Scouting Refugees

[Basementdweller 608]

We have transferred 18 Cub scouts into our program from other Packs this year. I have never seen the like. Normally we get one or two, but 18??????? they were from 2 Packs for the most part

 

Any thoughts?

 

Should I call the DE and talk to him? or would he even care?

[momof2cubs 10]

Maybe you are doing something right?

 

Word of mouth is a powerful tool, and it only takes one or two boys to brag about how much fun they are having at (your) pack and den meetings to start an avalanche.

 

If I were you, I'd give myself a well deserved pat in the back.

 

Maybe talk to the parents informally see if they let anything slip. Maybe there's something seriously wrong with the other 2 packs, but my guess is that it is a combination of you having a "cool" pack and one or two popular, leader-type boys transferring over and bringing in their friends.

[Scoutfish 16]

We have a somewhat similar situation.

 

We have had about 12 scouts transfer to our pack from another pack over the course of 3 years. They all came from the same pack.

 

I goty an e-mail from our DE back in July stating to the effect that:

 

Wondering if we had any parents who might want to be leaders. If so, would they like the oppertunity to be leaders at Pack "X".

 

Pack "X" only had 3 Bears and 6 Wolves and 2 leaders at the time.

 

DE didn't know that 12 ( roughly) members of our pack had transfered from pack "X".

 

The Tigers did nothing but sit around or play. No scout program, no leaders.

 

Bears were just read to out of the book.Wolves didn't like leader. Didn't get and Webelos, so not sure if they had any or not.

 

DE asked me to mention to parents and leadership at pack meeting. I mentioned it and asked if anybody was interested.

 

I might have gotten more answers if I asked who would like to give me their kidneys instead.

 

So I tell DE that nobody was interested. TOld him there were some reasons that people left.

 

That pack has a new CM this year. At signup nights, I know he recruited 2 new scouts.

 

I also know that he pitched more about how great mom and dad would look in green and tan.

 

I mean, what can you say? Either they have a bad program, a dull program, or they are flat out doing something wrong.

 

We even had two opf the transfer parents step up and volunteer as committee and as ADL, so I know it wasn't about parents not wanting to help.

 

 

[Basementdweller 608]

I want our program to be successful, but not at the expense of our neighbors.

 

I would like to recruit new scouts not current ones from other packs.

 

This was 18 in two weeks.(This message has been edited by Basementdweller)

[ScoutNut 147]

If they came to you, and you did not go out and actively recruit these Scouts from the other Packs then I fail to see the problem.

 

They wanted to move to your Pack. Did you tell them no when you found out they were transferring from other Packs? Of course not. It is not YOUR decision where families register their sons. It is theirs.

 

If you are concerned, I suggest you simply ask the families why they decided to transfer.

 

If they say it was because they felt you had the better program, say "thank you", and leave it at that. If there is some kind of problem in the other Packs, then you might want to call your District Commissioner, and give a heads up.

[Lisabob 13]

What ScoutNut said about asking the families and maybe contacting your District Commissioner. 18 in 2 weeks is a sure sign of an imploding pack nearby. There isn't usually much you can do about another pack's woes, but as a courtesy, it might be worth tipping off the district folks (who maybe can do something to help the pack stay afloat). Also that reduces the likelihood that somebody will inaccurately accuse you of poaching, later on.

 

 

[kari_cardi 10]

We've had a similar influx from another pack. Our DE knows, he referred several of the families to us. I think it does matter to him because part of his job is to retain the boys that are currently registered as well as increase the number of registered scouts. We can't handle too many more boys, new or transfer, and the other pack isn't recruiting or retaining effectively.

 

The main issue we have is that the transfers are seeking financial assistance. Our pack doesn't mind helping families out, but there is a limit to how much we can afford to give. And these families have not yet invested time or talent with our pack. It's the topic of our committee meeting this month.

 

It is good to know that we have an excellent reputation for being organized and FUN! I love talking to parents who are excited that their sons love scouts now.(This message has been edited by sasha)

[Beavah 205]

Yah, reality is da commissioner corps is sometimes slow on da uptake, and it's the leaders who are seeing "refugees" that are the first sign outside a unit of trouble.

 

I think yeh absolutely should let your DE and DC know what you're seeing. I think it's also worth a call to the CM and CC of da other program just to offer support and assistance if they need it.

 

We're all in this Scouting thing together, eh? Loss of another unit just hurts scouting in da long run. Fewer members, fewer volunteers, fewer camps, merged councils, fewer resources.

 

Beavah

[RememberSchiff 3683]

Look a gift horse in the mouth.

 

Casually talk to the transferring families to determine if the other pack's "problems" are among the transfers. Maybe mention, we need to form new dens what are your ideas of assigning boys.

 

Some years ago, we had a similar influx and among the transfers were the two root problem families. Initially, they seemed pleasant on the surface but they quickly got back into their "agendas". Took more than a year to get rid of those bad apples. Too late as we lost some good Scout families in the process. The other pack closed shop the next year.

 

My $0.02

 

[Eagledad 2779]

We had the similar situation where we were getting a lot of scouts 14 and older transferring in from other troops and almost all the scouts transferring in from out of state. When I asked council about it, they said it was the DE. You have to look at it from the professional's perspective, they want to put families in units where they will stay a while.

 

Warning: when you get a reputation of a successful program, you will eventually be recruited to a lower position in district or even council to spread the wealth.

 

Barry

 

[Basementdweller 608]

Ya know,

 

I am not worried about numbers in our Pack...I am worried about the other Packs.

 

The SM and I volunteered two years ago as den leaders at one of them. It was a husband and wife and they had no scout experience and no parent help. We were not needed last year so we had tuesday nights off.

 

Guess I will go over tonight and see if they could use some help.

 

Standing in the lobby last night with the SM, COR and CC, I flashed to Brody saying "we're gonna need a bigger boat!" We're going to need a bigger church.

 

Hopefully we will hit a critical mass to draw boys who were not involved in scouting into the Program.

 

 

[Basementdweller 608]

I mentioned the good old boys club on the district level had been broken up and there were a lot of empty district level spots. I have been recruited to fill Activity or Membership chair positions, very heavily I might add.

 

I have turned them down. I HATE adult politics and refuse to participate in them. My concern, interest and enjoyment comes from working the the scouts.

[Jeffrey H 25]

This happened to our Pack a few years ago. We had alot of Scouts transfer from two other Packs. Why did they leave? The reasons varied but the common denominator was a lack of committed top leadership (CM, CC) to deliver the Cub Scout program. Another common factor was a lack of real commitment from their charter organizations to keep their programs alive. Their CO's were basically paper CO's and not engaged.

 

What did our Pack do to draw these scouts? Nothing spectacular. We were simply doing the Cub Scout program as recommended by National - monthly pack meetings, weely den meetings, two Pack campouts a year, occasional pack events (picnics, bowling, baseball game, etc.). Another postitive effect on our program is we have an engaged Church CO and COR that are interested in scouting and our continued success. Both the Cubmaster (me) and the CC are members of the CO and have close working relationships with our COR and IH. I chat with the COR and IH regularly. When it comes time to recharter, I don't have to look for him, he helps out!

 

In our area, the Packs that struggle are the ones that try to meet at public schools. Our local public schools do not charter scout units, but will make accomodations available. This sounds nice on the surface, but in reality their is no real partnership or sponsorship.

 

"Transfer Growth" (gaining scouts at the expense of another unit) is never good in the long-term for the overall Scouting program. I agree with Basementdweller that it's not a good feeling to gain Scouts for your unit that may cause other units to die. The short-term effect is good to keep Scouts in the program, but the long-term effect has negative impact on recruiting to achieve real growth.

[Eagle92 110]

definately bring it to the attention of the district commish or DE. If a unit is losing members as fast as you say, there is a problem, and they need to know ASAP.

 

We had a similar situation, and the unit folded. My pack had this problem last year, going from 15+ Tigers to 3. We solved out problem and now have 25+

[Basementdweller 608]

so 92 gotta ask, what did the issue end up being???