Chartering Organization Relationship

[DPWatson]

I'm current the SM of a fairly healthy (60 scout) troop. We're not terribly organized, but must be doing something right as we've been growing steadily over the past few years. Anyway, my question has to do with expected relations with the chartering organization (an Episcopal church). At some time, back in history, a number of the troop families were associated with the church, but that's not the case any longer (we're all involved with other churches in the area). In addition, there have apparently been internal debates in the church with regard to support for the troop. I'm only vaguely aware of, and not really interested in these politics. At the current time, I would characterize the support for the troop as mixed at best. We are still allowed to use the church's meeting hall for our meetings, but have had our storage space reclaimed (troop gear is now split between our travel trailer and a couple of tarp-covered pallets).

 

I'm on a campaign this year to try to improve relations by looking for opportunities to perform service for the church, to meet with the rector and educate her on the program, etc. My question is: What is the minimal level of support we should expect from a chartering organization. Some people are telling me that the organization should provide storage and meeting space at a minimum. My general assumption is that it is easier to try to work with an existing chartering organization rather than try to find a new one, but at what point do you start looking for a new home? Has anyone done this?

 

/dpw

Dave Watson

 

[AvidSM]

The minimum level of support from the CO is spelled out in the Annual Charter Agreement. Part of this agreement is to "Provide adequate facilities for the Scouting unit(s) to meet on a regular schedule with time and place reserved," and to, "Encourage the unit to participate in outdoor experiences..."

 

In order to adhere to this agreement, a CO at a minimum should provide a place to meet and a way to store camping gear, either a storage room or a trailer. I actually know one troop in my district that meets outdoors all year under a picnic pavilion - no heat - no walls. I don't know where they store their gear. There are a lot of mixed relationships out there between units and their CO's.

 

If you as SM are not happy with the facilities, you need to work with your chartering organization representative (COR). If your troop does not have a COR, then its a good idea to meet with the rector, with the goal of getting one assigned as a committee member. Perhaps there is a parent in your troop that can fit the bill? A good COR knows the other church leaders and can be a liaison between your troop and the CO. You, as SM, and the troop committee should be working with this person to get the support that the troop needs.

 

And, yes, it will be easier to work with the CO you have as opposed to finding a new one. The CO owns the troop gear and the unit number and may choose to not let you have neither if you decide to move on.

[Beavah]

Hi DPWatson! Welcome to da forums, eh? And thank you for your service to your 60-strong Boy Scouts!

 

While the theory of the program is that a CO owns and operates a scout unit, the reality on the ground is often different. I think it happens mostly because church-based CO's tend to focus their attention only on those activities for which they hire staff and spend money. That, of course, and the fact that the core ministry staff are fully time-involved with their direct ministry. Since scout units tend to be self-runnin' and self-supportin', and the folks in the units tend to be spendin' all their effort on makin' the program go, it's pretty easy for the two to just drift apart. Classic warnin' sign of this is when a unit starts getting complaints about their use of the building space.

 

I think you reachin' out to the church is a fine thing. Just like rebuildin' a troop, rebuildin' a CO relationship should be thought of as a multi-year project. Don't go in with a UC on day 1 and tell the rector she and the church are legally responsible for all the activities of the unit and its leadership. Or at least not that boldly, since it's somethin' she needs to know.

 

Here's some other thoughts:

Reach out to the local Episcopal Scouting Relationships Committee in your council. Especially if you're not a church member, they can come with yeh and help "speak the local language."

 

I believe there's also a national Episcopal scoutin' email list, which I think fgoodwin here might be associated with. Sign up and post questions there, eh?

 

A few Scouter.Com threads have suggested a bunch of ways to help rebuild CO relationships. Check the archives!

 

If yeh don't have one already, make it a priority to get a real COR, someone who is well known to the pastor and church staff, who can help with this effort. A CC from the parish would also be a big plus.

 

Post announcements or recaps of activities in church newsletters and on church bulletin boards, deliver an annual report to the staff and the vestry, etc.

 

Folks will disagree with me, but I feel CO's need to have some financial skin in the game. Ask 'em to pay your recharter fees, at least for adult leaders and families who are in need. Expect 'em to support a few camperships. It doesn't matter if you then turn around and make donations to the church that offset or even are larger but yeh want to be "on their books and on their mind."

 

Be ready to defer to them in some things, eh? It's their unit, not yours.

 

Sometimes a particular pastor or group of people just have it in for scoutin' for one reason or another. That can be hard to work with, and if those folks are long-termers at the parish, it can lead to a parting of the ways. If yeh get to that point, you go meet with your DE who has a list of likely and interested CO's in your area, and can help with da process of shifting.

 

But to my mind you're a ways from that, eh? Put in the effort to rebuild da relationship before yeh even start lookin' down that road.

 

Beavah

 

[Eamonn]

Hi and Welcome.

Someplace on the BSA web site is a copy of:

THE ANNUAL CHARTER AGREEMENT.

I couldn't find it!!

Here is a copy I found by doing a google search:

http://www.mississippivalleybsa.org/Templates/forms/annual_charter_agreement.pdf.

I'm not sure how up to date it is or if it is out dated?

 

It does outline The chartered organization agrees to and what The council agrees to.

As you read it I think you will see that it open to interpretation and that the Chartering organization is not giving away a lot.

 

Having been around for a while, serving at the District and Council level and from reading what has been posted here in the forum. It seems to me (Just my opinion) that CO's can be classified as:

* Outstanding.

* Really Good.

* Good

*Not so Good

*Bad

* What Chartering Organization?

In the area I serve most fall under the "Not So Good" Heading.

But having said that most people feel it's better the devil you know...

Starting a new unit can be a real pain.

The CO can if it wants claim all the equipment as belonging to them.

It can also be the cause of a lot of hurt feelings.

What you are suggesting by opening better lines of communication and trying to win them over is by far the best way to go.

You might want to have someone (Your COR or CC??) Meet with your DE and see if he or she can help.

DE's are supposed to meet with each and every Executive Officer at least once a year. Sometimes they don't do this, which is a shame. A friendly kick in the pants does help!!

Try and involve the Church in what you are doing. A few lines every now and then in the Church newsletter, see if there are some Scouts who might want to work on religious awards with the church helping. Recruit some church members, both youth and adult.

None of this is going to bring about change overnight, but then again things didn't get as bad as they are overnight.

Try to get them to think of the Troop as their Troop.

Good Luck!!

Eamonn.

[Eagle92]

Having dealt with 4 COs that had lost interest in Scouting(2 as a youth/young Scouter, two as a pro), I can tell you that it's not fun starting over. If you can work out the differences now before it gets worse, that is best. Also I would include the IH at special functions like Scout Sunday, COHs, and especially Eagle COHs.

 

When you meet with the IH, go with the COR, CC, and maybe a church member who is active in the unit. Play up the strengths of scouting and how it benefits everyone. Try to get more involved with church activities. One of the best ways to help the CO, recruit new Scouts and leaders, and make some money was working the church fair. We did cleanup as a service project, and the committee and parents ran a food booth.

 

Also find out what type of experience the IH had with Scouting, and if negative, try and change it. We had an IH who took over after we had just transferred COs about 2 years before. She had no experience with Scouting, didn't like the fact that we excluded girls despite the fact we tried to talk up starting a coed Explorer post, and viewed us a threat to the church's youth program since many of the active church members were involved with the troop.

 

You don't want to get to the point my troop got to with it's 2nd CO. Relations got so bad that the IH actually called the police on the troop because we were "taking too long" cleaning up the hall after an Eagle COH!

 

If you do wind up having to search for another CO, my advice would be to get IN WRITING that the CO give up the unit number, and allow the troop to keep the equipment. Most times the CO doesn't really know what you have and don't care. Also 99% they won't mind passing the number to another CO.

 

Good Luck

 

 

[DPWatson]

Thanks to everyone for your comments. In the middle of an emotional situation, it's refreshing to get rational, dispassionate advice. And heck, at least they haven't called the cops on us...

 

Bottom line is that I think we're on the right track with the "rebuidling" strategy. Thanks again.

 

/dpw

[GKlose]

DPW -- sounds fairly similar to the troop and pack sponsored by our CO. I'm coming in from the outside, and I'm trying to address membership concerns, and one of my major areas to address is reestablishing the connection between the troop and the pack and also with the CO.

 

Every Sunday, there is a pretty extensive bulletin handed out that has several paragraphs devoted to the youth ministries at the church. But no mention of scouting -- there is a quarterly publication mailed to homes, but no mention of scouting. I'm sure there are plenty of service projects hiding around the church facilities and grounds - but the CO doesn't ask and neither does the troop. The CO has an associated K-8 school across the street. The pack does a little recruiting there, but the troop doesn't. The CO and the school have websites, the troop has a website, and the pack has a new parent volunteer willing to develop a website. Any links between the sites? Not yet.

 

I think it is time to establish the bond with our CO and with the pack. I'm all ears when it comes to advice on what we could be doing to improve the connection.

[FScouter]

The secret to getting published in the newspaper, or the church bulletin, is to write up your story in final edited form and submit it to the editor.