How to start more faith based units

Developing Sustainable Faith Based Partners

How to start more faith based units Developing Sustainable Faith Based Partners

Have you ever considered treating your chartering organization like a major donor?

Who Mount Diablo Silverado Council, BSA Greater Yosemite Council, BSA

What Develop Sustainable Faith Based Partners

Where In faith communities within council boundaries

When Starting October 27, 2015

Why You need additional membership You need additional infrastructure, i.e. places to meet, volunteers

Why BSA research points to CONGREGATIONS as the best place to start new sustainable units.

BSA Research Unit Retention better by 10% Rank Advancement 10 to 30% better 71% of units Chartered to Faith based organizations 70% of Chartered Partners only have 1 Unit or one Member of the Scouting family

Whose needs are these? Membership growth Membership Retention Trained Volunteers Places to meet

Whose needs are these? Membership growth Membership Retention Trained Volunteers

We Need Each Other How do we do this? How can we help each other? What is the plan?

How to Have Congregations and Clergy Begging You to Start the full Family of Scouting

PROOF! Orange County Council “One-Day Blitz” Called on 77 congregations 22 committed to start a unit 55 asked for a return visit 18 of 22 are now active units

Start treating your chartered organizations as you would a MAJOR donor!

Stop Selling Packs, Troops, and Crews

Start Selling SOLUTIONS to Congregations and Their Needs

Religious Organizations Benefit Common Goals Enrich current program Scouting has high brand recognition Proven youth program: citizenship training, character development, fitness Membership opportunities

Offer Solutions Congregations need Young families Adult males

Religious Organizations Benefit Training Leaders Religious organizations select the leadership that reflects their values Provides leadership training skills New leaders (adults may volunteer to be leaders because they see it as service to their religious organization)

Offer Solutions The minimum size of a pack is 10 boys 5 leaders 50 to 60% of youth in a pack troop or crew do not currently have a faith home These parents are pre-qualified as looking for values for their children 5-6 pre-qualified families already in your building without a faith home

Offer Solutions Introduce the congregation to RELIGIOUS EMBLEMS Religious emblems are developed by the national religious organizations, not BSA 98%

How? Utilize the “Religious Emblems Coordinator” or R.E.C. position and resources Religious Emblems Coordinator Positions exist at the COUNCIL, DISTRICT, and UNIT levels

The Unit R.E.C. makes a presentation on religious emblems using the R.E.C. & Duty to God resources. The congregation offers their religious emblems class.

The chartering congregation offers their religious emblems program for their youth members and extends an invitation to the Scouting unit, especially the 50% without a current congregational home. Invite the parents to the first class and start building relationships.

Cornerstone United Methodist Invited Scouts from the community to earn God and Me and God and Family Two families formally joined their church, and there are other families who are attending and might yet join. The classes were not presented as a Scouting activity, but as a program of the church. Scouting families connected with church families.

Promoting Religious Emblems to the Religious Communities “Foot in the door” versus “foot in your mouth” Become familiar with the religious emblems program before visiting a congregation Each religion creates its own program Eligibility requirements will differ from religion to religion

Do Your Homework! Religious Emblems Analysis Sheet Become familiar with that specific program Gather information, but then learn how to apply it

Sample

What’s in it for Councils?

What’s in it for Councils: MEMBERSHIP Youth membership Places to meet Bigger Vetted Pool Of volunteers Adult leaders Improve retention of leaders Religiously based individuals are more likely to volunteer Target underserved populations

Sponsor vs. Chartered Organization The Chartered Organization Concept offers a HUGE strategic tool when approaching religious organizations / congregations.

QUESTION: What is the role of Scouting as it relates to the Chartered Organization? Review the concept of the Chartered Organization

QUESTION: What is the role of Scouting as it relates to the Chartered Organization? ANSWER: The council’s responsibility is to further the aims and goals of the Chartered Organization Review the concept of the Chartered Organization

In order to achieve your own goals (of self- sustaining units, adding the next member of the Scouting family, COR’s doing peer-to-peer recruiting), you must sell Scouting’s ability to solve the needs of the Chartered Organization Review the concept of the Chartered Organization

The Chartered Organization “owns” the unit. It’s like a franchise. Chartered Organization selects leadership based on their values.

New Recruiting Model First recruit the congregation (i.e. place to meet, adult leaders) Then recruit the boys

New Recruiting Model Bigger pool (in the congregation) to recruit adult leaders Tenure – the organization will last longer than an individual The tenure of the Troop will be longer and the boys will stay longer

Ingredients for Success Both sides must clearly understand the chartered organization agreement before it is signed. BSA should use as many congregational volunteers as is feasible. The congregation must “invest” their best kid person to be the leader

Ingredients for Success All volunteers must be trained by the local council Religious emblems must be promoted by the unit REC’s Congregations must offer a religious emblems class

Religious Emblems as a Membership Tool Created by religious organizations Help connect Boy Scouts and faith based organizations Explain how they can be used as an outreach tool Opportunity for intergenerational experiences continued

Religious Emblems as a Membership Tool Help target diverse memberships Provide first exposure of religious organization membership to Boy Scouts Increase adult tenure Utilize Adult Religious Recognitions

Religious Emblems as a Membership Tool Religious Emblems will only work if you DO YOUR HOMEWORK 98%

Religious Emblems Analysis Sheet

P.R.A.Y. Awards Series Puzzle Patches DTG Promotion Patch Earn one segment a year Bible Basics RP3

BIBLE BASICS RP3 RP3 = Read to Picture, Ponder & Put it into Action  Bible emphasis – Learn your Bible stories!  Combine study with service – Put your faith into action!

Patches are based on OBJECTS found in the Bible  The Good Book Story #1: A Lost Book Story #2: Get to Know the Bible Story #3: Training for Righteousness  Birds of the Air Story #1: God Sends Ravens to Care for Elijah Story #2: God Lifts Us Up on Eagle’s Wings Story #3: God Cares for Sparrows  Out of the Water Story #1: Baby Moses in the River Story #2: Naaman Washing in the River Story #3: Jesus Baptized in the River

Patch Series:  Curriculum – Shorter, single focus curriculum  Paperwork - no paperwork required  Grade requirements – for all ages (including adults!)  Retreat setting – perfect for a weekend format or campout  Is there more? New patches will be added every year

Adult Awards

Adult Recognitions Honor your Scout leaders by nominating them for an Adult Award. These recognitions can revitalize volunteers in their service to youth. Congregations are encouraged to use these adult recognitions to support their adult volunteers.

The Nomination Process Adult awards are by nomination only (they are not work-study programs that are “earned” like the youth awards). A minimum number of years of service is required. Awards require the completed nomination form, resume of candidate’s activities, and letters of recommendation from the Scouting agency and religious institution.

Don’t just do an online search or profile Find and recruit “cultural informants” To open doors Speak the language Find the connections you may already have: Consider your Council Staff, Council Board, Religious Relationships Committee, your Key 3, Chartered Organizations Preparing for the call

Find the congregations that are already chartering the Scouting program Remember: there’s a difference between a congregation that has Boy Scouts meeting in their basement, and a congregation that nurtures a Boy Scout ministry You as a BS council need to know (and be able to articulate) the difference. Peer-to-peer clergy recruitment Preparing for the call

Do Your Homework! Congregation Questionnaire Avoid cold calls! Names of clergy, staff Size Youth programs Scouting families Door opener Decision maker

First Call LISTEN! LISTEN! LISTEN! Listen for the needs of the congregation.

Preparing for the call What do you call the place of worship? Clergy? How is it structured? Top down or bottom up? Is it liberal or conservative?

Questionnaire: Faith Group Quick Facts Structure Governance Proper terms Characteristics Scouting

This takes time! Target the senior clergy for the meeting But don’t settle for just a meeting place Help the faith community to see the benefits in using Scouting Then your council will benefit from more delivery places and more volunteers Preparing for the call

Resources FBI Resources FBI_resources.htm FBI_resources.htm Duty to God Religious Emblems Chart Duty to God DVD R.E.C. webpage

Resources: Assoc. of Religion Data Archives Denomination Report (by county) County membership report And much more!

Alphabetical listing by religion

Sort by Congregation

Sort by Adherents

Strategies for Growth: Strategy #1: Shore up drop rate Strategy #2: Sell more products to existing customers Strategy #3: Target similar customers Strategy #4: Target under served populations

Strategy #1: Shore up drop rate Eliminate the drop rate How can religious emblems shore up the drop rate?

Why do Boys drop out? Who ultimately decides? The children The parents Unless they see that Boy Scouting is providing values

Why are Units dropped? Leaders resign – Religious Awards can help retain leaders.

Why are Units dropped? Religious Organizations get upset – Make an appointment every year to sign an agreement. During this visit, bring along sample copies of religious emblems booklets and walk the leadership through the material or suggest that they do this with their clergy.

Why are Units dropped? 1. Remind congregations of members gained 2. 6 potential families in basement 3. Which side do you want your windows broken from?

Strategy #2: Sell more products to existing customers (build more capacity by increasing Units in existing charter organizations

Is your membership problem one of getting the Boys or finding leadership and meeting places? Who is the easiest person to sell to?

70% of charter organizations only have 1 Unit At your next visit talk about adding a Unit and discuss religious emblems programs for that level. 6 pre-qualified families in basement

Strategy #3: Target similar customers

Sell to similar or like-minded customers i.e. religious organizations Most respected organizations in any community are the faith groups Identify and recruit your CI Ask current charter organizations for contacts Use religious emblems as a tool

Strategy #4 : Target under served populations

Select a target population or under served area Develop a list of religious organizations in the area Ask your fellow staff and volunteers if anyone is of that faith Ask current chartered organizations for contacts Use religious emblems as a tool

Sample Four Year Plan

Four Year Plan Year 1 Target Current Charter Organizations – Re-visit – Add a Unit While talking with current customers ask if they know other clergy who would benefit from having a Unit. Ask them to open that door. Identify underserved populations and start looking for cultural informants

Four Year Plan Year 2 Target last year’s no’s among the 71% Target new Religious Organizations by asking current charter organizations, staff, and volunteers Work with the cultural informants and start gaining visibility in their religious communities in your underserved populations.

Four Year Plan Year 3 Revisit first charter organization and add that 3rd Unit Ask for help in underserved populations from staff and volunteers Work hard to establish Units in underserved populations in Religious Organizations

Four Year Plan Year 4 Visit year 2 new starts and look to add a troop Continue working in underserved populations

Thank you! Questions?

Wrap up: Why Collaborate? Win-win-win situation Collaboration results in: Stronger youth and families Stronger congregations Stronger councils

Resources Shared by Orange County Council Blitz Day Summary Report Developing Sustainable Partnerships Seminar Flyer Structured Sales Call WorksheetsStructured Sales Call Worksheets (Excel File) Meeting with Faith Based Institutional Heads Presentation Outline New Membership Standards Discussion Guide NUTS Campaign Guide (New Unit Team Specialist Guide) Shark Tank Presentation Techniques Duty to God brochure PRAY Awards brochure Growing Your Faith Through Scouting brochure Sample Scouting Interest Survey COR Newsletter