Best Practices - Membership

New Tool: Using Preschools to Recruit Lions 

Submitted By: Mary Comerford, Sussex District membership chair

Passing the word to “Scout Me In!” With the welcoming of kindergarten students and girls, we have so much new space to recruit from! Check out one-way Sussex District tapped into a new market. Sussex District hand-delivered a cover letter with a Lions flyer to each of the 44 preschools in 21 towns within the district.

These flyers are meant to spread the word that:

  • our Lions program is open to all kindergarteners
  • our Family Scouting program now allows girls to participate in the Cub Scout program.

Flyers are to be further distributed by the schools to the parents of all boys and girls entering kindergarten in the fall. These flyers are a follow-up to the letters sent out by Patriots’ Path Council earlier this year.  Our flyers were well received and responses were very positive.

Free flyers and recruitment materials/ support is provided by the dollars donated to the Friends of Scouting campaign. Take a look and order what’s provided to you at: https://ppcbsa.org/membership/currentmembers/resources/

 

Using Social Media to Market Your Unit

Outline

  1. Get Permission: There are permission release forms for parents to sign off on in order for any child to be shown in any media. Please be sure to have these signed annually by all Scouts.
  2. Showcase Your Events
  3. Media Potential
  4. Engage the Community: We need to find some opportunities for the Scouts to interact with community members so we can have articles about “good turns” being done and what our boys/girls are contributing to the towns where they live.To read the details, click here for the full article.

New Tool: Cool Activities to Get Youth Interested & Involved In Scouting

Submitted By: Ryan O’Connor, Membership Committee, vice chair

There are many reasons why boys (and now girls!) decide that they want to participate in the Scouting program. They may have been encouraged by their parents, expressed interest because they have friends in Scouting, or just wanted to become involved in a new activity. But the biggest reason youth get into Scouting and stay in Scouting is because they want to have fun. And, whether they are an 8 year old Wolf or 14 year old First Class Scout, a young person who isn’t having fun is not likely to stay in Scouting. Thus, a major goal for every unit should be to plan “cool” activities that will get kids interested in Scouting and keep them interested in Scouting for years to come.

Camping overnights (the stereotypical Scouting trip) is an obvious activity that appeals to many, but it is certainly not the be-all and end-all of the program (and should not be!) Outdoor activities, such as day hikes and fishing excursions, and indoor activities, such as a trip to a museum or rock-climbing facility are all great potential options. Outings to sporting events can also be a big hit, and many of the professional and semi-professional local teams have special designated nights and/or group rates that make such outings more financially feasible. Additionally, there are a myriad of events and activities available throughout the year at the council’s camps that are both great opportunities for fun and introduce young Scouts to the camps and get them excited about returning during the summertime.

Convincing boys and girls to join and remain in Scouting can sometimes be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. The best way to keep interest high and to keep Scouts (particularly younger Scouts) coming back for more is to plan a variety of fun activities that appeal to all the members of a pack or troop. Ideas for specific activities to plan for your unit (like the Rutgers University Geology Museum and Jockey Hollow), and scheduled events at council camps, can be found on the council’s website (ppcbsa.org.) Scouting can provide so many positive benefits to boys and girls, but more than anything else, it should be fun!

A reminder to take these tips and make your recruitment events fun! Free flyers and recruitment materials/ support is provided by the dollars donated to the Friends of Scouting campaign. Take a look and order what’s provided to you at: https://ppcbsa.org/membership/currentmembers/resources/