What do we mean by being relevant? We have many organizations we serve, but I want to focus on the young people. The conversations I have with folks on this topic revolve around three broad categories: program, delivery, and marketing. Let me know your thoughts by using the comments feature.
I look forward to reading your comments.
Wayne thank you for asking our opinions and views and leadership. As I process your statment of keeping Scouting relevant I wonder if we are missing the boat on reinforcing the importance of how Scouting affects the entire family. Possibly we should look at showing families through video and print literature the benefits of Scouting, not only what a young man or woman gets from being involved but the benefits for the entire family. As we speak to families out in the field today many families do not have the legacy of Scouting like they use to, so to say to them I was a Eagle Scout or a represntative in Scouting does not mean anything we know how important it is but our customer does not . So I would suggest to make us more relevant to the communities we serve we need to tell and show communities what we do and why we do it along with giving our executives in the field the tools that can assit them explain not only the benefits scouting is for youth but for the entire family .We possibly need to reinforce that Scouting is a family program especially for the families we are trying to reach.
This might be a bit of heresy, but I think we need to radically redesign the uniform to make the outfit irresistible in order to be relevant. Kids today are more clothing conscious than ever, and a hip uniform could serve as an attraction.
I could agree more.. No bling, still durable but closer to something that fits with our activities. I’d be happy with something as funky socks that individualize each Scout.
Theoretically, I think changing the uniform WOULD attract positive publicity. However, I do not think relevancy will be impacted as a whole by a uniform change. If you desire more “hipness” get creative and make an appealing class B for you unit.
I believe “hip additions” can be added in many other ways than a complete uniform change. (recruiting younger adults to volunteer/become professionals, keeping up with technology, and a more intense programming initiative that would keep boys intrigued and working hard) Also, I DO think that by making uniform changes we would be limiting ourselves, and creating more expenses for the families, the volunteers, and us as an organizational whole! It would severely limit our ability to provide the needed materials to families in need of S/A. Right now as it is a new upcoming Bobcat Cub Scout can wear his brothers old uniform from a couple years ago, saving the “multiple scout family” $. The uniforms can also be found at local thrift stores, such as The Goodwill. This also helps save $ and provides good business to these organizations geared to help people.
Lastly, I believe individualizing a Scout is the last thing we are aiming for. That’s what the schools are doing. We are stuctured on principles and ideals that are not changing, yet the need for education/skill development in these areas has never been higher! If you are the family in which money is not a burden to whether or not your child may be able to participate and are in favor of some “hip” additions, then check out your Scout Shop. They offer many different styles and clothing made from materials other than just traditional cotton. I’m rocking a nice fitting uniform shirt made of 100% polyester. This great feeling material is similar to the ever popular Under Armour brand athletic gear and will really help keep us Texans cool in the blistering heat. Thanks for listening to a new DE, but a devoted lifetime Eagle Scout.
Robert,
I have to disagree on some of your points and your emphasis on “hip” as a bad thing. As many schools find it more economic to require uniforms, students are still given opportunities to express themselves. Be it socks, ties, jackets, etc. Its been a long Scouting tradation to design neckerchiefs and Unit Flags. By providing a standard uniform with diversity with BSA approved and marketed socks that allows for individual expression. This meets two goals; 1) More willingness to wear Class A uniforms 2) Another piece of merchandise to market. Put it terms of a car company, there are standard designs and features, but you get to choose the color. Explain to me how our organization is any different? And by the way Class B uniforms is lost revenue for our us.
I’m on that train! I don’t think the uniform is awful, but it sure could be hipper and more relevant.
Peter, What sort of uniform do you have in mind?
Wayne,
Great video and it really is great to be able to talk with you about these things.
Having grown up in Scouting and now working for the Scouts, Program has always been important to me. That’s really what gets the youth into the program and keeps them here. If we do not provide them a phenomenal program they will lose interest and leave Scouting, more than likely never to return. The same can be said about the parents. If we are not providing them a great program, they won’t see the value in keeping their child in Scouting. We know that everything we as professionals do hinges on everything else, but for the kids that are in the program right now, nothing is more important than the program we provide to them.
That being said, it is very difficult to keep up with the fast changing fads and trends of this day and age. So many children today instead of going outside to play after school are plopped down in front of a TV or computer and play video games or chat over Skype with their friends. So many children today have their own cell phone and text like lightning with people 5 feet away from them, instead of talking directly to them. I say these in a general sense, not that it is happening everywhere, but it is becoming more prevalent. We as an organization are trying to adapt our programs to meet these every changing trends as well as try to instill those core values that have been with Scouting since the beginning. As soon as we get a program out about computers, something new comes out that throws a wrench or 16 in all that work. That is that way it is and will always be; a game of catch up. There is really nothing we can do to change that, but just that we are adapting our program as we go is a good sign and means that Scouting will continue on for a long time.
But the thing I am worried about the most is our delivery. I am not saying that it is bad, merely that it is lacking. When I look at my training numbers for adult leaders, it is scary to see how many of them are “not trained”. I use quotes because there are times when it is a reporting error by our systems not talking to each other, but we are getting these young parents into Cub Scouting for example and saying “Here is the book. Make sure they complete it by the end of the year.” and that’s it. Or no one wants to step up to fill the Scoutmaster or Cubmaster role because they are scared of having to do everything, which we know is not the way it should be done, but that is their perception. If we have leaders who do not know what they are supposed to be doing and how to do it, then the program will suffer and the youth will leave and eventually we are left with nothing. Getting the people to take the training is another matter in itself.
Like I said in the beginning, I am a program guy and that is my bread and butter, but the program is only as good as the people that put it on and the training that they receive before providing the program. If we fail in those first few steps, we are only bound to failure at the end. Getting our training materials to these new leaders and adults is paramount to Scouting’s success in the future.
I think we generally do a phenomenal job appealing to young people with a relevant program and with much improved marketing materials. Unfortunately, our delivery is not always consistent. We sometimes disappoint by delivering below youth expectations. Our bigger challenge, though, seems to be appealing to more parents and prospective volunteers who will see us as a priority in a world of fiercely competing interests.
Program appeal: Kids need friends and they like being part of a group/team. Younger kids like adult involvement and leadership while older youth want adults available on an as needed basis but want to try to do things for themselves. Our programs give them these opportunities from Cubs up through Scouts and into Venturing/Exploring. For the first two levels, it is critical that we engage boys at an early age, interest them and their parents, involve them and make a connection by meeting their needs and expectations. Den meetings need to be fun and interesting; Pack meetings need to be fun and full of recognition for the boys and the volunteers. Den and Pack field trips and activities need to be exciting. District and Council support needs to be first rate. No boy leaves the program when they are working towards recognition or anticipating a fun event. It is important for retention to keep the boy and his parents engaged all year, not just during the school year. Packs should not shut down in April and fail to get up to speed again until the fall. That gives a boy 5 months to find something else that interests him and that takes him away from Scouting.
Troops need to be involved with the packs by providing program support, youth leaders and hosting the Webelos and their parents on a ‘super activity’ of some sort each year. Engaged parents will often be active participants as both supportive parent and volunteer. Boys and their parents should graduate to a troop. If a boy has 5 or 6 good friends that share his involvement in cub scouts and they all graduate into a troop, they will generally stay for quite awhile, especially if the troop is running a good program.
Our program gives kids the personal interactive program that is lacking with electronics. They want this, they need it and we have the right program for them. We need to deliver it in a quality fashion. We need to sell the leaders on how to properly ‘deliver the goods’.
Cubbing is the foundation and the key in 90% of the program. If we fail there it is very difficult to recover.
What about feeling outdated and yet can’t afford to go out and buy a new uniform shirt? Some parents hand the shirt down to a brother? Then you would have your adults looking for tradition. What about a T-shirt that would be a substitute for working and then have the uniform shirt for award night, parades, dress up or important times? The military have work uniforms and dress uniforms. A registrar
The first Voice of the Scout results reinforced that the basic program was Ok. They said the problem was that oftentimes a poor leader resulting in a poor program. No doubt we need to constantly update our programs to keep them up to times, like not asking a Bear to demonstrate the use of a computer mouse (most two years can do that). However, it appears youth and parents are Ok with our basic programs. Maybe 411 should spend more energy looking into how we can deliver that fun program we promise rather than big program changes. We also need to try to keep the program as simple as possible. As an example, a newly recruited Den Leader really wants to know how to prepare for next week’s den meeting, not the full load they would get in a five hour long basic training program. Our focus should be on selecting the right leaders and then helping them be successful.
I think the Program and Delivery of Scouting is heading in the right direction. Between the idea of ‘The Main Thing’ and an increasing re-focus on the volunteer, we’ve got those two down and will continue to improve. Marketing is where we could always improve – although I think we’re actually better off now than when I was in scouts only a few years ago. Boy Scouts are, more and more, less thought of as ‘geeky and weird’ and more of just irrelevant or not as fun compared to sports and other activities. This is bad still, but it’s a different problem that has an easier solution in my opinion.
Cub Scouts is pretty well set – it’s not hard to get elementary kids excited about camping and bow and arrows! Boy Scouts, on the other hand, is still a challenge and I think our organization needs to begin focusing more on recruitment for Boy Scouts, not just retaining webelos. Fact is, most 8th grade classes will laugh you out of the school without a solid presentation and image of learning exciting, fun, and important skills that will make them successful both today and far in the future.
I have found that focusing on the Eagle Scout rank and what it means for your future (college and job applications), the incredible outdoor experiences only our national camps can give (Marching Band and Football only go so far), and most importantly the social benefits (friends, best facebook status EVER, ‘the cool factor’). Silly as the last one may sound to us as adults, our world is increasingly more social – even if mostly electronically – and the question, “Guess what I did this summer?” can best be answered by our own scouts.
To answer your question with another question: How can we take these strengths we already have (Future Impact, Lifetime Experiences, Social Benefits) and convey those to youth not yet involved. Scouts will always be the ‘good guys’ and walk old ladies across the streets, but who said the good guy couldn’t be the cool guy too?
This question of relevancy is a favorite topic of mine, and I think Tyler has broken down the issues well. In the ten plus years since I first became a professional I believe we have made some progress on all of these issues, but we need to go farther. We have moved beyond being completely numbers-focussed when it comes to membership (thanks partially to the membership crises and misdeeds of past years) and are doing more to really appeal to modern kids, and to keep them engaged. Delivering strong and exciting programs, and marketing it in a way that is enticing to today’s kids, can be done without compromising the values and methods that we stand on. Those values, and the methods we use to promote them (outdoor experiences, positive adult association, etc.), are more important to today’s kids than ever.
Thank you for briefly speaking to what I feel are important issues related to Scouts. Being a new Membership Executive for the Laurel Highlands Council (527), it’s thrilling to know that Scouts hold to its ideals but maintains an open dialogue about it’s future.
Being an active individual, I think the largest opportunity for growth would be affording our Scouts more opportunities for travel (specifically to other Councils Fall or Summer camps or events.). Something in the realms of an exchange program. What’s more thrilling then traveling to another geographical region to partake in thier communities activities (ie. climbing in AZ, Outrigging in HI, Boogie Boarding in MD, Hiking in SD, etc.). By providing an exchange for exchange program our older Scouts will be able to grow and share thier experiences.
As for our Cub Scouts program, getting back to the basics. The ideals of Baden Powell. How many Scouts can start a fire with a stick and brush, how many of them know knots, or basic “survival” skills. These should be part of a suggested curriculum. Put the Scout back into Scouts =D
I have heard very similar comments from non-scouters regarding the uniform as well. I have told my committees and commissioners, the uniform is our brand. But youth today are more conscious of the “geeky” stigma attached to the good old khaki and green. I think folks are looking for more casual and functional uniforms. Polo shirts or stylish button-downs. Not easy.
I personally think we need to focus on advertising our brand. A comment I sometimes hear is “Scouting still exists?” Even with the negative publicity of late, lots of folks have forgotten that there even is Scouting. We need to make sharp marketing tools that every Council can use. The videos are great, and in some parts of the country, you see billboards and other signs. But in suburban areas in New York, there is very little outside advertising to speak of, and the cost of taking advantage of it is too high for your average council. We know that the BSA can’t advertise on TV in the Superbowl. We need to be more subtle and clever. We need to convince our volunteers that there is a unified National method for being noticed in a positive way. I am open to any idea that comes my way, and have implemented some of them in my time.
Is there a way to make scouting appear more relevant to parents? I am able to get the kids excited to join scouting when I visit their schools, but I believe the parents don’t always let it happen. This may be an assumption, but I would be willing to bet that most of the time “Mom” makes the call… but mom was most likely not in scouting (unless she was a Venture or something). That being said, can we be sure that “Mom” really understands the values of scouting?
What if we could develop an advertising campaign for adults–promote volunteerism and the values that scouting has to offer their kids?
In my experience, the people I’m trying to reach don’t KNOW what our programs offer. Specifically in regards to older scouts where the really exciting things are happening, I often encounter people young and old who are still under the impression Boy Scouts only exist to fold flags and help old ladies cross streets. As sensitive as people are to the whims of popular culture as expressed to them through the media they’re exposed to, I don’t know that any pop culture sources are giving any kind of accurate impression of what it means to be a scout. Most of the scouting references I see outside the movement are as the punchline to some kind of joke.
I think things the BSA are doing like teaming up with the NASCAR events is a step in the right direction. Professional races are exciting, a little dangerous but it’s easy to see the dedication to safety of everyone involved in a pro race like those. NASCAR may not have national appeal but I know many people in my geographical area that take it seriously and seeing the BSA emblem on the hood of that car tells those people A.) That we still exist and B.) That it is possible to have very exciting experiences in a safe (and affordable) way.
I think we have a very good, very strong identity. Now people just need to be educated about what that identity is really like. So in answer to Mr. Brock’s question, I think the needs are strongest in the marketing area. The new merit badges like Kayaking, the streamlining of the Scout Sign are program helps that are keeping our program up-to-date and sensible but I wonder about what it would take to help other people disconnected from the movement get to know us better!
Companies who have always caught my eye continually do extensive research on what their customer base wants. I would recommend we ask the youth of America what they want. While we, the BSA professionals, may have our ideas of what they want, I don’t think we’re always as in-touch as we think we are. I find with my own kids that I don’t always guess what they want, and I’m obviously very familiar with them. At the local troop level, the troop’s planning cell is the PLC. It would be beneficial to try to get the ideas to flow from our scouts and youth markets that are most likely to become scouts. For me, relevancy starts from research, and meeting the needs. Then we have to have scout volunteers & professionals who catch the vision of the future and aren’t stuck in last century’s world. The Summit’s program is an amazing start, and we need to get that kind of vision spread like a virus!
I agree with what has been said about adult training. Volunteers that see the advantage of taking time to be trained are hard to find. It isn’t that they don’t want to, it is that they have so much to do in day to day living that they really have to see the vision of Scouting to set time aside for training. There is no urgency for them to do it. The online training is not bad but it could be slimmed down a bit. Each position would be better suited if it had modules. For example, a Den Leader needs to learn how to plan and conduct a den meeting, how to track progress, instant recogintion, how to handle “boy” behavior, how to work with boys with disabilities, how to plan a “go see it”. There is more to the list. Rather than lumping all of this into one training, break them down into modules. If I were just starting out as a Den Leader I would take the “how to plan and conduct a den meeting” module first. I would move on to the others as I have time or as the need arises. If I don’t have any boys with disabilities then I don’t need to take that module. This would be cafeteria style training where leaders pick which aspect of their position they feel they should be trained on first. They would need to complete all required modules to be fully trained and then can earn other recogntions (patches….this is the BSA) for competing optional modules. ALL training needs to be available on the internet and DVD for non internet folks (they are out there) or those who have too slow of a connection.
We can’t deliver the promise if the front line leaders don’t know how.
JoAnna,
Well said! As a former Training and Development Specialist, it’s important to utalize our volunteers wiser by designing critical Training Modules. It would be more ideal if they were avaliable as a phone app. Something all new leaders were invited to after signing up. It may be plausible to offer similar apps to our Scouts, kind of an ingrain them while there young. This may be the hook to attract youth into our aging Social Capital.
From what I see and hear as both a support staff member and a volunteer, keeping the parents involved and engaged is a key componant. Unfortunately, we’re not marketing ourselves enough to the parents to educate them on how important Scouting is and how much fun it can be for the entire family. The boys love it and want to join. They want to camp, and do the awesome fun things that Cub Scouts get to do. The other problem is the cost. When a new Scout joins, we are asking for $15 membership, $12 Boy’s Life, $22.99 shirt, roughly $8 in patches, $8.99 for a book, $5.99 for a neckerchief, $3.99 for a slide, $7.99 for a belt, and $12.99 for a hat. On top of that, some packs ask for dues. In Kansas, that’s a lot more than any other activities are going to require them to spend. And, that’s just to get the kid ready, that doesn’t include camps or other events. The uniform is our brand, and it’s great to see the boys in it, but in this economy, a lot of people are deciding that Scouting isn’t in their budget. The boys want to Scout. We just have to make it worth it to the parents.
Wayne, I believe through well delivered boy talks and good programming most youth know scouting is fun and want to be a part of it. I would like to see much more marketing to the moms and dads in our country on a national, regional and local level as to the merits of scouting. Very few parents would not want their children involved in a program that espouses the Scout Oath and Law as a way of life. It’s the parents who ultimately decide if little Johnny joins or not. I see the Girl Scouts advertising nationally and regionally all the time on tv, radio, billboards, etc. I do not see that kind of support from our national office on a regular basis. Part of becoming a well-known brand is advertising repeatedly on a consistent basis. We need to be proactive in selling our brand (good clean fun, good character, active citizenship, service to our fellow man, and all the soft skill development we offer). Thanks for listening.
I agree that the scout uniform is a big part of our image and don’t think it should be modified much. As a Scouter, Eagle Scout, Father of two scout boys and so on, the best observation I can offer is to do away with the watering-down of the program. When I see a young man with over 80 merit badges or a 13 year old Eagle Scout, I just want to weep. The program was specifically written to be challenging, character building and at times difficult. To quote that famous baseball movie; “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t, everyone would do it. The ‘hard’ is what makes it great!” To me, the best way to return or reestablish relevance, is to make it the awesome young man (or woman) leadership building program it once was, and to stop trying to be all things to all people. We’re scouts! We set THE example. We are people of honor and courage. We rock!
To be relevant and consistent with the values of scouting in a modern age, which calls for respect of each other, scouting falls short by excluding LGBT volunteers and scouts. In a metropolis like Chicagoland where I am, this type of thinking drives away members, gay and straight, and is the one part of scouting that I cannot express pride in. I am a former scoutmaster and current assistant scoutmaster, fully trained.
To be clear, I am extremely proud of my involvement with scouts, and the scouting program in every other way.
Scott Pfeiffer
I think you touched on the three big issues that we are currently running into, and a lot of other people have replied with thoughts that mirror my own. One thing I would like to stress however is how we market our point of entry; the Cub Scout program. We can show clips of Boy/Venture Scouts white water rafting, mountain climbing, doing COPE courses etc. BUT if our point of entry is Cub Scouts in grades 1-5, what are we showing them to get those kids interested?
So in a round about way it’s marketing. Showing these kids a program that they get excited about AND the parents can get excited about as well. We have to reach the parents with as much emphasis as the kids since it’s mom and dad who sign the check and become the leaders of the units. That’s my two cents.
Thanks for asking Wayne. We are fantastic at recruiting new Cub Scouts! Photos of Scouts doing fun things (archery, BB’s, canoeing, climbing) really excite those elementary school-age boys–regardless of what anyone calls “relevant” for today (I assume that means moving your avatar through simulated outdoor adventure once you download the app for it)!
But we don’t keep our promises! Risk Management says Cub Scouts can’t canoe. Or climb anything dangerous. Or even shoot a rubber dart that’s sold at Walmart (this year’s banned Trail’s End Popcorn prize). Hold harmless agreements must be signed by parents before kids can burn their first marshmallow. I’m glad we have allowed Boy Scouts to try ATV’s and motorized watercraft. But we have lost most of our adventurous Cubs long before they turn 11! We “protect them” by putting them in a church basement with some old lady leading crafts for six straight weeks, and they rightly say: “This is NOT what I signed up for!”
The new Merit Badges and emphases (robotics, STEM, etc.) are great for Boy Scouts–but the Cubs never make it to that level. Excitment has to be lived out by those 2nd & 3rd graders. This is one area we need to tell Legal “hands off”–then head out to experience some adventure!
Thanks for asking Wayne- I will answer in broad terms- as you can really get into the weeds on this one. Relevancy to me means: A Simple & Nimble Program that offers Value to participants & stakeholders!
Simple program- easy to understand and attracts the interest of participants, volunteers and donors. Simple for all to articulate- to sell/market…to “deliver”. I question that we offer too much? To many options? I question the concept of our structure for program delivery-it is cumbersome–Councils? Districts? Unit Structure- Pack/Den/Troop/Patrol/Crew?
Nimble program- how nimble is our delivery structure to act, to address and to respond to the world, society that we live in? Are we using all available resources to help us be nimble? Kids together can gather with a simple text or tweet? We still try to gather people through mail- email, post cards and phone? Life is moving closer today at the speed of sound & light—I don’t think that our program, structure and organization is? To be relevant, we need to be on the highway of life—-moving with the flow of traffic–not in the slow lane—-others are passing us by.
Creates Value- Ethical, spiritual, responsible, patriotic, educational, dynamic, robust & fun! To remain relevant we need to have a program experience that creates value and creates interest and enthusiasm. Looking at the layers (Nation- cities-community/neighborhoods- organizations- parents- donors- volunteers- kids) that it takes to bring Scouting to life- there has to be a value added proposition that creates “a desire to engage & stay” …….for each of these layers.
How does Scouting stay relevant in America? Here are some specifics:
1. Keep the Outdoors as the core of the program. We should not try to duplicate team sports, robotics teams or church youth groups. These make good peripheral elements, but to keep our uniqueness we need our members camping and doing outdoor activities. We are the “Last Child in the Woods” (Richard Louv.)
2. Offer elements of perceived risk. Like Rob Green says above, we must offer an adventurous program for Cubs and Webelos. The Boy Scout program must be even more exciting – remember, we are competing with drinking, smoking, drugs and sex as a way for teenagers to to something risky. We must hook boys with challenge and adventure or they will find other ways to seek to prove their maturity.
3. Make units our most effective marketing workforce. Scouting happens at the unit level, and we have made great strides at enlisting older Scouts as recruiters. We must get our units using all available tools – internet, videos, personal visits – to market Scouting to younger youth.
4. Address the gay issue with our youth members. People are wrong who think this isn’t a topic of conversation in the tent or around the fire. The BSA is famous/infamous for its traditional/homophobic stance, but we give no guidance on how our youth members deal with this controversial spotlight they are in. Every boy deals with the fear of labeled gay (insert derogatory label here) or actually being gay, and we continue to make it even more difficult for them by pretending this is a strictly adult or National issue.
5. Avoid taking sides in the polarization of America. Politicians and the media would have us believe there is a “war” going on and we must choose right or left. Let’s keep Scouting away from politics, keep politicians from defining who we are, and keep accepting all families who want to give their children the values of the Scout Oath and Law.
Ryan,
On target!! You hit the nail.
All this talk of relevancey is great, but I think the problem is that our leaders are not properly trained. I often suggest that new leaders consider commissioner college and I get told that it is just for Commissioners. I suggest that we start an aggressive program to teach leaders how to lead. I’m not talking about week long Wood Badge like courses, although these are great, but classroom style courses that involve the leader in different ways… teaching them correct principles, exploring deeper meanings of leading boys. We can build excitement from within by properly teaching each other how we do things, and discuss ways to improve on great ideas. My feeling is that right now we have a few really motivated leaders… a light here and there. We need everybody to shine with the same excitement for the program. Let’s not try to reinvent the wheel. Let put the wheel in motion.
Wayne: I agree with many of the training comments. If we are to attract and keep youth in our programs there has to be a leadership team that gets their attention. Trained (current courses) leadership is how we deliver the promise. Lots of boys (and plenty of girls) want to do what we do. You build it… they will come. The units I have had the pleasure of working with that require 100% training of their leaders attact youth like flies to honey. I’ve even experienced units with 100% trained leadership standards and school access issues that recruited better than units with full school access. Why? Parents and kids talk when it’s an exciting and relevant program.
An example: Time and time again I see great leaders in Cub Scouts who get pushed aside when (and if) their boys transition into Boy Scouts. Many of our units are held back by leaders who were trained decades ago and are still considered relevant and trained by our standards. How we expect Committee Chairs, Scoutmasters, Cubmasters, Skippers, Crew Advisors or Coaches to do a good job without either current or complete training is our own irrelevancy.
As an organization we should start with top leadership and require full current training to be in those positions. If a leader is resistant to becoming current and complete on their training then they should NOT be in those roles.
Ryan Lemons has made some great points. I believe that relavancy is in the eye of the beholder. What’s relevant to families or youth in California may be different to families and youth in Maine. Remember the red berets in the 1970′s? Beret’s were relevant in the pop culture of the time, but scouts hated them! One blogger states that training is a key issue, while he is correct, many adults are getting somewhat fed up with what we are asking them to do. Its taking too much of their time to go to training, lead the troop or pack, log in and input advancement and service hours, etc. When they go to the YMCA to participate in the youth program there, its much simpler. Dont get me wrong, our program stands above all others. But we MUST evaluate what we are asking and consider the volunteer and his or her time before we launch yet another initiative, add on training requirements, etc. Our program will come under increasing attack because of our stance on our core values. I say thats OK! We just have to do better JOB at communicating our relevancy and values to America than our detractors are at tearing us down.! I say its time for a ALL HANDS CONFERENCE so that our peers can learn best practices, sit down face to face with our leadership and be re-energized. Video conferences and regional meeting are good, but ineffectual when trying to create a common voice nationwide.
Wayne
As soon as your video came up your display of the US flag jumped out at me. If should be on the right hand side of the speaker and not your left. Now some may say that this is a small thing, but it is what we try and teach our boys and we need to make sure that we set the example.
Trying to “Live the Oath”
Bill Casler
Great Alaska Council
Bear Paw District
HI Wayne,
I think that all three – program, delivery and marketing – need to be constantly reviewed and improved, but for me, the key issue has always been delivery. We all have 100 Boy Packs and Troops in our councils. These units use the same program, and are supported by the same marketing campaigns. The difference is in the quality of the leadership that is deliverying the program and interacting with the youth and their parents. If we focus more of our efforts on identifying & recruiting the right leadership at the unit level (something that most of our district executives don’t have time to do), and then insuring that we train and support these leaders, we can impact the quality of the program and increase our membership.
Thanks for keeping the lines of communication open!
Tom Harrington
Cradle of Liberty Council
I’ve been reading over the responses and they are great! We have been seeing both our membership and market share decline over the past what (?) 30 years or so, give or take… We have created new programs, (Tiger and Venture), changed the entry age for Cubs and made minor and major modifications to our program, (Webelos now 1 ½ years).
Each program has its own challenges. When I look as successful packs I see activity, parent involvement, recognition and advancement, progressive challenges, 12 month program and good transition into Boy Scouting. They have the same program materials, access to training and district/council support as less successful units around them. They succeed because they have one or more highly motivated volunteers that serve as a catalyst to the rest of the parents and involve them, give them leadership and provide organization and planning. I’ve seen great programs falter when these ‘highly motivated’ people move on and are not replaced by someone of similar quality.
Much the same can be said for Troops. We show boys pictures of Scouts on zip lines, white water rafting, rappelling and doing other ‘high adventure’ type activities and then we put boys into ‘boring’ troops that have boring meetings and lame activities. At least once a year every troop needs an adventure… if we don’t provide that, we fail to live up to the ‘promise’ we made to the scout when we recruited him.
Getting parents engaged is difficult but it needs to happen from day one. Pack family activities, family camp, cub parent camps… ‘homework’ fun assignments for advancement that the boy does with his folks… engagement of the boy with his parents and the parents with the program.
The old standby KISMIF translates into VALUES if a boy and his parents are engaged and involved.
I think a “general conference” to discuss how we plan to market ourselves in future is a good idea. But I still maintain that our adult leadership is lacking the basic knowledge and experience to get the job done in an exciting way for the boys. Take a look at your roundtable attendance. Only the most motivated and the newest volunteers attend. Why isn’t every adult Scout leader in attendance? We have the organization to train the voulnteer leaders, but are they doing it? I have a great Unit Commissioner. He comes around to visit at least once in three or four months. But that’s not enough. In my opinion the Unit Commissioners are not doing what needs to be done. Units ought to be overseen regularly, and each time the Unit Commissioner comes to visit he should be given time to motivate the boys… somithing like a Scoutmasters minute (no more). But then he should be prepared to stay a few minutes after the Troop Meeting to train and inspire the adult leaders. The UC should never just pop-in for a visit. He must have an agenda and should contact the leader before a visit to ensure that he will have time to do his duty. In turn, the Unit Commissioners must have better preparation so that they know what their duties are when they do visit with a unit. If we want to get going the middle management must get involved.
I didn’t have the time to really spend reading all the above wonderful comments, and hope to not repeat a suggestion. I just want to briefly bring to mind that the biggest obstacle of relevancy may reside within the schools themselves. Clearly we all struggle with school access in one way or another…how can we help the school systems to better understand what Scouting can do for them in regards to literacy, STEM, and, among many other things, general school spirit? Being from Wisconsin, education is an extremely hot political topic, therefore the need to connect schools with Scouting (and carefully dealing with the topic of homosexuality) easily comes to mind. Just a bit of food for thought.
I love, love, love what is happening at the Summit in terms of offering more relevant activities to Scouts. Bravo!
There is no question that technology plays an important role in the future of today’s youth. The future promises to be even more technology-focused. As technology is becoming a ubiquitous part of people’s lives, especially for the generation the Boy Scouts serves, it is critical that boys need to be educated not simply as users of the technology that already exists, but as creators. I wonder, though, are we really savvy enough techies to offer cutting edge tech to the kids?
Boy Scouting has always provided boys with opportunities — chances to travel, meet people in new places, and learn something new. The Internet allows boys to be world explores right from home. Can we do a better job of facilitating global Scouting – wider opportunities – through means like FaceTime, Skype, or something else like we older folks used to do with pen pals?
Andrea, I have had a relationship with my local school district for years. To make a long story short, we went from first to worst and back again in that relationship. Understanding and knowing the Superintendent and the School Board is key. I personally speak to each boy in first through sixth grades in assemblies and then their parents the following school nights. They give me this access because they understand that if they give me 20 minutes of the students time, I will give them back better students after they become Scouts. We honor the parents who do not want their children to hear our talk by offering an “opt out form” that they can fill out and return to the school.
In support of what Luann Martinez wrote: When my son was in high school he organized an explorer post in computers & gaming, when Venturing came out it was moved there as a hobby interest. After 6 years of operation during which he went from ‘founder/president to adviser’ the Scout Exec pulled the charter because according to him, there was no place for computer gaming in Scouting. The young people in that Crew went from age 17 to 20 with a number of those that had aged out becoming registered adults with the program. They helped strike the camp on two seasons and worked on one of the cabins at camp during a service day. We joke about the fact that they were ‘kicked out of Scouting’ but it really isn’t a joke. They used the camp 3 or 4 times a year for their LAN parties and they learned a lot about software and hardware issues. My son is not 31 and makes a 6 figure income and is being paid by his company to get his college degree. A few years ago when his supervisor asked him where he learned to do some of the things that he does in his job, he said,’ well when I was in high school…’ I’d say that ‘Scouting’ helped him along the way and that program could still be running and helping others… Technology doesn’t have to be dry for young people to learn and playing ‘games’ can be educational… I believe that was BP’s philosophy. .
Wayne, I believe that Scouting is more relevant today than at any time in it’s history. Our program is a unique blend of camping, education and character development. No one else comes close in offering all of this to so many youth at such an affordable price.
Our Delivery System is always looking for ways to improve itself, but when properly organized by teams of professionals and volunteers it is second to none. Our training methods from online classes to Woodbadge are key components to constantly keeping our Delivery strong.
Marketing our program is a challenge, but so is selling Coke and Pepsi in a world of more and more drink options. What we have to focus on is selling the youth on the adventure of Scouting, and the parents on the difference it will make in the lives of their children. To that end, I think we should look at product placement in youth oriented media and maybe producing our own webcasts.
A comment on the relevancy of the uniform(it combines Program, Delivery and Marketing by itself). I think we have a good uniform now, but it is important that it be comfortable and functional. Too often it seems to be ill fitting. The pants should wear more like jeans(at least in my humble opinion).
Thank you for all you do Chief.
I want to thank everyone for your comments. While I have not replied to each one, I have read them all.
Just a comment about the uniform as propmted by Thad comments: parents come to the Scout shops to buy a uniform and they are overwelmed by the choices, and prices. It’s not so bad for cub scout uniforms because there is only one fabric to deal with… and sizing isn’t so much a problem when they learn that the boy will only wear the uniform for two, maybe three years. But when a boy turns 10 or 11, mom’s buy the largest shirt they feel they can get away with. Some of these poor kids look like they are dressed in their dad’s clothes. They aren’t comfortable and don’t want to wear the shirt. One boy recently told his mother in my hearing: “I look really dumb”… and he really did. I really like the traditional uniform, but maybe it’s time to think about something more appropriate to our times. I like the idea of a more jeans like trouser, and mabye the shirt could be more like a Polo with pockets…. ??? I think it’s worth thinking about. Also keep in mind that some people have problems wearing man made fabrics. I for one can not. I break out in a rash if I wear the new micro poly shirt.
So I think to be relevant is to be inclusive and accepting….I think only including girls at the venturing level is a shortcoming. Scouting has much to offer and the fact we offer a majority of programming to 1/2 of the youth is not living up to our mission of ‘serving the youth of america’. if we are going to be relevant… lets be relevant to all youth.
Wayne, thank you for the opportunity to respond to this question. I remember the 1969 National Jamboree came away with this same topic from the Scouts. It will never really go away as our society evolves. The uniform comments above by Don Ellsworth rang a bell with me.
I think that we are still defined by the age-old photo’s and characterization of BSA as helping ‘little old ladies’ across the street. Service is an important part of Scouting, but that whole image needs to be refreshed. Dynamic images of service need to be presented. “True Stories of Scouts in Action” show real time Scouts do real time service is a great way to present Scouting today.
Another image is rubbing 2 sticks together to start a fire. The ‘real’ scouting we’re promoting today is far from that. Heck, we’re not even supposed to build a campfire anymore! Let’s find some images that bring us out of the 30′s and bring us into the 21st century.
My basic philosophy of Scouting is that every boy wants adventure. That hasn’t changed since the world began. That is what a boy needs to think when he hears, “Boy Scouts of America.”
This is a great blog, thanks Wayne for making it a discussion. I am an 18 year veteran of the military and one thing I noticed as an officer in charge of many was the nature of the young men being assigned to me. Were they prepared? Not prepared? While the boy scouts isn’t about preparing men for “military service”, I do believe that that kind of environment is a good test if our young men are really prepared for life when it challenges (not when it is easy). Our young men need to be really educated about principles and values–and shown the consequences of no values. More importantly, they have to understand and be taught proactively that good things are worked for and maintained. there is still value in sacrifice and service–if we can’t find it in our own communities, than reach out farther (even globally if necessary). Thanks-
Wayne, I am distraught if we think accepting “out of the closet” Gays into our move is keeping relevant. Society should not call shots for us. I believe we are the last Natyional Organization to outlaw Gay membership and we are well respected for that. As a professional, retired, I have been put on the spot by the proposal that we acept Gays. I cannot defend or accept the position if it is passed.