1. Cub Scout Recruiting and Retention
Presented by:
Sue Adams & Bruce Churchill

2. Objective
To communicate the methods that Pack 10 and Troop 77 have found to successfully recruit and retain boys into our Cubscout Pack

3. Recruiting Methods Special Events!!! BORING FUN!!!!
Advertisements / Sign-up Days
Boys recruiting friends at school
Special Events!!!
FUN!!!!

4. Contents Planning Theme Selection Crafts / Activities
Security / Information
Miscellaneous Thoughts
Discussion

5. Planning - Picking the Right Time
Avoid school break weeks, the week before, and the week after
Fridays are great due to lack of homework or school the following day
Right after school is great due to convenience to parents

6. Planning - When the Date is Selected
Reserve the Building or Room
Determine your theme
Plan Your Food (themed food goes over well)
Make sure the event is consistent with the season (outdoor events for nicer weather)

7. Planning - When the Date is Selected
GET HELP!!!!!!!
Someone in charge of food
Folks to help w/ prep work on the projects
Name badge makers
Helpers to “man” the tables of projects (at least 2 for each)
Get assistance from a local Boy Scout Troop! This is a great recruiting/PR opportunity for them (Den Chiefs)

8. Planning - Two Weeks Before Signup Deadline
Get the flyers and permission slips out to all the boys in the school
Flyers should not go out more than two weeks prior (they tend to get lost or forgotten)
Advertise Event
Posters in School or around town
Notice in local newspapers
Announcements in Den and Pack meetings

9. Planning - Weekend Before Signup Deadline
Organize the returned permission slips
Make a name badge for each boy registered and for any helpers you have lined up
Start preparing the crafts and activities
keep in mind that there will be lots of last minute sign-ups so your numbers aren’t firm yet.

10. Planning - Tuesday Before Event
This works well as the deadline for registration (although there will be some that want to come last minute
Collect the “last” permission slips from the office and prepare name badges
Make sure there are enough of each project for the numbers of boys you have signed up and have 5-10 extra for the late arrivals.
Check with all of your helpers on the preparations

11. Planning - Day of the Event
Get there early to set-up room
Set out nametags for all pre-registered boys and for helpers (have some blanks available)
Set up the different stations
Have snack ready to go while boys arrive and get settled
The boys should go home with something to remember the event by
TAKE PICTURES!!!!
Great for future flyers and PR also great for pack meeting promotion

12. Planning - After the Event
Clean up room
Thank the parents and aides
Thank anyone who may have donated supplies
Hand out flyers to future events
Hand out scout registration forms and pack contact information
Have a sign up sheet for those who are, or may be, interested in joining
Follow up with the boys’ parents with a phone call to see if they are interested in joining
Reflection will allow you to continuously improve your recruitment activities

13. Theme Selection Can be anything you want
Interesting to kids of all Cub Scout ages
Should offer flexibility in crafts and activities
Should allow for a physical activity
Examples:
Space Exploration Animals (wild or domesticated)
Jungle Wild West
Pirates Medieval
Sea American History
World History Olympics
Racing Sports

14. Crafts / Activities
Snack at arrival works well as a greeting activity and opportunity to get everyone organized. It also gives a great opportunity to make announcements and inform the kids of what will happen
each event should take the same amount of time (15-20 min)
Plan a bathroom break (and bathroom monitors) between each event

15. Crafts / Activities
Prepare a separate bag or container of supplies for each event
Have at least one physical event
All activities should take about the same amount of time to complete

16. Security / Information
Permission slips in alphabetical order by grades make them easier to find
Designate a “bouncer” no boy leaves until the pick-up person has been verified from the permission slip
The flyer portion kept by parents has the event information and event schedule for their reference

17. Miscellaneous Thoughts
Greeting time / snack time can be crazy
Look to the school to help you
with food supplies
Collecting permission slips
Keep the boys moving, rotate them through the events and have a physical activity
Break boys up into groups by assigning each a number

18. Summary
Exciting, activity-based events are the most successful type of recruitment
If boys have fun they’ll stay involved
A well planned and executed event will maximize the potential for a successful recruitment session