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Am I nuts? No, dont answer that!


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Well, I sent the email asking about serving as a UC! For some reason I felt compelled to go to the council's website and see what was shaking because I'd heard some BSA units in our neighborhood were faltering. Found the district site, and these troops have no UC currently! So I put my name in the hat and have been invited to sit in on the district commissioner's meeting this evening.

What questions should I ask? What should I *not* under any circumstances ask? :) What medication should I be on? :))

Anne in Mpls

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Ask what the role and responsibilities of a UC are, and what the District Commissioner's expectations are. If the answers appeal to you, then ask about training if that didn't come up in their expectations.

 

Our commissioner staff tends to be a good 'ole boys and gals club where they meet and have coffee and share war stories. Units in trouble here don't really get the help they need from their UCs.

 

Is Mpls Minneapolis? I'm flying up there tonight for work.

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"How many units do you intend to assign to me?"

 

Very important question. We're hurting for UC's in some parts of our rural district. Partially, 'cause everyone involved in scouting here is already wearing too many hats. If you choose to become a UC, try not to take on too many units at once--avoid burnout if you can.

 

Then again, who am I to give advice as I am not a UC. I offered *IF* they find someone to take over what I'm currently doing first (Boy Scout Roundtable Commissioner, District Email newsletter, District Event Flyers, and...), so far, they haven't taken up my offer. (chuckle)

 

Again, avoid burnout.

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Anne,

 

I think the "doctrinal" answer is no more than 3 units, none of which you are directly associated with in your unit serving capacities (a rule which seems to be regularly honored in its breaching :| )

 

I would ask about how the DC intends to train, develop and mentor you... and what your opportunities are for supplemental training (Commissioner College).

 

Like so many others, avoid burnout.

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Another consideration is what types of units will be assigned to you. You should accept assignments with units where you are comfortable with your understanding of that particular program, be it cubs, boy scouts, venture, or whatever.

 

Cruel commissioner joke:

 

How many unit commissioners does it take to change a light bulb?

 

It doesn't take any unit commissioners to change a light bulb at all! They gather round and stare at the lightbulb and hope that it will change itself.

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Thanks all!

The DC is giving me two units - the cub pack and troop at the same church. Neat thing is I know the SM really well - our daughters were in Kdgn together and we know each other from church (not the charter org.)

So far so good! Course, I havn't done anything yet ;)

Anne in Mpls

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My suggestion - go in as a listener only for the first month or so. Ask the unit what they would like for you to do - if anything. After they adults feel comfortable, tell them that your main purpose is to be a conduit for information flow to the unit (by design you can omit the fact that you are also a conduit for information flow back to the district).

 

Above all, don't go in with the attitude that you are going to "fix" things. Advertise yourself as simply a "friend to the unit" and strive to do just that.

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Acco, thanks! Yes, I could easily be romanced by the idea of being a "fixer"! For instance, I see that the church that charters the units has a fabulous website, but no mention of the pack and troop! Here I go waving my magic wand....and Presto! A church that loves their units to pieces, and highlights them on the front page of their website! Suddenly, the units have more new boys than they know what to do with, but it's all ok, because every parent is totally on board - all because of lil ole me ;)

Umm, yha...gotta avoid that kind of thing, right?

Anne in Mpls

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AnneinMpls said, "How long will you be in town? If you have time I can give you ideas of where to spend it!"

 

Not very long... I'm already back home. I go up there a lot for work. Spend most my time in Bloomington. Never have any time to go sightseeing. Been to the mall, Lord Fletcher's on lake Minnetonka, and a couple fancy restaurants downtown.(This message has been edited by MarkS)

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