2022 W.D. Boyce Council
Cub Scout Recruiting Guide


 

First Things First

Don't overthink this! Families are already coming to

your School Night for Scouting to JOIN your unit.

So it is important to have a quick, "in-and-out”

registration event.  Focus your efforts on:

 

   1. Making every family feel welcome.

   2. Making joining online easy.

   3. Making joining accessible to all eligible kids.

   4. Making joining that night the priority.

 

TIP: We DO NOT recommend just inviting new families to a Pack meeting. We want them to feel like the evening’s “main event” – because they are!  (Holding an open meeting later for undecided families is perfectly fine!)

 

Recruiting

WHERE CAN WE RECRUIT?

Everywhere! But the elementary schools and churches in your community are your most promising areas. If you are the only Pack in your town, the entire town is your target area. If not, your District Executive will provide guidance as to which schools and churches you should target. You do not need to be limited to just recruiting within your chartering organization.

 

Haven’t recruited in a church before? It can be as simple as sending them the same information you send to a school, and asking them to share it with their families via their church bulletins or newsletters. Does the denomination or type of religious faith matter? No. ALL FAITHS ARE WELCOME IN SCOUTING!

 

TIP: To demonstrate Scouting’s religious neutrality, hold recruiting events at a school or other non-religious facility even if your Charter Organization or regular meeting place is a church.

 

WHO?

Cub Scouts is a program for boy and girls in Grades K – 5. Does your pack have dens for boys and girls? Consider introducing mixed gender dens this year. All YPT guidelines and requirements for two-deep leadership remain in effect, but mixed gender dens can make it easier to offer the Cub Scout program to ALL kids!

 

 

Let’s get started!

 

This guide is designed to be used with the 2022 12-Step Recruiting Plan worksheet – found at the end of this guide - which you should complete in coordination with your District Executive. It will help outline what recruiting tactics you will utilize as well as how the council can help. But don’t wait… review this guide NOW so that when you and your DE talk, you can devise winning strategy TOGETHER for growing your Pack this year!

 

PLANNING, PERMISSIONS AND PROMOTION

Your District Executive (DE) will assist you in contacting the elementary schools in your community. Complete the 2022 School Info survey to capture key information ahead of your conversation:

https://form.jotform.com/222147122373144

Together determine who will reach out to the school to ask the following:

 

1.     A1. Procedures for submitting announcement and flyers to be sent home. How many copies of flyers are needed in each grade level? Can they be sent home in backpacks? At school registration? An open house?

 

2.     Providing information electronically for school emails or newsletters. Putting a few posters by drinking fountains and a yard sign by the school pick-up/drop-off location. Providing a video to be shown during lunch or other times, or a message for the school marquee?           

3.     Coming to school to hold “Scout Talks” – 2-3 minute talks to pump up kids for Scouting.

 

4.     Holding a “School Night for Scouting” for interested students and their parents on an evening in September. We suggest Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday nights in September - but it’s more about what works for your Pack and the school.

School Night for Scouting (SNFS) should take place no less than 14 days after the first day of school. Any sooner is too chaotic for the school, teachers, parents and kids.

 

Consider all the tactics discussed in this guide and identify which you think may resonate best with parents and kids. If the school will allow it, the Council will try to help make it happen!
Ideally, your DE will deliver flyers, posters and a yard sign to the school about two weeks before SNFS and a 2
nd set of flyers a few days ahead of SNFS.

 

If a school says “No” to access – no flyers, no Scout talks, no sign-up nights, etc. – we will politely ask why, but will not debate the matter. We thank them for their time, make a note of the conversation and work together so that we can understand local issues and concerns. We may not change their minds this year, but we can always work for the future.

 

After working with your DE and the school,

submit your planned School Night for Scouting date(s) here:

https://form.jotform.com/222018018179048

 

SCHOOL NIGHT FOR SCOUTING

 

PREPARATION

1)    Sure, you know what Cub Scouts are all about. But find out what the BSA is telling people so you’ll be on the same page when you meet them!

https://www.scouting.org/programs/cub-scouts/

 

2)    Attend the August 11 District Roundtable to get recruiting materials and ideas.

3)    Finalize your 2022-23 program calendar NOW so that you can talk about the great events and activities you’ve already got planned. It might change or have things added, but having something you can show parents and talk to prospective Cub Scouts about helps make it REAL.

Important Tip: Be sure to include your District’s Cub Launch event, where every Cub Scout will get to assemble and launch their own rocket.

4)    Work with your DE to ensure your BeAScout.org pin is up to date and ready to go. Visit wdboyce.org/unit-location for more information on checking and setting your pin. Your DE can also help with Facebook geo-fencing – an easy way to help people find your School Night for Scouting event.

 

5)    For each school at which you’ve arranged a School Night for Scouting, identify who will represent your unit. Ideally, your Cubmaster should attend, as well as your New Member Coordinator (NMC) – they should be the ready to help new families sign-up via online registration. The NMC may just be a current parent who will take the time to welcome all new families and check in with them from time to time to make sure they’re having a GREAT Cub Scout experience. Learn more at wdboyce.org/nmc.

 

Tip: Make an extra effort to invite families who have dropped from the Pack over the last year. COVID – and getting back to school – took a lot out of all of us, and that included the energy we had for even fun activities like Cub Scouts. Even if they’re still technically registered, be sure to make them feel missed, wanted and most of all very welcome.

 

6)    Who else? For starters, current parents and their Cub Scouts so they can talk to prospective parents and Cubs! Current Cubs who help at SNFS or who recruit a friend who joins can be awarded the Recruiter strip, available from the Council Service Center.

 


TIP: It’s a good idea to invite someone from your Charter Organization to be there and give a word of welcome.

 

7)    Be creative, but don’t overdo it! Consider having an easy, fun activity for kids. Have small circles of chairs set up where current parents and Cubs can talk to prospective parents and their kids. Prep your Cub Scouts with questions about their favorite things to do in Cub Scouts, and some of the activities they’ve enjoyed. You might also want to get some tri-fold project boards from Wal-Mart to create displays of photos showing past activities and meetings. Anything to help convey the value and fun of Cub Scouting!

 

8)    Make a checklist of who is responsible for various components of the evening, and consider a simply agenda so that everyone knows what’s happening and in what order.

 

9)    Be prepared to talk about the difference between the Pack and Dens, activities, popcorn, Day Camp, Overnight Camp, the cost, youth protection and two-deep leadership, when and where Dens meet, ranks, girls and boys, and anything else parents might think of.

If you don’t know the answer, that’s okay – you can always contact your DE the next day for information.

 

10) Consider your leadership needs and be ready to talk about those as well. Part of the fun of Cub Scouting is parents and kids being involved TOGETHER.

 

11) No potential Scout should miss out on the experience due to financial hardship. If the Pack can help financially, that’s great – but even if not, be sure to contact your DE if financial assistance is needed.

 

12) Get familiar with the online registration process at BeAScout.org and determine who will be responsible for accepting online applications - usually the Cubmaster or Committee Chair.

 

This is the fastest and best way to register new Scouts. No cash to handle, no forms to send to the council office!


Our goal should be to have every new Scout registered ONLINE before their parents leave the event.

 

EXECUTION

The day of the event, call the school or other location just to confirm arrangements. It’s no fun if you get there and the doors are locked!

 

Be there early to set up. You’ll probably want to have chairs set up for people to sit in while you are speaking, but also space to mingle, look at exhibits, etc. Refreshments? Set them up in a way that will minimize drips or spills. (Be sure you’ve checked with the school to ensure it’s okay to have them.)

 

Be in uniform. (Everyone!) Be smiling! Be happy to see people you don’t even know! Encourage parents and their Cubs to welcome people as they arrive.

 

Have flyers with the QR code and instructions for online registration posted and distributed throughout the room on tables.

 

Be informative but be brief… no need to recite too much history or details that everyone will forget on the way out the door. Remember:

 

1. Make every family feel welcome.

2. Make joining online easy.

3. Make joining accessible to all eligible kids.

4. Make joining that night the priority.

 

Be tidy. Be sure to clean up after the event is over and leave the room as neat and orderly as you found it, if not more so!

 

AFTER THE EVENT

The Cubmaster, Committee Chair or other designated leader should go online that night or next morning to approve and accept online registrations for the Pack.

 

Begin assigning new Cubs to dens and identify any needs in terms of additional leaders for new and existing Dens.

 

Say thank you! Number one, send a note the next day to anyone and everyone at the school or location who helped make the night possible.

 

Say thank you! Do the same for everyone in the Pack who helped make it a great night, especially the Cubs!

 

Say thank you! Follow up with every family who came, and ask if they have any other questions. If they registered, let them know what’s next – first den meeting, first pack meeting, etc. If they didn’t register, politely ask if they are still thinking about it or if they have questions about the program. If you don’t have all the info, let them know you’ll find out, and follow up promptly.

 

TIP: Think about what went well and what could be improved, write it down and store it in a folder marked “Recruiting 2023!”

 


 

Final ThoughtsIt’s in the margins!

“In the margins” – what does that even mean?

 

It’s the little things off to the side, maybe the things that get forgotten or missed. It’s the things we think someone else is taking care of, but we find out later that wasn’t the case. It’s the little things “in the margins” where a good event can become great, or where even a good event can fail to draw in many new Scouts.

 

Here are some examples of things “in the margins” and the difference they might make:

 



Important for 2022:

 

Family Packs: Since 2018, young girls and their families have been welcomed to Cub Scouting on a national basis – and in many of our council’s Packs - with outstanding results!  If you have not already done so, please consider becoming a Family Pack where ALL kids (and their families) can thrive and enjoy the benefits of Scouting. Your District Executive can help make sure your Pack is properly identified in Scouting systems, including BeAScout.org where families can look for units that can serve their entire household.

 

Mixed-gender Dens:  The BSA is piloting mixed-gender dens, and W.D. Boyce Council is following suit. As we work to rebuild the Cub Scout program - which was severely impacted by the COVD-19 pandemic - we need to minimize the barriers to growing our Packs. Packs will still need to adhere to all YPT guidelines with respect to genders and Two-Deep Leadership, but this eliminates the need for multiple dens with single genders. This helps smooth the way to becoming a Family Pack!

 

 

RESOURCES: Sample Photos, Templates, Text and MORE!

 

BSA Brand Center: One of the best resources that many Packs don’t even know about is the BSA Brand Center… it’s full of photos, video clips, sample media and more that can help you promote your Pack like a pro!

 

https://scouting.webdamdb.com/

 

Business Cards for Scouting:  Flyers are great, but not always convenient to carry with you. Consider stopping by Office Max, PIP, or FedEx Office to print up some easy-to-carry cards with the key information a family needs to find and join your Pack! The following logo can be found at: https://www.nicepng.com/maxp/u2w7q8q8w7q8a9y3/

 

TIP: Don’t include dates, times or locations for one-time events… make the card “evergreen” so that you can use it throughout the year!

 

 

 


Banners in the Lunch Room

Will your school let you hang a banner in the lunch room? Here’s a 2.5 x 6 ft banner that you can download and have printed at Office Max, PIP, or FedEx Office for $20 or less.

 

https://bit.ly/AdvOnBanner

 

Intercom Announcements:  Some school principals LOVE to have students read announcements, either love or pre-recorded. See if some of your Scouts could combine an announcement with leading the Pledge of Allegiance!  It might be something as simple as this: 

 

Hi, this is Robert Stingle, Missy Tiemann and Jack Powell and we’re all Cub Scouts. Watch for the flyer going home tomorrow and ask us about how great it is to be Scouts. We’re having a joining night next week – hope to see you there!

 

Now, please stand and join us in the Pledge of Allegiance: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

 

Thank you!

 

 

Automated Phone Messages: This sure beats dialing individual calls, and also respects people’s privacy by not giving out phone lists. Your school may use this for snow day closings, lunch menu reminders and other announcements – maybe they’d allow you to record and send one as well! Keeping in mind that moms tend to gravitate to what they learn from other moms, here’s a sample blurb:

 

Hi – This is Tracy Winder, Jake and Janey Winder’s mom. I want to tell you all about Cub Scouting, but I only have 30 seconds, so I want to invite you to our School Night for Scouting on Thursday, September 7 at 7 pm in the Lincoln School gym. Cub Scouts has been a real blessing for our family, as it allows us to have a fun time together during our busy daily lives. If you’d like more information, just visit BeAScout.org, enter your Zip code and look for Pack 425. A flyer will be coming home this week as well. Thanks, and hope to see you at 7 on the 7th!

 

Sample Parent to Parent Email:

 

Hi – As one Mill Valley Grade School parent to another, I want to tell you a little bit about Cub Scouts and invite your family to join us at the School Night for Scouting, 7 pm on September 7th in the school gym.

 

Cub Scouts is a fun program for boys AND girls in Kindergarten through 5th grade. It’s all about encouraging boys and girls to make friends, be helpful to others, and do their very best no matter the outcome. With the help of powerful learning projects and exciting outdoor activities, Cub Scouts aim to teach children that doing their best can be a fun and rewarding experience—no matter the difficulty of the challenge. And did we mention it’s fun? Not just for the kids, but for parents, too. With loads of opportunities to be involved, so you’re not just driving the kids there and dropping them off.

 

Cub Scouts has been a part of our community for decades, and now it’s your family’s chance to be a part of the Scouting story. In years to come you may remember your first campfire together, racing in the Pinewood Derby, camping out under the stars or providing service to our community. Not to mention all of the fun activities involved with advancing from Lion, to Tiger, Wolf, Bear and beyond!

 

Are you busy? So are we! Fortunately, Scouting is a year-round program which allows for youth to participate in multiple youth programs, and come and go as their schedules allow. We endorse involvement in sports, church, school, fine and practical arts, and any other activity that helps young people develop character and life skills. And Scouting will always be here when they get back if they have to leave.

 

I hope you can join us at 7 on the 7th in the Mill Valley Grade School Gym.  In the meantime, you can find more information at BeAScout.org!

 

Yours in Scouting,

 

Gina Weaver

Mom of Jayden (Tiger Scout) and Jace (Bear Scout)

 

 

Door Hangers

It’s nice outside, and you’ve got an hour or two – plus a class list!  These door hangers can be downloaded, customized in Microsoft Word and printed at home! 

 

http://www.wdboyce.org/document/cub-scout-door-hangers/209670

 

 


Welcome Them Back!

How to approach families that may have fallen away after the pandemic? With open arms!

 


 

For example, you can start with a simple text message and one of the images above, maybe customized with an image of from your Pack:

 

Hi there, NAME! We haven’t you and SCOUT NAME in a while, and we’d love to change that. We’re back to meeting as a Pack/Den again at LOCATION on DAY from START TIME to END TIME. Please come back – it would be great to see you!

 

There’s a whole batch of sample media, photos and social media ideas available in the BSA Brand Center at:

 

https://scouting.webdamdb.com/bp/#/folder/10932913/