A Scouts BSA breakout topic this month focused on maintaining membership in 2021. Here are some of our ideas and concerns
How are troops engaging with Packs: Cubmasters, Den
Leaders, Cub Scouts?
Talk with Webelos & Arrow of Light den leaders, Cubmasters, and committees, starting in summertime and contacting more often as transition time
nears.
Hold Zoom meetings dens only, to meet with Troop youth leaders, play Kahoot games, and work on rank requirements. Parents and youth can ask questions and see how the troop goes.
Invite Webelos to unit campouts and events. recent examples include an electronics campout, a ski campout and a sledding event.
Some troop leaders are also Webelos Den Leaders. Others have several den chiefs in multiple packs. Den chiefs can still run a game virtually, to be visible and to inspire crossover.
Are troops inviting Cubs to their events? Are they inviting Webelos / Arrow of Light to troop meetings?
Invitations
are sent out to lots of Cubs, but it is hard to get response back from youth
and families.
Many families are not starting new activities or even continuing pre-pandemic activities.
Many kids are not currently involved with extra-curriculars at school or with outside activities.
Troops need to be ready to welcome and involve when families are ready to add something new (or
something back) into their schedule.
Are troops attending Cub Scout events (Pack Meetings, Blue and
Gold Banquet)?
It depends on Pack’s comfort level, adding extra people in person to an indoor space.
Some packs are not meeting, not even virtually, even since September.
If 5th graders are not earning the Arrow of Light, then they have to
wait until their 11th birthday or until the end of 5th
grade to join a troop. This might impact
resident camping schedules.
A troop virtually
attended a crossover recently at a pack Blue & Gold, which included a virtual callout from the troop. Parents were given troop
neckerchiefs, ready to put on the new scouts. This troop will hold an in-person meeting
with a small ceremony to welcome these four new scouts. This will be coupled with a Court of
Honor, so they will see Scouts wearing sashes. No potluck/food is scheduled, so
it will be a shorter meeting than typical Courts of Honor.
Where do troops need help?
Camp attendance is likely to be down. Parents and scouts alike may be willing to meet in person for 2 hours, but not for a full 6 days.
NYLT attendance may also be wobbly. our Course Director shared that there will be 2 courses in 2021, with 30 scouts per course, so better for social distancing but more scouts attending overall.
Price and
payment are family concerns,.. A last-minute withdrawal without a refund is an
issue. Council policy is no refunds (money is spent in preparation). If a scout or family gets cold feet in April? The troop can swap out one scout for another to attend or the troop can roll payment forward to 2022.
NYLT leadership are expecting a backlog of scouts eligible to attend, as the Class of 2020 is still
champing at the bit. This year, instead of 2 scouts per troop, they may send 3 for
small troops and 4 if the troop has 30+ chartered. May 1 will be a NYLT go or no-go
decision for the event as a whole. We must encourage early registration so that
the event can best be positioned to happen. Troops can hold a slot or three now
without a particular scout's name yet. No $50 deposits this year, just the full
payment.
NYLT on the council
website is https://hawkeyebsa.org/training/nylt/
Dates are Week 1: June 24-July 3 and Week 2: July 18-24. These are later in the summer than usual, due
to school schedules also running later into June. Troop scouts can choose
whichever week suits them.
How can help be given?
Merit Badge events online are helpful – they are good to get new scouts started. Signs that 2nd & 3rd year scouts are struggling to keep earning MBs.
Virtual MB events can be from all over the nation. Some Scouts earned Oceanography online and also mentioned “EPIC” in Hawaii. There will be virtual events with Pearl Harbor’s 75th anniversary coming up.
Reach out to
young adult Scouts to give back. Be a Merit Badge Counselor.
