Back Pack

The point above is true. I am a recent Eagle and a college student. I get weird looks from parents when I try to volunteer and help or be involved with scouts. Thank God there's Venturing. The whole situation makes me feel like I've done something wrong when all I want to do is help. I don't feel welcome anymore and that's depressing.

Regarding marketing scouts, why can't bsa develop a campaign that focuses less on the family and more on the main things units are doing? I'd like to see templates that are easy to use and customize. No need to make dual English and Spanish templates. Let the units customize them. Include marketing and outreach training for leaders.

I disagree about not being able to train leaders. You can train leaders but the person being trained has to have the raw materials to become a leader. My Scoutmaster explained it like this: "You can smelt ore but it depends on what you are smelting as to what you get. You can't smelt gold ore and get copper. You can't smelt copper and get silver. Training leaders requires you start with the right materials. In the end you migh get a good manager or a good leaders. You might get slurry."

I was involved in baseball and soccer growing. Band too. Neither baseball or soccer had any program for character building either in rec or select. My character was built on my own by winning, losing or getting injured. I had coaches that helped build my character but that was by happenstance and not a program designed to do so. Band actually had a leadership program and a written code of conduct and citizenship. Ex marine was the band director so charter building was built in to his program. But that's likely an exception so I don't count band as being a program that universally builds charac

My district has a back door where a staff-sized setting of whatever is being eaten is set up family style. They can come and go as they need to with no line, no waiting and no fuss. They get in and out on their time. They have one of the kitchen staff who eats with them restocking as needed.

How does baseball develop character? Scouting actually outlines how they do it. How does little league baseball do it? Is it documented?

I have to agree. The scout can contact the sm who can help find someone. My dad stayed out of my path to eagle and I have to say I was happy he did. The sense of accomplishment I felt doing it on my own was fantastic.

Yes they do say it. I was asking how do they do it? Scouting has obvious programs that build character. What part of the little league baseball program officially works on character building? I've already said that people may learn character by simply living their lives but that's not the point. You've pointed out the difference between scouting and other programs that compete with us. Everyone says they build character but do they have programs in place to do so and how do they do it really?

I guess it depends on what program you're in. Rec sports don't necessarily build character. Some clubs and organizations are not focused on character development as part of their program. Of course character development does happen simply by living but I think we are talking about character development being a mainstay of the program. A stated objective if you like. That's not what sports or some organizations are about. I do agree that FFA and a few others do have that as an aim.

Don't most kids start stuff because their parents sign them up? Not sure games and apps are the right way to get to parents. Wouldn't it be counter productive to promote an outdoor organization using games and apps? I'm not the right guy to know but I buy stuff a lot and i know why I buy it. Mike is more recognizable than some of the other people mentioned. Isn't the point of advertising to get recognition and make people feel good and trust their purchasing decision? If I'm off the mark I'm obviously in the minority here. I'd be more likely to get in scouting if Mike Rowe were to tell me why

@@Eagledad, sorry for confusing you. I'm not clear myself on where to go next. You raise some great points. I agree that scouting does not do a good job making sure their program is correctly applied and managed so you end up with lower quality in various pockets nationally. It also leads to misperceptions about scouting. That is what I meant by offering better training to counter act that poor implementation of the scouting program. I was also thinking that a clever marketing campaign might obviously tie together how scouting builds character, provides leadership opportunities and personal le

Thanks for this. I knew you could quote and do this so the use of the @ is helpful. Thank you.

I guess other programs can claim they build character but do they really? It's not just character but it's the chance to lead, grow and learn. You don't get all of those in sports or other programs right? There's only one team captain. Many of the other youth organizations are not run by the youth so bsa has that going for it. I'm the last person to be giving marketing advice. I'm just going off of what I know people around me look to scouts for.

Isn't the bsa message about character and leadership as well as the adventure? If that doesn't sell parents then nothing will. Kids go to college to learn and grow. Scouts should be seen the same way.

I'm not sure I have any answers either. My thought was that an icon like Mike Rowe would add value some how. He's an eagle scout and a tv personality. He's respected and articulate and fun to watch. He's probably do it for next to nothing if it's a cause he believes in. That would save scouting money which could be better spent on training. I would like to see boy scouts offer training that shows you how to do something. Many of the classes I have taken or see teach you why you should do something. But I don't know how to change that. Some one smarter than me can come up with a better mou

I think the money spent on a potential national campaign would be better spent on better training for youths and adults. With social media giving you such reach there's no reason to do a traditional media campaign. Why doesn't bsa get someone like Mike Rowe to do a series of psas for scouting? I'd bet he would do it.

A lot of the material I have seen from bsa the last few months has been on just about everything else except outdoors. Things are focused on family stuff and ready made events. Not picking up your gear and heading outside.

@@qwazse you are right about not hiking in high temps. As my handle suggests I do a ton of backpacking and have taken several training classes. I've heard several times the importance of checking temps, heat index or wind chill temperatures as part of your preparation. I've also backpacked several times in high temperatures with that east coast high humidity. It's not enjoyable or safe. It's not easy to talk about something like this but maybe the lesson learned here is that it's okay to call off an activity if you think the weather is a factor. There's no shame in cancelling due to heat, cold

I applaud the mods refusing to remove the video link. I'm disappointed that they towed the party line of "watch the video before you take the survey" excuse. The video is propaganda. They survey contrived. It's demeaning to think adults involved in scouting can't read a survey and make up their mind without first watching a video purely designed to influence a specific outcome. I am MOST disappointed that bsa would resort to this type of clandestine, strong arm tactic. They've lost my trust, my respect and my time. I've resigned my position. I cannot be part of an organization th

I can't find it now but I saw stats from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics about the spending habits of low income households. Most had 2 TVs, cable and at least two cell phones in the avg house of four. They had a car but rented. If I recall, one third even had a vacation within the last three years. The point was that these households spent money of items deemed unecessary for families also on food stamps and other benefit programs. I remember that because the video brought up the need to serve under served markets. They totally gloss over the language barriers, cultural barriers and c

Ah, California.

How can a council forbid something allowed by national?

All of that's fine but it's a shotgun approach to marketing. The most successful companies find their niche and work it. Budweiser doesn't sell shoes. They don't make sodas. They make beer. Even then they limit how many lines they have. Yes, yes, I am aware large companies like InBev own many breweries, soda makers and the like. They point is they don't try to be everything to everyone. Bsa seems like they're trying to do just that.

What bothers me is why don't these families have time to spend together? What is so pressing? I doubt bsa has the data on that.

I watched video. Funny how millennial parents have less time with their kids versus parents 100 years ago when: - The work day was longer 100 years ago - The work day was longer and weekends weren't non work days - Transportation was not as wide spread back then - School went through maybe 8th grade - Stay home mom meant MORE work (wash, house work, cooking, shopping) than today And yet many families back then managed to have family dinners, Sunday's at church and other family time. Some how the milennial soccer mom can't shop from her smart phone, hire her maid, pay her onlin