Transcript The Unit Membership Chairman Why do we need one? Objectives The purpose of this presentation:  To introduce the unit membership chairman position 

The Unit Membership Chairman
Why do we need one?
Objectives
The purpose of this presentation:
 To introduce the unit membership chairman position
 To review the responsibilities of a unit membership chairman
 To encourage units to focus on the planning of membership
recruitment and retention
 To introduce the resources available for the
membership chairman
Why Have a Membership Chairman
 Membership Chairman and the membership committee are the
backbone of efforts to recruit and retain more youth into the BSA.
 To impact the lives of youth in each unit, volunteers must be
engaged in not only offering a Scouting program but also bringing
youth to the program.
How will we do this?
Introducing
A unit committee position to focus on membership.
The unit membership chairman position was created to support packs,
troops, and crews in the unit as they strive to increase and retain
members in the Scouting program. The person in this position, along
with the other members of the unit, will ensure access to an active,
exciting, fun-filled, and adventuresome program.
Top 5 Reasons to Have a Unit
Membership Chairman and Committee
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Unit volunteer to develop a unit membership plan
Unit volunteer to create materials highlighting units in the media
Unit volunteer to contact families who did not renew in the unit
Unit volunteer who will work with the district membership chairman
and unit Commissioner
 Unit volunteer who will make sure youth in the community get an
opportunity to join the unit
Unit Membership Chairman
Position Description
 Meet with the unit leaders and committee monthly to discuss
membership and retention.
 Encourage unit to hold recruitment/Scouting promotion events every
year to ensure unit growth using peer-to-peer recruitment method.
 Distribute membership fliers to schools and churches in the Unit’s
area.
 Encourage unit to conduct Scouting rallies and boy talks in schools,
leveraging council support when needed.
 Attend the district’s membership chairman training sessions, which
will focus on best practices.
 Encourage unit involvement in the required number of Adopt-ASchool service or community service projects needed for Scouting’s
Journey to Excellence score.
Unit Membership Chairman
Position Description (cont.)
 Ensure that new youth and adult applications, along with funds, are
completed and turned in to the council service center within a week
after receipt of the applications.
 Work with the unit committee to ensure the unit reaches Scouting’s
Journey to Excellence gold status in membership.
 Update the unit’s BeAScout pin and follow up with leads.
 Create and implement a unit membership plan.
 Work with the district transition chairman to encourage Scouts to
transition to the age-appropriate program as they grow older.
 Conduct an annual customer satisfaction survey of current Scout
families.
Why do we need a unit membership plan?
 Your unit membership plan will provide the framework
to be engaged in your council’s strategic plan.
 It should be a collaborative effort between the unit membership
chair, district membership chairman and unit commissioner, with
support from the executive staff.
Unit Membership Plan Elements
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Identify and verify currently registered members
Unit membership analysis/goal
Plans for membership growth
Community partnership
I. Identify and verify currently
registered members
 Obtain membership rosters and cross-reference the rosters against
the list of registered Scouts.
 Register any youth who are not currently registered. (This list will be
provided by the local council.)
II. Unit membership analysis/goal
 Track three-year historical membership.
 Track three-year retention rate, by names of registered Scouts.
 Project the number of new youth that will be recruited to start a
new pack den or patrol for troop or replace those Venturers who
have moved on.
III.
Plans for Membership Growth
Cub Scout Focus
 Use the spring Tiger Cub recruitment plan to recruit two or more
Tiger Cub leaders.
 Complete spring Tiger Cub recruitment and registration.
 Recruit non-Cub Scouts in the first through fourth grades to join.
 Recruit and train a full pack committee, including a pack
membership chairman.
III.
Plans for Membership Growth
Cub Scout Focus (Cont.)
 Conduct activities in the community to promote Cub Scouting
(marketing).
 Plan and conduct a sign-up night rally.
 Conduct a call night for youth who did not renew membership.
 Plan and carry out Webelos-to-Scout transition (including at least
two activities with a troop).
 Identify where new Tiger Cubs are to be recruited in the spring. Is
there a kindergarten class or classes that feed into this pack?
III. Plans for Membership Growth
Boy Scout Focus
 Send a letter to parents of Scouts who did not reregister in Scouting,
asking what can be done to bring them back.
 Recruit non-Scouts in the fifth through the eighth grade.
 Conduct peer-to-peer recruitment activity.
 Work with packs in the area to conduct Webelos-to-Scout
transitions.
 Conduct a troop open house.
III. Plans for Membership Growth
Venturing Focus
 Recruit non-Venturers in the eighth grade.
 Identify Boy Scout troops to share crew information.
 Recruit and train new Venturing officers, including a vice president of
administration who is responsible for membership.
 Conduct a Interest survey.
 Conduct a Venturing-specific open house.
 Review best ideas/resources found in Venturing leader manual.
IV.
Community Partnership
 Have Scouts conduct two service projects benefiting the chartered
organization.
 Be visible within the community. Participate, in uniform, in
community events, e.g., Scouting for Food and local parades.
How am I supposed to do all of this?
Discussion
 Best practices
 New ideas for membership growth in your unit
Membership Resources
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Membership Committee Guide
Membership Campaign Council Guide
Selecting District People
Strengthening Organizations Through Scouting
Membership plans
Membership Impact staff
Membership chairman website link
BeAScout.org resources
www.scouting.org/membership
Final Thoughts
“A
goal without a plan is just a wish.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes;
but no plans.”
Peter F. Drucker
“If you don’t know exactly where you’re going, how will you
know when you get there?”
Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free
“ He who fails to plan, plans to fail”
Winston Churchill
Questions?