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Ojoman

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Everything posted by Ojoman

  1. Ojoman
    I'm done with this topic... beating a dead horse... I have no agenda, hidden or otherwise... from my experience the BSA was far ahead of other youth programs in taking steps to protect kids for all types of abuse. (I could be in error but that's my experience). Hindsight is so wonderful... let's blame people that made good faith efforts dealing with the laws and circumstances. I expect that right this moment there are a few people in the program that are a danger to kids but there is no way, until they act and are reported, to know who they are so when something happens let's blame the BSA for
  2. Ojoman
    A s i recall though the police were in the loop. The SE was supposed to immediately suspend the volunteer and had to be notified.
  3. Ojoman
    Having been 'on the inside'in the 70's, 80's, 90's and more I can tell you that the BSA was doing youth protection training way back. We had 'experts' on VHS tapes telling volunteers and parents the signs, we had 2 deep leadership rules, and we had handouts and even a quiz on the subject for years before any other agency even thought about this type of training. As time passed more steps were added. With the advent of digital cameras and phones that could record that was added to the mix. Sorry to break your balloon but I was a BSA employee and I know how active the BSA was over 4 decades ago
  4. Ojoman
    Be sure if you speak to his superior or council exec to let them know how much he is appreciated. Volunteer feedback is valuable... Thanks for the post!
  5. Ojoman
    With new members both youth and adult having to pay the full year up front and with most units now running a January to December charter it seems ideal and logical to be recruiting in January. Pay for the year and get into the program with lots of time to set aside funds for summer camps and other programs. Packs can get their new members in for the Blue n Gold anniversary events and Troops can recruit in grade 5 but have to hold off registering for two months which gives families time to set aside the funds. In the meantime they can either register with the pack and transfer or 'visit' the tr
  6. Ojoman
    Exactly!
  7. Ojoman
    Since you asked why else... It is assumed that the BSA shirked its duty to protect kids because not every case was criminally prosecuted and the the sole reason was to protect the BSA image. While I don't have the proof I would bet that there were many thousands of abusers who were prosecuted and also that a fair number of the 82k cases were known to authorities but for various reasons charges did not go forward for the same reason that many rape cases don't go forward. A lack of evidence, reluctance of families to testify, the amount of time that passes before an accusation is made, reluctanc
  8. Ojoman
    My basic understanding of the new national fees is that part of that is included in the settlement structure. FOS type donations should be available to councils for any and all council needs. (Please correct me if you know differently) so donors today shouldn't have to worry about nes council endowment funds or properties going to settle abuse claims. Having said that... 20 years ago my council sold off their service center and one in a council we merged with and I know ours was from a quarter of a million $$$ gift just a few years earlier and they also sold off a camp that came in a merger. M
  9. Ojoman
    I do agree that there are a lot of things that could be done to better manage expenses but my council is raising fewer dollars now than they did 25 years ago and that means that they are really only raising about 30% of what the actual value of those old dollars could purchase. This council has not kept pace with inflation, it has cut staff and services which has resulted in higher membership and unit losses than the national average. It reflects bad management all around. We do have the William Hillcourt Museum which is a bright spot in an otherwise dark landscape but that is totally run by v
  10. Ojoman
    What bothers me more than National raising their fees are all the councils that are tacking on 'service and insurance' fees. First it was the national charter fee, then a council insurance fee, (the insurance fee I understand because years ago units had to carry their own accident and illness coverage until councils took it over) and then they started with the services fee. I never worked in a council that charged a 'services' fee. We (the professional staff) raised funds through the product sale, the family and community friends of scouting campaign and major gifts or events. In my later year
  11. Ojoman
    Fee increases were built into the settlement along with a projected increase in membership. I suspect that if membership does not grow as projected that the fee increases may be even more. It appears that our council will end the year down in membership. In two months we should have a new Scout Exec and we'll see if that makes a difference.
  12. Ojoman
    The sad fact remains that there is no foolproof way to end abuse towards children. I wish there was. From what I have read and heard abuse against adolescents has increased, especially with the advent of social media. I have contributed to the training of many, many volunteers in the area of youth protection. As a parent and grandparent nothing is more important than to do all we can to see that predators of any kind are held in check. Any program that served youths is a target for those attracted to them. There is really no way to identify predators until a victim comes forward. That is the s
  13. Ojoman
    I would hope that i never make a disrespectful statement regarding any victim. The damage and scars that remain will impact you and others for life, no question. Sadly, there was and still is a learning curve on how to prevent and how to treat incidents of abuse. 90% of the cases were 30 or more years old. Some extended back half a century. The BSA's ineligible volunteer files was the first step to try to keep kids safe. Back in the 60's and 70's there wasn't a lot of studies available and no national data bases for background checks. Ideally, when incidents happened they would have been repo
  14. Ojoman
    Some troops get known as 'merit badge or eagle mills' driven by the SM or a small group of adults... Not that earning EAgle is bad but the direction and purpose of the program is overall character, citizenship and personal fitness. Some Troops shut down for the summer with the possible exception of summer camp because 'that's how we have always done it. Some troops shun district or council involvement because of a leaders attitude, some troops sit on their duff and expect a crop of AOL's each year without lifting a finger to assist the Pack. Some leaders never get 'updated' at a u of sctg and
  15. Ojoman
    It pains me to read your response. As a unit serving professional for 30 years I always tried to have a good relationship with my unit people and many of them came on board both district and council committees and for events including giving up a lot of their time to support summer programs like cub and webelo resident weekend camps. Both DE's and District/council volunteers need to cultivate solid relationships with unit volunteers as that is where the bulk of district volunteers come from. Let your words be a cautionary tale to all district level professionals and volunteers that they may be
  16. Ojoman
    I get a lot of 'stuff' from National Capital Area council and I am always impressed... lots of training opps and top unit news. I find that few CO's ever attend District Committee Meetings even though they are an automatic part. Our district committee is comprised of 12-14 individuals that really do not have their own committees. We have put the membership duties on the commissioner staff which is comprised of 4 people serving 37 units that serve over 50 elementary and middle schools and that's not counting private/parochial schools. Your first paragraph summed it all up... If every district w
  17. Ojoman
    I agree that the initial cost does hurt. Worse is when council tack on insurance and service fees. Frankly, if I was a unit leader and council wanted to do FOS I'd be sorely tempted to tell them it's one or the other... I don't like local council fees. I don't like excessive camp fees and 'training' fees. We are getting a new SE in 2 months and I intend to have a sit down with him/her and express myself on several points. The city of Syracuse is lacking for Scout Units. That's 19,000 youths with no Cub, Scout or Venture programs available to them. That is a sin. There are solutions to every pr
  18. Ojoman
    My grandson's sports programs get paid up front... I do agree that some families may find the up front fees to be a hardship but they can put it on plastic the first time around and then budget for the next year or participate in the unit product sale. Also, a unit can give a family a month to get their paperwork together and register. Some councils have programs to assist lower income families and troops could/should have unit savings plans much like a lay away for summer camp and rechartering so families can put a bit down each meeting/week/month. That's what I did as a kid. I recall taking
  19. Ojoman
    Troops are probably more apt to 'create' their own culture and depart from BSA practices. Some troop leaders (like some sports coaches) are controlling or mired in out of date practices. Sadly, in many cases no one will challenge them and their programs tend to be weak and not hold membership. Of course there is the other end where a leader does a great job with his/her junior leaders and oversees a solid, well functioning program with great retention and advancement.
  20. Ojoman
    No one? I bet that there are programs brought in by the local police and fire departments and that the PTO has brought in some programs. Some teachers may bring in outside people to do presentations for students and outside groups may run book fairs and other events for the school. Get the PTO and School Board in your court. Sell the benefits at a time when student behavior is becoming an issue including bullying/cyber bullying and other anti social activities are growing. Our school board actually has referred to that law in their rules to reinforce open door policies for BSA. Good Luck
  21. Ojoman
    COST ISN'T THE MAIN FACTOR IN LOSS OF MEMBERSHIP, POOR RECRUITMENT, POOR COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS AND POOR RETENTION DUE TO WEAK PROGRAM ALONG WITH A LACK OF LEADERS ARE THE MAIN DRIVERS OF MEMBERSHIP DECLINES. My son pays for my 12 year old grandson, several hundred $ per 'soccer season' and there are several 'seasons' per year. Then there are the 'away games' which can include overnight stays and it is easy for him to drop $2,000 or more in a year. We complain about the new fees and other expenses in Scouting but the program is still cost effective when compared to many other youth acti
  22. Ojoman
    Today, most IH and Co are less than fully functioning and that can be a problem. However, a good unit commissioner that works with them and the unit can change that. Also the annual IH visit that the DE is 'supposed' to do can bring a focus on the program to the IH. Sadly, I think most unit level volunteers think the only training they need is the on line training and BAlOO or Outdoor for troop leaders. Councils/District training committees should be offering everything from den chief training to PowWow and Univ of Scouting and pushing for volunteers to attend. Help from the membership committ
  23. Ojoman
    My post on expectations of DE's seemed to draw a lot of interesting responses but program delivery and support is just as much a responsibility of the volunteers at the district level as they are of the DE. I would like to hear from volunteers at all levels as to how effective the district volunteers are and what needs to be done to make it even better. Most districts do suffer from a lack of manpower so that might be addressed too. Thanks
  24. Ojoman
    An SE goes through his contacts pretty fast... It's the board that needs direction and ought to be opening doors to donors. I've seen new SE's move mountains, again, if they have the tools, skill and motivation... also, there is a lot more to the SE position which includes directing membership programs and overseeing a dynamic program calendar. New Blood, New Ideas, a new set of eyes on the operation. Having said that, a really solid, productive DE, SE or other staff member is worth whatever it takes to keep them. In the 80's I knew a Scout Exec that bragged he was paying a DE over $40 (at tha
  25. Ojoman
    Short version, pissed off that I was leaving... I had renewed the FOS program at FT. Dix for $5,000 and he wanted me to stay and work the same thing at McGuire AFB. This was back in the mid 70's and that was a lot of $$$$ It was payback of a sort.
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