cross-overs and communication with webelos leaders

[Lisabob]

Bob White made a good point in the thread on troop size when he said that troops who get inundated with unexpected cross-overs at the last minute have a communication issue. I'd have to agree to at least some extent, but I think it is much easier to identify than to solve this problem in a lot of cases.

 

I see this as a "problem" for two reasons. First, in our area there are few "feeder" relationships between troops and packs and those that do exist mostly only last for a few years at a time before shifting around. So communication can be an issue because there is no solid sense of expectation that scouts from pack 111 will simply join troop 111. This is actually a good thing in my view because it means that boys can choose troops based on which troop is the best fit for each boy/family, rather than because that's where all the boys from the pack are going. But it does make for more difficult communications between troop and pack leaders. (I should add: we have two or three times as many packs as troops in most towns in our district)

 

The second problem is actually tougher, and that is that the troop and the webelos scouts have different needs which propel them along different time tables. The troop wants to know how many new scouts to expect as early as possible so that they can prepare for them. The webelos scouts (and parents and leaders) want to be sure they have chosen carefully and well, which sometimes means taking a long time to decide. And also, it isn't uncommon for webelos II scouts/parents to announce that they will be dropping out of scouting after blue & gold, only to have a last-minute change of heart when the boy realizes that all his friends are going on to exciting boy scout adventures without him. Those last-minute decisions can sometimes make a big change in the number of new scouts a troop ends up with.

 

Troop leaders need to be sensitive to the sometimes conflicting interests of the webelos scouts/parents/leaders and (from experience) if troops are too pushy about nailing down the exact number of cross-overs early on, pack leaders and webelos parents get annoyed. But then too, troop leaders have good reasons for wanting to know what they should expect.

 

So what are your thoughts on how to improve the communications here? What have you done/tried that works, what have you tried that didn't work so well?

 

 

 

 

[kbandit]

Well as Boys Scouts we are supposed to be prepared. At this time we are expecting 7 at crossover with the potentional of 12 total. The extra comes from a den who visited for AOL and then went to a neighboring town to visit a troop and liked what they saw at our troop.

 

The ones who have shown a strong interest (as in we are thinking of coming to the troop) have been given a "Welcome packet". This consists of Boy Scout App., calander, patrol roster,troop policies, phone numbers, email addys, sample packing lists for summer and campouts, helpful tips for new campers and welcome letter. I keep all on computer and ready to print out at a moments notice. I get folders at office supply place for a nickel when they have a sale. I get these out close after the winter school vacation.

 

If anyone has a question hubby(SM) tries to answer same day.

 

We believe we will have enough equipment for the influx if not we have a reserve in the equipment fund to cover any additional equipment.

 

We currently have 17 scouts so this will add quite a few to the mix.

We have a strong committee and strong volunteer support team so we are confident we can have a good program for these new scouts.

 

Kbandit

 

[John-in-KC]

I actually do not like "feeder" relationships. Parents know their boys and should be able to make the determination of what Troop works best for each kid. Long, long ago, my brother went to Troop 320, but when it was my turn, my parents put me in Troop 110.

 

As others will note, I am a strong advocate of deploying Den Chiefs from Troops back to Packs throughout the Cub lifecycle. A good Den Chief is one of the best recuiting tools a Troop has.

 

I'm also an advocate of having an ASM in each Troop have the specific mission of being Cub/Boy coordinator. He works with area Packs and their Dens, keeping his ears open. He keeps a weather eye on the Den Chiefs.

 

Too Much Fun is Never Enough? Remember that? I really believe that when it comes to Cub-Boy transition, too much information is rarely enough.

[ElyriaLeader]

We have made a point of having a rapport/doing joint activities with the surrounding troops since the boys became webelos I, so the den knows the boys in the troops already, and have relationships between them. Most of my boys are already close to finishing their AOL (just waiting to meet the age/time since requirement) and at that time they will do the SM conference with the gaining troop, thus the gaining SM's have about a 6 Mo. window before the boys actually bridge.

[Beavah]

I actually do not like "feeder" relationships...I am a strong advocate of deploying Den Chiefs from Troops back to Packs throughout the Cub lifecycle.

 

Yah, I was curious about this, eh?

 

'Cause usually, the only place I've seen stable Den Chief relationships is in situations where there was a "feeder pack/troop" relationship which enabled the Den Chief thing. Often within the same CO. In the more open free-for-all Lisabob describes, there's typically not stable Den Chiefs. Do yeh have somethin' different, KC?

 

For the open situation Lisabob describes, it's a bit like colleges tryin' to guess enrollment based on applications. If yeh get so many webelos who visit, how many will join? Mostly yeh can guess right. But every now and then yeh might be slammed by a big crowd or be short. Can't say I've seen any great solutions that allow for good plannin' on a troop's part, so I'm interested in ideas too!

 

Beavah