Utopian Charter Organization and Committee - By the Book or Real World?

[Blaze66]

Our COR attends every troop meeting and also takes care of the finances for the Pack and the Troop, but most of that is because his son is in the Troop and he was the one that helped to start the pack and troop back up so many years ago. He too is frustrated at the lack of support we get from the CO and he has been many times to the deacons and tried to ralley them behind things we were doing. Give you an example of something. Until last year the church did a pork shoulder sale. They sold between 175 and 225 shoulders. We (Troop) helped them out with the fund raiser as a service to our CO. Well last year they decided not to do it because they were way too involved in some other project and they just didnt want to take the time to do it. So we (troop) took up the fund raiser for ourselves. We decided to only try and sell between 175 and 200. You know we went to the mens group in the church, the ones that sold the majority of the tickets for their fundraiser the year before. They wouldnt help us. We went to the women's group, they didnt help us. We tried selling tickets in the church to members. I bet we didnt get 10% of them to buy one. Same basic deal when we do popcorn sales. We sell very few to people in our CO. But now let one of their kids in the church be selling something for school or cheerleading and they bend over backwards to get everyone to buy something.

[Bob White]

The COR's job is not to be the treasurer or to attend the unit meetings. Their job is to be the CEO of scouting for the Charter organization. They are responsible with helping to secure a committee, which your COR hasn't done in over 6-years. Securing adequate leadership, and you say all your leaders are about to leave, and for maintaining a relationship between the charter organization and scouting. He should be attending District committee meeting, Church committee meetings, and Unit Committee meetings. Not so many Pack and troop meetings.

 

Your COR is not getting the job done at any level. I'm sure he is a fine fellow but he is not fulfilling the responsibilities of a COR.(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[Shell in WA- USA]

Our troop has a CO. Do they openly support our troop? No. Do they help us resolve every scouting issue? No. Do they come to every meeting, outing, function? No. Do they really have a full understanding of our troop? No.

 

But Do they provide a "Free" place for us to meet? YES A storage area for our "stuff?" YES Use of other areas in the church as we need (like our Fish Fry Fundraiser, we use the kitchen and large hall for 400 dinners). YES Do the Patrons of the church come to our fundraisers, let us hold Scout Sunday, use their parking lot for functions like Bike Rodeo, etc. YES

 

KEY QUESTION; Do the CO and CR know that they are always welcome to come see our group even if they choose not to? YES!

[Bob White]

Shell,

Which of the following accurately describes your your Charter Organization Representative:

1) He or she is a member of the chartered

organization

 

2) He or she is the recognized head of the

Scouting department or the chartered organization

 

3)He or she was appointed by the head of the Charter organization

 

4) He or she attends the unit committee meeting

 

5) He or she reports the activity of the unit to the Chartered organization

 

6) He or she attends the District meeting to represent you organization and attend the annual council meeting to vote on council officers

[Shell in WA- USA]

Mr Bob, I don't really follow you.....

 

Our "Rep" is rarely heard from. But they are the point of Contact we have for the paperwork.

[Bob White]

Lets not talk about the point of contact for paperwork. Above you I posted the 6 responsibilities in the job description of a Charter Organization Representative. Does yours fit any of those descriptioons, and which ones.

 

Here is the problem Shell, You say you have a CR, but do you really, or do you have someone you contact for paperwork? There is no job description for a pack, troop, or crew of "the contact person for paperwork". There is no need for such a person. But a Charter Organzation Representative is important to the success of an organizations scouting program. Do you have one, or do you have a contact person for paperwork? If you have one, they do the 6 things listed above.

[Eamonn]

Some time back a wise member of these forums said that most of the time he got what he wanted by asking.

While I firmly believe that the District does have a role to play in the relationship that our Chartered Partners and Scouting/ BSA. If you want your Chartered Organization to be more active in your unit talk to them, ask them for what you want. Be ready to work with them and for them to get what they want. Kind of like asking your boss for a raise. You could opt to not ask and all the while the frustration grows and you don't get the raise. Or you can in a nice polite way ask him for a raise pointing out all the good stuff that you do. He will more then lightly come back with the not so good stuff that you do. He might say no and tell you that you are fired, if that is the case you more then lightly were on the way out any way!! Or he might say that he will give you the raise but he wants something in return. You will never know unless you ask. But be prepared to do more.

Eamonn

[Hunt]

I've seen both ends of this--in my son's pack, I wasn't aware that there was such a thing as a COR. But the troop's COR is a former Scoutmaster and easily meets Bob White's six criteria (and more). I think one problem with the pack's CO was that it was a PTA, which has a pretty short-term membership. The pack got a little more attention when one of the PTA leaders had a boy in the pack, but there wasn't much involvement.

[Bob White]

Thats great Hunt, but please remember it is the BSA's criteria not mine.

[fotoscout]

I started this thread in an attempt to find out just how many of us actually have the perfect CO relationship and committee operation that some might assume is the reality of Scouting in the 21st century. Actually, it was the 98% comment that pushed me over the edge.

 

Although this thread doesnt represent a large cross section by any means, it does tell the story in a small way. Some half of the posters here, dont have a utopian relationship with the CO, or, the perfect committee operation. Many struggle each day to bring a good program to the few kids (and families) that have committed in some small way to the ideals of Scouting. They dont have time to nurture the CO relationship; they dont have time to select leaders and committee people based on skills and talent, (most are in fact lucky and thankful for the leaders that they do have). Then they come here, and get accosted by an ongoing repertoire of Go to your COR, and Take it up with your CC. Odds are that many of them go to bed each night with the CC or COR.

 

Yes, I know that those are the answers that come right out the book. I also know that the for many, the ideal CO relationship and committee structure will never happen, and that it is foolhardy to think that one can continuously beat his head against the wall until it does happen.

 

So, for those of you that are all alone and hanging from a tree, hear this: you are doing the best that you can and the kids are getting the most that you can provide. You dont have a stellar relationship with your CO, well thats OK, dont beat yourself up about it, and dont let it divert you from your goal of bringing the promise of Scouting to your kids. You are not doing anything wrong. It is not your fault that the CO wants no part of Scouting, and likewise, its not your fault that your committee is not well staffed. Forge ahead, make your own decisions, if you run into a brick wall call your DE.

 

But most of all, dont be dejected because an online personality tells you that 98% of Scout units have a stellar relationship with their CO, or, because that same personally tells you that virtually every unit across the USA has a fully staffed and active Committee, and you have neither! The reality of Scouting in the 21st century is that you may be in the majority.

 

[Shell in WA- USA]

After all, it is a "volunteer-run" organization. All we can do is the best we can, and some can do more than others and that's okay! And for a few million kids, we ARE do something right! Ask the leaders of our country who have gone through the program...........where has scouting gotten them!

[dan]

fotoscout & Shell

Are you saying do not try to improve, just keep doing it the way you have, after all its only scouts? Are you saying do not talk to your DE about improving the relationship with the present CO or have the DE help you find one that understands the role the CO should play in the BSA?

 

[fotoscout]

Now dan, you know better than that. No baiting allowed.

[dan]

No baiting allowed only by certain people or only by you?

I read your post and that is what I understood from it, please correct me where I misunderstood your post. Not once did you mention how to imporve.

[fotoscout]

Sometimes dan, one has to take one day at time. Forget about the lofty goals of a great CO relationship, forget the dream of great Committee operation, and get back to the roots of Scouting. For a while, stop spinning your wheels on issues with low or no potential for success. There is a great likely hood that all that effort you put into attempting a CO relationship or building a great committee has ultimately distracted you from the main focus of the program.

 

You may have a great CO and a great Comm., but if you have a lousy program you have nothing. Use your time where it is most needed.