Unit Recruiting: Plans for Success

Why do Families Join Cub Scouts? Why do Kids Join? Fun Stuff to Do Other Kids Group Activities Outdoors Uniform / Badges Knives Campfires Why do Adults Join? Fun Family Activities Other Families Do It Kid Activities “Get them outside!” Advancement “I was a Scout” Values

When can they Join? … and Why? End of Year Pack Picnic / Graduation Cub Day Camp Cub Summer Camp Open House Night School Sign-Up Night Pack Party Pack or Den Activity New kids say “me too!” A fun week to join! Another fun activity Be there strong! Make it work for you Fun for Families Be Sure it’s Fun!

How to Reach Kids and Parents? Kid to Kid Pictures and Video Doing fun stuff Stickers “Join us” cards Wear the Uniform Show your Badges How to reach Parents? Family to Family Pictures and Video Show them Activities FB, Email, Txt, Phone Flyers, Posters, Signs Kids In Uniform Advancement Values

So Many … … many reasons why Kids and Families Join … many times for them to Join … many ways to contact Kids and Families So … Be Prepared … what is your Plan?

Which Pack Would You Join? The “Later” Pack? Says we plan “Later” Calendar of Activities will be set … “Later” “Come join us … later we’ll have a meeting for our activity plan” The “Let’s GO” Pack? Says “Let’s Do This!” Calendar of Fun Activities is Set Now “Come join us … and let’s go have fun with our activity plan!”

Six Recruiting Steps Make a Calendar of Fun Activities Let People Know -- Promote Your Fun Events! Recruit More Leaders and Helpers School and Community Presence Sign Up Events: School Night + Fun Day More Fun Activities

Step One: Fun Activities “If you build it, they will come” “If you build it (a calendar of fun activities), they (kids and families) will come (join your Pack)”

Fun Activity Calendar Just One Person can make a Fun Activity List That Fun Activity List will attract families! Tricks to “Keep it Simple, Make it Fun” Put fun District and Council Events on the Calendar (Less Planning for You … Easier for New Leaders) And go to community events (parades, fireworks … )

Step Two: Let People Know -- Promote Your Fun Events! Flyer with your Pack Fun Activity List Photos of your Cubs Posters / Yard Signs School Delivery – inside, Car Pool, PTA School, Neighborhood, Church Newsletter, Websites, Facebook Tri Fold Brochures / Yard Signs / Posters / Peer to Peer Cards Pack Info Packets Parent to Parent Calls Emails and texts: blast and personal End of Year Party (invite all friends)

New Flier Designs

More Council Resources For You Yard Signs Standees Stickers Tri-Fold Brochures School Admin Recognition Peer to Peer Cards

Step Three: Leaders and Helpers First, ask last year’s good leaders to return Get their input on the coming year … Ask others to “help” or “assist” and “lead” Share your activity list: those show interest … … they might be your next leaders and helpers Find small jobs for all to help, assist and lead We’re Recruiting Families … … find a way for Parents to help!

Parents Helping as New Member Coordinators Families can help recruit more families: Open House Team (one on one “join us”) Sign Up Night Team (help tell the story / more “peer to peer”) Photo – Gatherers Pre-K and Kindergarten Liaisons Fun Plan Promoters (Posters / Yard Signs / Flyers / Peer Cards) Social Media Mavens PTA + Principal Pal Application Angels Welcome Team Pack Supplies Staff Collections

Step Four: School and Community Presence Be sure you know key School Contacts Principal PTA Staff Promote an End of Year Pack Party? Simple Picnic with Fun? Invite Pre-K and Kindergarten Families Line up School Plans and Dates with DE Website Presence? Open House / Meet + Greet / Registration Day School Sign Up Night School/Unit Win/Win How can School help Scouts? How can Scouts help School? “Adopt Your School!”

Open House / Meet and Greet / Registration Day Be there and be seen OK to get Applications! Table, Posters, Flyers, Pictures, Video? Parents – not just “Leaders” Scouts … in uniform Hands on Activities? Kid to Kid Recruiting Parent to Parent Every Family and Kid is different … tailor your “sales pitch” to what they like to do … Get Contact info Share Pack Activity Calendar

Step Five: Sign-Up Events! School Sign-Up Night District Executive will set date with School In School “buzz ups” a day before, with flyers Get contact information for attendees (follow ups) Get Applications and Fees for those joining now Family Fun Activity(ies) Could be: Back to School Picnic? Fishing Derby? Pool Party? Bike Rodeo? Ice Cream Social? Follow up with all (including those who didn’t sign up) Parent “side chats” on Pack operations, leader needs

Sign-Up Night Plan: Share Script and Recruit a Team: Presentation or Stations (or combination) Assign Speakers (remember: be brief) Recruit and Assign New Member Coordinators Bring and Share or Show: Contact List: New Member Coordinators get contacts Calendar of Fun Activities, Leader List Handbooks, Uniform Parts, Photos, PowerPoint? District Executive will bring Orientation Guides, Applications, Bobcat Plans

Sign-Up Event Script Welcome and Overview of Signup Night Pack Activity Calendar Highlights Dens, Handbooks & Advancement Den Leadership Uniforms (including how your Pack does it) Costs: BSA Registration, Pack Dues & Help “Close the Sale”: Collect Applications + Fees Script can be used for “group” or “station to station” signups

Sign-Up Night Notes Buzz Ups at School: Promote and Publicize: Quick + Exciting: Pitch Highlights + Sign Up Night Promote and Publicize: Pack People can echo Council Flyers, Signs Be Welcoming, Be Positive, Be Organized Come Early + Stay On Time (@45 Minutes) Save Questions For The End Collect “Contact List” of all attendees, and Applications and Registration Fees Have Fun!

Parent Orientation Guide

Fun Event Notes Goal One: Family Fun Goal Two: Adult Education Your Fun Event – Maybe Parent-Led Bobcat Plan? Goal Two: Adult Education More Details about How your Pack and Dens work Things you couldn’t cover at Sign Up Night Adult Education Might Include: “The Talk”: parents must be leaders We have scripts for doing “The Talk” for all Pack Parents, or in Den Groups (Den Groups is better) Our Bobcat Plans are designed for parents to lead

Recruiting Wrap-Up Get Applications as soon as they say “yes” Have a helper collect and double check District Executives collect Registration Fee to 12/31 Be Sure Parents Know About Other Dues! For all other Pack-provided items (handbooks, etc.) Call and Email to bring the “maybes” in After School Night … promote your Fun Event After the Fun Event, invite the “maybes” to the next Pack fun activities … like District Cub Events, Fall Camping, and more fun Pack Activities

Step Six: More Fun Events! Some key ideas … KISMIF – Keep It Simple, Make It Fun Do Pack “meetings”? (you don’t have to) Maybe just Pack Activities: go fun places, do fun things! Ask Dads and Moms: what do you like to do? Dads like to tailgate, golf, fish, bowl, ski? Maybe do Iron Chef Events, Putt Putt to Driving Range to Golf, Fishing, Bowling, Ski Weekend? Keep an Eye out for More Fun Events

Questions for the Group?

Break Out Tables … Mix and Mingle Making a Calendar of Fun Activities Ways to Get the Word Out – Flyers to Facebook, Telephone to Twitter How to ask Parents to Help School and Community Tips Sign-Up Event Scripts and Resources More Ideas about Fun Activities