What do volunteers want and need in a Scouting Professional at the district and council levels keep this positive

[AwakeEnergyScouter 247]

Oh, wow. I thought @Eagle94-A1 meant MBO without proper regard to scouting culture but you don't need to have been a scout to know embezzlement and fraud is wrong 🤦🏼‍♀️

[dk516 29]

On 1/9/2024 at 3:24 PM, swilliams said:

Hopefully this doesn't veer into the negative, but...  I don't know who our DE is.  I don't know who our Unit Commissioner is.  I don't know what they do.

This seems how our Council is functioning and I am starting to get frustrated. Our DE is great. He shows up to District events or is at the (miserably attended) monthly roundtable or other events. However, this is about as far as "professional" Council representation goes. Our Field Director I only hear from when we did not sell enough popcorn every year and our other Field Director when we do not meet our (their) membership recruiting goals. 

We got a new SE back in fall last year. The only thing I have ever heard/read of him was the introduction from our Council Committee Chair when they announced his hiring. Not a single word since. I understand that the SE cannot be present everywhere but would have expected to at least get some sort of welcome email and message to the Council membership about him and his ideas to get us back on track again. It's almost like Council professionals really have no interest in what is going on in their Council unless when it comes to increase fundraising and membership.

[Ojoman 157]

6 hours ago, dk516 said:

It's almost like Council professionals really have no interest in what is going on in their Council unless when it comes to increase fundraising and membership.

You might discuss with your council management what the 'critical achievements' are for the unit serving execs. Usually the primary ones deal with money (product sale, FOS, events and such) or unit/membership growth. There are often others that fall into 'quality' areas such as Journey to Excellence, camp (long term scout and cub summer programs) and so on. These are supposed to be reviewed at least quarterly. Management by Objective is common place in BSA. Goals/criticals are weighted so crucial ones tend to get more attention, like membership and money. 

[rallybug 14]

As an ACM (and just this month an ASM, too - crossover...) I obviously don't see much of any conversations between the CM/SM and higher ups, but we do see our UC pretty regularly, and our DE is involved - came to the Troop's Spaghetti Dinner, came to the Pack's B&G, responds pretty quickly to emails, and she is friendly and personable. The districts seem to be struggling a little with taking over BALOO/IOLS/things like that from Council-controlled, but they are being communicative about it, which is great. Just be nice if the Council could be more up-to-date with information on their website etc.

Of course, the DE for the next district over could be the complete opposite...