ParkMan

Could be. But I think many unit commissioners are generalists. Do they all really know how to solve the unit retention problem? Agreed. My basic premise here is if you want to solve a problem, you focus on solving the problem. The approach in the BSA to solving a problem usually seems to be a revamp of a training, an article in Scouting magazine, JTE, or some new rule. I think we need to be more proactive than that.

I'm sure you are one of the experts. By experts I mean real experts - someone with the experience, skills, and vision to help a unit improve it's retention. This is not simply someone from council or national that got blessed with a title. As for who they are generally - based on how things work today - that's unclear. The role description is someone knowledgeable in developing a unit plan and has experience in retaining a high percentage of the members in a scout unit. That person would then go out and be a resource to other units that do not. So, if you've got a troop of scouts,

I agree that it's on the local units to retain their older scouts. You describe nicely some of the considerations. I'd like to see national do some thing I've never seen before in Scouting - really focus on fixing this. For example - I'd like to see training on 14-17 program development and on retention. I'd like to see true experts emerge who work with the troops on annual calendar and meeting structure. And so on.

I don't make it a habit of quoting myself. But, I hit send on this earlier than I meant to and wanted to expand a bit. My point on retention is really just that as I look around my district, I see a drop off as boys get older. Folks use terms like FUMES to describe it as if it's just an accepted thing. However, there are other activities (such as sports) that I don't believe suffer the same problem. My working theory for a while has been that at the boy scout level, the retention problem has stemmed from: 1) There are a lot of bad troops out there. Sorry guys, but I look aro

I continue to believe though that the retention problem stems from crappy programming. It's made worse because the BSA doesn't really have a plan for the 14-17 year old crowd.

This "Family Scouting" thing really isn't what it's being made out to be. The "Scouts BSA" isn't a family camping club - it never has been, it never will be. That just makes no sense for the BSA to even try that. Any units that are doing that are just misusing the term.

Agreed - there surely will be mergers. Makes me think the BSA had too many eggs in one basket. Hopegully tbis will force them to try harder on recruiting and marketing.

This clearly was in the works before the vote. I wouldn't just assume that the move to add girls was a reaction to lost revenue. Instead, I really wonder if this is simply what happened when the BSA leadership found itself free of the pressure of the LDS church. I wonder if we'll see some other, progressive changes in the next few years without the LDS influence.

Yeah - have to imagine this was well known. While there will be a financial hit - this may actually be a blessing in disguise. The BSA will be less impacted by a single religious group going forward.

We'll see a couple of units go in our district, but nothing dramatic.

This is very similar to what we did. There was no ceremony for Webelos to AOL though. Sorry!

While I'm sure important votes happen - always figured it was like watching CSPAN.

We're starting to do this too. Right now it's the scouts when they join college - but it really could be anyone. My only hesitation is that it seems like a weird name.

Thanks guys! It's 35 registered volunteers - not 35 ASMs. It's actually 15 ASMs and 20 Committee Members. The reason we have this many is because we make a point to ask. The adults pay their BSA fee, so it is no financial harm to have more. I presume they register to be able to help out. On the committee side, we do a pretty good job of getting folks specific jobs - so that number isn't crazy. In fact, we have had folks change from ASM to MC because of their committee job.

Back from dinner. @scoutldr - it's not that we don't get involvement. We rarely have events canceled because of adults. What tends to happen though is that it's the SM and some parents. Maybe some of those parents are registered as ASMs maybe not. But, the list of really active, engaged ASMs is pretty small. The Scoutmaster likes to think of events by which adult is responsible for it. He constantly asks for more adults to '"step up". So it becomes a question of which adult is responsible for it. We have all kinds of events that don't happen because there isn't an adult willing to

Thanks guys - I appreciate the pointers. @sst3rd - I fully agree. I'm a big fan of letting folks do their jobs and I've got no interest in being involved in programming. My dilemma is that we don't really seem to leverage the ASMs all that much. I think what happens is that they sign up, go on a few trips, but don't really have a role. Eventually, they get bored of just being around and stop engaging. ** ADDING SOME MORE TEXT - SAVED TOO SOON **

Thanks. A couple of followup questions. So you see the CC looking at the yearly calendar and then filling each of the trips with registered leaders? Or, do you see it as a more general thing where the CC simply recruits more adult and then they sort out amongst themselvs who is camping when? Im trying to figure out how involved the CC should be in figuring out who goes on what or organizes what. The SM do a good job - so they don't need the CC more involved in hs business than needs be. Looking for ideas on what's working for others.

I've got a bit of a dilemma and I was hoping to get some advice. I'm the Committee Chair of a Troop. Scoutmaster has been involved for 20 years. We've got a Troop of about 80 boys. We've got lots of registered adults - 35 last I checked. Half the adults are asms The thing I've never quite figured out is how a troop gets adult participation at events. Whether it's a camping trip, service project, or other event, we struggle to get adults to step forward who will help out or even attend. I understand that it's the boy's troop and that they should shoulder much of the leadership

To me, this is the only real argument in favor of a boys only program. Would the scouting mission of developing youth be better accomplished by a separate program for boys (BSA) and a seperate one for girls (GSUSA). What BP thought 100 years about gender separation isn't really all that relevant. There are just too many other groups that started in that era with separate programs that are now unified. Its hard to accept the argument that BP was correct when others who did the same are were wrong.

Welcome to the forum @plumchas! Removing extra tasks from the den leaders is a great idea. They indeed have the hardest job in Cub Scouting. We had a Committee Chair who led the meetings. We had a treasurer and advancement chair. We didn't fill the other pack committee roles. What I think I found is that our committee meeting really was a pack leadership meeting - probably 50% pack committee and 50% Cubmaster/den leader meeting. We didn't really ask them to do a lot extra, but they were generally involved in all the decisions about what was going on.

I'm not going to continue the point. I'm not trying to stifle your freedom of expression. I do understand the fundamental disagreement you have with co-ed Scouting. In our troop we had a period of some "storming" within the adult leadership a while back. At one point one of the ASMs called me up and said something to the effect of: "There are precious few of us trying to keep the troop going. As leaders, we're all in this boat together. At some point, we've got to stop fighting with each other and focus on bringing the program to the boys."

Right - they're more savvy than that. They may clean up some deployment issues and may even allow true coed for those that want it. But, I can't imagine they'd go any further than they are now.

Thanks! The scouts will definitly benefit from that. I'm 100% with you that you do it by the book.

The basis of my position is that coed scouting is inevitable. I'm suggesting that you put your fears aside and support the program you've supported for many years. Instead of giving up, help these kids succeed. How would you have me act differently?

My challenge would be to give it a year after you go coed. During that time, embrace the coed dynamic and work to make it great. Your experience is the best protection against a watered down program. If after a year it's too weird, retire gracefully if you want.