Transitioning Cub Scout with AOL to Boy Scouts

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I do hope it's not too late to add to this as I think that actually similar issues exist all over the world on this so I hope that some inout from the otehrside of teh atlantic may be helpful (if it's not just ignore it!)

 

From what I can make out your Arrow of Light is equivalent of the UK's Chief Scout Silver withe Moving on Award requirements thrown in as well.

 

Retention rates of those that move from cubs to scouts vary drastically, my particular group has a pretty good rate, others have better, some have worse. First to answer your specific questions

 

Anyway, regarding your specific questions...

 

1. Yes, we actively recruit older cubs

2. The leader teams from cubs and scouts communicate a lot and make sure we know pretty much a year in advance who will be moving on when and we ensure that the cubs and parents are aware of this. A few weeks before moving on a scout leader and a couple of scouts attend a cub night to talk to the cubs moving on and their parents and also run a couple of scout style activities for the older cubs. When they start scouts until the time that they are invested they are welcome to continue going to cubs as well. For those first few weeks we also buddy them with a scout who has been in 6-12 months who is near their age but still experienced enough to show them the ropes.

3. Just the one due to the group system in the UK

4. We don't have to actively recruit! They tend to come to us asking to sign up.

 

On a more general note I think that communication between cub and scout leaders is essential so that scout leaders have an idea of what the cubs have already done. If you have a cub pack with a really challenging programme then it can seem like a step backwards if the programme for younger scouts is aimed a notch lower than that for older cubs.

 

Also visibility, we try to ensure that at least once a term there is some kind of joint cub and scout activity and once a year that they camp together. It helps get the cubs in the mindset that scouts is simply part of the same thing and not something different to be worried about.

 

I hope that is helpful!