Reaching Millennials: BSA's Answer Will Cost You...

[Krampus]

@@Sentinel947, the problem folks are the ones under 35. They're more self absorbed than the 35-50 crowd.

[Stosh]

I have found that being an scout of eagle rank does not necessarily make a good adult leader.  They have just as much, if not more trouble transitioning than say a parent of a Cub Scout.  Cub Scout leaders have to be told, the boys are running the program in a boy-led unit.  On the other hand, eagle ranked scouts have to be told, the boys are running the program in a boy-led unit....   I really don't see much difference.  A brand new parent coming into the program has to be taught the set-up of a Boy Scout program.  A Cub Scout leader and former Boy Scout has to be UNTAUGHT old habits then taught the set-up of a Boy Scout program.

[Sentinel947]

@@Sentinel947, the problem folks are the ones under 35. They're more self absorbed than the 35-50 crowd.

 

I'll buy that. My Troop has exactly one regular volunteer under 35 years old, and it's me. Can't say if I'm more or less self absorbed than anybody else. I'm not the introspective type.

[Eagledad]

I have found that being an scout of eagle rank does not necessarily make a good adult leader. They have just as much, if not more trouble transitioning than say a parent of a Cub Scout. Cub Scout leaders have to be told, the boys are running the program in a boy-led unit. On the other hand, eagle ranked scouts have to be told, the boys are running the program in a boy-led unit.... I really don't see much difference. A brand new parent coming into the program has to be taught the set-up of a Boy Scout program. A Cub Scout leader and former Boy Scout has to be UNTAUGHT old habits then taught the set-up of a Boy Scout program.

I have worked with a lot of new adults and new troops, my experience is adults with a youth scouting experience are three years a head of adults without it. Adults who never experienced boy run rarely understand it or its advantages and never really get it. Their programs typically turn into advancement driven troops where the maximum age is around 14.There is only so much scout skills a scout can learn before the program gets boring.

 

Adults with the youth scouting experience may struggle some at first with boy run because we have to get them past their parenting instinct, but they are so comfortable with the camping and scout skills part of the program, their scouts settle into the program much faster because they are having more fun with the adventure. I had a dozen Eagle ASMs while I was scoutmaster, I can't recall having to untrained any of them.

 

I also found that adults with no scouting experience had to prove to themselves that they were worthy of being scouts. Their programs were basically their experiment to prove to themselves they were qualified to be scouts, which is one reason they were advance driven. Women Scoutmasters particularly struggled with this problem.

 

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate all volunteers and their time, but if I had my choice for starting a new troop with new leaders, give me adults with a youth scouting experience every time. We skip the hard stuff and move strait to working on scout growth..

 

Barry

Edited March 27, 2016 by Eagledad

[Prepared]

Ummm...I am a Millennial and I joined on my own. Also, I already know how to reach the parents in my age group...however, I do not know how to reach the people who are older than me (40s) because they are older with kids that are my son's age and they just want to move past these ages with nothing added on (from what I can see). Very odd that they would make a training class on how to reach people like myself...just talk to them, it is easy...

 

Also, "How to recruit children of Millennial parents" is part of the syllabus...BAH HA HA HA HA...that is too funny...you want to know how to do that, show them the cool things they get to build and have the kids who do it help you tell them, works every time!!

Edited April 5, 2016 by David14

[Krampus]

Ummm...I am a Millennial and I joined on my own. Also, I already know how to reach the parents in my age group...however, I do not know how to reach the people who are older than me (40s) because they are older with kids that are my son's age and they just want to move past these ages with nothing added on (from what I can see). Very odd that they would make a training class on how to reach people like myself...just talk to them, it is easy...

The problem is not talking to Millennial parents. The problems are more complex than that. And while not entirely unique to Millennials, these problems tend to be more and more pervasive with this age group than any other I've encountered in my life time:

1. Self-Absorbed: More concerned about when tee-time or happy is than with sticking around and participating (or even showing up for) their kid's activities.
2. Not Problem Solvers: Give them something to do and at the first road block or barrier they throw up their hands and walk away.
3. Communication Issues: Despite being the generation that grew up with the most variety of communication channels, they seem challenged and managing ANY of them effectively.
4. Accountability: Rather than admit to any wrong-doing they seem to find a way to blame their lack of (insert topic) on missed emails, missed texts, phone dying, not using voice-mail (why set it up then rather than say "I don't use this so don't leave a message", etc.), not having enough time, or my personal favorite, "I'm very busy". Really? And me running your kid's Scout troop, soccer team and dance group is NOT busy? How'd you like that cruise you went on while we were babysitting your kid at summer camp? Please.
5. Expertise: Reading a blog about "how to" something and they think they're Bear Grylls.

There are more but these are the ones that come to mind.

 

Whether it's Scouting volunteers or a member of my IT team, I am looking for problem-solving go-getters that will stop at nothing to make EVERYTHING they touch as good as it possibly can be. If I wanted someone to do a halfhearted job and then give up, I'd assign it to a 10 year-old. 

Edited April 5, 2016 by Krampus

[Prepared]

The problem is not talking to Millennial parents. The problems are more complex than that. And while not entirely unique to Millennials, these problems tend to be more and more pervasive with this age group than any other I've encountered in my life time:

1. Self-Absorbed: More concerned about when tee-time or happy is than with sticking around and participating (or even showing up for) their kid's activities.

   I can see that...in fact I see it a lot in my pack. However, it is about the kids and I try and get my kids so excited about doing something that if the parent does not do it, they feel guilty about it. It is kind of mean, but it works. At first it seemed to not work, but over time I have noticed that we have more participation. We are about to have our spring campout with the pack at the end of the month and it looks like we might actually get the whole pack to camp (normally about half would camp). I feel like getting the parents who REALLY give a hoot about their kids enjoyment is all about getting them to think it is their idea to have their kids be happy

    

2. Not Problem Solvers: Give them something to do and at the first road block or barrier they throw up their hands and walk away.

   This one I do not see, me being a Millennial myself I really do not see things this way. If I come across an issue, it makes me stronger. It may take me some time to overcome said obstacle, but I will do it. Then again, I "was" a Marine for 9 years and have been in the IT world for almost 14 years...

    

3. Communication Issues: Despite being the generation that grew up with the most variety of communication channels, they seem challenged and managing ANY of them effectively.

   AGREED

    

4. Accountability: Rather than admit to any wrong-doing they seem to find a way to blame their lack of (insert topic) on missed emails, missed texts, phone dying, not using voice-mail (why set it up then rather than say "I don't use this so don't leave a message", etc.), not having enough time, or my personal favorite, "I'm very busy". Really? And me running your kid's Scout troop, soccer team and dance group is NOT busy? How'd you like that cruise you went on while we were babysitting your kid at summer camp? Please.

   AGREED

    

5. Expertise: Reading a blog about "how to" something and they think they're Bear Grylls.

   I sort of fall into this one, but not completely. I read things and then do them and try things out and ask you all and work through them all, but then I know my limits and understand the difference between being an expert and someone who is knowledgeable. Also, this made me really LOL

    

There are more but these are the ones that come to mind.

 

Whether it's Scouting volunteers or a member of my IT team, I am looking for problem-solving go-getters that will stop at nothing to make EVERYTHING they touch as good as it possibly can be. If I wanted someone to do a halfhearted job and then give up, I'd assign it to a 10 year-old. 

I think saying just talk to them was a little to vague. What I really mean is to talk to them about all the important things the kids can learn and how they will learn it. I use the new program slogan of Putting the Outing back in Scouting all the time. Kids need to be outside and parents know this. They do not mind their kids being inside, but would rather get them outside and doing something important. Scouting gets them this and more. It is really how you "pitch" it to the family. I am pretty sure I guilt tripped a couple parents to sign their kids up after talking with the parents while the kids went and played an activity.

[Krampus]

I think saying just talk to them was a little to vague. What I really mean is to talk to them about all the important things the kids can learn and how they will learn it. I use the new program slogan of Putting the Outing back in Scouting all the time. Kids need to be outside and parents know this. They do not mind their kids being inside, but would rather get them outside and doing something important. Scouting gets them this and more. It is really how you "pitch" it to the family. I am pretty sure I guilt tripped a couple parents to sign their kids up after talking with the parents while the kids went and played an activity.

 

You seem not to be part of your generation's mold, and that's a good thing. Maybe what BSA really needs is to get Millennials to recruit Millennials. Of course, that begs the question how you recruit Millennials which runs us around the proverbial circle. Feeback loop, anyone? This is the same approach my district took to solving recruiting "minorities". They simply said, "Recruit more minorities, then more minorities will come."

 

At some point I started to channel Basil Fawlty during that round table topic...

 

Edited April 5, 2016 by Krampus

[Prepared]

You seem not to be part of your generation's mold,

I am in no way a millennial mold...I feel like I could have been if I had not been through the things I have been through though. However, I understand them (for the most part). It is not about recruiting millennial parents or in your council's case minorities, it is about recruiting their kids. Yes, the parents have the final say on what their child does, but at some point the parent will cave and allow their kid to the be a kid and enjoy scouting for what it is. When my son joined, he joined because I made him. However, he wouldn't leave it for anything now. He enjoys the time with friends and being outside and doing the things that he can do in scouting. Yesterday, we went to a troop meeting for his AOL and he asked questions and added things to what the boy scouts were talking about. To me that makes me proud. He has learned so much that he could have learned on his own with me, but with his friends seems to work 100% better than alone.This is the "secret" thing recruitment needs to use. The kids (although not completely) decide what they want. If the scouting was the old way of indoor craftivities, most kids would not want to do it.  The move to the outdoor thing is going to help get more kids involved, because most boys just want to be outside with their friends, which is exactly what scouting is...

[Krampus]

However, I understand them (for the most part). It is not about recruiting millennial parents or in your council's case minorities, it is about recruiting their kids.

Recruiting their kids is not problem. We have that covered. We show them archery (own 50 bows/1000 arrows), tomahawks (own 25 plus homemade 4x4 wooden targets), slingshots (own 10, use dog kibble as shot), have own clay thrower for shotguns, do water and Estes-style rockets, build rat-trap racers, canoeing, climbing, go karts, etc. We can hook them in. Had a Scout make a recruiting video where he replicated an entire summer camp in Minecraft. We play that at open house and the kids go insane. Getting kids is never the problem...thankfully.

 

It is back-filling for the older parents that leave that remains the issue.

Edited April 5, 2016 by Krampus

[MtnScouter]

The kid was spot on in this case. Dad ONLY works during the week. The rest of the time after work and on weekends is all about dad. Sits in the car during his kid's soccer games. Goes to Starbucks and surfs wifi during daughter's dance class. Golf's rather than spending time with other son. The list goes on.

 

Sorry, but the reason you have kids is to spend time nurturing them. Glad to see the kid is NOT is father's son.

 

Fathers take weekends off, Dads work 7 days a week, 24 hours a day at the best job in the world, being a DAD. *Puffs out chest*

[Prepared]

Recruiting their kids is not problem. We have that covered. We show them archery (own 50 bows/1000 arrows), tomahawks (own 25 plus homemade 4x4 wooden targets), slingshots (own 10, use dog kibble as shot), have own clay thrower for shotguns, do water and Estes-style rockets, build rat-trap racers, canoeing, climbing, go karts, etc. We can hook them in. Had a Scout make a recruiting video where he replicated an entire summer camp in Minecraft. We play that at open house and the kids go insane. Getting kids is never the problem...thankfully.

 

It is back-filling for the older parents that leave that remains the issue.

Ahh, I guess I misunderstood the point of it all. Leadership wise, I say find those Eagle Millennial scouts and get them into the leadership position worked for me. My Assistant Cub Master is slightly younger than me and was an Eagle. He has a lot to learn about being outgoing and being in front of kids in the manner I am, but he is slowly getting there. After that I really believe it is about finding the gems that are active even though they are not a leader, then tagging them for leadership positions. I am at the Cub Scout level (for now) so my experience is a little different than most of you, but I really feel like Millennial adults are only difficult to bring in as leaders if they have no experience at all in scouting, outdoors, or military.

[Krampus]

Ahh, I guess I misunderstood the point of it all. Leadership wise, I say find those Eagle Millennial scouts and get them into the leadership position worked for me. My Assistant Cub Master is slightly younger than me and was an Eagle. He has a lot to learn about being outgoing and being in front of kids in the manner I am, but he is slowly getting there.

Not everyone is going to be the same with kids. My ADL and ACM were so uptight in front of the kids but they were great behind the scenes. They were patient as Job, but did not have the rapport with the kids I did. To each his own.

 

After that I really believe it is about finding the gems that are active even though they are not a leader, then tagging them for leadership positions. I am at the Cub Scout level (for now) so my experience is a little different than most of you, but I really feel like Millennial adults are only difficult to bring in as leaders if they have no experience at all in scouting, outdoors, or military.

I think that is true of any parent. If they don't know Scouting it is harder to bring them in. If they are not Americans and do not have exposure to Scouting I think that makes them even harder to bring in.

 

Maybe the generational issue is that the current 40-50-somethings that are volunteers had their kids later in life and were more established as parents, professionally, etc.; whereas the Millennials had kids (by and large) comparatively earlier and may still feel that "me factor" that compels some of them to focus on their needs rather than on those of their kids.

 

Would love to see some studies on the issue from professionals. Would make interesting reading.