FormerProfessional

If you have a “bad” or “worthless” DE, we’re they a scout?, makes a difference. Are they getting adequate training/mentoring from council? Maybe they aren’t.

Most importantly does the DE care? Or is it just a job, a paycheck till something better comes along.

The question you should ask yourself...Ask not what your DE can do for you, what can you do for your DE.

Many, many, many vols are great people and want to help pros succeed. Just like anything there are people that arent so nice.

My experience was that there are some vols that are jealous and some that are offended that professionals get paid to do the hobby the vol does for free. There is animosity among some vols.

Only Professionals, former professionals and their families realize how much they commit and sacrifice to a volunteers hobby.

I know I’m getting under some volunteers skin but for volunteers it’s just a hobby, how much or how little time you put into it, it’s still an extracurricular activity...a hobby.

For professionals it’s their livelihood, the way they make there living and 99% are UNDER appreciated.

32 minutes ago, SouthScout said:

The DEs are not compensated well. From my research for the year 2014 I found that the DEs in our council had salaries around $38,000.00. The Assistant Scout Executive was $135,000.00. The Director of program (camps and activities guy) made $135,000.00 and the Scout executive made $208,000.00. The director of program guy was one of the most worthless people I have known. 

The DEs work extremely hard, but I rarely see them at pack meetings or troop meetings. In Sept of each year we see the DEs at elementary school round ups. The pressure to have new scouts register and pay that night was so bad that it turned new scouts and parents away.  DE turnover is extremely high.

 

SouthScouts numbers look accurate but in larger councils that raise more FOS $$$$ the SE make double that depending on how long they have been SE. 

Most new SE that move from being a ASE or Director of Field Service take a pay cut.  20-40K but that’s the price you pay to become the King of your empire, I mean the boss.

On 5/15/2018 at 3:58 PM, Jameson76 said:

Part of the challenge is salaries

It is basically these 5 items

1. Financial drain for the Summit - the losses there are staggering
2. BSA National overhead costs not adjusted in relation to membership - seriously doubt the overhead has been reduced 10% in last 4 years
3. Many years of underfunded pension payments 
4. Exploded liability insurance premiums - thus the 38% membership increase
5. Reduced membership and thus less revenue - This has accounted for close to $30MM less income in the last 4 yearts

 

 

 

In regard to #3 above

I know a man who worked for BSA for 30+ years. He was a Scout Executive and when he retired he had a prominent position at National. He told me one day he made more money in retirement than he did as a working BSA employee. 

If your age and years of service add to 85, your retirement is calculated as 80% of the average of your last 3 years salary. The retiree will receive this pension until death.

Assuming a BSA retiree retires at age 65 and lives to 85, that is 20 years of retirement. For this hypothetical let’s say they made an average salary of $100,000 (this is a low estimation). 80% would be $80,000 per year.

At 20 years this hypothetical retiree made $1,600,000 in retirement.

Most employees are eligible for some type of pension, even council employees not just DE’s and management.

It adds up.

4 hours ago, ParkMan said:

The BSA training is absolutely lacking in the how to run unit department.  The primary training for unit leaders is:
- SM basic training
- Intro to Outdoor skills
- Leadership training

There is absolutely a series of classes needed around how to actually run a troop.  I can spout off the stages of team development in my sleep.  But, how to make patrols function in a meaningful way - nope.

There is a reason for this...

A National Council employee, the current associate director of volunteer training for National BSA, never was a Cub or Boy Scout as a youth. This person doesn’t have sons, never had children in the program. Before their National Council position they served as a Learning for Life Executive and promoted to Field Director in charge of traditional units (Packs, Troops, and Crews)

So, the second in charge of training at National was never in Boy Scouting as a youth or adult volunteer and was not a traditional unit serving executive.

I was also a Cub Scout 1983/84-87 Boy Scout 1988-1993 as a youth

I was a professional from 2004-August 2015. I served 3 Councils as a DE, DD, SrDE. I had many other assignments some include Summer Camp Director, OA Staff Advisor (2 Councils/Lodges), Council Popcorn Advisor, Council Day Camp Advisor. I am also Wood Badge trained. I used to be a beaver and a good ol beaver too.

Im here to see what people think about the movement and maybe give an opinion or two when I can give some insight.

I was a professional from 2004-August 2015. I served 3 Councils as a DE, DD, SrDE. I had many other assignments including Summer Camp Director, OA Staff Advisor (2 Councils/Lodges), Council Popcorn Advisor, Council Day Camp Advisor and many many others. I am also Wood Badge trained. I used to be a beaver and a good ol beaver too.

A District Director has his or her own district the same as a DE. In addition to their own district, they may supervise/manage, (whatever term you want to use) other districts (District Executive or 2, and or para-professionals.  A District Director usually has up to 2 DE’s or multiple para-professionals. If one of the DE’s resigns or gets fired that district becomes the DD too until the replacement is hired and trained.

Some Councils have large districts in size, units or geography, usually geography and have a District Director that is a supervisor and a DE that helps the DD

A Field Director usually has 3-5 District Executives, Sr District Executives, or District Directors that report to them.

A Sr DE usually has 3 years of DE experience and completed what was called PDL I II and III. I dont know what it’s called now. I went to 3 in 2007 I think.

The theory on how many staff to manage, DD spends 2 days a week in their district and one day a week with each DE, one day a week in the office for a staff meeting.

I did not make the 

BSA is a national member society of WOSM. WOSM is the ultimate grantor of the license for Scouting. 

comment.

Just curious when this happened since BSA was founded in 1910 and WOSA in 1922?

From the other thread that is locked

I thought the United States Congress established The Boy Scouts of America in 1910. How does the WOSM have authority of a “scout license” and power to revoke it from the Boy Scouts of America?