Is Your Unit Supported By The District?

[CommissionerTim]

This subject was brought up in the Parents Forum http://www.forum.scoutparents.org/forum/showpost.php?p=406&postcount=16

Is your unit supported by the district/council? How would you know this answer? It simple, your unit would have a Unit Commissioner assigned to it by the District Commissioner or Council Commissioner.

Commissioners are district and council leaders who help Scout units succeed. They coach and consult with adult leaders of Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops, and Venturing crews. Commissioners help maintain the standards of the Boy Scouts of America. They also oversee the unit charter renewal plan so that each unit reregisters on time with an optimum number of youth and adult members. - www.scouting.org (http://www.scouting.org/)

Roles the Commissioner Plays

A commissioner plays several roles, including friend, representative, unit "doctor," teacher, and counselor.

The commissioner is a friend of the unit. Of all their roles, this one is the most important. It springs from the attitude, "I care, I am here to help,what can I do for you?" Caring is the ingredient that makes commissioner service successful. He or she is an advocate of unit needs. A commissioner who makes himself known and accepted now will be called on in future times of trouble.

The commissioner is a representative. The average unit leader is totally occupied in working with kids. Some have little if any contact with the Boy Scouts of America other than a commissioner's visit to their meeting. To them, the commissioner may be the BSA. The commissioner helps represent the ideals, the principles, and the policies of the Scouting movement.

The commissioner is a unit "doctor." In their role as "doctor," they know that prevention is better than a cure, so they try to see that their units make good "health practices" a way of life. When problems arise, and they will even in the best unit, they act quickly. They observe symptoms, diagnose the real ailment, prescribe a remedy, and follow up on the patient.

The commissioner is a teacher. As a commissioner, they will have a wonderful opportunity to participate in the growth of unit leaders by sharing knowledge with them. They teach not just in an academic environment, but where it counts most—as an immediate response to a need to know. That is the best adult learning situation since the lesson is instantly reinforced by practical application of the new knowledge.

The commissioner is a counselor. As a Scouting counselor, they will help units solve their own problems. Counseling is the best role when unit leaders don't recognize a problem and where solutions are not clear-cut. Everyone needs counseling from time to time, even experienced leaders.

http://www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=cm


Please take our poll about if your unit is supported by the district/council.

[cubbobwhite]

Not only is my unit supported by an active Unit Commissioner, but I am also an active Unit Commissioner for three packs in my district.

[Scouter_58]

...seen or heard from about quarterly (four times per year); however, we now have a "new" unit commissioner.

[WB Bear]

What are some of your thoughts about recruiting Unit Commissioners? Also any ideas about getting existing UCs in more frequent unit visits?

[A J Mako]

What are some of your thoughts about recruiting Unit Commissioners? Also any ideas about getting existing UCs in more frequent unit visits?

1) District Commissioners: Stop selling the job as a simple, one meeting a month job. A UC is like a Scoutmaster working with his or her SPL. You know if the SPL does a good job all the Scouts will benefit. The job is a lot more than just one meeting a month.

2) District Chairmen: Go out and find the COR's in your district and convince them to get active. That alone will make it easier to find people to do the jobs that need done. Keep your focus on the units and the Scout's in them.

3) Unit Leaders/CC's: Make friends with your COR. Keep him or her on your side by keeping them informed about your unit, inviting them to meetings and special events, and frequently asking if there is some service your unit can provide. If necessary, teach them the duties and responsibilities of their position (or get help from the district to do that). Make sure they understand that they are supposed to be making sure the district provides the support promised in the charter agreement.

How do these things translate into more UC's and more frequent visits? More active COR's means more manpower (generic use) for the district, which means there are more people who can be recruited as commissioners. More active COR's means more people poking at the district to keep the focus on unit support. With more commissioners and greater focus on unit support, UC's have fewer units and that means they can visit more often.

[FRUSTRATED SCOUTMASTER]

Good Morning All!

What a great Topic!
As a new Unit Commissioner and a former Scoutmaster, I now see the importance that a Unit Commissioner plays.
I totally agree with Commissioner Tim's quotes. I have one unit that all I am applying all of the roles that a Commissioner should play. AND, the best part is, this unit totally appreciates what I am doing and what I have done so far for their Unit and Committee. My other units are still a work in progress. I am currently a DOCTOR, TEACHER, AND COUNSELOR to these 2 other units.
They have asked my help and I plan to assist them.
As for visits to my units, I go once a month to each of my units to meet with the Leaders and discuss any concerns that they might have. I also attend their Troop Courts of Honor and Pack Meetings so that parents get to know me also.
Yes, A J Mako, if taken seriously, a UC job is MORE involved than that of a Scoutmaster.
Your concerns about the COR are also on the mark. Acoording to the Troop Committee Handbook, the COR is a part of the District Committee. They are
SUPPOSED to attend all District Meetings in that they are a voting member of the District. This way any support that the Troop or Pack need will be made known and it can be addressed quickly without becoming a problem.
As to recruiting new UC's, there is just one simple way ASK. If you don't ask someone, you will never get people to serve.
Maybe I am an exception, but I look at the UC's job differently now. I plan to do everything to make the units that I am responsible for to succeed.

[1st Mate]

All units are supported by the District committee, it's just that not all the support is as obvious as others, and not all districts perform at the same level.

[beastiesmom]

I found out today by my Councils newsletter that a man from my town was awarded the Districts Distinguished Commissioner Service Award. The write up says he serves the 5 units in my town and since there are only 5 here I guess he's ours. I'll wait until I get to meet him to decide if he's distinguished or not.

[1st Mate]

Please keep in mind, not knowing what your role is in the unit, you may never meet the commissioner. That does not mean that he is not in contact with other members of the unit leadership. It is not the commissioners job to meet everyone in the unit. Their primary role is to evaluate the unit's health and to connect the appropriate leaders with the resources needed to improve the health of the unit.

[WB Bear]

That is very true a lot of times the Commissioner might not be in the view of the entire unit. Their contact might just be with the unit leaders or committee. The new Centennial Quality Unit Award puts an emphasis on Commissioners role and their unit visits.

[beastiesmom]

I'm CC of the Committee. and the CM doesn't know him either. At the very least we should know who it is. Maybe even have talked to him before.