FAITH BASED INITIATIVE MEMBERSHIP PLAN
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Transcript FAITH BASED INITIATIVE MEMBERSHIP PLAN
FAITH BASED INITIATIVE
MEMBERSHIP PLAN
Mark P.
Hazlewood
C E O O F P. R . A .Y.
INTERESTED IN
CREATING NEW UNITS
(OR REFRESHING CURRENT ONES)
WITH THE POTENTIAL TO:
BE SELF SUSTAINING?
BE OPEN TO ADDING
THE NEXT MEMBER OF
THE SCOUTING FAMILY?
CREATE COR’S WILLING
TO DO PEER-TO-PEER
RECRUITING FOR YOUR
COUNCIL & DISTRICTS?
GOOD!
LET’S LOOK AT RATIONALE AND
STRATEGIES FOR DOING SO
REVIEW THE CHARTERED ORGANIZATION
CONCEPT
My concern is that the Chartered Organization
Agreement seems to have been reduced from
a partnership to a meeting place and a
signature on the Chartered Organization
Agreement
Chartered Organization vs. Sponsor
Homeowner vs. Landlord
Goal: move congregations from sponsors to
Chartered Organizations
REVIEW THE CHARTERED ORGANIZATION
CONCEPT
QUESTION: What is the role of Scouting as it
relates to the Chartered Organization?
ANSWER: The council’s responsibility is to further
the aims and goals of the Chartered Organization
In order to achieve your own goals (of self sustaining units, adding the next member of the
Scouting family, COR’s doing peer-to-peer
recruiting), you must sell Scouting’s ability to
meet the needs of the Chartered
Organization
WHOSE NEEDS ARE THESE?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Membership growth
Retention
Program
Trained Volunteers
Money
WHOSE NEEDS ARE THESE?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Membership growth
Retention
Program
Trained Volunteers
Money
BOTH BSA COUNCILS AND RELIGIOUS
ORGANIZATIONS SHARE THE SAME 5 NEEDS
LEARN TO EXPLAIN TO THE RELIGIOUS
COMMUNITY HOW THE SCOUTING PROGRAM
CAN BENEFIT THE CONGREGATION!
1. MEMBERSHIP GROWTH
Congregations need:
young families
adult males
Scouting can provide both!
Scouting has high brand recognition and attracts
young families looking for values.
You need to teach the congregation how to create
opportunities for Scouting families to get
connected with the congregation itself
One obvious connection is through religious
emblems
1 . M E M BERSH IP G ROW T H
RELIGIOUS EMBLEMS
Religious emblems programs
Are developed by the national religious
organizations, not BSA
(BSA approves the programs and allows the
award to be worn on the official uniform)
Are taught by the faith community (most
programs require the clergy’s signature)
Provide religious instruction for members of that
specific faith group
Provide opportunities for family involvement,
community service, reinforce Scouting values
1 . M E M BERSH IP G ROW T H
RELIGIOUS EMBLEMS
How do the religious emblems programs
translate into membership for a
congregation?
Roughly half of a typical Scouting group will
not be active in a congregation
If the size of the average Cub Scout Pack is
10, there are perhaps 5 to 7 families
without a congregational home who are
meeting in the Chartered Organization’s
building
1 . M E M BERSH IP G ROW T H
RELIGIOUS EMBLEMS
The congregation must offer a religious
emblems class
Use the classes as an opportunity for the
members of the congregation to interact with
the Scouting families
Use congregation members as teachers;
include Scouts in service projects; plan the
award ceremony during a regular worship
service and invite the families
1 . M E M BERSH IP G ROW T H
RELIGIOUS EMBLEMS COORDINATORS
Take advantage of the new Religious Emblems
Coordinator positions that exist at the Unit,
District and Council levels
R.E.C. positions show that BSA is strengthening
the core value of Duty to God
Religious emblems will be promoted like all other
rank advancement
Each Unit/District/Council should set goals for
the number of religious emblems to be earned
Encourage each Chartered Organization to recruit
a Unit Religious Emblems Coordinator
1 . M E M BERSH IP G ROW T H
RELIGIOUS EMBLEMS COORDINATORS
The Unit REC makes a presentation on all
religious emblems using the R.E.C. / Duty to
God resources
Don’t forget: Scouts are encouraged to earn
the religious emblem of their own faith
The chartering congregation offers their
religious emblems program for their youth
members and extends an invitation to the
Scouting unit, especially the 50% without a
current congregational home.
Congregations need to invite the parents to
the first class and start building relationships.
1 . M E M BERSH IP G ROW T H
RELIGIOUS EMBLEMS
Religious emblems can be a tool
for faith formation and also to
grow membership
If the congregation offers a
religious emblem class to all youth
in their units
If the congregation offers a
religious emblem class to the
whole scout district
The congregation expands its
membership potential in close
geographic area
2. RETENTION
Congregations should involve Scouting
families in short episodic volunteer roles
Get Scouting families working with the core
leadership of the congregation
Build/strengthen relationships
3. PROGRAM
Scouting can enrich the programs of the
religious organization
Scouting has high brand recognition
Membership opportunities
Proven youth program: citizenship training,
character development, fitness
Outdoor resources (local and national
facilities)
Venturing Program
4. TRAINED VOLUNTEERS
Encourage the congregation to provide much
of the leadership
Congregation members may volunteer to be
leaders because they see it as service to their
congregation
Congregations select the leadership that
reflects their values
4. TRAINED VOLUNTEERS
Congregations need their best kid person
to be the leader. The leader can be the
first connection to the congregation
Leaders must be trained.
Congregation members need training? Why
not open your training to the
congregation?
Reinforce that the Chartered Organization
“owns” the unit. It’s like a franchise.
5. MONEY
Additional members means more revenue
BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN HOW SCOUTING
CAN BENEFIT CONGREGATIONS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Membership growth
Retention
Program
Trained Volunteers
Money
MAKE SURE CONGREGATIONS
UNDERSTAND THE BSA RESOLUTION
Understand what the Resolution is
Scout Oath and Scout Law
Duty to God
Behavior that exemplifies the highest level
of good conduct
Sexual conduct, whether homosexual or
heterosexual, by youth of Scouting age is
contrary to our values.
MAKE SURE CONGREGATIONS
UNDERSTAND THE BSA RESOLUTION
Also understand what the Resolution is NOT
Does not endorse homosexuality as an
acceptable lifestyle
Does NOT prohibit our faith based charter
partners from requiring that the members of its
unit abide by the moral values of the chartered
organization.
A BSA Code of Conduct is being created.
A committee has been formed to strengthen the
Duty to God component in the Scouting program
SWOT ANALYSIS
Let’s use a SWOT analysis to understand
how a religious organization might look at
the BSA
LOCAL COUNCIL
STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES/OPPORTUNITIES/THREATS
SWOT ANALYSIS:
STRENGTHS
LOCAL COUNCIL
1. BSA’s ability to attract young families
2. BSA research
Unit retention, rank advancement, leader tenure is
greater in faith based units
3. Share common goals with faith community
4. Chartered Organization concept
5. Good brand recognition
WEAKNESSES
1. Councils have little to no knowledge of needs of
chartered organizations
2. Councils provide little explanation about what’s in
it for the chartered organization
3. No good sales tool for Chartered Organization
4. Councils have lack of understanding and
utilization of religious emblems and REC
5. Council’s lack of communication with chartered
organizations during the year
OPPORTUNITIES
1. 70% of current organizations are religious
2. 70% have only one unit or member of the family
3. Congregations need young families (average age of
a UMC member is 59)
4. Renewed emphasis on Duty to God at BSA National
5. 411 committee report
6. Congregations have 5 common needs with BSA
7. Re-energize Religious Relationships committee by
tasking them with membership
8. Religious hikes, retreats and camporees
9. Chaplains to help at summer camp and camporees
(ask clergy for help!)
THREATS
1. Sharp membership decline especially in school- based
chartered organizations
2.Equating a place to meet and a signature on the
application as Chartered Organization agreement versus
agreeing to be a give and take partnership
3. Faith communities have a general lack of knowledge of
the real outcome of the membership vote
4. Concern that the next target will be the BSA leadership
standards and then Duty to God
5. Other faith-based boy programs
STEPS TO TAKE
Research the Religious Emblems Programs
You need to do your homework
Before calling on a congregation, become
familiar with their religious emblems program
The eligibility guidelines and requirements will
differ from religion to religion
The P.R.A.Y. website provides links to all the
different religious emblems
“Cheat sheet”
STEPS TO TAKE
Research the congregation
You need to do your homework on the
congregation and denomination. What do
you call the place of worship? How do you
address clergy? How is it structured? Top
down or bottom up? etc.
“Congregation Questionnaire”
STEPS TO TAKE
Find Cultural Informants – To open doors,
teach/speak the language, eliminate cold
calls
Council Staff, Council Board, Religious
Relationships Committee, your Key 3,
Chartered Partners
http://www.praypub.org/fbi
STEPS TO TAKE
Become familiar with the R.E.C.
Resources available
http://www.praypub.org/REC
Summary handout, video, webinar
recordings, etc.
Encourage REC’s to sign up and receive the
“REC kit”
STEPS TO TAKE
Keep informed
Sign up for P.R.A.Y.’s Email Bulletins
http://www.praypub.org/pubs_main.htm
Join Mark on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/in/markhazlewood
Sign up for P.R.A.Y. webinars
Joint presentation with UMC – Nov 21 st
Recruiting Baptist Congregations – TBA
http://www.praypub.org/LearningCenter/webinars.
htm
Contact Mark with questions [email protected]
INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS
Both sides must clearly understand the
chartered organization agreement before it is
signed.
BSA should use as many congregational
volunteers as is feasible.
The congregation must “invest” their best kid
person to be the leader
INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS
All volunteers must be trained by the local
council
Religious emblems must be promoted by
the unit REC
Congregations must offer a religious
emblems class
FINAL THOUGHTS / SUMMARY
Visit your congregations now
Duty to God is a core value of Scouting.
Scouting needs the faith community.
Do your homework. Are you familiar with RE,
REC, CO? Can you articulate the reasons why
Scouting and the faith community need each
other? Can you articulate the benefits of
working together?
THANK YOU!
Thank you for your commitment to working
with the faith community!
www.praypub.org