Successful Recruitment Events Purpose, Plan, Promotion & Program Successful Recruitment Events

OVERVIEW Purpose of School Night for Scouting Plan Promotion Program

PURPOSE of School Night for Scouting To give every youth the opportunity to join Recruit new leadership Start new units Increase community awareness Strengthen relations with our schools

PLAN (checklist for success!) Coordinate recruitment dates and times with principals Order Flyers, Stickers & Promotional Items Attend District Kick-off and pick up supplies Organize volunteers Identify leadership vacancies needed (Den Leaders, Committee Members etc.)

PLAN (checklist for success!) Execute Promotion (7 Points of contact) Hold Recruitment Event Recruit Parents Follow up with everyone who attends Turn in applications & money

How to execute the plan: 4 STEPS to a Quality School Night for Scouting! Organize Volunteers Promotion & Scout Talks Execute the School Night Event Tally Results and Celebrate!

STEP 1: Organize Volunteers Unit New Member Coordinator(s) Organizes and runs the recruitment event with the support and direction of your District Facilitator Works with school to set date and reserve the facility Scout Talk Person(s) Coordinates with school to sets dates and times & does Scout talks Den Organizer(s) Recruits new den leadership and supports them Activity Leaders Take youth to another location and do an activity (Example: Bobcat Badge) Extra Help Greeters, Helpers, Paperwork & Payment Coordinators

STEP 2: PROMOTION (7 points of contact) Posters (2 at each school) Flyers (2 rounds of flyers, 1st week of school & day of rally) Stickers (with Scout Talk) Back to school nights Call parents from PTA/PTO List Yard Signs & Road Banners

PROMOTION (7 points of contact) Radio Direct Mail School Marquees Cafeteria Banners Morning Announcements Sidewalk Chalk PTA Meetings Have the youth make posters in den meeting Scout Uniform/ T-shirt Day Local Newspapers Church Bulletins

Make every Cub Scout a recruiter PROMOTION Peer to Peer! Make every Cub Scout a recruiter with buddy cards Recruiter patch – Offer a Pack prize to the boy that is the top recruiter

PROMOTION Why is Google Important to you… and Scouting? Google has 67.5% of the US search market 87.1% of the Mobile search market 93% of all buying decision start with and online search

When a family searches for a local Pack, what will they find? When a family searches for a local pack they tend to use google, what will they find? Create/Update your Pack Location on Google

Social & Paid Media Utilize Facebook & Google’s Paid Media Promotions! It is inexpensive ($50-$100) It works! For full details and directions: Using Social Media to Market your Unit on Council Website

PROMOTION – Scout Talks Most effective Scout promotion Room to room & Assembly = best results Lunch room = good results During Recess / Bus Stop = Ok results USE ANY WAY POSSIBLE TO TALK TO THE YOUTH! Rule #1 – Exude Excitement!!!

HOW TO DO A SCOUT TALK Hey everyone, I’m __________ with Pack ___ and I’m hear to invite all of you to join Cub Scouts! We’re going to play a little game to help teach you what activities Cub Scouts do! This game requires no talking. Everyone ready? Raise your hand if you like to _______. Ok Put your hands down. Raise your hand if you like to….. (Go swimming, go camping, shoot bb-guns, shoot bows and arrows, rock climb, go fishing, etc.) Do 4-5 of them Those are all thing that we do in Cub Scouts! Everyone can join Cub Scouts! Boys & Girls! We want each of you to come and join Cub Scouts! So, tonight at 7:00pm, right here in your school cafeteria you can sign up to join Cub Scouts! And I’m going to give each of you a sticker that has all the information on it. Once again it’s tonight at 7:00pm, right here in your school cafeteria. So when you get home, show your parents this sticker and say I want to Join Cub Scouts! Thanks everyone, see you tonight!

Tonight packs will receive: Step 3: PROGRAM Tonight packs will receive: Flyers (if pre-ordered) Stickers (if pre-ordered) Yard Signs Posters Membership recruitment pack presentation to parents (Website) Handout: 4 steps to a quality School Night for Scouting

PROGRAM Your District Facilitator will bring to your School Night the following: Applications (Youth & Adult) Den Attendance Rosters Boys Life Mini-Mags Pinewood Derby Cars Popcorn Sales Sheets Directional Signs Parent Information Guide with: Overview of Cub Scouts Bobcat Requirements Upcoming Cub Events Upcoming Trainings Scout Shop Info

PROGRAM – Agenda Gathering and Greeting Opening Ceremony Greeters meet youth and adults at the door and hand each family: Attendance Cards, Youth & Adult Applications, Boy’s Life Mini-Mag, Parent Guidebook Parents receive paperwork and sit with their prospective den (Room set up by Den and Gender) Opening Ceremony Start on time & Conduct short flag ceremony Start membership recruitment event unit presentation PowerPoint, Ensure the PowerPoint has been updated with your pack’s information including pictures!

Welcome to Pack 123! Intros (insert picture of pack doing something fun!) UPDATE FOR YOUR PACK: Unit Number, Intro’s etc. (see items in yellow) Introduce self and welcome everyone to the meeting

What is Cub Scouts? Cub Scouting is fun! Families spend time together! Program for all youth in grades K-5 Do things and go places! Earn awards! Do activities and go to camp! Year round program! Explain what Cub Scouts is all about. Make sure to be enthusiastic!

Things we do: Fishing Skating Party 4th of July parade Rocket launch Bike rodeo Pinewood derby Day camps UPDATE FOR YOUR PACK: Insert activities & picture specific to your Pack. Tell the families what they will do with your pack, be specific. Share Printed Copies of your Pack Calendar

Scouting’s Youth Magazine Official magazine of the BSA Order through the Pack and you will receive the Cub Scout edition Boys‘ Life is $1 per month and delivered to your child Explain Boy’s life magazine

Every New Scout receives a Pinewood Derby Car New Cub Pinewood Derby Every New Scout receives a Pinewood Derby Car Racing Date: Oct 13th – Yahara 8:00am at East Side Toyota 6501 Lancaster Drive, Madison Oct 26th - Mohawk 6:00pm at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 7291 County Highway PD, Verona Oct 27th – Wisconsin River 10:00AM at St. John’s Lutheran Church 100 Oak Street, Prairie du Sac WI Oct 27th – Indian Trails 4:00PM at St. Williams Church 456 N Arch Street, Janesville WI UPDATE FOR YOUR PACK: Delete the one’s not specific to your Unit/District. Promote the Pinewood Derby. Explain that all those youth who join and pay tonight will receive a free Pinewood derby car!

Fall Camping Opportunities! All new Scouts are invited to a campout this fall! LOOPY CAMPOREE! Oct 6-7 @ Camp Indian Trails Over 700 Scouts attend! Earn Belt Loops and do Fun Activities! BOO IN THE WOODS! Oct 20-21 @ Camp Indian Trails Fall Festival with fund, food, and camping! CUB FAMILY CAMPOUT! Oct 13-14 @ Camp PYESA 10 Fun activities including Archery, BB-gun, Sling Shots & Crafts. Space is limited. Promote the fall camping opportunities. All new Cub Scouts should have a campout experience this fall!

Cub Activity Time! All new and current Cub Scouts are taken to another location to work on the Bobcat Badge or do an activity. You’ll need 2 adults to run this. Tell the parents what will happen with their kids, Introduce the Adult Leaders and explain what the youth will be working on. This will give parents the opportunity to focus their attention on the details.

PROGRAM – Agenda Cub Activity - Bobcat Badge / Other All new and current Cubs Scouts are taken to another location to work on Bobcat Badge or do an activity You’ll need at least 2 adults to run this Parents can now focus their attention on the details Continue Presentation

Pack 123 - Organization The Pack is all of the youth (grades K-5) and their adult leaders The Pack meets once a month for a fun meeting (Pack meeting) The Pack is divided into “Dens” by grade & gender, these Dens meet 2-3 times a month Explain how the pack is organized, when they meet and how the Dens work.

Dens Lions (Kindergarten) Tiger (1st grade) Wolf (2nd grade) Bear (3rd grade) Webelos (4th grade) Arrow of Lights (5th grade) All Scout Activities are age-appropriate All Dens are singe-gender

Volunteers Parents make Scouting go! Cub Scouts is designed to help parents spend time with their child Parents participate with their child Parents are the major source of pack leadership (plan events, run den meetings) Explain how Cub Scouts is designed to give parents and opportunity to spend time with their kids. Parents make up the volunteers who make the pack go.

Training for Volunteers Training is offered to ensure a quality program and to keep our youth safe Every Scout deserves a trained leader Tell them how training is provided to help all volunteers be successful!

Upcoming Trainings: See parent information guide: Sept 14, 6:00pm @ Christ Lutheran Church 700 County Hwy B, Stoughton WI Sept 22, 8:00am @ West Middleton Church 3763 Pioneer Rd, Verona WI Oct 27, 10:00am @ St. John’s Lutheran Church 100 Oak Street, Prairie Du Sac WI Oct 27, 8:00 @ First Congregational Church 741 E High Milton, Milton WI Explain the Upcoming Training Opportunities.

Pack 123 - Information We are chartered by: We are part of the District of the Glacier’s Edge Council Our Council provides tools, training, guidance, runs major activities and operates 2 camps Camp Indian Trails in Janesville Ed Bryant Scout Reservation in Mauston Update Chartered Organization and District Explain who the pack is chartered by, the district you belong to and a little about our Council.

Pack - Information Our Pack meetings are held on: Our next Pack meeting is: Location: Time: VERY IMPORTANT! – Update with your pack’s information. Explain when your next Pack meeting is and make sure everyone leaves with the information.

Pack - Information Cub Master contact info: Committee Chair contact info: IMPORTANT: Update with your pack information.

How the Pack funds itself Pack dues (if any) Annual fundraisers Popcorn Sales Flower Sales Camp Card Sales Etc. Tell the parents how much Scouting in your Pack will costs and what fundraisers you do to offset the costs.

Make checks payable to “Glacier’s Edge Council” Registration Fees Registration is $44. Covers your registration through Dec 2019. This is $2.75 a month Boys’ Life Magazine is $16 (optional) Pack Dues are $ (if any, or delete) Make checks payable to “Glacier’s Edge Council” There will be additional costs for campouts, uniforms and handbooks etc. Review the registration fee’s, Boy’s Life Magazine Fee, Pack Due’s if any.

We refer to these donations as Friends of Scouting The $44 paid to join Cub Scouts is not the full cost to participate in Scouting. Each family will be asked to make a charitable contribution to support Scouting at some point during the year. We refer to these donations as Friends of Scouting. It is important that families understand that the full cost to join Scouting is significantly higher than $44. To allow all youth the opportunity to be a scout, we give parents and philanthropic individuals the opportunity to support Scouting thus keeping youth joining costs low. Simply read the slide.

Ensure all Dens have full leadership! Den Breakouts Take 10 Minutes to Ensure all Dens have full leadership! Utilize the Magic Circle Technique to recruit and fill vacancies, such as den leaders, committee members etc.

The Magic Circle Be sure that the group is divided into Dens via Table Tents: Lion, Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, Arrow of Light Appoint someone in the Den to take notes / be the scribe: Ask him/her to write down the vacant positions needing filled List a position for all the adults at the table (nobody gets left out) Positions can be: Den Leader, Assistant Den Leader, Pack Committee Member, etc. Inform the group that they must decide who will do each job. Leave the room / Walk to the next table: Just say “We’ll let you talk amongst yourselves and will be back in a second.” You and the other people helping must leave the room or area at this time. Stay away at least five minutes Upon returning Provide adult applications for the new leaders If they haven’t made a decision or have questions. Answer their questions as simply as possible and then move on to the next table. Keep encouraging the parents to make a decision until you have a complete team. Don’t stand around the Den!

Benefits of the Magic Circle It works like MAGIC! All leadership positions will be filled. It forces parents to speak to each other They become comfortable with each other They share contact information They begin to make friendships This is VERY important because: At their next Den Meeting, they will be the only people there!

Scout Presentation! Have youth show their parents what they’ve learned - recite Cub Scouts Promise and Sign

Let’s sign up! Complete an application for your child Complete an adult application for you Turn in your paperwork and fees Get your Pinewood Derby Car! Review the details again asking for applications and paperwork.

Questions?

PROGRAM – Agenda Answer Questions, close meeting and collect paperwork Make sure everyone leaves with contact information & next meeting date Check all applications for parent signature, birth date and grade Verify parents contact information Collect all applications and money Ensure All Cub Scouts (who paid) receive their Pinewood Derby Car!

STEP 4: Tally Results and Celebrate Applications: Compare applications against New Den Membership Rosters & attendance cards Mark Den Membership Rosters correctly Who paid and how much. This is important for the Unit Re-charter Remove extra copies from application Sort applications by grade Only turn in the “Council” Copy of the application Arrange payment with your District facilitator District facilitator will turn in applications and money With District Facilitator fill out front page of SNFS Folder: Record by School and By Den, # that attended # that joined # that paid for Boys Life # of Adults that plan on Joining

FOLLOW UP Reminders: Schedule second recruitment event if needed Follow up with families that left and didn’t pay, didn’t sign-up or have application problems Send thank you cards to principals and key volunteers Tell them how many youth joined Scouts! Reminders: Start and end on time. Event should be no more than 60 minutes. Involve everyone! Keep things simple, lively and moving! Make sure every one leaves with contact information for Pack leadership

Questions?