Purpose. Help Pack Leadership implement and follow the Fall Recruitment plan.

1. Cub Scout Recruitment Training A Recruiting Plan for Offering Amazing Experiences for more Youth and Families • Purpose. Help Pack Leadership implement and follow the Fall Recruitment plan. • Reasoning. Membership growth and development is more than just recruiting . • Teamwork. Packs, Districts, and Council Staff all working together. • Goal. More families engaged in Scouting.

2. Moving from Good To Great Together we share the responsibility to Get EVERY YOUTH excited Give EVERY PARENT consistent messages Support and conduct EVERY RECRUITMENT Offer the Joining Event as a way for EVERY YOUTH AND PARENT to get involved right away!

3. Moving from Good To Great Your Pack will succeed by following a plan that… Creates Awareness Demonstrates Preparedness Build’s Interest Gains Commitment

4. Creating Awareness: The Importance Gives parents a chance to know what the Scouting is It will establish how the process to join and connect with Scouting Multiple “touches” to create a positive Scouting culture

5. Creating Awareness Yard Signs: Join Cub Scouts Distributed and placed in yards to create awareness August through November Will be available at the August Round Table to use for the fall. Yard Signs: Join Cub Scouts

6. Marketing / Promotions • Email, Phone calls, other personal invites • Post Cards • Yard Signs • Posters • Flyers • Reminder Flyers

7. Creating Awareness: The Unit or Leader Role School Principal Meeting BSA Adopt-A-School Program Publicize your unit activities in local newspapers, newsletters, community boards, neighborhood newsletters… Operate an active (and publicly searchable) unit website Ensure your Unit maintains an up-to-date Pin on BeAScout.org Work with your District Professional to understand the free or inexpensive print resources available from the Council.

8. Creating Awareness: The Cub Scout’s Role Wear your Pack T-Shirt (or uniform) to school! The sports teams do it! Why can’t you? Invite your friends to join the Scouting program

9. Creating Awareness: Community Mapping Tool to help build the Recruitment Plan Includes options other than just your school to recruit from EX: churches, community centers and organizations, private schools (that currently do not have a Cub Scout Pack)…

10. Creating Awareness: Press Releases Use your PR Chair to submit press releases about pack activities to the local media Feature photos of Scouts having fun, learning, or doing community service. When people know about the fun and good work that Scouting brings, they will want to join.

11. Targeted Direct Mailing

12. Creating Awareness: Miscellaneous Active web presence (website, social media etc..) If you have school access issues and there is a publication that is sent home with kids let us know! School open houses, marquees, lobby kiosks Flyers at: local stores, barber shops, coffee shops, costume shops, grocery stores clothing stores etc… Corporate newsletters, bulletin boards, emails, websites, social media (EX: Facebook, Twitter)

13. Creating Awareness: Newspaper Inserts If your local paper will let us insert membership flyers for free, please let your District Membership Chairperson or District Professional know. We will print and provide membership flyers to be inserted in the newspaper. Also consider neighborhood newsletters, church newsletters, school newsletters etc…

14. Creating Awareness: BeAScout.org Online experiences are highly influential in shaping perceptions of organizations. It is essential to provide quick and up-to-date information about your Cub Scout pack including benefits, activities, meeting time/place, cost, leaders, and how to join. Manage BeAScout.org leads just as you would an email or phone call.—Follow up is important!

15. Building Interest The second component for the campaign is focused on elements that engage families to join Building interest takes boys and parents from a general awareness of Scouting to a point where they have enough information to make a decision to join.

16. Building Interest: Pack Information Flyer We will provide copies of the pack information flyer You will provide the data needed for the flyer; Leader contact info, meeting dates, times, location, upcoming activities and dates, historic activities (typical things you do each year), a recent action photo of fun pack event Submit your completed order form to your DE by August Roundtable.

17. Building Interest: Pack Information Flyer

18. Building Interest: School Night Program A great way for you to showcase your pack and invite families to Join Scouting. By participating in the school night you will help your school see a positive partnership with your pack. An opportunity to use your pack information flyer and to promote all of the fun and exciting things you will do during the year Have a hands-on activity for all youth

19. Safe Walk to School / Open House Name _________ Address _______ Phone _________ Grade _________ Register to Win!

20. Gaining Commitment This phase ensures parents come to your Pack Recruitment Night ready to sign up their boys. • You have worked hard to create awareness and build interest. Now you need to close the deal. • Follow all the steps to compel them to attend and get all the good Scouting offers their family!

21. Gaining Commitment: Pack Recruitment Flyers Distribute Pack Recruitment flyers to all Cub Scout-aged boys in the school when possible. Schedule flyers for distribution 2-3 days before each of the recruitment nights. Know what day of the week your school sends home information

22. Gaining Commitment: Pack Recruitment Flyers Contact your District Professional by August 15th to place your flyer Order

23. Gaining Commitment: Flyer Examples

24. Gaining Commitment: School Rally/Boy Talk A proven new Cub Scout recruitment technique. It is an energetic presentation about scouting during the school day to Cub Scout age boys. While it can be conducted by the district with your support, it is important to have someone from your pack present if possible. Styles of Boy Talks: Classroom to Classroom, Special Assembly (in the auditorium or gym), Cafeteria or Gym Class, Recess, Announcement over the School PA System.

25. Gaining Commitment: Peer-Peer Invitations Ask each Scout to invite at least three non-Scout friends or classmates to Join the Pack! Scouts could identify the prospects and you could track them by dens and offer prizes for the top recruiters! Ask Adult Leaders and current parents to assist the Scouts by visiting or making calls to parents of the prospective Scouts that have been identified

26. The Recruitment Night: Prior to…. • Attend August Roundtable to pick up recruitment materials • Conduct a Pack Program Planning Conference during the summer • By August 10th confirm your Pack Recruitment date, time and location • Complete the 3 phases of the recruitment campaign: create awareness, build interest and gain commitment • Prepare your pack’s program calendar and set your dues • Organize and schedule two fun activities for NEW families • Coordinate logistics with your District Professional • Plan to attend the Joining Event: Saturday, October 4thth 9am-1:30pm

27. The Recruitment Night: What to Bring Person Power! • Helpers for the night’s activity • Experienced Tiger, Wolf, Bear, and Webelos Den Leaders • Cubmaster • Treasurer (or someone with the Pack checkbook) • Someone to run the activity • COR and Committee Chair (to approve adult applications) Ready to Hand Out Resources • 6-12 Month Pack Activity Calendar • Pack Information Flyer • Activity Supplies for that night • Handbooks for each program • List of vacant adult leadership positions with description of what they do • Fun Pack Informational Display! • Refreshments Ask Adult Leaders and current parents to assist the Scouts by visiting or making calls to parents of the prospective Scouts that have been identified

28. The Recruitment Night: What the District Does You can expect your DE/Membership Committee to: • Support your Pack in creating awareness, building interest and gaining commitment • Coordinate recruiting activities throughout the district • Produce flyers, posters, and other recruiting materials • Work directly with school districts to facilitate boy talks and flyer approval • Make presentations in schools (rallies/boy talks) • Assist you in recruiting adults • Support application turn-in • Provide materials needed for new leaders

29. The Recruitment Night: Highlights! Arrive Early Set up Review agenda Start on time Make it fun End on time

30. The Recruitment Night: Resources Needed What you Need for a Success! • Posters • School Night Report Envelope • New leader Packets with MyScouting information • Pack Party agenda • New Parent Guides • 100 Point Forms • BSA Onboarding Envelopes What you Need for a Success! • Youth and Adult Applications • Boy’s Life mini-magazines • Den Rosters Forms for each Table • Pens • 1st Den Meeting Plans (Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos) • Table Signs • Directional Arrows

31. Resources needed for Recruitment NightSample Join Night Roster

32. The Recruitment Night: Physical Arrangements Floor Plan/Room Layout • Table for each grade level • Table for Application and Fee turn-in (be prepared to handle more than one at a time) • Display table (show the “FUN” of a year of Scouting) • Game area for boys’ breakout session • Welcome area Cafeteria works best • Neutral • Familiar • “Den-sized” tables

33. The Recruitment Night: Room Set-Up Door DISPLAY TABLE REGISTRATION TABLE FIRST GRADE SECOND GRADE THIRD GRADE FORTH GRADE FIFTH GRADE

34. The Recruitment Night: Agenda • WELCOME/INTRODUCTIONS • OPENING • WHAT IS CUB SCOUTING • PACK PROGRAM • FUTURE PLANS • COST TO JOIN: Registration Fees, Boys’ Life, Pack Dues • FUNDRAISING – Popcorn Pays for Scouting • RECRUIT ADULTS • TRAINING DATES • DEN START DATE • PACK MEETINGS • LEADERS-PHONE NUMBERS/CONTACT INFO

35. The Recruitment Night: New Parent Recruitment Helpful Tips • Youth Protection must be completed prior to application submission. • All leader training is available at MyScouting.org • Complete meeting plans may be downloaded for free at www.Scouting.org under the Cub Scouting Tab Recruiting New Parents • Seat parents by school grade • Have current leaders on hand to help recruit parents • Use 100 Point Form • Make sure your volunteer availability list clearly explains all jobs (both small and large) available to give everyone options.

36. The Recruitment Night: Follow Up Checklist • Review applications for completeness including all signatures. • Keep your Unit Copy to update the Pack database/records • Submit the Local Council copy of all completed youth applications with fees that night • Held applications = unregistered youth = Not Good • Give den rosters to newly recruited leaders • Follow-up on leads from interested parents on den rosters. • Youth Protection Training must be completed before working with youth

37. The Recruitment Night: Membership Fees • Use the Den Roster to track payments • If a family can’t afford Cub Scouting (is choosing not to join solely because of the cost), assistance is available from the Council for registration fees. • Your full-price dues amount should include enough to cover fall registration PLUS re-chartering fees, that way you don’t have to collect again right away • BSA Registration is $24 for one year/Boys’ Life subscription is $12 for one year • Use your membership turn-in envelope for prorated fees Aug. Reg: $10 Boy’s Life: $5 Sept. Reg: $8 Boy’s Life $4 • Collect all Fees at your Recruitment Night and turn in one check to the Council.

38. Successful Cub Scout Recruitment Night • Use all services/resources from the District. • Use all forms of Creating Awareness, Building Interest, and Gaining Commitment prior to your Recruitment Night. • Plan two events for NEW families to participate in. • Turn-in all completed applications and fees at Turn in Party. • Follow up with all parents that showed interest, but who did not attend or join that night. • Welcome and train new leaders. • Attend the Joining Event on Saturday, Oct. 4th 9am-1:30pm

39. The Recruitment Process: Turn-In Parties Time: Tuesday August 26th Who is to participate: Each District is to conduct an application turn-in party with the appropriate team members Activities: • Districts provide support to Packs that are recruiting at area schools, and collect applications (or information about new Cub Scouts) • Districts forward applications / information to the Council office

40. Cub Scout Joining Event Time: Saturday, October 4th, 2014 from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm Who is invited: All new Tiger, Wolf, Bear, and Webelos Scouts and their families Activities: • Hot dogs, chips, drinks courtesy of Hy-Vee • BB Gun, Archery and Frisbee golf • Scouting skills demonstrations and participatory events • Opportunity to visit the Trading Post Learning objective for boys: • Bobcat Requirements • How to progress in Cub Scouting Learning objectives for adult partners: • Introduction to Cub Scouting (Fast Start Training) • First signatures in their boy’s handbook to start the Cub Scouting trail

41. Recruitment Timeline

42. Questions ?