Are you in a council that has a positive or toxic culture or something different?

[Eagle1993]

On 1/20/2024 at 9:47 PM, Ojoman said:

Does your council/district foster a positive or toxic volunteer environment? What can be done to improve it and make it more positive or take it from toxic to positive or are you happy with where it is at?

My council has sold off 3 of its 4 camps over the last decade or so.  Each time, they promised to reinvest the funds in the remaining camp(s).  I saw nothing of the sort, only investment in new hires whose sole purpose seems to be gathering videos to help fundraising efforts. 

We had some tremendous volunteers in my district who planned an amazing celebration of our Cub Scout camp many years ago (when the camp was turning 100 years old ... before it was sold off).  The idea was a council wide camporee, climbing walls, various scouting events, food trucks, fireworks, etc.  Council leadership cancelled it as it had the chance to lose money (ignoring the publicity it would have generated).  This led to a few of our key district volunteers leaving, never to return.

Our council does almost nothing for Scouts BSA outside of merit badge clinics.  They invest heavily in Cub Scouts but seem to think the program ends at 5th grade.  

Our Troop has a few members of the executive board, but it seems like they have become disillusioned with what they have been able to impact.

Personally, I hope my council is absorbed my one of our neighboring ones, which seem to be better at putting on events for Scouts BSA and investing in their camps.  

[Ojoman]

2 hours ago, Eagle1993 said:

  I could see volunteering at council/district level at that point.

Please do... district committees are vital to the health of the district.