New Ideas : BSA Innovation Engine

New Section for Online Den Chief Training

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:36:30 PST

During a recent Webelos to Scout Transition Webinar the importance of the Den Chief was highly emphasized, especially the importance of the Den Chief's role as "ambassador" for Boy Scouting to the Pack and how a Den Chief can help bring boys from a pack to a troop. After the webinar, I went back and reviewed the Online Den Chief training. Only twice during the training is it even mentioned that the Den chief helps encourage boys to move on into Boy Scouting, and that is only in passing. Considering that a Den Chief can be an extremely powerful tool for a troop to attract Cub Scouts shouldn't this be emphasized more? Could a 5th section be added to the training to help teach a Den Chief how they can help promote Boy Scouting and excite boys to want to continue to become Boy Scouts? The training makes it seem like it is assumed that a potential Den Chief already knows how to be that "ambassador" for Boy Scouting. Can we afford to assume this? If we don't teach potential Den Chiefs how to be the "ambassador," how are they going to know that they should be doing it and how to do it?

Comments (0)Recruiting

FOS Training

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:27:10 PST

Vote On Idea

It seems that the greatest challenge facing councils today is funding. Why are so many councils having such a hard time?

I think that as an organization, we need to do a better job cultivating our executives from the district to the executive levels on a more holistic approach to fundraising. If the program, membership and volunteer recruiting and retention are approached with a stronger effort on strategy and quality, I have found, the money simply comes with it. More training for volunteers and professionals, early and often such as webinars, podcasts and idea sharing would all help. That training needs to come from the executives: DE's Finance Director's, SE's, volunteers,etc. who are currently (not 15 years ago) successful at raising money in the field.

The job of the DE has changed even in the ten years I have been with BSA. I'm not sure if our current training model is entirely applicable to the skills required to set a new employee into the field to build relationships that will lead to financial growth.

Comments (1)Fundraising & Sponsorships

High Adventure Outfitter Certification

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:35:36 PST

-2

Vote On Idea

In addition to working for the BSA I am also an assistant scoutmaster with my sons troop. Our Patrol Leader's Council wants to go rafting through the Grand Canyon in 2011. A couple of us dads are looking into the costs and services provided by several of the river outfitters.

As we research different outfitters it occurred to me that perhaps the BSA could offer a wilderness outfitter certification. The outfitter could have to complete some basic training on BSA health and safety issues, and be certified by a national organization (if applicable) in that wilderness activity.

The BSA could then maintain a website of approved BSA wilderness outfitters for all sorts of high adventure activities across America such as caving, white water sports, climbing, etc.

This might inspire more troops to do more high adventure activities, thus increasing membership retention; and it would help troops, teams, & crews to find outfitters who understand BSA safety rules, and who have certifications to do the activity correctly/safely.

Comments (0)Boy Scouting

google doodle

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:54:15 PST

Vote On Idea

It's probably too late and I'm sure that someone at National thought of this a long time ago, but it would be absolutely incredible if google could find a way to incorporate the Boy Scouts of America 100th Anniversary into its "google" logo on February 8, just as it does for other major dates like Olympics or Fourth of July. Never knew it but there's even a contest for grade school kids to design these so-called "google doodles."

Imagine the impact of everyone who uses google to search for anything on one day ...

Comments (0)100th Anniversary

Returning phone calls

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:42:37 PST

Vote On Idea

It is policy in our office to return any calls within a timely manner. 24 hour return call rule is a good guide. I would like to see this implemented with the national office. There has been many instances throughout the years, but most recently I have called on two seperate occasions, one for Day Camp School and the other for Trademarks. I identify myself, on their voicemails because it is never the actual person, as a council employee with location and phone number. These multiple calls have been made in last two weeks and I still have not gotten a return call. I only call national because the question I have cannot be answered locally. It makes me feel that my questions are not worth the time to answer, and that is not way to treat an employee or volunteer. I wonder how many other professionals and volunteers have this same problem?

Comments (0)Miscellaneous

Training Record Support

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:33:30 PST

Vote On Idea

I need to have an Excel spreadsheet of who is (and is not) trained at a unit level, with contact information (mailing address, phone number and email address) in order to selectively target those who need to be trained, so as to invite them to the next training course.

It can not currently be done. It was a promise from Scoutnet 2000 that was made and forgotten.

Comments (1)District and Council Operations

40 Developmental Assets

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:21:44 PST

Vote On Idea

The Search Institute's "40 Developmental Assets for Healthy Children" is widely recognized in educational, child development, and funding organizations (such as United Way and many foundations) as the gold standard for impacting youth development and achievement. The list of "assets" that must be in child's life for him or her to be successful is very similar to the methods we use in Scouting. In addition to the original research, a study on how summer camp programs provide/reinforce the "40 assets" has recently been completed.
A publication showing the relationship of each of the appropriate "40 Assets" and how Scouting (and Learning for Life) provides/delivers/supports each of these assets would be extremely helpful in telling our story to potential funders and to others not familiar with Scouting's true role in shaping the lives of youth. www.searchinstitute.com

Comments (1)Fundraising & Sponsorships

Commissioner Awards Criteria

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 08:18:58 PST

Vote On Idea

At our staff planning conference we discussed how to encourage better performance of commissioners. When reviewing the award criteria for Commissioners we noticed that they were not really supporting the requirements for Quality District and Council.

For example, the Distinguished Commissioner Award requires that a commissioner "help 50% of the units in their service area in two consecutive years" achieve quality unit. Given that a minimum of 60% is required for district and council awards 50% doesn't seem to "distinguished". I suggest rewriting these award criteria to support our goal of "improving the quality of program in every unit in America".

Comments (0)District and Council Operations, commissioner, training, awards, quality, unit

Training Reports

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 06:23:09 PST

Vote On Idea

Please correct the training reports on mybsa. The report that lists every units and the number of trained leaders is missing units. I tried to run a report that lists every Scoutmaster and if they are trained has a bug and will not let select program levels today.

If we are going to have mandatory training in 12 months, we need accurate reports ASAP. PLEASE follow through on the many other requests and get training reports more user friendly and user friendly.

Comments (1)Technology, training

ProSpeak

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:35:57 PST

Vote On Idea

Perhaps the digital ProSpeak could have a feature to print out the ProSpeak so that a person could read it in hard copy at another time. The links within ProSpeak currently do not allow this. John Richers

Comments (3)Miscellaneous