Great Packs and how to get to be one

Im working out the content of a course for our next Commissioner College and would like the groups input on these two questions:

First, what are the top three traits of Great Packs? Packs that are not just successful, but outstanding in delivering the promise.

Second, what are some paths for average or new or struggling packs to turn into Great Packs? What are the first steps?

Thanks

OR Pioneer --Newberg, Orgeon

Well, let's see. You've limited us to three. I'll give it a shot.

1. Active dens. These get together for meetings or activities at least 3 times per month, typically. They've got a good program led by well-trained leaders.

2. Active pack program. The pack provides monthly pack meetings as well as a number of well-planned, well-executed activities throughout the year (including the summer).

3. One person doesn't do it all. A trait of a good pack is one where you find lots of people doing lots of work. The CM is not also the CC and the Treasurer and the Trainer, etc. A variety of adults take responsibility for various aspects of running the pack program.

Don't know if these are the top three, but they were the best ones tha came to my mind tonight.

Looking at our Pack, I would say that our Pack is very successful but could be a lot more improvement to be great. Here are our stats for the last 4 years:

Average size: ~112 boys in 12 dens

Average retention rate at recharter: ~82%

Average x-over to boy scout: ~88%

Average recruiting class in the fall: ~40 boys

Average number of incoming Tigers: ~26 boys

"First, what are the top three traits of Great Packs? Packs that are not just successful, but outstanding in delivering the promise."

1) A very active Pack program with lots of fun thing for the boys to do. All well planned out and staffed with volunteers. I posted some of the things that we do in our pack on another thread.

Ex: Yesterday, we held our bike rodeo. We had 10 courses. Each Den sponsored a course. We had the sheriff dept out there, EMS, State Farms (who took the kids pictures and printed their 'driver license' after they finished all the courses), safety inspection, snow cones, safety talks, etc. We created the rodeo around the theme of the Incredibles. We had about 50 scouts and another 10-15 siblings. Everyone had a blast!

2) A fun loving, nutty, kid-like cubmaster and a strong committee who can pull together many volunteers. When an adult acts silly and fun, the kids will as well, but this cubmaster needs to care as well. He/she needs to make sure that not only the Pack meetings run well, but the dens as well. This job falls on the CC as well; as a matter of fact, our CM and CC constant stay in contact with the den leaders.

3) Very involved Den leaders who produce fun, active den programs. I noticed that even our den leaders need a lot of support. The dens that failed were dens that did not have any parental helps.

3.5) Trained adults.

"Second, what are some paths for average or new or struggling packs to turn into Great Packs? What are the first steps?"

1) Find a fun-loving cubmaster who is willing to joke with the kids, sings, laughs, and puts together a "great show." Find one or two assistant cubmaster who are willing to do the same! Believe it or not but the boys do know the difference between a person who enjoys being a cubmaster and one who is put in the position!

2) Find a strong committe chair who can pull together volunteers. He/she has to be a good salesman or saleswoman while being very organized. This person and the committee need to take care the logistics of running the pack.

3) Get all of these people trained.

4)Assemble a group parents who share the same ideals, scouting, fun, and safety. Put together the fun program that the boys can enjoy. Words of mouth worth their weight in gold. Don't do what you do every year, especially the "we have always done it that way" activities. Put together the entire year. This is your selling points, then deliver! Under promise and over deliver, cliche'ish but very true.

5) Put together a great recruiting effort.

6) It will take a lot of patience.

It does take 1 hour a week ... 1 hour per boy per week!

As I mentioned above, I consider our pack fairly successful, but we can learn more and do more to be a great pack for our boys! By the way, we, too, go through some trials and tribulations of the world of volunteers.

1Hour(This message has been edited by OneHour)

As a new CC, here's where I'm going . . .

1) "DENS" - it's ALL about Dens. You need good trained DLs who see themselves as sparks not torches - Guides for the active and fun journey not generals leading the achievement march. PLAN AHEAD so that DLs get all the support the Pack can offer -- they deserve it! I agree with OneHour's description of the CM you want, but the CM needs to fill that role for DLs even more than for Cubs. Cubs, due to shared experiences and school groupings, see themselves as members of their Den much more than they see themselves as members of the Pack. The CM needs to be a good showman on Pack Meeting Night, but needs to be a strong supporter of DLs day in and day out. Again, a spark not a torch -- you can't make DLs do things your way; you have to help them accomplish their goals. Hopefully, Pack planning has kept you on the same page.

DLs need to be experts on their particular Handbook - but not on the REPs, BnG Planning, Finances, etc. Too often DLs have other Pack jobs - The Pack needs enough volunteers so that DLs can just be responsible for doing the Pack's most important work - growing boys.

When it comes down to it, I'd rather have good DLs than a good CM.

2)"KNOWLEDGE AND TRAINING" - I'm troubled by the number of people who think they can run a Den or a Pack without having read the appropriate handbooks and resource materials -- and/or by making local choices that blow National Policies out of the water. (Sure, sometimes you have to modify the program to fit local needs - but, IMHO, local needs and customs should take a backseat philosophically to Program. For example, awarding Rank Badges at BnG only. I understand why a Pack might make that choice, but it's not a good choice and the end result is undue weight carried by DLs and Cubs. Truly, it's not the better answer for the boys and their growth. Though, as I've said, I understand many of the practical reasons for making this choice.)

I'm not the biggest fan of the basic 4 training courses, but they establish the mindset that this Scouting Thing isn't a connected gang of age-leveled play groups. We're all volunteers, but you just can't show up on meeting day and expect things to go well or to accomplish enough that boys will eventually earn their rank badges. In a similar manner, for example, you can't plan a good program year without knowing that the Bear book changes the approach that you used last year in the Wolf book. I think we double our work, and get into most of our troubles, when we aren't prepared to PLAN AHEAD and make good choices. DLs need to be experts on their particular Handbook. But not on the REPs, BnG Planning, Finances, Oudoor Activities, etc. Too often DLs have other Pack jobs - The Pack needs enough volunteers so that DLs can just be responsible for doing the Pack's most important work - leading a good program and helping boys grow.

3) "STEWARDSHIP" - what we do matters to the Cubs that will come into the Pack after we're gone. The turnover rate for Cub Scout Adult Volunteers is daunting. PLAN AHEAD so that volunteers are helping Committee Members and learning the ropes in preparation for the day when the one ages out and the other needs to step up to the plate. KEEP RECORDS of decisions and choices made so that each year you can spend time on program rather than reinventing wheels with a new set of volunteers. Make it easy for the Cub Leaders who will come after you.

$0.02

jd

Thanks johndaigler. I agree with what you have posted 100%.

I really like the term stewardship - Think I'm going to start using it.

Eamonn