What to do about kids (parents) who sign up but never show?

[cctroop231]

We grew our troop to 20 boys with our spring recruiting. Of these, about six participate in nearly all meetings and activities....maybe four more show up a little more sporadically. The rest have just shown up at a single meeting, if that. What are some good ways to get them and the parents on board?

 

Then there was the one parent who brought her son to one meeting (where he was elected patrol leader) then he never showed up again. She called me up telling me that he had decided he wasn't interested in scouting anymore, and that because he hadn't attended any of the events, she felt that we should return his registration fee.

[Eagle92]

Just like sports and various types of lessons, once they pay their registration fee, it can't be refunded as it goes to national. As for other fees, i.e troop dues and what not, that's a local unit matter.

[DeanRx]

You are going to always have some that sign up, but don't participate. Some, but usually fewer, are clueless enough to think they should be entitled to a "refund" after they've paid.

 

I would chalk it up to a learning curve. But I would NOT refund for non-participation. If you make this a regular practice, what do you say to the parent that shows up in April and states, "Well we paid registration and dues, but Johnny hasn't been active and didn't go to camp or on any unit campouts this year, so we'd like 50% of our fees returned to us..."

 

Once the check is written, the money belongs to the unit and it should be stated up front that refunds are not allowed (unless for a specific outing and the unit can avoid / recoup the cost - i.e. 6 register for residient camp and one of the 6 decides not to go and you can still get the money back from council... then I might be willing to give them a refund).

 

Otherwise - your unit will be broke (financially) in no time.

 

Hard to believe there are folks out there with the audacity to actually ask for such a refund, but some folks view themselves as the "customer" in every situation.... and in the USA the "customer" is always right.

 

As I explained to one father who was upset about us not giving a refund. You paid dues to be a member of an organization and our unit. It was their choice to do so and it was also their choice to not participate in the various events we held throughout the scouting year. Does the grocery store refund you for the fruit you buy, but fail to eat before it goes to rot?

[IM_Kathy]

I haven't do deal with this with BSA but I have with GSUSA - there if the money and form are still in my possecion or our registar then we return it, but once it's out of our hands and sent in to council it is totally up to them and they parents have to work that out with them.

 

as to how to get the ones that are very hit and miss... I'd try talking with them via phone or at a meeting that they do come to and find out why and if it's because it's "not fun enough" find out what they would like to see happen to make it more fun. There's a lot of reason boys miss - sports, band, split households, illness in the family, and the list could go on and on.

[cctroop231]

Actually the part about the parent demanding money back (which was all of $6) was more of an aside. I just shake my head at some of the parents we have to deal with....however, there are three or four other parents who have been extremely involved and have gone above and beyond thus far. Mainly wondering if we should just expect that half the kids we sign up aren't going to end up being involved....

[John-in-KC]

Look to your program. Is it full of skills learning for the outdoors? Are there games? IS IT FUN?

 

Or... is it something of a bore?

 

What about your outdoor program: Do you have good monthly campouts, or do you go to the same tentpeg hole every month?

 

Those are questions for your PLC and you.

 

Your situation is the flip side of the "Registered=active" debate. Are your PLs and SPL contacting these kids and encouraging them to come? Are you talking to the parents?

 

BTW, on refunds, I'm with IM_Kathy. If the app is in your hands, ok. If you've sent it to Council, it's between parents and Council.

[cctroop231]

The program has been good so far....some camping and rock climbing activities, plus the regular meetings. For the most part, we're talking about boys who have signed up but then not attended a single meeting.

[SSScout]

1) If the boy is not there, then the patrol needs to elect a new PL.

2) If the dues are paid and the registration is valid, then include the Scout (and the family) in all your communication and planned activity invites. The boy is a Scout unless he behaves so unScoutlike that you have to REMOVE him from the Troop (see other threads). The family may contact you and say "please stop sending this stuff" but rightfully they should be included until that time. And they might come back...

3) If, at the end of your Charter year, the Scout is "not around", then remove him from your roster. His loss. I once had a Cub that had paid for alot of the planned activities and planned crafts in his Den, but after one meeting, showed up rarely. He was very surprised when I showed up at his door with the leather kits and told him and his dad that he had paid for them and I was sorry he could not be with us last month when we made these, but he had paid for them so here they are. He attended for awhile more, then dropped.

4) Ditto the previous comments about program and activities. Check with your Friendly Neighborhood Commissioner for some ideaas...

[evmori]

Once paid no refunds. If the Scout isn't interested nay longer have him removed from your charter.

[Knot Head]

Scouting is not for everyone. The same could be said for soccer, football, piano, etc.

 

Provide a good program, camp regularly but don't repeat the same camping experience & location over & over, communicate with scouts and parents and work with the guys who are interested and show up.

 

Don't fret over the guys who would rather play baseball instead. To each his own.

 

You do need a patrol leader that shows up. If they miss too much you need to replace them.

[SR540Beaver]

I like to think we have an excellent program. It is boy run. They determine where they want to go and what they want to do on an annual basis. The PLC meets weekly as well as a once a month meeting to determine what skills will be taught and who will teach them over the next month. Thhe SPL runs the meetings. We have our opening, a skill session, patrol meetings, game and closing. I've been with the troop since 2005 and with scouts coming and going, we consistently run a roster of around 60 scouts with 40 to 45 boys at meetings and outings. We have a number of 16 and 17 year old Eagle scouts who remain very active in our program. We have an outstanding new scout patrol program and annually attract about 20 boys on average.

 

All that being said, my experience is that about half of those new boys will eventually drop at some point for a wide variety of reasons.

[scoutldr]

As someone said earlier, the registration fee goes to National. If they want a refund, tell them they'll have to call the Council because you don't have it to give back to them. As to the kid who was elected PL on his first night...well that may have been a little overwhelming to him, and I don't blame him. He can't even spell "Tenderfoot" yet and they want him to be a PL?

[Hal_Crawford]

I would assume that the scout was elected PL of a New Scout Patrol where presumably no one could spell Tenderfoot. Maybe the boy thought that sticking around would be taking the quitter's way. (Sorry, I couldn't resist).

 

Seriously, losing half the new scouts isn't that unusual. My son's W2 den had 11 boys. One chose not to bridge, six joined one troop and my son and three others joined our troop. Of those four, two disappeared in the first weeks and another in the first year. My son was active to his 18th birthday. Others who joined at the same time left or stayed, some (my son included) earning Eagle. The average first year attrition across the group was probably about 50%.

 

Some years we have done better, others worse. A bad year can be really frustrating. We got a good group this year and we have only lost one so far. Best of all, several have younger brothers so there is some real potential for growth.

[SR540Beaver]

My son crossed over in February 2004 along with 4 or 5 other boys from his Webelos Den. Today at 16.5 and a Life Scout on the cusp of Eagle, he is the only one left in scouting.

[GernBlansten]

My son crossed over in Feb 2004 with 4 webIIs. All are still registered, one shows up about 25% of the time, my son is the JASM, the other two are finishing up their Eagle requirements, but not too active.

It is not uncommon for us to lose 50% of crossovers in the first year.