What Does Your District Do For You?

[SeattlePioneer]

One step up from Scout Troops or Cub Packs is the area district organization. It's purpose is to provide services need by the units in it's area.

 

What kinds of things does your district do for your unit, and how well do they do it? What kinds of things would you like to see them do?

[momof2cubs]

I had to think about it, because my first instinct is to say, "Not a dang thing we couldn't do ourselves"..but that's a bit harsh. So I'll start with the things they do that I think are great:

1. Cub Scout Day Camp: superbly organized event in my opinion..both from the point of view of a parent, and a volunteer,

2. Family Camping: they do a pretty good job of this. Twice a year, Fall and Spring.

3. Misc. Training: they offer cub scout level training for pretty much all required training about twice a year, BALOO training, CPR, whatever is required for water stuff, den chief. At the boy scout level, they do more stuff, but I am not there yet.

4. A few events available to the cubs. Not many. And the ones they DO offer to the cubs, they also offer to the boy scouts.

 

So my MAIN gripe with district is the fact that they treat Cub Scouts like the red-headed step-child. This is more an attitude than anything, and it is hard to provide specific examples. But I do know they offer way more events, training, and camping opportunities for the boy scouts than they do for the cub scouts.

[Papadaddy]

Some of the operating committees of the District Committee are:

 

Camping: encourage unit camping, track unit progress toward the national camping award, organize and staff day camps, represent the district on the council camping committee.

 

Advancement: track unit advancement status and alert the Commissioner staff of under-performing units. Approve Eagle project plans, conduct Eagle Boards (or provide a district rep to unit-run Eagle boards).

 

Training: track unit leader training metrics, organize and staff training courses within the district.

 

Finance: ensure FOS presentations are conducted at every unit.

 

Commissioner staff: conduct monthly Roundtables and provide service through Unit Commissioners.

 

Membership: track unit membership metrics and conduct recruiting efforts.

[Basementdweller]

This year for recruiting they had some yard signs.......

 

I see my DE a couple times of year....he is at our recruiting night to collect our apps and money. He is at our FOS presentation and He is at our district popcorn night. Do you see a recurring theme here?

 

Occasionally I will run into him at a council function.

 

District holds roundtable.....but you know how that worked out.

 

Nothing is what my district does for me. Absolutely nothing.

[Beavah]

One step up from Scout Troops or Cub Packs is the area district organization.

 

One step up?

 

Nah. I always tell my district and council (and area and regional) colleagues that we are steps down from da fine folks who are doin' the real work of helpin' boys and girls learn and grow. We're just support staff, what military folks call REMFs, eh? The important people are the den leaders and cubmasters and SMs and ASMs and Advisors and such, because they're the ones who touch da hearts, minds, and lives of the young.

 

Never confuse corporate organization with what really matters.

 

I think a good district provides whatever support units in their area need, in part by encouragin' communication between those units. Findin' a strong troop to help support a weak one or a start-up. Identifying or securing local resources to support all units, from camps to activities to other scouting friends units may approach. Providin' some wisdom, a shoulder to cry on, some extra horsepower for events that a unit can't manage themselves, and some help with adult interpersonal dynamics when that becomes necessary.

 

Mostly, to help the folks doin' the real work feel like they're not alone. That they are, in fact, part of a bigger, even worldwide community of like-minded folks who care about young people and each other.

 

That's what a good district does.

 

A poor district just follows da corporate outline that PapaDaddy lists, and checks off da boxes for "Quality District." Which for all practical purposes amounts to what BasementDweller describes: Absolutely Nothing.

 

Beavah

(This message has been edited by Beavah)

[Papadaddy]

I served on the District Committee for three years and worked my butt off training folks, mostly by myself. Hundreds of volunteer hours helping hundreds of folks get started down the Scouting path. I wouldn't exactly call that "nothing". Reinforces my decision to quit doing it.

[Austinole]

Training

BSA Camp Facilities

Summer Camp/Day Camps/Family Camps

Round Tables

Web site info

Calendar of council events

 

I don't expect them to do the unit level stuff for me. That's my job. I know that if you asked some Troops/Packs in my council they'd say district provides nothing for them. That is because they don't take advantage of the stuff they do provide. I see the same people showing up at roundtable. I know we're short Unit Commissioners and that's a problem. That shouldn't stop anyone from using what is provided with a little effort on their part. Scouting is what you make of it.

[Beavah]

Yah, Austinole, I reckon we have to be a bit careful, eh? SeattlePioneer was referrin' specifically to districts in his original post, not to councils.

 

You're right that councils provide camps and camperships and some training (WB, NYLT, skill-specific, etc.) and web resources, and those can be a different kettle of fish. Districts don't provide those things, though. They're charged only with da set PappaDaddy describes, or with da vision I describe.

 

There are some fine districts out there, eh? And some fine district volunteers like PapaDaddy everywhere. But I reckon that not all of the districts feted for being "Quality" really provide da level of support and service to unit folks that they should. Not to do the unit's job, but to make it easier by way of inspiration or information or resources for da units to do their own job.

 

Beavah

 

[Austinole]

There's not a lot of difference in my council/district. Probably because our district is the hub of our council. I know that each of our 3 districts provide training , day camps and round tables to name a few things. My DE asked me if our unit wanted him to go in to the schools for us. Maybe I'm just one of the lucky ones.

[Basementdweller]

Well pappa I wish you were in my district........

 

My face to face training was in a neighboring district. Owl neighboring district, Baloo neighboring district, IOLS neighboring district......

 

 

 

So in my corner of the world, popcorn and roundtable are about it.

 

I tried to make our district better, but met with some resistance to new ideas.

[Abel Magwitch]

my district served my unit by taking the time to fill out and sign quality unit applications without anyone in the unit having to use a pen. now that's service!(This message has been edited by abel magwitch)

[Oak Tree]

Our district provides training sessions, roundtable, an annual camporee, Eagle boards, popcorn delivery, another district fundraiser coordination, a unit commissioner, recruiting help, recharter help.

 

As a Cub Scout leader, I felt even less connection to the district/council - I went to roundtable but didn't get much out of it, and I felt like the trainings would be better online. We had a unit commissioner who didn't really do anything. The main thing they provided was the popcorn delivery, but I don't really see why UPS couldn't just deliver us the popcorn that we ordered. The biggest value was probably the flyers they sent into the schools that delivered us some new Tigers every year.

 

At the Boy Scout level there is more value in knowing the other folks in the district, I've gotten some good ideas out of roundtables. I've asked the DE for help with a few items and he's been good. The training sessions are ok, but mostly I like that I get to meet other Scouters. The district camporee is pretty decent - we go back every year.

 

I think many of the services could be automated and made more efficient and effective, but there is some intangible value that comes from knowing the other Scouters around, and you need some kind of reason to get together.

[OwntheNight]

I almost feel bad for saying my district does everything in it's power to help us.

 

Yes, they provide the basic necessities for a district, training, outdoor activities, popcorn, camp cards, scout store, etc... But it's how they do it.

 

Training- They make available all the training at least twice a year, spring and fall, including Wood Badge. The only training that is not done twice a year is Powderhorn and NYLT.

You want Rifle and Shotgun certification, they make it happen. Wilderness First Aid, they support it and get the word out to everybody.

 

Outdoor Activities- Always promoting and setting up outdoor activities. 2 Webelos Outdoor weekends, Camporee, Cuboree, Winter Camp, Summer Camp, Day Camp, Parent and Pal weekend, the list goes on. There is usually something going on constantly, so much so that I don't have time to publish everything to the pack.

 

Popcorn- They provide the kickoff meetings, they procure the storage facility for Pick up. My DE was out there during Show and Sell loading boxes in Trucks for people on a hot Saturday morning.

 

Like I said, It's not just what they do, it's how they do it. The units are truly treated like customers, in a good way.

 

I am on a first name basis with my DE,DD, and others in the district. I've literally emailed my DE with something, and 5 min after hitting the send button, I was getting a phone call from him asking what I needed from him, and what could he do to help.

 

Council works these guys to the bone, to make sure the unit's are taken care of. Both my DE, and DD worked Day camp all week from sun up to sun down, my DE then went to summer camp all summer. The district let our DD off from camp duty, due to being newly married, so he could hold the district fort down. Next year, he's not so lucky

 

When our Pack was spiraling out of control last year and about to implode, the first call I received after agreeing to be CM, was my DE offering his and his staff's help in any way possible. He followed through on everything I asked. I was usually talking to him 2-3 times a week for a couple months, before things settled down. For me personally, it was reassuring I could call him anytime and bug him about small things.

 

Next year, will be interesting, because Council is breaking up our super district into 4 smaller districts, so then we'll have to train a whole new set of professionals on how things should be done.

[Basementdweller]

Own.....are you sure you are not talking about council. Never heard of a district putting on woodbadge or powderhorn.

 

Help from a DE.....the only thing he wants from me is money and applications.

[OwntheNight]

Basement,

 

Got a little carried away with that, No they don't do WB or Powderhorn, but they will promote the heck out of it so you know it's available if you want it.