Question to Parents

[jkpell]

What can I do as a Cubmaster, Den Leader, and Parent to get more parents involved in the pack? What are the fears and questions you have that might not go answered that are holding you back?

[Nuts4Scouts]

What to do to get more parents involved with the Pack? Ask them.

Yup, pretty simple. Get to know the families, pick out the person who you feel would be best for a particular job, & ask them, face to face, to do it.

The job does not have to be big or permanent. It can be as simple as making some phone calls, to being in charge of the "Repair Shop" at a PWD, to taking on the CC position. If you start small, and build, the families will soon feel like they have a vested interest in "their" Pack! ;)

[jkpell]

I thought about having a "help wanted" poster with different jobs that need to be filled and see if anyone STEPS :D .

[Nuts4Scouts]

You can certainly try a poster. You never can tell, you might get a bite. However, usually the only "steps" you will get from something like that, or an en mass announcement at a Pack meeting, is folks stepping out the door quickly, figuring (hoping) that the infamous "someone else" will do it.

The BSA has put together a brochure outlining the method to use to recruit volunteers.

http://www.scouting.org/commissioners/resources/13-500.pdf

Basically, it says come up with a list of the best people for the job, start with your 1st choice, talk to them personally, go down the list in the same way if needed.

Service to the Pack is something we should start instilling in the families from the start. Use the Tiger Shared Leadership concept. Don't let the Tiger leader get away with doing all of the work & ignoring Shared Leadership. It teaches the families that helping out is needed & FUN! Continue using your families at the Wolf, Bear & (especially) Webelos levels. Have every parent fill out the Parent & Family Talent Survey Sheet -

http://www.forum.scoutparents.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1&stc=1&d=1153411066

Then use parents to help in areas they are interested in.

[cmhay]

Speaking as a parent: If you want me to help, please ask. However, HOW you ask is also important to me. A blanket "anyone who wants to help" may not get you the results you are looking for, but "we need three people to do ________, and I think you are just right for the job" may get better results. Or even showing a list of jobs (with duties, unless widely known) with the number of folks you need to do each and asking me "which of these jobs can you help us with?", let's me know that you are addressing me personally, and also shows me that it's harder to assume "someone else will do it" because I can see your need in a more concrete way.

It's the same principle I was taught when I was an EMT - when you address a large group and say "someone call 911", no one will do it, but if you point to someone and say "YOU! Call 911!", that person will be much more likely to respond. You asked (Ok, commanded, in this instance) that one person to do something, so there is no expectation that someone else will do it.

Furthermore, when I offer to help "anytime, whatever you need - just let me know", PLEASE take me up on the offer! Or, at the very least, tell me that you have plenty of folks for this project, but next month I'll be first on your list of folks to ask. And MAKE SURE YOU DO! Please make sure that when someone does offer to help that you find some way to accept, even if it is a deferred acceptance. In many groups I've been involved with, the same people tend to always do things and when offered help would refuse. I eventually stopped offering to help and now that they need it, I'm less inclined to offer based on past rejections.

What might prevent me from helping out (aside from the situation mentioned above)? Well, not having enough information as to the time committment and other expectations may prevent me from offering to help. If I have it in my head that something requires me to attend many evening meetings, for instance, I may refuse. But if you can tell me that I'm only really needed for one meeting the week before the event and then at the event itself I'l lbe needed an hour before and after, then I'll be better able to decide if I can devote the time. Remember that not everyone knows what might be involved when you are asking for help, so providing as much information as possible will assist folks in chosing where and when they can best volunteer their time.

[bsaWalter]

We tried the "big poster of jobs" approach for a few years. Didn't really work.

The CM actually said to the gorup (one year), if we can't get volunteers to fill these jobs by next meeting, I will assigin people to these jobs.

No one volunterred, and he didn't follow through.

I discovered, quite by accident, that you need to shart parents off early! Tiger parents are a great place to start!

They are eager, willing and open to do almost anything.

Our Pack runs the Tiger Den the same way it was designed back when the Leader was called a Coach. Each family takes an activity/outing and handls it for the Den. The Leader is just the "goto" person, the administrator, the person the parents can call with quetions. That way they don't feel they are doing this alone!

Once they get used to that, then the Cub Master, after a consult with the Den Leader, will ask individual to assist someone with an activity. Then next year that same person is willing, or simply falls into it, runs that activity.

This parental involvment is carried on through the Cub years. Each family runs an activity for the Den, then moves up to run activities for the Pack and/or takes a Pack level office.

In consultnat-speak its called "managaing expectation". If, right off the bat, a new familiy is imformed that the Den/Pack has expectation that they are to help in some manner, the adults will usually (but not always) follow through.

After all, every sports club around here demands, does not ask, that each family take some job for the club. And one backs out of these requirements.

Hope this helps a bit.

Walter

[CommissionerTim]

Speaking as a parent: If you want me to help, please ask. However, HOW you ask is also important to me. A blanket "anyone who wants to help" may not get you the results you are looking for, but "we need three people to do ________, and I think you are just right for the job" may get better results. Or even showing a list of jobs (with duties, unless widely known) with the number of folks you need to do each and asking me "which of these jobs can you help us with?", let's me know that you are addressing me personally, and also shows me that it's harder to assume "someone else will do it" because I can see your need in a more concrete way.

It's the same principle I was taught when I was an EMT - when you address a large group and say "someone call 911", no one will do it, but if you point to someone and say "YOU! Call 911!", that person will be much more likely to respond. You asked (Ok, commanded, in this instance) that one person to do something, so there is no expectation that someone else will do it.

Furthermore, when I offer to help "anytime, whatever you need - just let me know", PLEASE take me up on the offer! Or, at the very least, tell me that you have plenty of folks for this project, but next month I'll be first on your list of folks to ask. And MAKE SURE YOU DO! Please make sure that when someone does offer to help that you find some way to accept, even if it is a deferred acceptance. In many groups I've been involved with, the same people tend to always do things and when offered help would refuse. I eventually stopped offering to help and now that they need it, I'm less inclined to offer based on past rejections.

What might prevent me from helping out (aside from the situation mentioned above)? Well, not having enough information as to the time committment and other expectations may prevent me from offering to help. If I have it in my head that something requires me to attend many evening meetings, for instance, I may refuse. But if you can tell me that I'm only really needed for one meeting the week before the event and then at the event itself I'l lbe needed an hour before and after, then I'll be better able to decide if I can devote the time. Remember that not everyone knows what might be involved when you are asking for help, so providing as much information as possible will assist folks in chosing where and when they can best volunteer their time.

CMHAY -- you nailed it right on the head... what you said is exactly right and I couldn't have said it better myself. I hope you don't mind I'm going to cut and paste to an email to the scouters in my district. You will get all the credit... I just want to get the message out.

Thank you for your service!!

[cmhay]

Don't mind at all...go ahead and share all you like. Hope it helps! :)

[Scouting Mom]

Our CC was doing double duty as DL, so was our CM. The CC found out that a new transfer in the den was a former DL and lucked out.

But the CC also made up a list of positions, committee positions, assistant positions, all sorts of positions and descriptions, which if he only got half, we'd have the strongest committee in the council. He watched the new folks for interest and was available to answer questions. Then he took all the Tiger, Wolf and Bear parents aside at a pack meeting and told them if one of them didn't step up by June 1st to take the CM, he was folding the pack and it wouldn't exist anymore. Now, WE all know that legally he can't do that, only the CO can do that, but the CO barely knows we exist, so he probably could have pulled it off.

Then he went to all the den meetings to present his case and answer questions.

But one common thread that he kept up was that these folks weren't going to be abandoned in a position without any support. The current CM would be remaining a DL until his youngest (not even in school yet) becames a Boy Scout sometime in the middle of the next decade. The CC is around until his youngest moves up, just one year before the CM's does. And even if there were no support from in-house, there are other packs that can mentor leaders, there's the unit commissioner and DE and all those people at Roundtable. Also, by putting on paper all the Assistant positions and pointing out that here would be all this back up support and when they are ready to step down, their replacement will be all lined up. He also only asked for a 18-mo commitment, giving the pack time to have an trained ACM lined up to step up to CM.

Now in all these meetings, he'd picked up on who would be the best candidate for the CM position and it happened that that person volunteered. If he hadn't, the CC would have gone to him and asked. If that failed, he was looking at recruiting from the outside...a kindergarten teacher came to mind (who better to sing silly songs and engage the attention of 40 young boys, as well as understand the need to instill values.)

We've got a new CM, new ACM, and a couple of committee members, mostly Tiger parents.

[MomToEli]

Speaking at the Den level, I simply identify the task, then ask the parent that I think has the personality best suited to the task. This only works if you know your parents, though. If every Den Leader would do this, then the CC or CM could let the leaders know the needs of the Pack. The leaders could then carry the message back to the parents.

[Cubmaster Chris]

Most of the parents I have spoken to say it's as simple as asking them. Unfortunately, it took me 2 years as CM to figure that out and I almost burned myself out.

[jjbranc]

As a Cubmaster, I've made it a point to discuss opportunities to help out at both the Den level and Pack level, with all new incoming parents.
I hold 2 round ups a year (spring and fall) and I get a very good volunteering response from my parents. What do I tell them you ask? I explain that the pack doesn't work without the help of all the parents. From the Tiger parents who share the den meeting responsibility, to the Webelos parents who plan the Blue & Gold banquet every year. The pack only works when we get your help!
I'm leaving my role as Cubmaster this month (at our Blue & Gold banquet) because my youngest son is crossing over to Boy Scouts. Our new Cubmaster is our Bear leader and he will continue until his son is ready to cross over to Boy Scouts. I try to get parents especially from our Wolf Dens to be committee members (they have a little experience now, and they will be around for the next 3 years). They have come to understand we don't do things alone, we, as leaders help each other out and keep it fun, even for us.
Don't ask what your pack can do for you, rather, ask what you can do for your pack.

Yours in Scouting,

John Brancaleon
Cubmaster, Pack 562 http://pack562.org
Scoutmaster Assistant, Troop 501 http://t501.il.bsatroops.org
Member-at-large, Thunderbird District http://thunderbirddistrict.org
Three Fires Council http://threefirescouncil.org
I used to be a beaver... C-38-03
Naperville, IL

[cubbobwhite]

Don't ask what your pack can do for you, rather, ask what you can do for your pack.
I like this! :)

[Den5Pack457]

I also try to use the family talent surveys when deciding who may be the best parent to ask. I, too, need to get better at "empowering" my parents more directly. I've come to rely on a couple of parents more than others because they either insert themselves, anyway, and/or volunteer to help.

My goal is to have the majority of the parents become adult leaders, if only as committee members. Lofty, maybe, but I see a lot of potential in all of my parents. :)

[Apache Bob]

Over the years I have gotten many people to step up to the plate and say Yes, I will help.
Everything said above is good advice. So I will add two cents more.
Get to know the people you are going to ask. Find out about them. Take a personal interest in them, not just to get them to take a job.
When I was in sales I always remembered that you must close the sale. In other words, you have to ask for the order. If you do not, then most people with not just give you the order. Ask for it. Or Ask they parent to take a job. Make sure they know what you are asking them to do. What the job is.
Be clear.
Also keep you eye out for new people. If the first time they say no, remember that and make sure you ask them again. And again.
Go for it.

[Westergaard]

One of the things that we have done within the pack to get parents more involved was to have the parents present their son's awards to them at the pack meetings. We would also require them to participate in the pack game that we would have.
Once involved with that, we would then ask them to do a specific task that pack needs to be done.
Start off with a simple task and gradually offer up more challenging roles to engage those parents.

[Sephrina]

Any suggestions on getting the dads more involved? Our pack leadership is currently all female. While we are capable of running the pack, balance is good and the boys can all use positive male role models.

[Westergaard]

How about a Dad and Lad night.
Have a program of events where the Dad needs to help his son complete certain tasks and throughout this program. Maybe you will be able to get more adult men to step up within your unit and your scouts will get some of their advancement requirements completed.

[Sephrina]

I like that idea. I'll have to see if I can make that work. I know we have several single parent families.

[1st Mate]

I am a big believer in getting the right person for the right job. I would not recommend asking or expecting every parent participate in the den or pack, I am thrilled if every parent would participate in their son's life.

Not every person is going to have the skills needed for being a scout leader or committee member. Some parents are best at being parents.

The best thing I have found is to determine what jobs do you need to have done in the unt, identify the skills needed to be successful at that specific job, identify the person or persons in the unit or charter organization that have those attributes, and then invite them to do the job.

There are a few more steps that are detailed in the BSA publictions on 'Selecting Quality Leaders' I highly recommend that every committee chair familiarize themselves with this publication.

[CMPACK568]

Nuts4Scouts is right. Just ask them. Alot of parents don't know what needs to be done. Last year the same 3 people took on all the responsibilty of running all the events and by the end of the year we were burned out to the point of quitting. A CM from another pack let me in on the secret that you just need to ask them, and it works. Now we have volunteers for almost all our planned events for the year.