Unit Commissioners

[moosetracker]

We have had few, so my concept of them may be misguided.

I met one in a troop I was in long ago, once. Nice, but except for an introduction meeting, nothing else. Currently my troop has one, our committee chair once his boys aged out took the position. He is around alot, and I know he did hard work fixing the cub pack of our unit.

 

So maybe having a Unit commissioner who is part of your unit is a good thing.

 

Our District is now trying to aggressivly searching for unit commissioners for our area. Most our units are without. You can be from another unit then your own, but they really trying to push for people within the units to take the position. My son was thinking of signing up, but something made him rethink. For some reason they don't want you to have any other position in scouting but the UC job. My son is Outdoor coordinator for the troop and sits on the district advancement board. (Besides the fact he would need to be for a different unit as our unit has one)

 

I think of the UC as being someone who should have more expierence then the average people in the troop. Someone the troop goes to for advice. Someone who can look at your unit as an outsider and recommend changes based on expierences they have had in different units.

 

So maybe I am wrong, but if my UC is just someone from my unit who does nothing else outside of the unit. What exactly is he bringing to the unit? What makes their advice more knowlegable then the troops Treasurer, Outdoor leader or SM? I mean I can see our old CC, has advice to pass on to the new parents based on history of our troop. But, I more see a member of the troop who takes this position as your average parent who has been a parent to a scout and been in the unit helping out like every other active parent. Good people, very important to the unit, but they will already have the same viewpoint as everyone else having been acclimated into the group over time. Even the wise old CC of our troop, is acclimated.

 

I have heard someone meantion that people look at UC's as spys. I guess this type of UC would not raise that type of suspicion. I would imagine they get info from the council they can pass on. But, there must be something I am missing.

 

Also is the job so demanding that it is unthinkable to do this job while taking on other jobs also. If you do get your UC from members within the troop, would them doing various other district jobs give them some form of outside perspective?

[jhankins]

The desirable ratio for unit commissioners in any district is 3 units to 1 commissioner to ensure that every unit has someone working with them.

 

The best way to define the job to most people is that a unit commissioner is the quality assurance arm of scouting -- they are going to make sure the unit is excelling at its job.

 

The ideal way to look at it is that a unit commissioner will help diagnose an issue in a unit -- say a unit not advancing boys. That information will reach the District Commissioner and the Key 3. At the next District Committee meeting, the Committee Chair will provide that information to the advancement committee, who will then come up with a plan of attack to help that unit. Gentle phone calls and suggestions, a phone call to the unit leaders, an offer to come teach a class, etc...

 

That's the perfect world scenario!

 

To do your monthly visits to 3 units, attend a commissioners meeting once a month, and be available to the unit for phone calls, emails and maybe attend 1 outing for each unit a quarter, you're looking at quite a bit of time dedicated to just being a friend to those units. It's a lot of time on its own without another job. That being said, many of us do have other jobs, too.

 

I do serve a pack, troop and crew for a church charter. I attend 1 den meeting and 1 pack meeting a month. Usually at the pack meeting the boys pick a silly song and I help lead it-- usually it's the Elephant in the attic camp song With the Troop I attend 1 troop meeting or COH, and the committee meeting. Right now it's a little less than that as the COR/CC is stepping up into his role and I can just call him to help solve issues. The Crew is more self sufficient and I make a phone call to the Crew President and talk to him on Facebook on occasion. The Crew invites me to attend events and when they need a female chaperon for an event, I'm VYP trained and go with them. All in all, this is another 4 nights a month and lots of phone calls. It's worth it, but it is busy. I'm not a member of any of these units, and I try to remain impartial on all of the issues. My job as commissioner is to be the "friend of the unit." I'm not there to "narc" on them, I'm there to ensure they're doing their best for the boys in the best way possible. I don't sway policy in the unit, I advise on BSA policy, offer suggestions the unit may not have heard of, and help them think outside the box.

 

In reality, a good commissioner listens far more than he speaks. The better the communication you have with a unit, the better you can understand their needs.

[gcnphkr]

jhankin: "To do your monthly visits to 3 units, attend a commissioners meeting once a month, and be available to the unit for phone calls, emails and maybe attend 1 outing for each unit a quarter..."

 

Of course the real world seems to be visit each unit every 6 months to a year. Occasionally go to a roundtable and never, ever attend an outing, unit or district.

[desertrat77]

Jhankins, superb post.

 

Having done the UC duty a few times I'm tracking with jhankin's template.

 

I help the troop any way I can. I'm not a snitch. I'm YP trained and serve during troop events as I'm needed. I'll camp with the troop during camporees and a few days of summer camp, but I make it clear the SM is the adult in charge, not me--I work for him/her. I try to earn my keep--wash dishes, chop firewood, whathaveyou.

 

Listening is indeed the most important aspect of UC duties.

 

If there is red tape at the district or council level, I'll take that on for the troop.

 

That said, I have many aspects of UC performance to work on.

 

A UC doesn't have to have prior experience at the unit level, but it sure helps. My past experiences as an ASM and SM are beneficial when I encourage or make suggestions.

 

If your troop as a wealth of knowledge in current and former adult leaders, that is wonderful. Unfortunately, it's not common, so the UC can help when leaders are new or struggling.

 

Unfortunately, there are many vacancies in the UC ranks, around the BSA. And many UCs on the roster are in fact just names on the roster. Others act like The Sole Keepers of the Spirit of Scouting, kinda turning people off.

[jhankins]

I understand it's not a perfect world, but motivated commissioners will do their best if they're properly trained as to what the job really entails. My current District Commissioner doesn't even expect written monthly reports on the units he serves, so they don't get done. The new guy is taking over this week and oh look -- he's already got our assignments pushing to ScoutNet so we can do our reports online.

[moosetracker]

I can see if you are a UC serving 3 units, this is a big job. Also you might not start with experience, but you gain it, and you get outside perspective by overseeing 3 units. If one unit has a great idea and another is struggling, you can introduce the idea you saw from the other unit.

 

But it seems we are looking for a UC as one for each unit not 3, and if you already belong to that unit that's great, and this should be your sole job.

 

If you are already from the Pack/troop, how do you spot trouble signs? Or suggest a different way to accomplish something? If you already belong to this unit and it is your only unit, is this a big job that would demand all your time? If you only took on one unit but it was not the unit you are registered with, then that would be more time granted. But so much more time you could not take on a position with your troop, or sit on the Eagle board once a month (Which is my son's current job, that would put him too over the top to take on a position as UC for one unit.)

 

The idea situation of UC job, sounds sort of like what I would invision a UC to be. I would welcome his/her view point as a fresh idea, even if the UC had been working with the troop for years. If they are getting their expierience from outside our unit, and comming in to visit every now and then. They will always see us with fresh eyes, and not be personally invovled in a conflict.

[acco40]

I help the troop any way I can. I'm not a snitch.

 

What is your definition of a snitch? One of the functions of a Unit Commissioner is to report to his district commissioner on the health of the units they serve - accurately. Do you consider this "snitching?"

[moosetracker]

Well I am not a UC, but I did not take that line the way you obviously did.

 

To my point of view it all depends on the purpose. If it is to get help for the unit to improve them that is not snitching (At least not in my opinion.) Although maybe as UC I would think about first discussing it with key Unit personnel, and offering the services of someone from council.) Then go and seek the help. You want to know that the help would be welcomed.

 

It sounds like in your mind you see the UC going off to tell the council how bad your unit stinks in order for them to snicker about it.. Or figure out how to get rid of the unit. Since the value of their job rests in the strength and number of their units, that would be self defeating.

[ScoutNut]

BSA would rather that a UC does NOT commission for a unit he/she is a member of.

 

The point of a UC is that they are an IMPARTIAL, OUTSIDE, observer who can offer help and mentoring to a unit without being seen as taking sides. This can not happen if they are also a member of the unit.

 

 

[desertrat77]

acco40, no, I don't consider my formal reports concerning the health of the troop as snitching. I give frank assessments and recommended courses of action. But I do not report every squabble, or every fumble, that's what I meant.

[acco40]

We are on the same page. I wasn't trying to be critical but in this day and age when telling the truth to the police is considered 'snitching' by many, I had my concerns.

[desertrat77]

Acco, thanks, I agree--not enough frankness these days.

[UCEagle72]

I just took over as ADC, again (I much prefer being a UC - but right now we need to do some re-building). The UCs I work with know that I expect that each unit they service will receive, at minimum, one unit contact per month. Plus, they are expected to attend and support (teach merit badges, do camp site inspections, what ever is needed to support the effort) all District events and as many Council events as possible - especially Camporees and our annual Scout Show.

 

I don't expect them to go on unit campouts -- but to me it is more important that the unit they are serving is getting the "full level of service" it needs. That may mean "one visit" a month is sufficient --- or --- it can mean Pack Meetings, Den Meetings, Committee Meetings, and daily emails and phone calls.

 

If you are a UC, and you are doing the job properly, you rarely have time to do another job.

 

[nolesrule]

"Plus, they are expected to attend and support (teach merit badges, do camp site inspections, what ever is needed to support the effort) all District events and as many Council events as possible - especially Camporees and our annual Scout Show."

 

A UC's job is to service the assigned units, not support district or council programming.

 

These things fall under the purview of the District Committee (particularly Program and Camping subcommittees), not Commissioner service. If my District Commissioner or ADC expected these things from me, I'd hand him my resignation effective immediately.

[UCEagle72]

Noles ... I think you mis-understood ... I did not say to run the event (which *is* a District Committee job), but to be there to lend a hand. Plus, it is an excellent way for a UC to get to see their units functioning outside of the normal meeting environment.