Business Insider interview - Sylvia Acevedo, CEO GUSA

[qwazse]

8 minutes ago, Hawkwin said:

... If you really don't fear your competition, you don't mention them. ..

 

Just now, walk in the woods said:

I only skimmed the transcript, but, I never read her directly mention the BSA.  The interviewer seems to have brought up the topic.

The reporter brought it up. I think Ms. Acevedo's reply was spot-on according to rules of salesmanship.

• She has a vision of a "safe" space by virtue of a girl-only environment. Without mentioning BSA's name, she believes (or at least wishes us to infer) that BSA does not.
• She said that GS/USA knows how to crack the code to re-program girls for leadership in postmodern society. Without mentioning it's name, she believes (or at least wishes us to infer) that BSA does not.
• She said GS/USA are experts. Without mentioning it's name, she believes (or at least wishes us to infer) that BSA are amateur hacks.

As @Eagledad attests, It is this very arrogance on the part of professionals that has often annoyed many GS moms. However, we should never misconstrue arrogance for error. She might be right.

@gblotter and @cocomax are also right. The first 15 girls to join a troop where the Mom will hike and camp them anywhere they can carry their canvas ... they have tremendous fun. It's the 16th who will get herded elsewhere, make doilies, weary of ennui (as @Hawkwin and my daughter did), and quit. Give me about half of those "16th girls" and I can see BSA doing wonders for them. Thanks to Venturing, I have seen it happen. But here's the reality check: 1/16th is a small slice of girls. It won't put a dent in GS/USA, and -- if some otherwise "lost brothers" tag along -- it will take quite a while before its effects (if any) really rock BSA.

(Yes, I know it's a big if.)

[gblotter]

25 minutes ago, Hawkwin said:

Only you my friend, only you.

This quote from another forum member certainly seems dismissive to me: "What I found hilarious was the statement where they said they are experts on the outdoors, then hired The North Face company to create a bunch of new outdoor MBs for them."

If arrows need to be slung at GSUSA programs and leadership, let it come from their own Scouts, parents, and leaders. When BSA folks say such things, it comes across as petty and unScoutlike. That is my point.

 

[Eagledad]

6 minutes ago, gblotter said:

This quote from another forum member certainly seems dismissive to me: "What I found hilarious was the statement where they said they are experts on the outdoors, then hired The North Face company to create a bunch of new outdoor MBs for them."

If arrows need to be slung at GSUSA programs and leadership, let it come from their own Scouts, parents, and leaders. When BSA folks say such things, it comes across as petty and unScoutlike. That is my point.

 

I see what you are saying, but at least around here, a very common family model is dad and boys are active in the BSA, while mom and the girls are active in the GSUSA. So, I'm not sure you can separate BSA folks from the GSUSA parents and leaders. And, at least around here, dads aren't near as welcome to assist the GSUSA activities as the moms are in the BSA. 

Barry

Edited September 6, 2018 by Eagledad

[Hawkwin]

8 minutes ago, gblotter said:

This quote from another forum member certainly seems dismissive to me: "What I found hilarious was the statement where they said they are experts on the outdoors, then hired The North Face company to create a bunch of new outdoor MBs for them."

If arrows need to be slung at GSUSA programs and leadership, let it come from their own Scouts, parents, and leaders. When BSA folks say such things, it comes across as petty and unScoutlike. That is my point.

 

OK, sure. Your clarification makes more sense. But that isn't what you stated in your first reply. You built your own strawman when you stated:

Quote

Who ever said BSA is uniquely qualified to carry the torch of true Scouting?

You are the only one that made such a claim. Building a strawman* seems just as dismissive.

 

*an intentionally misrepresented proposition that is set up because it is easier to defeat than an opponent's real argument.

Edited September 6, 2018 by Hawkwin

[gblotter]

1 minute ago, Hawkwin said:

OK, sure. Your clarification makes more sense. But that isn't what you stated in your first reply. You built your own strawman when you stated:

You are the only one that made such a claim. Building a strawman* seems just as dismissive.

 

*

an intentionally misrepresented proposition that is set up because it is easier to defeat than an opponent's real argument.

All I can say is that you completely misinterpreted my comment.

I was praising GSUSA attempts to craft a tailored Scouting program for girls in defense against other derisive statements in this thread. How you ever interpreted that as me saying BSA is the only true Scouting program is beyond me. Check your bias.

[HashTagScouts]

On ‎06‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 9:46 AM, David CO said:

Not true. 

 

On ‎06‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 10:19 AM, Eagle94-A1 said:

David, 

As Ben Kenobi once said, "from a certain point of view...." Ms. Avecdo may firmly beleive that the GSUSA does have a "huge emphasis on the outdoors" since 15-20% of their membership will go on at least one overnight camping trip per year according to a GSUSA statement on the topic. So she may feel that 1 weekend a year is a huge outdoor emphasis. I know that one of the reasons why girls quit GSUSA in my areas is the lack of camping.

What I found hilarious was the statement where they said they are experts on the outdoors, then hired The North Face company to create a bunch of new outdoor MBs for them.

 

I could provide you a few examples of Boy Scout troops local to me that only camp once or twice a year, so yeah, it is pretty much about perspective. 

[RememberSchiff]

Back on topic,  IMO her vision of scouting bears watching. Is GSUSA becoming more of a college/work preparatory program for young women?  Career focus instead of family focus?

 

[Eagledad]

1 minute ago, HashTagScouts said:

 

I could provide you a few examples of Boy Scout troops local to me that only camp once or twice a year, so yeah, it is pretty much about perspective. 

Hmm, I couldn't. A troop of Boy Scouts in our area camping once a year would be unheard of. It would be embarrassing. 

Barry

[RememberSchiff]

36 minutes ago, HashTagScouts said:

 

I could provide you a few examples of Boy Scout troops local to me that only camp once or twice a year, so yeah, it is pretty much about perspective. 

@HashTagScouts did you respond in wrong topic? David CO has not posted to this topic? 

Please ignore above, my mistake. Thanks @Hawkwin 

Edited September 6, 2018 by RememberSchiff
Sorry for confusion.

[Treflienne]

22 minutes ago, RememberSchiff said:

Back on topic,  IMO her vision of scouting bears watching. Is GSUSA becoming more of a college/work preparatory program for young women?  Career focus instead of family focus? 

GSUSA has had a career-focus emphasis since at least the 1980's.  (There was a program "From Dreams to Reality.").  And this modern career-focused (and feministic) part of the program has existed along-side the camping-and-outdoor focus,  somewhat displacing the former traditional-housewife-skills focus that went along with the camping-and-outdoor focus in the early years. 

GSUSA has been a very broad organization with people (volunteers) with lots of different emphases.  What aspect of girl scouting the girls experience can vary widely with the interests of the local volunteers as well as the interests of the girls.  As Eagledad said,  "All Scouting is Local."

And not all girls want to camp.    My daughter has had trouble finding a like-minded group of want-to-camp girls.  Her last two troops have not camped at all. (She doesn't think cabins count.)   She hopes that Scouts BSA will attract the want-to-camp girls (even if a single troop needs to draw from multiple towns) so that they can find each other and enjoy an outdoorsy scouting program.     Probably many girls will be completely uninterested in Scouts BSA and prefer to stick with GSUSA.

Acevedo has indeed been sounding defensive, like she feels threatened.   And I can understand why.    There is a risk that GSUSA will lose not only girls, but also longstanding old-fashioned green-blooded volunteers (who want to see scouting do things in the out-of-doors).

It is going to be an interesting year watching both organizations.

[Hawkwin]

15 minutes ago, RememberSchiff said:

@HashTagScouts did you respond in wrong topic? David CO has not posted to this topic? 

David CO has the first reply.

[HashTagScouts]

24 minutes ago, Eagledad said:

Hmm, I couldn't. A troop of Boy Scouts in our area camping once a year would be unheard of. It would be embarrassing. 

Barry

Couldn't agree more.  Almost as embarrassing to me as a troop that only car camps.

[Hawkwin]

56 minutes ago, qwazse said:

The reporter brought it up.

It isn't about who brought it up, it is about the "never compete" comment. I've since listened to the audio and it isn't clear if those words are from the interviewer or if they were actual quotes from Aceveda. The recording does not contain the question that prompted her first answer. I am going to give Aceveda the benefit of the doubt and assume it was just sloppy reporting.

[Treflienne]

4 minutes ago, Hawkwin said:

It isn't about who brought it up, it is about the "never compete" comment. I've since listened to the audio and it isn't clear if those words are from the interviewer or if they were actual quotes from Aceveda. The recording does not contain the question that prompted her first answer. I am going to give Aceveda the benefit of the doubt and assume it was just sloppy reporting. 

But what about this opinion piece, written by Aceveda, in USA Today last fall

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/10/24/girls-star-in-girl-scouts-supporting-players-again-in-boy-scouts-sylvia-acevedo-column/790244001/

She said "We are disappointed that Boy Scouts of America has chosen to open its program to girls in contravention of its charter, rather than focusing on the 90% of American boys not being served by Boy Scouts. We believe strongly in the importance of the safe, all-girl, girl-led and girl-friendly environment that Girl Scouts provides.  " 

Sounded defensive to me.

[Hawkwin]

Just a coincidence, but I just got this in my email:

Welcome to the first Girl Scouts of Central Indiana newsletter focused only on one topic: The competition that Girl Scouts is experiencing in our communities from the opportunity for girls to consider joining Boy Scouts.

...

We need to blanket our communities with the campaign message that “Make no mistake... If your girl wants to be a scout, make sure she is a Girl Scout” image. This will start with your help. Please see ideas below for what you can do.

----------------

But other than that, BSA will "never compete."

 

Pro GSUSA, anti-how they are handling "Family Scouting."