Updating your BeAScout.org “pin” is simple – and is the only way to ensure your information is current. Displaying last year’s Cubmaster/Scoutmaster or meeting time doesn’t exactly impress new families interested in joining.
We call it a “pin” because when families search BeAScout.org and ask to find Scout units within a certain number of miles around their Zip Code, the answers are listed next to a map with pins marking the location of each unit.
BeAScout is how families looking to join Scouting can easily find your unit and apply. By setting up your pin, you showing them you’re ready to welcome new families into your unit.
Your pin should feature a welcoming message that includes when and where your unit meets, key details about your unit’s program and a link to the council web page for more information. For example:
Pack ### welcomes boys and girls in grades K-5 in {town} and the surrounding area. We offer a wide variety of family-friendly activities throughout the year, and we do our best to put the “outing” in Scouting! Pack meetings are typically on Monday nights or Sunday afternoons at {location}, depending on the activity, and our program typically includes two campouts per year – plus summer camp! Den meeting schedules are set by the individual den leaders to fit the needs of their families. (Dens are formed based on grade levels.) For more information on Scouting visit https://wdboyce.org
Be sure to include:
Contact details for more information
A link to your unit’s public Facebook or web page
- A link to the council web page.
A step-by-step guide is available online at this link. Look for the PDF link called “Setting Up Your Unit’s BeAScout Pin.”
What is BeAScout?
When someone Googles phrases like “join Scouting,” “pack near me” or “find Scout troop,” the result in the coveted top spot is the BSA’s BeAScout page: beascout.scouting.org.
From there, families can type in their ZIP code, select the program that interests them (Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing or Sea Scouts) and click “Find and Apply.”
What happens next? Well, that’s kind of up to you.
If your pin is updated, a prospective Scouting family will find your leader’s contact info, a link to your website and a brief description about your unit.
If you have also turned on the “Apply Now” button, parents can also fill out the application online directly from BeAScout — or they can send you an email for more information. Accepting online applications is the way to go – – the quicker families can register, the faster you can engage with them and make sure they’re having a great Scouting experience!
Who Can Update Your BeAScout Pin:
The Key 3 of the unit — committee chair, chartered organization representative and unit leader (Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Advisor) — all have access to Organization Manager via my.Scouting. This allows them to set up the unit pin.
What’s the process for doing so? A step-by-step guide is available online at this link. Look for the PDF link called “Setting Up Your Unit’s BeAScout Pin.”