help new units start under challenging conditions

[Lisabob]

In the original thread tommymcl posts that he is helping to start up a new unit in a poor inner city neighborhood. A big HOO-RAH for him!

 

He mentions that a lot of kids in this neighborhood have never camped outside, have no safe & local outdoor places to play, and don't know how to swim. He mentions as well that fund raising in the local community is a challenge and that one small way others could help out is to donate gently used uniforms. (As an aside, I don't think he mentioned whether it is a cub pack or a troop? For some reason I'm thinking it is a pack though.)

 

My question for all of us readers:

We talk about expanding diversity in scouting and being a brother to all scouts. What does that mean to you in concrete terms in situations like this? What specific types of help, brotherhood, assistance, moral support, whatever, do you think would be appropriate to offer, or for the original poster to ask other units for?

 

As an example - in my council we have no central uniform bank that units like this one could draw upon. And while lots of local leaders and units might be happy to donate some uniforms to a struggling new unit, how would I even know they were out there, as a typical Scouter?

 

I have not seen this happen yet but it seems fairly easy for the folks on various district committees to send out a notice to all current leaders that the district has new units who need the following types of support:

 

1) uniforms

2) outdoor gear

3) offers for joint activities to help kick start the program

4) flags & stands

5) excess craft/game supplies (cubs)

6) connections with local groups like the Y or the local school (university?) pool/athletics complex so these kids can get a taste of those facilities and activities at a rate the unit can afford

7) offers of transportation (if needed) for those new leaders to get them to training/U of Scouting the first year

 

What else???

[John-in-KC]

Assuming you have a decent Commissioner's Service, asking District Commish to surge UC's to cheerlead, mentor, and guide folks as the unit is in forming and norming stages.

 

If you don't have the above, ask experienced unit serving Scouters for same

[Eagle92]

talk to OA as well as they now have a Scoutreach prgram. more later

[Apache Bob]

In my district we have set up about 10 units (both Packs and Troops) in our own program other than using Scoutreach.

If you can try to get a solid, new run unit to sponser or montior the unit you set up. Then can help with the training. Take the new unit camping. Show them how meeting are run. In other words, the day to day operations of a unit.

 

[hotdesk]

As I am serving as the Committee Chairman for a recently started all latino, low income, Cub Scout Pack, I believe we need a couple of more things that Lisabob did not mention:

 

1) People who are bilingual to help translate flyers, letters, and newsletters

 

2) People who can help recruit volunteers from within Boy Scouts to help provide leadership to the pack (think of all the nonparents involved in scout units)

 

3) Some financial support for the individual unit when it is first started (to provide events and uniforms)

[Eagledad]

>>3) Some financial support for the individual unit when it is first started (to provide events and uniforms)

[hotdesk]

With a normal unit I would agree that fundraisers are the appropriate way to go for funding.

 

However, I am working with a low-income, latino, Cub Scout Pack. Very little parent participation or even the motiviation to participate. Therefore, with the limited number of volunteers who already have sons in other units, fundraising enough to provide the initial activities is not something that can be easily done.

 

Typically, I would say that the Chartered Organizations be asked to make a small donation to the unit committee for scouting. However, with the Professionals asking us to start these two units, I would say that it would be appropriate for Council to also provide some finiancial support.

[John-in-KC]

hotdesk,

 

Talk to your DE about access to Scoutreach funds.

 

Look at low cost/no cost options for activities in your area.

[Tokala]

When I was serving as SM, my troop decided to replace all the tents, stoves and lanterns. The equipment was still in good shape, but the committee wanted to change the style/size of the tents, etc. I had served on Wood Badge staff with a para-professional Scouter who worked with inner city units. He was coordinating and stocking a QM "base" for these innter city units to draw equipment from to go camping. We donated every piece of equipment that worked when we replaced our equipment. He literally filled a trailer with tents, stoves, lanterns, ice chests, igloo coolers, etc. I thought it was a better idea to help other kids go camping than to sell it in a rummage sale or storing for years.

[Eamonn]

Much as I hate to say it.

It seems to me that we have some Scouter's who will want to do what they can and offer to help and we also have some who will want to point "The Finger" and look for reasons not to help.

I'm not sure if anything can ever be done to help change the minds and hearts of the Finger Pointers?

Maybe having a member of the District Membership Committee say a few words at a R/T meeting might help make people aware that there is a problem.

The District Commissioner might want to explain the situation to the Commissioners and have them put a word in with any units that are being served?

The District Chairman normally knows a lot of community groups who with a little arm twisting will offer to help.

 

Back when I was serving as a CM we had a few little fellows who came from families that needed a hand.

HWMBO was the Pack Treasurer.

She took on getting these little guys into uniform to heart.

By just asking the people she worked with in the ER,five people volunteered to buy new uniforms and six people donated uniforms that their sons had out-grown.

When I was District Chairman I made it known that we as a District would ensure that any Scout who wanted to attend summer camp from the District would. I made sure that this got in the local papers a few times!!

I made sure that this information got out to all the businesses that supported the community FOS campaign.

As a thank you from me I invited all the people who donated to come up to camp for dinner (I was the last of the big spenders. - It only cost me $3.00 a head for the meal!!) While they were there I gave them a tour of the camp and made a point of stopping at units from less well off areas. I didn't have to say "Hey these are the poor kids" Being as these people were from the community they knew by where these units came from what the story was.

The big thing to always remember is that the main reason why people don't do something is because no one ever asked.

If we can find ways of asking we are over half way there!

Eamonn.