

We made Quality that year for the first time in that district's history. That year we were the only district in the council to make it. Tough going -- weekly key three meetings, dumping several unit commissioners and recruiting new ones, getting final FOS payments and pledges on 12/31. I even ended up tracking down a pastor 1/2 hour prior to his Christmas eve service to get him to sign a new unit application and then drove 100+ miles to be with my family.

 

That district never missed Quality status after that year. It had 10 solid years of quality before merging with another district to become the strongest in the council.

 

About a year after the first quality year, I moved to the flagship district of the council -- and loved it. Spent 8 years there in 4 different positions.

 

But I'll never forget that night after roundtable. Three determined (and angry men) decided that we weren't going to miss Quality status -- that we were going to do whatever it took to make Scouting strong for our youth -- and then we did.

 

What I'd like to do is to take the worst dog of a council and turn it into the vision of the prevoius posts . . . then smile, take a bow, and go on to the next dog.

 

DS

 

On a side note -- I got a kick out of the reference to "silver tabbers." That was a new one to me. I probably wouldn't have understood it if I hadn't been on the staff of the 1997 Jamboree. The poor devils in the gold tabs might as well have had targets painted on their backs. Those of us with the silver tabs escaped harm. BTW -- I don't ever want gold tabs. Unless they come with a Kevlar vest.

[scoutldr]

Having been in the movement since 1962 (Eagle '70), some pet peeves:

 

1. No good ole' boy networks. Allow everyone the same opportunity to serve at such events as OA, Jambo and Philmont Treks...(youth and adults).

2. Recruit vols at the District/Council level who are actually interested in and capable of doing the job. Dont' just "fill in the blanks" with names. For example, I will have little respect for a Unit Commish who was recruited "off the streets" and has no experience OR expertise to share with me.

3. Ease up on the fund raising. In my opinion, FOS should be focused on the local community and business leaders, and should be the SE's job to make and nurture those contacts. Leave the families alone. They have enough to do paying for summer camp, camping gear, unit dues, outrageously expensive uniforms, and $30 tins of popcorn.

4. Pros who don't micromanage. Your job is to recruit good people, then get out of their way and let them work.

5. Remember that volunteers are doing this because they want to and not because it's our job. We may not do it the same way you would, or as fast as you would, but this is an extracurricular activity for us, NOT the job that feeds our families. Our priorities are not the same as yours, and you are not our supervisor. This is how we choose to spend our precious, limited leisure time, but if it becomes too hard or too stressful, we can walk away, and many do for that reason.

6. More parental involvement at every level. Your 12 year old scout doesnt' care if you donate to FOS...but he would like you to show up for his Court of Honor, not make him (and his SM) wait 30 minutes for a ride home after the troop meeting and go camping with him (or at least help drive) once in a while.

7. Fewer meetings that serve no purpose. (See #5.) Have an agenda and stick to it. Conduct business by e-mail whenever possible. (The "Professional's Minute" should be just that.)

8. Have a great Council and district web site and KEEP IT CURRENT...this serves as good PR as well as making more resources available to more volunteers.

9. Keep the Scout Shop stocked with stuff! Too many times I have stood in front of a Pack meeting or Troop COH and said, "Johnny WOULD be getting his (name the badge) tonight, but the Scout SHop was out of them."

10. Don't compromise high standards just to keep the "numbers" up.

 

[Bob White]

Hi scoutldr,

 

Please allow me to respond to some of the points you made. Understand I'm not saying you don't have a right to your opinion bu maybe I can offer a different vantage point for you to consider. Thanks in advance for your consideration. By the way I also joined scouting in 1962.

 

1)Everyone does have the same opportunity for the things you listed, there are of course more opportunities for youth than adults because it is their program. But as far as adult participation there are a lot of opportunities. I would not say there is a Good ol Boy network as much as there is a philosophy of "stick with what works". As you serve on District and council events you develop a reputation of strengths and weaknesses. As regional and national opportunities happen your reputation can open opportunities for different ways to serve as an adult. If you do a good job then you get remembered and the next time an opportunity opens up you are called again. Just like in other areas of life scouting wants to do a good job and will go back dip in the same well where the water was good before.

 

2) At some point every scout leader was fresh off the streets. Everone has to have their first position in scouting somewhere along the line. If you are looking at commissioners as the expert advice in scouting then you have been mislead as to their purpose. Unit commissioners are the walking resource library of scouting. They don't have to have all the answers, they need to know where scouting has published the answer. A good commisioner doesn't need experience if he/she is saying here is the scouting method of doing that, you can find it in the ___________resource, they need training like any other volunteer.

 

3) Costs of everything in and out of scouting go up every year. In addition Corporate and community funding vary with the economy. You cannot ease up on funding and insure the growth and health of the program in the furure. As far as family FOS regardless of the out of pocket money I have spent on the unit I serve in I always suppot FOS because I was a scout and my son is a scout and I hope he will someday have a son that is a scout. I know what scouting has done for me, my family and my community. I understand the value that this program has een to the american society for nearly 100 years. I feel priviledged to help make sure it will be here for a hundred more. I think most tfamilies given the opportunity to learn how important their contribution is to the quality of the program their children get are happy to participate in FOS.

 

4)Actual that is not the job of a professional scouter.

 

5)I was in scouts as a youth for recreation. As an adult I travel, garden and play with computers for recreation. I am a scouter as a personal mission. My parents (scout leaders) taght us to believe that God has a personal mission for each person. Every mission in some way helps others to better appreciate the unique opportunity we have been given in this life as a creation of God. Two of my brothers are Police officers serving their community, my youngest brother is a teacher, my oldest brother and I are scout leaders. It is in our hearts a personal mission.

 

I know there are other scouters who feel this way, and I know some, who like you, do it for recreation both are fine. Both are needed. But don't make the assumption that all volunteers look at scouting as something fun to do with their free time. To many scouters it is something far more personal.

 

6) I agree this is a family organization, and if there were more healthy family units there would be less need for the scouting program. We originated because of the need for boys to have positive role models that were not available or not existing at home. This is staill a big reason for the popularity and success of scouting.

 

7)I agree that meetings need to be well planned and the agenda followed. But the only meeting that the DE is responsible for is the Key-3 meeting. Everything else is the responsibility of volunteers. Remember that volunteers come from every walk of life and many have never been in a management or supervisory position outside of scouting. They do they best they caqn with the experience and trainin they have and the infrequent times they get to practice it as adults.

 

8)Remember again this is usually done by a volunteer. One of those folks you pointed out do this in their precious spare time. Webmaster is a very time consuming job and scouting events change constantly. It's a very tough assignment to take.

 

9)See the section on fundraising. Local scout shops have to buy supplies of National Distribution. A healthier financial status will help you have a better stocked store.

 

10)Agreed, but don't take no one at all and turn away someone who can be developed over time. If we never bring in inexperienced adults, the program will collapse when us old fogeys die away.

 

Happy Scouting,

Bob White

[red feather]

scoutldr, ditto. Same time frame. I am honored to be with a troop that has been the 'flagship' troop. (Things are changing but that is a rock that I have to roll) We don't always follow the district program but we are succesful in scouting.

 

Father of two eagles and desperate sponsor ( at times) of many others.

 

yis

[Bob White]

I am surprised that more posters have not jumped in on this thread. I thought dsteele's question would have sparked far more participation.

BW

[dsteele]

Gotta agree with you on the above, Bob.

 

Check out the "title pop-quizz" on schmoozin' with the pros . . .

 

We don't charge for advertising threads, do we?

 

DS

[RMV]

A few thoughts on FOS.

 

I keep reeding articles in my local paper about non profits that are in trouble financially. Most are organizations that have depended on corporate giving, especially placing a heavy reliance upon large gifts.

 

Why do this? Because it is easier than finding lots of small givers that believe in their mission within the community.

 

In tough times, it is often the biggest gifts that are cut back. Would it be morally right for a large corporation that just laid off 100 employees to continue with large donations to non profits? Not sure I would feel too good about taking such a gift.

 

The United Way started Boy Scout Councils down the pathway of family FOS. They wanted to know if families were given an opportunity to particpate as contributors.

 

By the way, I still consider the United Way as one of the best friends that Scouting has ever had. Even at only 2% of my Council's budget, they are still the single largest donor. Even in Councils they no longer fund, the contributions they have made to making this the most powerful youth organization in the world is pretty amazing.

 

I think scoutldr is partially right above, FOS should not be forced down anyone's throat. At the same time, because families are not in a financial position to support FOS in one unit, that doesn't mean we should stop asking all families.

 

I think that we should ask every family for their support, be grateful for the ones that can, and be thankful that the families that can't have found a way to afford Scouting anyway. I would also say that I prefer to get a smaller gift that I can count on each year than a large gift one time. That way we can build our budget in such a way that we can pretty much count on being within our abilty to fund as well as spend.

 

As a citizen of the community I live in, I give donations to a variety of organizations that I believe in. Most of the time it was because someone that I have faith in asked me for the gift. I think it would be a shame if we stopped telling our families our story. It is amazing how many family donors continue to give, even when their kids are out of the program. They see what we did for their kids, and want to support our mission to serve more.

 

If we leave fundraising to the professionals, then that is truly all they would be doing. That is not the job I signed up for. In a lot of organiztions all fundraising is left to the pro's, ever notice how high the fundraising overhead is? I have seen it as high as 50%. In Scouting it is typically in the 3-5% range. Because we use the passion of so many Scouters to spread our message, our success rate is much higher than other organizations.

 

If we were to quadruple the money raised by any Council in America, think of all the incredible things that this Council would then be able to do in the service of youth. Think of the projects at camp that would become a reality instead of a dream.

 

RMV