is scouting different now, with declining membership, than it was 10 years ago, when membership was increasing?

[trlarue]

It's not just that the kids are busier than they were 10 years ago. It also has to do with the parents. Let's stick with the kids for now. This example is based on my daughter's soccer schedule which is roughly the same for the boys her age playing for the same traveling club. Monday and Wednesday practice 7:30-8:45 Tuesday and Thursday 6:00-7:00 or 7:00-8:00 extra skill training or strenght and endurance training. Friday night an in house 4v4 league. Now tell me that other activities don't have much bearing on whether or not a boy joins scout. Not to mention that alot of parent just don't want to be bothered taking junior to a scout meeting every week. It's not that the BSA needs to change society needs to change.

[scoutldr]

Society is changing...but not in the way we want it to. I think it's the "overscheduling" dilemma for parents. "One hour a week" they can maybe deal with (drop off), but then we ask for one weekend a month, summer camp, popcorn sales, COH (bring a dish!), be a leader (which means double the time or more). During a BOR last week, I asked the typical question of the Star scout candidate, "What would you change about the troop"...his answer was "no more merit badge homework...we need to do everything during the troop meeting, because I don't have time to worry about it the rest of the week." The MB we are currently working on is Safety, which requires them to do things at home with their families. That's apparently "too hard". Of a group of about 8 scouts working on the badge, only about 2 are making any progress on the requirements, because they are not being "spoon fed" as a group during the troop meeting.

[Jeffrey H]

We have more trained leaders than ever before

 

Brian,

 

We have leaders with more Trained patches on their uniforms, but real training is on-the-job with a long-term commitment over the course of many years.       

 

I believe the decline is attributed to a lack of interest by the parents to make that long-term commitment.  As one poster mentioned earlier, boys enjoy Scout stuff with or without uniforms, but the parents are a harder sell.  Im currently witnessing a Pack fail before my eyes because no one will step up and be Cubmaster.  Its not the boys fault, it requires ADULTS to make the program go. 

 

Please share with us what you do to help make your unit succeed in the midst of declining membership.  Im personally committed to Scouting for many years to come and I want to make it fun and meaningful for the boys. 

 

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[Eagledad]

>>"One hour a week" they can maybe deal with (drop off), but then we ask for one weekend a month, summer camp, popcorn sales, COH (bring a dish!), be a leader (which means double the time or more).

[scoutingagain]

"I remember standing up and telling the committee that they were leaving no room for my Boy Run troop to be boy run, and burning out the adults at the same time. We no longer participated in any District sponsored activities in November. "

 

Amen. Our District runs a Tiger Cub day in Sept. and expects Boy Scouts to help out. They run a Webelos Weekend and expect Boy Scouts to help out. Now they want Boy Scouts to help run the Webelos Klondike Derby in January. My question was when do the Boy Scouts get to go on their own outing?

 

 

SA

[John-in-KC]

Barry,

 

I think you've hit the nail on the head. Worse, in many of those other activities, there is equal demand for parental time!

 

Here's my own boys life:

 

Monday: Secular choir with his mom's new husband. Well, there went the Troop meeting.

 

Tuesday: Venturing Crew meeting, unless there is HS band concert. Well, there went last night in particular (and about 12 nights a school year, since pep band is graded).

 

Wednesday: Instrument lesson and during Holy Seasons, church.

 

Thursday: Church choir, though this can be pre-empted for other rehearsals and occasionally District RT.

 

Friday: Football game night in the fall (5 home games for the band).

 

Granted, he's a HS junior, who is starting on his learners permit.

 

BTW, as a band parent, I see the same thing as Scouting: 85% of the parents do the "drop-off," less than 15% do meaningful support.

 

I think too many parents have forgotten a simple fact: The role God gave us in life is to prepare the next generation to take our station.

[MarkS]

brianbug said, "Is this new since 1998? Are kids that much more busy post 1998 than pre 1998 that it would influence numbers, some as much as 10.9% drop in a single year? Is this a valid contributor to a point that kids activities have increased magically post 1998 vs pre 1998 to have that huge of an new, extra affect it did not have before?"

 

We need to keep in mind that the data was gleaned from the annual reports posted on the National web site, that they only go back to 1997 and the only increase in youth membership shown is from 1997 to 1998. We don't know what the trend was before that. Was that the end of a strong long-running upward trend, an unusual short-run upward trend, the end of a flat level of membership, or a glitch? The data showed that in the last eight years there's been a 16% decline in cub and boy scouts. You can't just crunch these numbers and identify a root cause.

 

I think there have been a number of plausible explanations posted in this thread. It wouldn't surprise if a study of these explanations indicated there is no root cause and that the source of the decline has several contributors. With all due respect though, the only explanation I do not find plausible is that patrol flags and scout uniforms are "dorky."

[John-in-KC]

There is another issue we are battling in our local Council. Some of us who are Scouters for Boy Scouting forget how important Cub Scouting is to the overall movement. We must invest and re-invest in the seed corn of our Dens and Packs.

 

One challenge of that is the "Baby Sitters of America" movement, where Mom and Dad want a dropoff/pickup/attend the award day program.

[AvidSM]

I agree that there is no ONE reason why membership is declining. I can think of at least three, none of which have to do with changes in the scouting program.

 

1. Most boys have no time for scouting - They have school, sports, music, church activities, othter clubs and organizations. Some of my boys come late to meetings because they had to finish up their homework first. Others make half a meeting and run off to little leauge practice. One boy did not join because the parents decided that "with so much going on in middle school, we decided to drop scouting". --- These parents limit the number of things a boy can do and sometimes scouting falls below the line. Competitive activities come first in their minds; they must do well in school and sports. I believe a boy's world has become far too competitive. And, the boy in scouting have no time to do anything between meetings and this effects their ability to lead the troop and earn merit badges.

 

2. Scouting's image, among boys outside of scouting, is not good - My boys tell me that if they wore their uniform to school, they would get beaten up. They would not tell their friends that they are a scout. The other boys say if you are a scout you are gay! It is clear that the boys outside of scouting do not understand the program and ironic how much time and money is spent to keep the gays out of the program!

 

3. The great outdoors can't compete with video games - Most of my boys go cold turkey at weekend campouts. Take away their TV, video games, cell phones and computers and they don't know what to do with themselves. Boys have gotten far too passive in terms of their entertainment and education. Scouting requires that they be active in both.

[Gonzo1]

Brian,

Even I have gotten some emails from our colleagues here that you don't "get it". It's time to get with the prgram.. After finishing WB, you should now know something about "the Program". Now, deliver the program. You can best help a decline in numbers by improving YOUR numbers. Get new scouts, new ASM', committee members, get them trained as well, not necessarily in WB, but start with Fast Start, New Leader Essential, outdoor skills, etc. Have somone go to roundtable, you too, go to roundtable. Develop a fun, challeging, exciting program and take pictures. Make it better than soccer. Focus on the outdoor stuff, any kid can plop his rear end on the couch and run a gameboy, only scouts can do lashings, pitch tents, build fires, paddle a canoe, hike and poop in the woods.

 

Kids (and most adults) love this stuff.

 

Email me if you wish.