BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA COUNCIL
GEORGE WASHINGTON DISTRICT

RECRUITING NEW SCOUTS

IDEAS AND A STEP-BY-STEP STRATEGY THAT YOU CAN USE

THE STRENGTH OF YOUR TIGER GROUP, PACK, TROOP OR POST DEPENDS ON THE SUCCESS OF NEW TIGER CUB, CUB SCOUT, BOY SCOUT AND EXPLORER RECRUITING EACH YEAR.  WITHOUT NEW MEMBERS, FIRST THE PACK AND THEN THE TROOPS  AND FINALLY  EXPLORER POSTS WILL EXPERIENCE DECLINING ENROLLMENT, PLACING MORE BURDENS ON THE REMAINING LEADERS AND SCOUTS,  WHO WANT TO HAVE A GOOD SCOUT PROGRAM.  NOW IS THE TIME TO BUILD THE FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESSFUL SCOUTING PROGRAMS IN THE YEARS TO COME.

GENERAL IDEAS

1.	INCLUDE TIGER CUBS, CUB SCOUTS, BOY SCOUTS AND EXPLORERS IN ALL OF 
	YOUR RECRUITING PLANS.

2.	COORDINATE YOUR RECRUITING ACTIVIES WITH OTHER PACKS, TROOPS AND 
	POSTS IN YOUR AREA.

3.	PACKS CAN ASK TROOPS FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HELP IN RECRUITING ACTIVITIES; 	E.G. CONTACTING BUSINESSES, CHURHES, ETC. AND PLACING FLYERS & POSTERS.

4.	ADVERTISE, PUBLICIZE, AND USE SCOUTS E.G. UNIFORM DAY AT SCHOOL, FLAG
	CEREMONY FOR PTA, HIGH VISIBILITY ACTIVITIES AND SERVICE PROJECTS.

PLANNING TIMELINE

ASAP	LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR FALL RECRUITING EARLY

		1.	UPDATE YOUR MEMBERSHIP LIST

		2.	CONTACT ANY LAPSED MEMBERS - INVITE THEM TO 	RETURN

		3.  	PLANNING MEETING  (PACK OR TROOP COMMITTEE)

			As part of your unit's annual or semi-annual planning conference, set recruiting 
			goals and plan recruiting efforts.
	
			a.	Set Recruiting Goals\Targets

				1]	How many scouts for Wolf, Bear and Webelos Den(s) (Packs)?

				2]	How many scouts for new patrols, Venture and Varsity Teams 
					(Troops)?

				3] 	New Leaders

				4]	Coordination with other units in the same area and your 
					Unit and Area Assistant District Commissioners

				5]	Plan joint efforts to cover posters, flyers, etc.

			b.	Select & Plan Recruiting Methods

			c.	Recruit and Appoint a Recruiting Chairman
	
			d.	Recruit and Appoint a Tiger Cub Coordinator (Packs)

			e.	Delegate responsibilities

		4.	ADVISE YOUR CHARTERING ORGANIZATION OF YOUR PLANS
			AND OBTAIN AGREEMENTS:

			a.	Assistance from Chartered Organization 

				1]	Newsletter coverage

				2]	Volunteers to help recruit

			b.	Agreement on goals and targets

			c.	Make arrangements for placement of recruiting materials in the fall

			d.	Reserve space at School Open House(s) for recruiting table

			e.	Reserve space at School(s) for table at Back-to-School Night

			f.	Reserve meeting place for "JOIN SCOUTING NIGHT"

		5.	VISIT EACH DEN (PACKS) OR PATROL (TROOPS) TO PROMOTE
			RECRUITING 

			Cubmaster/Scoutmaster or an Assistant should visit each den or patrol 
			(even at troop meeting) before the end of the school year to promote recruiting.  
			Use small groups where you can more easily answer questions.		

			a.	Show scouts the recruiter patch they can earn

			b.	Encourage each scout to invite his friends to Summer or early 
				Autumn  Pack or Troop activities

		6.	INVITE ANY TIGER CUBS THAT DID NOT GRADUATE INTO THE PACK 
			TO SUMMER ACTIVITIES (PACKS)

		7.	INVITE ANY CUB SCOUTS THAT DID NOT GRADUATE INTO THE TROOP 
			TO SUMMER ACTIVITIES (TROOPS)

		8.	CONTACT LOCAL REALTORS, MOVERS AND WELCOME WAGON

			a.	Ask them to give every new family with children moving in 	your area 
				a flyer on your pack and/or troop

			b.	Make sure they have telephone numbers for pack and/ or troop leaders

		9.	PURCHASE SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR RECRUITING IN ADVANCE

			a.	"I Flip for Cub Scouting"  jumping coins (Packs)
	
			b.	Posters

			c.	Pencils with Pack/Troop Number and contact telephone

			d.	Postcard invitations (for Scouts to give or send to friends)

			e.	Other promotional materials

AUGUST 	START ADVERTISING JOIN SCOUTING NIGHT	

		1.	ATTEND DISTRICT JOIN SCOUTING NIGHT ORIENTATION

		2.	ASK EACH BUSINESS IN YOUR AREA TO DISPLAY A FLYER 
			IDENTIFYING YOUR UNIT WITH CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBERS

		3.	PLACE POSTERS AT KEY BUSINESSES (GROCERY STORES, CHURCHES, 
			CHILD CARE CENTERS, ETC.)

		4.	CALL EACH LOCAL CHURCH, SYNAGOGUE, ETC. IN YOUR AREA AND
			REQUEST THAT JOIN SCOUTING NIGHT BE ANNOUNCED IN CHURCH 
			BULLETINS, SERVICES, ETC. DURING LAST WEEK OF AUGUST AND 
			FIRST WEEKS OF SEPTEMBER 

		5.	CONTACT NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSPAPERS; e.g. FRANCONIA GAZETTE

		6.	MAKE ARRANGEMENTS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, CIVIC 
			ASSOCIATIONS, ETC. TO PLACE SANDWICH BOARDS AT ENTRANCES 
			TO DEVELOPMENTS AND SUBDIVISIONS THAT HAVE LIMITED ACCESS

		7.	MAKE SURE TO SEND THANK-YOU NOTES ON PACK, TROOP OR SCOUT
			LETTERHEAD TO ANY ONE GIVING HELP; E.G. REALTORS, WELCOME 
			WAGON, CHURCHES, ETC.

		8.	GIVE SCHOOL PTA(S) RECRUITING INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN 
			NEW STUDENT INFORMATION PACKAGES, BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT 
			ACTIVITIES AND NEWSLETTER

SEPTEMBER	FULL SCALE RECRUITING BEGINS

		1.	POSTERS AND FLYERS PLACED AT: 

			a.	Businesses

			b.	Churches, Synagogues, Religious Organizations

			c.	Child Care Centers
			
			d.	Libraries

			e.	Other locations frequented by families in your area

		2.	SANDWICH BOARDS, SIGNS, ETC. AT SUBDIVISIONS AND 
			DEVELOPMENTS

		3.	FOLLOW-UP CALLS TO CHURCHES, SYNAGOGUES, ETC. FOR
			ANNOUNCEMENTS

		4.	TABLES AT SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE(S)

		5.	TABLES AT PTA BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT MEETING(S) [OR OTHER
			TIMES WHEN SCHOOL HAS SIGN UP FOR SPORTS & OTHER 
			ORGANIZATIONS]

		6.	SET UP STATIC DISPLAYS AT CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, LIBRARYS, ETC.

		7.	ASK SCOUTS TO MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS IN HOME ROOMS

		8.	ASK PARENTS TO PARTICIPATE, GIVE PITCH AT SCHOOL, CHURCH, 
			ETC., (TRY IT WITH UNIFORMS, TIGER COSTUME,  WOLF HAT, ETC.)

		9.	PASS OUT RESOURCE CARDS TO CHURCHES AND PRIVATE
			SCHOOLS ( 5 x 3" Pre-Addressed Card - See Attached Sample) 

		10.	CONTACTS WITH ANY LOCAL CENTERS/SCHOOLS FOR LEARNING 
			DISABLED CHILDREN - MAINSTREAM PROGRAMS

		11.	PASS OUT FLYERS FOR DISTRIBUTION AT CHILD CARE CENTERS TO 
			2nd GRADERS AND HIGHER ON CUB SCOUTING, AND 1st GRADERS ON 
			TIGER CUBS (PACKS)

		12.	CONDUCT A JOIN SCOUTING NIGHT PROGRAM

			a.	Meeting MC is site coordinator, if more than one unit

			b.	Use Scouts

			c.	Use Displays

			d.	Consider using a flip-chart as part of the pitch

			e.	Keep it fast-paced

			f.	Get registration forms filled-out and collect registration
				and Boys Life  fees
	
			g.	Turn in registrations and fees.

		13.	THANK YOU NOTES AND RECOGNITION CERTIFICATES TO THOSE 
			WHO HELPED MAKE RECRUITING A SUCCESS

OCTOBER	FOLLOW-UP

		1.	FOLLOW-UP WITH FAMILIES OF BOYS WHO CAME TO JOIN SCOUTING
			NIGHT OR ATTENDED AN ACTIVITY AS A GUEST WITHOUT
			REGISTERING

		2.	MAKE SURE THAT SCHOOL PTAs HAVE AN INFORMATION FLYER TO 
			DISTRIBUTE TO NEW FAMILIES MOVING TO AREA DURING SCHOOL 
			YEAR 

		3.	EVALUATE RESULTS OF RECRUITING AND ANY SHORTFALLS

		4.	MAKE PLANS FOR ADDITIONAL RECRUITING EFFORTS AS NEEDED

		5.	PRESENT RECRUITER PATCHES TO SCOUTS AT PACK\TROOP 
			MEETINGS

		6.	RECOGNIZE LEADERS WHO HELPED AT PACK/TROOP MEETINGS

		7.	DISTRIBUTE NEW FLYERS/INVITATIONS TO SCOUT AGED BOYS TO 
			VISITSPECIAL ACTIVITIES AS NEEDED

		8.	MAKE GENERAL PLANS FOR 1994 RECRUITING

		9.	MAKE ADVANCE ARRANGEMENTS AS NEEDED WITH CHARTERED 
			ORGANIZATION AND OTHER RECRUITING SUPPORTERS FOR NEXT 
			YEAR'S RECRUITING

		10.	COMPLETE YOUR CRITIQUE OF JOIN SCOUTING NIGHT AND TURN IT 
			IN TO THE DISTRICT'S JSN CHAIRMAN TO HELP US BETTER PLAN 
			NEXT YEAR'S RECRUITING EFFORT

HELP NEW SCOUTS TO EXPERIENCE THE ADVENTURE OF SCOUTING

Your active participation in JOIN SCOUTING NIGHT and new scout recruiting is vital to the continued growth and success of scouting for boys of all ages.  With your help, literally hundreds of young men will have an opportunity to participate in the Scouting Movement where they will develop self-esteem, learn wholesome values, be reinforced for achievement and advancement and gain skills that will last a life time.  If you have any ideas that you would like to share or can help as an area coordinator, please call me at home at telephone number, (703) 941-8949.  Thanks for going the extra mile and helping to make Scouting available to our community's youth.

MIKE CAVALERO
JOIN SCOUTING NIGHT CHAIRMAN
GEORGE WASHINGTON DISTRICT

BE PREPARED AND DO YOUR BEST