Pack Communications 2013

We were sorry our guest presenter had to miss Roundtable in order to tend to an ill child, but we were pleased that he was prepared and sent along his notes.

Communication avenues include:

• E-mail
• Direct phone calls
• Calling trees
• Text messages
• Twitter
• Web sites / Blogs
• Facebook groups
• Weekly Den Meetings (announcements, handouts)
• Monthly Pack Newsletters
• Monthly Pack Meetings (announcements)
• Monthly Roundtable (announcements, handouts, discussions)
• Twice-Monthly Council Mailings

Each Pack has its own culture, how they relate to one another.  This culture can change from year to year as leadership changes; most families participate in Cub Scouts for only five years.

In preparing for this topic, our guest presenter, a Cubmaster, asked his Pack families for feedback about Pack communications - too much or little?  Not timely?  Poorly formatted?  Too formal or casual?  Inconvenient meeting days/times/places?  Meetings too long or short?  Meetings too informative or not enough?

As of Thursday afternoon, there were no replies, though another e-mail that same day, about popcorn prizes, had about half of the families replying.

Discussion questions prepared:

1. How do other Packs handle communication?
2. Do any Packs have a communication policy?
3. Do any units experience communications related issues?
4. Is there standard boilerplate text that Packs use to elicit feedback?
5. Do Packs follow up emails with phone calls? All the time? Certain instances, only? When?
6. Has a Pack found success using 1 (or more) means of communications?
7. What kinds of positive and/or negative feedback have you received?
8. Are there lessons that have been learned that can be passed on to other Packs? The Council at large?

Ideas shared include:

• Cozi calendar: http://www.cozi.com/family-calendar.htm to keep a central online Pack calendar that everyone can consult
• Scoutlander free website: http://www.scoutlander.com/PublicSite/home.aspx
• Weekly News: One Cubmaster took an idea from his child's coach and he sends out an e-mail to his Pack families once every week about the activities for that week.  He shared that having a calendar of a full year's activities is too much for many of this Pack's families, but focusing on just the week ahead works well.

Last year, we also addressed Pack Communications.