ANYONE FROM NATIONAL READING??

[skeptic]

I AM BEGINNING TO HAVE SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT MY ROLE IN THE JAMBO THIS SUMMER, AS I STILL HAVE HAD ALMOST NO CONTACT FROM ANYONE, OTHER THAN REMINDERS ABOUT PAYING, AND THE MEDICAL FORMS. AFTER SEARCHING, I WAS ABLE TO FINALLY HAVE A NOTE FROM THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF MY ASSIGNMENT; BUT STILL DO NOT HAVE A REPORT DATE, OR ANY SPECIAL UNIFORM AND EQUIPMENT INFO'.

 

BASED ON WHAT IS POSTED HERE, AND THE LAST FEW WEEKS ESPECIALLY ON SCOUTS-L, THERE SEEMS TO BE A DISCONNECT ALMOST BETWEEN NATIONAL AND THE VOLUNTEERS; AT LEAST THOSE OF US ON THE OUTER PERIPHERY WITH NO EXTENDED CONTACTS.

 

THIS IS WRITTEN IN ALL CAPS ON PURPOSE. I AM HOPING THAT "SOMEONE" FROM NATIONAL MAY ACTUALLY TAKE NOTE AND START THE WHEELS MOVING AGAIN. THE JAMBO SITE HAS HAD NO UPDATES SINCE LAST FALL, AND THERE HAVE SO FAR BEEN FEW OTHER SOURCES FROM THE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE, BY THIS TIME, PUSHING TO HAVE THINGS FLOWING. MOST VOLUNTEERS DO NOT HAVE THE LUXURY OF SIMPLY SCHEDULING THINGS AT THE LAST MINUTE. WE NEED TIME TO PLAN, MAKE LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR OURSELVES AND OFTEN UNITS, AND SCROUNGE TO COVER COSTS.

 

SO, I BEG ANYONE THAT IS ABLE, TO LIGHT A FIRE AT THE HIGHER LEVELS SO THOSE OF US STILL AWAITING VALID AND CONCRETE INFORMATION ARE NOT LEFT IN THE DARK MUCH LONGER.

 

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE, WHOMEVER YOU MAY BE.(This message has been edited by skeptic)

[emb021]

I assume you have received your letter of acceptance, which means you have a position.

 

Most people seem to be getting notices now about reporting dates. Which is good as we will need to start making our plans and reporting them soon, including making bus reservations (if flying).

 

If you got a note from the person in charge of your group, I would recommend you contact them. Some groups are good or bad about this. Don't blame National per say, as its up to your staff group to do some of this.

 

 

[Eamonn]

I have never been on staff at any Jamboree.

Several of my good friends have.

One, for the past few Jamborees has been the guy in charge of one of the Action Areas. (Area D).

Off hand, I can't remember how many events are in each area.

From talking with him, it seems that he actively recruits the people who will be in charge of each specific area and keeps his fingers crossed that these guys will recruit the staff they need.

Jerry Clark has been in charge of the rappelling area in this action area for a number of jamborees.

Jerry does have a list of people who he kinda knows that he can expect to be on staff. He through the guy in charge of the entire action area receives a list of people who have applied.

Back in 2005 I put Jerry in contact with our good friend Hops-Scout.

Maybe if Hops is looking in he can post about the communications he got from Jerry?

I know he used to have a Yahoo Group and as a moderator on that other site, he keeps in contact with the guys who will be working with him.

My son was on staff in 2005 and he really didn't hear anything until about a couple of months before the Jamboree, then the guy in charge of the area really went to town, wanting his staff to buy t-shirts and all sorts of other add ons.

You don't post what you will be doing?

I know that just waiting for someone to let you know what is going on can be very frustrating. But I don't really know what else to tell you.

Ea.

[Kahuna]

I agree that we staffers are not getting much info from National and a lot of people are confused about assignments, reporting dates and other things that would seem fairly simple for National to handle.

 

Luckily, I've had great contact with my supervisor since the beginning and am pretty much up to speed on everything (I think) that I need to know.

[skeptic]

Mentioned my concern to our scout exec today, and he told me that the man in charge at National of the entire event died unexpectedly late last year; and though the position is filled, it very well may have caused serious confusion and slow downs. Seems logical, but wish they would get it righted soon.

[Tokala]

I received my letter of acceptance on August 18, 2009. I just received an email about my reporting date and departure this week.

 

Try logging in to myscouting.org and the elearning section. There's a Jamboree Staff training segment and I bet if you have a job, it'll show that you need to take the training.

[emb021]

"he told me that the man in charge at National of the entire event died unexpectedly late last year"

 

Yes, John Alline, the Jamboree Director, passed away in November/December of last year.

 

In addition, the National Office is in a bit of a chaotic state due to yet another internal re-org PLUS the movement of the Regional offices into the National Office. A LOT of balls seem to be dropped of late.

 

(like, where is the January Jamboree newsletter we were promised).

[Eagle104]

Frankly I have become tired of waiting. I sent in my 1st and 2nd payments and recv'd my initial letter and patch in November 2008. I have heard nothing from National and now want to make other plans. Does anyone know how to obtain a refund? Seems difficult to correspond with National.

[Dino]

A friend with contact "inside" confirmed the death of the new Jambo Director had caused things to be "a little fouled up". I had not heard anything since November, and that wasn't difinitive. A couple of calls and e-mails elicted a response that what we all have been waiting for had been e-mailed in early February, and that I shoulld have signed it and returned it immediately(?). I was e-mailed the generic Jambo website.

I was informally invited back on the staff in late 2005, but to-date have only a patch to show for it. Obviously my medical exam will be a mite late, since I don't have one of the barcoded Jambo specials yet.

Sure hope my report time isn't until late in the week, am facing a tight schedule.

[NC Scouter]

I too had to back out due to a job change combined with the fact that I became uncomfortable committing so much time and cash while getting absolutely no information about an assignment. I expect that those willing and able to wait until the last minute for an assignment will get one; I was just not able to do so.

 

I got great service from National. I had paid in full, and my refund was processed within a couple weeks, I recall. You can write to National at 2010jamboree@scouting.org, or call 972 580-2371. Remember, however, that staff assignments are decentralized. National just manages the pools of candidates based on the preferences listed by scouters on their staff applications. You can change your preferences by contacting National as noted above.

[sherminator505]

No one from National is reading this. We are volunteers.