Recruiting
Boys Who are not in
Scouting
David Mitchko
Mercer Area District Commissioner
Why is it Important?
• All Troops lose scouts due to dropping or aging out
• A Troop may pick up some crossed over Webelos early in the
year, but this may not be enough to make up for the loss.
• Some troops have lean years, where they don’t pick up any
crossed-over Webelos.
• A Troop should always be looking to grow its numbers, not
just maintain a level membership
• There may be eligible boys interested in joining a troop in the
area – recruiting is a way of reaching out to these potential
scouts.
• Recruiting is a First Class requirement
Easy Year-Long Recruiting
• The easiest way to recruit year-long is to post signs or put out notices in
and around your meeting place.
• Adult members of your Chartering Organization who are not in scouting
should know that your Troop meets there.
• Include the day of the week you meet, the time and the boy scout
eligibility requirements in these signs or notices.
• If at all possible, the room where your troop meets should have
permanent displays that are scouting related.
• Bulletin Board with posted information/photos
• Eagle Scout Plaque
• Maintain a good relationship with your Chartering Organization and
have an active COR in your committee
• If your CO is a religious organization, participate in Scout Sunday
Promote Scouting Locally
• Articles in Local Newspapers
– Eagle Scouts
– Other Scout awards or accomplishments
– Service to the community
– Notable outings or visits
– Submit photo with caption
• Service to the Community
• Wear uniforms on local outings
• Maintain a web site with a public front page
• Put up Scouting displays in public building
First Class Requirement #10
“Tell someone who is eligible to join Boy Scouts, or an inactive
Boy Scout, about your troop's activities. Invite him to a troop
outing, activity, service project, or meeting. Tell him how to
join, or encourage the inactive Boy Scout to become active.”
• The intention of this requirement is to recruit boys who are not
in scouting
• Recruitment should be peer-to-peer – participation in a
Webelos “open house” should not count towards the
requirement
• A printout of an email from a scout to his friend, which
includes the needed details, would meet this requirement
• Don’t treat this requirement as a paperwork drill
Peer to Peer Recruiting
• More effective than blanket recruitment
• Pick a time period for the recruitment drive – make it last
more than one meeting
• While it is ongoing, announce the drive at every meeting
• Incentive awards for each scout that brings a friend to a
meeting – with your committee’s approval
• Give immediate recognition.
• Have a grand prize drawing for all the scouts who brought in
a friend who joined the troop
• Make up a flier to promote the recruitment drive
Example
of flyer
from
Troop 63
Hold Onto the Boys that Join!
• Getting boys to join and keeping them depends on the quality
of your program
– Boy Run
– Patrol Method
– An active calendar with monthly camping trips
– Fun, Hands-On Activities
• Troop leadership may have to adapt to getting a group of new
scouts more than once a year
• Your Unit Commissioner can assist you and even arrange a
visit for your leadership to a larger troop to see how they run
things