Welcome!Welcome! Make yourself comfortable. We will start soon. Make yourself comfortable. We will start soon.

Commissioner Quiz l l The unit commissioner: (true / false) l l 1. Reports to the District Executive. l l 2. Must be an expert in training adults and youth. l l 3. Is only concerned with reregistering a unit on time. l l 4. Should be familiar with the official literature used by units for program. l l 5. Visits the unit committee only, on a regular basis. l l 6. Must know the unit program planning process. l l 7. "Sells" the unit leader on district and council functions, as a primary responsibility. l l 8. Periodically communicates with the chartered organization representative to offer help.

GRADUATE U U S S A A I I R R F F O O R R C C E E W W E E A A P P O O N N S S S S C C H H O O O O L L Instructors: Melba Sylvester, George Crowl, David Dwyer, Mike Harless CommissionerBasicTraining

Introductions l Name l Commissioner job l Scouting experience

Overview l Aims and methods l Commissioner service role l Unit operation l District operation l Annual commissioner service plan l Lifesaving commissioner l Youth protection

Aims and Methods l What are the aims of Scouting?

Aims of Scouting l Character development l Citizenship training l Personal fitness

Methods of Scouting l What are some methods of Scouting? l Cub Scouts l Boy Scouts / Varsity l Venturing

Council Mission l Promotes Scouting in a geographic area l Voluntary association of citizens l Representatives of chartered organizations l Provides Scouting services l Field service l Office support l Camps

District Mission l Organize and support successful units Membership Membership Finance Finance Program Program Unit service Unit service

Commissioner Service Role

The Commissioner Concept l l The commissioner is the liaison between the local council and Scouting units. l l The commissioner's mission is to l l Keep units operating at maximum efficiency, l l Maintain regular contact with unit leaders, l l Counsel leaders on where to find assistance, l l Note weaknesses in programs, l l And suggest remedies. l l The commissioner is successful when units effectively deliver the ideals of Scouting to their members.

Job Description Card

l l Friend

Job Description Card l l Friend l l + Representative

Job Description Card l l Friend l l Representative l l + Unit "GP doctor"

Job Description Card l l Friend l l Representative l l Unit "GP doctor" l l + Teacher

Job Description Card l l Friend l l Representative l l Unit "GP doctor" l l Teacher l l + Counselor

Supporting the Unit l l Topic: Indicators of unit health l l Method: Buzz groups

Indicators of Unit Health: Troop l l Meeting operation l l Youth leadership l l Advancement l l Adult assistance l l Attendance l l Outdoor program l l Patrol activity l l Budget plan l l Membership l l Planned program

Indicators of Unit Health: Pack l l Leadership l l Webelos den l l Advancement l l Attendance l l Adult attendance l l Den activity l l Program operations l l Den chiefs or den aides l l Membership l l Planned program

Evaluation Tool l Commissioner Worksheets - pack, troop, crew l Do unit leaders like evaluation? l What are your resources?

Break!

Unit Program Planning

Cub Scout Program Planning l Unit commissioners should understand process and tools l Program Helps and Pack Planning Chart l Council calendar l Chartered organization needs l Annual program planning conference l Monthly pack leaders meeting l DLC - DL meeting l Den Chief - adult meeting

Boy Scout Program Planning l Tools l Troop Program Features — 4 volumes l Program Planning Chart l Boy Scout Leader Program Notebook l Planning steps l Homework (get ready) l Find out what Scouts want (patrol leaders) l PLC annual planning, SPL presiding l Secure troop committee support l Pass the word. Publicize.

Unit Visitation Reports Using the Commissioner Work Sheet

Worksheet

Sample

Unit Committee Functions

l l Packs l l Troops l l Teams l l Crews

Pack Committee l l Advancement l l Finance l l Outings l l Training l l Recordkeeping & correspondence l l Membership & reregistration l Public relations l Friends of Scouting

Troop Committee l l Advancement l l Finance l l Equipment l l Outdoor program l l Transportation l l Leadership l l Membership & reregistration l Friends of Scouting

Quality Unit Operation

Danger Signals l Style of leadership l Leader wants to keep authority l Lacks faith in boys / leaders l Leader trains only by mass instruction l Leader does not grasp possibilities of patrol method l Unit is not meeting l Unit is without adult leaders l Unit has no committee l No new members being added l Low attendance at meetings l Weak or poorly organized program l No advancement l No participation in day camp or summer camp l No unit budget

National Quality Unit Award l Four mandatory items l Trained leader l Trained assistant leader l Outdoor program l Recharter on time l Minimum two of six optional items l 100% Boy’s Life (or improvement) l Advancement l Service project l Etc., appropriate to the type of unit

Summary l Aims and methods l Commissioner service role l Supporting the unit l Unit program planning l Unit visitation reports l Unit committee functions l Quality Unit operations

Lunch!

Commissioner Quiz - 2 l l 9. Regularly attends roundtables to check up on unit leaders. l l 10. Guides the unit through the annual service plan. l l 11. May earn the Commissioner's Key and/or the Cub Scouter Award. l l 12. Attends monthly meetings of the district committee. l l 13. Is not involved in the presentation of the unit charter. l l 14. Must be familiar with the monthly program themes. l l 15. Encourages assigned packs, troops, teams, and crews to earn the Quality Unit Award.

Counseling "Listen to someone in such a way that they will solve their own problems."

Discussion What are the fundamentals of good counseling?

Fundamentals Of Good Counseling l l 1. Time and place with no interruptions l l 2. Understand what the leader is saying l l 3. Let the leader know you hear and understand l l 4. Do not give advice! l l Guide the discussion through questions l l Leader solves his/her own problem l l If they don't solve their own problem: l l Give information l l Propose possible alternatives l l Let leader pick best solution l l 5. Summarize from time to time to keep on track l l 6. Support thinking with information l l Know the difference between information and advice l l 7. Resources: l l Commissioner Fieldbook, Counseling l l Train the Trainer, Counseling l l Wood Badge, Counseling

District Committee District Committee

District Committee l l Four function organization Membership Finance Program Unit service

Membership Functions l l 1. Fall Roundup l l 2. Spring Roundup l l 3. Special membership rallies l l 4. Advice and help to units with membership problems

Finance Functions l l 1. Sustaining Membership Enrollment / Friends of Scouting l l 2. Trust Funds l l (James E. West Award) l l 3. Advice to units

Program Functions l l 1. Camping l l 2. Activities l l 3. Advancement l l 4. Training l l 5. Health & Safety

Camping l l Order of the Arrow l l Summer Camp promotion l l Cub Day Camp l l Camporees l l Philmont

Activities l l Scout Expo l l Scouting for Food l l Scouting Anniversary Week l l District Recognition Dinner

Advancement l l Eagle Boards of Review l l Merit Badge Counselors l l Venturing advancement l l Advice / training for units l l Heroism awards l l Adult recognition

Training l l Cub Scout - Fast Start, Basic, Supplemental l l Pow Wow support l l Boy Scout - Fast Start, SM Fundamentals l l Wood Badge promotion l l Varsity - Fast Start, Varsity Fundamentals l l Venture - Fast Start, Venture Basic l l Junior Leader Training l l Den Chief, etc., etc. l l Venturing Leadership Skills Course

Health & Safety l Monitor district events

Membership Management

l l Topics: l l Unit with mostly older boys l l Inventories of active boys l l Year-round recruiting l l Webelos-Scout transition l l Buzz groups for 10 minutes l l 1 minute reports

Charter Renewal "If commissioners are providing regular visitation and doing their job as in the Annual Service Plan, then rechartering becomes a minor paperwork exercise." George Crowl, 1982

Objective: l l Reregister unit l l On time l l Maximum membership l l Good leadership

The Plan l l -90 l l -60 l l -45 l l -15 l l +60

The Plan l l 90 days before: l l District Executive visit Institution Head l l Printout available (to right person!) l l 60 days before: l l Membership inventory l l Recruit to make up loss l l 100% Boy's Life? l l 45 days before: l l Charter renewal meeting l l Boys l l Adults l l Fees l l Approvals l l Plans for the next year (Quality Unit) l l 15 days before: l l Charter turn-in night l l 60 days after: l l Charter presentation

Ninety Days Before: l l District Executive visits Institution Head l l Friendly visit or l l "How can I help"

Sixty Days Before: l l Membership inventory l l Set review meeting l l Uniform inspection?

Forty-Five Days Before: l l Charter review meeting l l Youth l l Adults l l Fees l l Approvals l l Quality Unit status l l Plans

Fifteen Days Before: l l Charter turn-in night

Sixty Days After: l l Charter presentation l l Chartered partner and l l The unit l Sample presentation in Commissioner Fieldbook

Some Techniques l l Talk about 100% Boy's Life early and often l l Committee member do membership followup l l Discuss Quality Unit with the whole committee (several times a year) l l Commissioner (the expert) fills out clean copy of charter renewal form l l Charter renewal checklist (available)

Break!

Annual Commissioner Service Plan Gives specific purpose to regular and supportive contact with units.

Annual Plan l l April - Unit leadership inventory l l May - Membership inventory - Troop uniform inspection l l June - Check on Quality Unit progress l l August - Unit program planning l l October - Troop/pack uniform inspection l l November - Youth Protection Training l l December - Membership inventory - Recharter - Quality Unit Measurement l l February - Charter presentation

Annual Plan coupled with regular visitation provides good commissioner service.

Lifesaving Commissioner !!!

Vital Signs l What are they?

Vital Signs l l Youth dropping out l l No youth recruiting or poor recruiting methods l l No planned program l l No youth leaders l l No discipline l l No parents involved l l Adult conflicts / poor communications l l Only one active adult l l No adult leader l l Unit stops meeting l l Charter lapses / drops

TAKE ACTION l l Do it now!! l l Consult ADC / DC / DE l l What is the problem? l l What are possible solutions? l l What do we do first? l l Who do we involve? l l Be enthusiastic l l Apply "first aid" l l Promote teamwork

Hurry Cases l l Lapsed / dropped charter l l Not meeting l l No leader l l No committee l l No new members l l Conflict with chartered organization l l New untrained leader l l Weak leadership

Lifesaving Team l l Ad hoc, or organized l l Bring appropriate skills to bear on the problem l l Adapt to the individual problems

Unit Visits

Second / Third Unit Visits l Second visit — unit meeting l Go by yourself l Stay only 15 minutes (drop-in) l Take your resource kit l Make worksheet (or changes) l Third visit — committee meeting l Visit with the chartered organization rep l Be prepared with ways to help l Give everyone your phone and address l Wear your complete uniform as an example

Summary l Counseling l District committee l Membership management l Charter renewal l Annual commissioner service plan l Lifesaving commissioner l Unit visitation

Early Graduation (If you have a current Youth Protection card)

Youth Protection Training

Questions? l Instructor’s name: George Crowl l Instructor’s address: 1855 Twin Oaks, LVS l Instructor’s phone: l Instructor’s

Graduation