Help--How do you start a new pack

[beaglelover]

Ok, need some help.  We are trying to research to find out what is needed to start a new pack.  I know we need a CO, COR, 3 committee members, a cub master & a den leader plus 5 boys.  

 

Who approves the charter?  is it national or the local council?  Can a charter be denied b/c there is already another pack in town?  Does it hinge on the local council's approval?  Are many charters denied?  

 

Any help you can give would be appreciated.  

[SSScout]

First , you need a sympathetic DE.   He would "probably " be signing the charter on behalf of the BSA.  Like most things BSA, "it depends".   You need the charter org, the interested boys, the responsible adults. And a desire to have fun with your kids (you have no idea how many parents I have met who have no conception of that last thing).  

Doesn't hurt to have a really really Scout Gung Ho person to shepherd things along.  This person  would need to "be there" most of the time to help answer questions, point out possible problems, possible blessings and hold hands of the new leaders.  Sounds like a "Commissioner" to me.  An old Eagle Scout might fit that bill.  

Traditions will be started. Ceremonies designed and held.  Awards sought and made.  Patches sewn on.  Trips to Cub friendly places pursued.   Cub Scout Day Camp signed up for (preposition?).  Knots tied.  Crawfish found.  Hikes trod.  Songs sung.  Cheers cheered.  

 

KiS,  MiF.....

 

See YOU on the trail.

[David CO]

When I started my troop, I went to the council with a list of names of boys who were not currently registered as scouts.  The DE was very eager to add new boys into the scouting program.  

 

I suspect that the council would not have given me the same level of enthusiasm and support had I brought them a list of boys that I wished to poach from another unit.

[JosephMD]

Ok, need some help.  We are trying to research to find out what is needed to start a new pack.  I know we need a CO, COR, 3 committee members, a cub master & a den leader plus 5 boys.  

 

Who approves the charter?  is it national or the local council?  Can a charter be denied b/c there is already another pack in town?  Does it hinge on the local council's approval?  Are many charters denied?  

 

Your local council approves the charter

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/524-402_WB.pdf

 

A council scout executive is the decision maker on charter approval, and he/she may take input from the local DE.

 

I don't have statistics on the number of charters denied, but since the number of units is a metric that the professional scouters get measured on, it seems unlikely.  There have been rumblings about denying charters to organizations specifically set up to run a scout unit, like "Friends of Troop 1234" but I haven't heard much about that lately.  Those usually happen when a group of parents and a charter org have a falling out. 

 

What you really want to do is meet with the district commissioner and district executive, they should be eager to help you.

 

Ok, so you want to start a pack.  That's great.  Make it a good pack, make a commitment to making it work and everyone get training and cross training.  The committee should understand the cubmaster and den leader roles, and vice versa.  Go beyond the online training and attend the local pow wow and/or university of scouting. 

[The Blancmange]

I don't have any firsthand knowledge of a qualified charter application being denied by a council.  Starting a new unit is a positive for a DE.  Even if the scouts come from another unit, the district would still be even on scout numbers and plus one for units.