Spring Recruiting

[Apache Bob]

Most of my District's recruiting has been in the fall with school nights and open houses. We are starting to work on spring recruiting also.
What is everyone else doing on Spring recruiting?
What works and what doesn't?

[Westergaard]

I have been in contact with several units that do a springtime recruiting and those that have a dynamic summer program have seen excellent results with the Spring recruiting program. Those that do a bare minimum of activities over the summer have had little or no success and are not opting to only recruit in the fall of the year.
I believe that a spring recruiting program will only be successful if the unit continues to meet regularly during June, July, and August.

[ccjj]

Around here, there is a push to recruit new Tigers in the spring. Many areas are doing boy talks to kindergardners, to get them signed up for the summer. Then, they can go to day camp, or a family camp in the summer. I think it may work if the packs have programs for the summer.

ccjj

[WB Bear]

Open Houses are a great idea and work as well as the effort is put into them. In these open houses is the opportunity to promote all the fun and excitement that Scouting has to offer, especially those that happen during the summer.

I agree with Westergaard. Units must have a year round program. I have seen and heard so many units say “we take the summer off” and that is absolutely wrong. There needs to be a year round program. How can you entice people in the spring by telling them how much fun they can have and in the same breath say that they will have to wait till the fall before the fun starts?

[Den5Pack457]

Great thread! We're having an open house during our April pack Meeting, which is also our space derby race. My District Exec. is bring by some recruiting pamphlets for the school to disseminate to their students and promotional items to hand out, too. We're also requesting the inflatable Tony the Tiger costume for the event.

We joined last April as impending Tiger Cubs and attended quite a few activities. What a great introduction to scouting... a day camp! :)

I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes.

[WB Bear]

My son got the Scouting fever after attending day camp.