Quality Unit Recognition - don't worry too much about the numbers!

Regarding the requirement to maintain an equal or greater number of youth
to attain quality unit status:

Fluctuations of a few people around a mean number should not be
interpreted as demonstrating improvements or decreasing quality of
programs. I could go into a long statistical arguement, but there is an
element of chance associated with the number of youth available for your
program.

One should also remember that a Scout unit may be only one part of a
diverse youth program operated by the chartered partner. Our chartering
organization operates not only BSA units, but also GSUSA programs, an
active and successful youth sports program, and programs for high-school
age youth. Few parents will allow their kids the oportunity to
participate in all ac tivities, and for some kids, basketball is a better
choice than any scout program.

Since most Boy Scouts come from the ranks of Webelos, the size of a Scout
troop, as others have pointed out, tells more about the quality of the
Webelos program than it does about the quality of the Scout program. Kids
that leave Scouting seldom come back.

I suggest that perhaps we shouldn't worry too much about the QU award.
Most of the requirements have nothing to do with running a quality
program. Focus instead on the program, and meeting the needs of the youth
who have chosen the program. Define the metrics for success based upon
your judgement and that of your chartered partner. If QU comes with it -
great. The odds are that if you have a good program, your numbers will
fluctuate upward as often as they fluctuate down, and that you'll get it
half the time - which is enough to get your leaders the formal
recognitions they deserve (knots).

Tim O'Leary, CC Troop 772, Post 769, WDL Pack 1072

• Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]
• Next message
• Previous message