11/13/2017

By: Stacy Hall Pack 85 Committee Chairperson Year Round Recruiting By: Stacy Hall Pack 85 Committee Chairperson Slideshow Title 11/13/2017

Recruiting for Scouting is best in the Spring & Fall but can be done all year long! There are so many young men out there looking for a place to belong. Maybe they just don’t know you’re there. Here are some year round tips to help you remind them that you are there! 11/13/2017

Meet with the Principal Meeting with the principal of your local schools will build a relationship and foster support for your recruitment efforts. Share successes and news about your pack and upcoming events. Make sure you include community and school service projects. Explain the benefits for the boys and for the school. Schools should be sites for many pack service projects. And, Cub Scouting is educational: It has been established that active Scouting programs improve grades and study habits, and lead to better jobs & more successful lives. The Pack is a resource and an asset to the school. A principal will appreciate a pack that is a source of school volunteers. When you meet, bring along a bag of popcorn or other thank you gift to show support. 11/13/2017

School Recruitment Night Choose a date in the Fall or Spring or BOTH to host a “recruitment night” at the school. Send out flyers inviting all boys from Kindergarten to 4th grade (Fall) or 1st grade to 5th grade (Spring). (Don’t forget that your District can help you with these.) All den leaders should be in attendance wearing their Class A Uniforms. Have some of the current Cub Scouts in attendance to talk about what they love in Scouting! Invite the local Boy Scout Troop to help conduct some games and activities for the prospective Scouts while the leaders discuss important information with the parents. 11/13/2017

PTA/PTO Presentations At the beginning of each school year, it is a good idea to schedule a brief presentation to your school’s parent teacher organization. Share information about the number of families in your pack, recent & planned activities, and the benefits of Cub Scouting for both boys & families. Distribute Pack Information Sheets & business cards. Take a few cans of popcorn to pass around in thanks for their ongoing support. Offer the pack’s assistance and involvement in PTA/PTO events & projects. 11/13/2017

Intercom Announcement Obtain permission to use the school’s public address system or intercom to make announcements regarding pack meetings and activities, and to promote joining nights. The announcements must be brief, upbeat, and well rehearsed. Seek a parent with a great “broadcast” voice or even a group of Cub Scouts! 11/13/2017

Wear the Uniform The uniform is a walking billboard and free marketing! Have your Cub Scouts wear their uniforms on Pack Meeting days to school as well as any other special event nights. Adults can consider to wear their uniforms to school events also. Stop by the store on your way home from a meeting in uniform. Design a cool pack t-shirt for the Scouts to wear more often. Consider recognition for every boy who wore his uniform to school that day. I have been approached in the store and/or ice cream shop by a parent that was unaware that Scouting still existed and they wanted to get their son involved. 11/13/2017

Get Your Pack Out There Back-to-school nights Den leaders serving lunch Carnivals & Festivals Community Clean-up River Clean-up Parades When the community sees how active the pack is, they can’t help but want to be a part of it. 11/13/2017

School Visits Set up a day where a few scouts can go into the younger classrooms and do an activity with the class or simply just help the teacher with something. Both the scouts and the students get a lot of enjoyment out of this and the teachers love the help. Of course this has to be approved by the Principal, School Super Intendant and the parents of the Scouts. 11/13/2017

Community Events Hold special events like a “Kite Day” or bike rodeo. Have the newspaper cover the event. Negotiate a special price at the local facilities (ex. JM McDonald Center, Shipwreck Golf, Cascades Indoor Water Park) Publicize it through newspapers, schools and churches. A Science Center or museum works also. Book reading at the local library by Scouts. Plan a day of it and be sure to leave Pack Information Sheets behind with contact information. Ask local shops to place your Information Sheet in shopping bags. Better yet, have the Scouts to “Carry outs” for shoppers for a day or two. 11/13/2017

Parades Do more than just march. Sing songs, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, the Cub Scout Oath & Law, The Cub Scout motto and cadence. The Scouts love to be loud and have fun! Give out book marks with all of your summer events and contact information. Candy is eaten and forgotten. The bigger the group, the better you look and sound. Don’t forget that the Scout store has Parade patches for those that attend! 11/13/2017

Publicize Put your contact information on items and be visible. Yard signs Flyers Book marks Stickers Tyvek wristbands Bumper stickers Book covers School reader-board Lunch tray liners 11/13/2017

Pack Web Site Be sure to have contact information for den leaders and dates that they meet. Add your upcoming events and pictures of past events. Frequently asked questions. http://www.jcpack100.org// 11/13/2017

Social Media & Newspapers https://www.facebook.com/Pack85CubScouts https://twitter.com/pack85homer Contact the local newspapers for Events like the Pinewood Derby or A community clean up event. 11/13/2017

Pack Information Sheet Every pack should create & distribute a Pack Information Sheet that includes a pack calendar; meeting dates, times and places; a list of leader’s contact information; and other cool events that you have planned. Give copies to local schools, churches, businesses and pack families to share. This is your opportunity to show the community how much fun their young men can have by joining your Pack! 11/13/2017

Flyers Packs can produce their own Cub Scouting promotional flyers, but many times the local district or council will provide them at no charge. Order or produce flyers well in advance, and include the date, time and place of your recruitment event; as well as contact information for your unit leadership. Most schools ask for approval from the Super Intendant before flyers can be distributed. Once your flyer is approved, Call the schools to learn the headcount of all males between the grades that you would distribute to. (Ex: Fall = kindergarten through 4th grade. Spring = First through 5th grade) Divide the flyers for each grade before delivering them to the schools. Remember, they are helping you get the word out, try to make it as easy as possible for them. 11/13/2017

Thank you! As you can see, there are many ideas out there. What ideas do you have? What has worked for you in the past? 11/13/2017