A Council Advancement Goal

[OldGreyEagle]

I have often thought that this forum was very much like Forrest Gump's feather and drifts where it will when it and there should be no surprises to where topics end up.

 

But this one did

 

I started off mentioning the Council I serve has a Council wide advancement goal on an unrelated matter and then that statment spawns this thread and I have received multiple (more than 2) PM's about it.

 

I didnt think it was such a big deal but apparently it is. Here is a link to the document that details the Council's Goals

 

http://minsitrails.net/Documents/StrategicPlan/index.htm

 

Maybe if you see it context you will understand, otherwise you can condemn the process fully but in response to at least one PM,no, I didnt make up the Council Advancement Goal to make a point in the unrelated thread.

[John-in-KC]

OGE,

 

I've looked at the sheet. Frankly, I'm not thrilled about the strategic goals set.

 

Look at the Commissioner Service goals: Commissioner Service - insure that Unit Commissioners visit their units on a regular basis and recharter them on-time Forgive the bluntness, that's Motherhood and Apple Pie. How's about being the Friend, providing resources, being effective enablers of unit-council relations, ...

 

I don't see a bloody word about youth members growing and having fun.

 

Others are right. The advancement goal is far, far outside what the Executive Board, Council Advancement Committee and District Advancement Committees can do. That's a goal for chartered partners and their units. A better goal would be: Support the growth and development of youth members using program advancement as one metric.

 

I can write it in non-MPA language, too:

 

Help the boys grow using the Scouting program. Steady advancement is one way to observe growth.

[Eamonn]

I kinda think that most of us would agree that the three most important things for a Lad in Scouts and Scouting are: Program, Program, Program.

I have spent a lot of time not serving at the unit level.

I have served as a District and Council Training Chair.

My big hope was that maybe some of the stuff we covered in different training's would work their way back to the unit level and help the Scouts get a better program

I have served as a Camping Chair. Again my hope was that we might be able to provide more opportunities and better facilities for the Scouts and the Leaders would again be able to provide the Scouts they served with a better program.

I have served on the Membership Committee, doing what I could to help recruit more Lads into Scouting and help units see that retention was just as big a part of Membership as recruiting is. But it all comes down to the program that the Scouts are offered and receive.

I have at times go on and on about how Scouts who are enjoying what they are offered are more lightly to bring their pals along to join them.

More Scouts of course means more families who might when they see that their son is having a great time and growing within the program, will be more lightly to support things like FOS and popcorn sales.

 

I know a great program when I see it in practice.

Sometimes it differs from unit to unit.

Sure I've seen the Troop that looks like it should be on the cover of the Boy Scout Handbook. All very smartly turned out in nice clean, pressed uniforms. I've also seen Troops who seem to live in blue jeans and t-shirts have Scouts who rarely if ever wear the uniform, because they are so busy doing stuff.

Some great Troops have found that wonderful balance when advancement and all the other fine methods all seem to be in balance.

While other Troops might focus on one activity and spend most of their time doing that.

I don't think when it comes to program that one size fits all.

While of course there are many wrong ways of doing what we need to do. There is also many right ways of doing it.

It seems a little odd that when we talk about the methods of Scouting, we go on to say that they are all of equal importance.

Yet a Council or anyone would want to make a goal of just one method?

Sure this might be because it's so easy to count.

Kinda hard to count some of the other methods.

I always knew that no matter what I did at the District or Council Level it wasn't worth a tinker's if the adults in the unit discarded it all.

Program happens at the unit level.

Volunteer Leaders allow it to happen and at times make it happen.

Districts and Councils can do a lot to help and support the units.

I'm not sold on the idea that District and Council goals do that much to help and support.

They might provide some sort of a picture of what is going on?

But before I'd set a goal for advancement, I'd st one for outdoor activities. - But that's just me!

Ea.