We are excited to announce that the fall recruiting campaign is going to be Rocket Into Scouting.
The Rocket Into Scouting program is designed to take your recruiting efforts to new heights. With a focus on fun, this program invites families in your community to experience the adventures that only Scouting can offer. The program leverages an activity that kids love (building and launching rockets) while showing parents that Scouting will foster their child’s creativity, initiative, and sense of wonder.
Sign-Up Night Campaign
The council-wide sign-up night campaign focuses on recruiting new families to the fun and adventures of Cub Scouting. Begin your planning by attending your district's sign-up night training. Involve all your pack leaders in recruiting by inviting everyone to training! The council will provide support materials to your pack for sign up night.
2021 Sign Up Night Guide
Youth who join Cub Scouts will receive a rocket patch for joining.
Scouts who join will also receive a rocket that they will be able to design, build, and launch at a fall district event. Packs can pick these incentives up from their
district membership chair.
Sign Up Night Resources
Yard Signs (available from DE)
Table Tents and Signs
Flier
Sign-Up Night Options
All Sign-Up Nights are designed to be fast-paced for today’s busy parents.
Option 1: Presentation Method
The presentation method has been used successfully for many years. If using this method, remember that the goal is to sign up new Scouts and adult leaders. Packs are asked to avoid the use of PowerPoint presentations because they tend to include too much information, take too much time, and often cause interested families to leave without signing up because they simply can’t stay so long. Instead, new Cub Scouts and parents should be invited back to a Parent Orientation a week later, which gives the pack an opportunity to share more information about their activities and leadership.
The key to making any Sign-Up Night successful is advanced planning and preparation, including recruiting a sufficient number of enthusiastic volunteers to help. A model campsite with a tent, camp chairs, fishing poles, etc. should be to one side of the presenter, so everyone clearly sees some Scouting fun while they’re there!
Option 2: Table Rotation Method
All Sign-Up Nights are designed to be fast-paced for today’s busy parents. The table rotation method has been used very successfully in recent years. It allows families more flexible timing and it allows the pack to have better one-on-one conversations with new families as they visit the tables. Families sign in at the first table, then they go on a self-paced journey through five stations to learn how Scouting and the pack work. Families who are familiar with Scouting, or who have limited time, may hurry past some tables and go directly to checkout. The diagram below shows the stations and the recommended room setup. A model campsite with a tent, camp chairs, fishing poles, etc. should be in the center of the room so everyone circles some Scouting fun while they’re there!
The key to making any Sign-Up Night successful is advanced planning and preparation, including recruiting a sufficient number of enthusiastic volunteers to help.
Table displays can be checked out from the district executive or units can make their own.
Table Display - Table 1 Table 2 Table 3 Table 4 Table 5
The two videos above can be downloaded.
Put Your Unit on the Internet
For many families, the decision to join Scouting is going to start with online engagement. It is vital that parents can find your unit using internet searches. Please make sure your unit completes these two steps:
Step 1. Verify unit information on district website
Verify your unit's contact information on your district website. There is a unit page on the toolbar of every district website. Please make sure your unit’s information is correct. There is a link at the top of the page to submit corrections to the webmaster.
The information on this page is important as it shows up in internet searches. Also, fill out our social media survey, so we can help promote your unit.
Step 2: Update BeAScout.org
Put Your Unit on the Map
Make sure your unit’s information is correct on BeAScout.org. BeAScout.org is a tool prospective families use to find units to join. Is your unit information up to date?
We suggest listing feeder school(s) and/or church in the description. If your unit does not have a website, refer them to the district website (preferably the unit’s page, for example, www.raven.shac.org/units).
Is your unit information correct? Unit leaders can update the unit information to make it easy for new Scouting families to find your unit by logging into myscouting.org. Find a complete set of step-by-step instructions on how to update your BeAScout pin in this guide, and/or watch this “Setting Up Your BeAScout Unit Pin” instructional video.
The following registered leaders in your unit have the ability to update your unit's meeting location and contact information:
(A) Unit Leader: this means your Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Crew Advisor or Skipper
(B) Unit Committee Chair
(C) Chartered Organization Representative
Here’s what you need to do to update your unit's pin - the whole process should take less than 10 minutes:
- Step 1. Log onto your account at “MyScouting.org” and select “BeAScout” from the Unit Tools section on the left-hand menu. A new page will be displayed: There are two "tabs" on this window, and you should be on "Unit Pin Management" - if not, then click the "Unit Pin Management" tab.
- Step 2. Take a moment to look over the Unit Pin Management screen: If at any time you are lost, look for the "Help" link in the upper right-hand corner of the page for help. Also, note that the "Google Pin Preview" section, in the bottom-right area of the page, will display what will appear on the Google map. It will change as you enter/edit information in these steps.
- Step 3. Check the "Unit Description" - this box contains a combination of your unit name and your chartered organization. If that the information is incorrect then reach out to your district executive (DE) for assistance.
Step 4: If your Scout unit has a website, enter the web address (URL). Otherwise, enter your district website, preferably the unit’s page on the district website (e.g., www.raven.shac.org/units). You can always edit this field later if your unit establishes a website.
- Step 5. Update the Alternate Unit Description: many units opt to type their unit type and number followed by their meeting location (example: "Pack 867 - Lincoln Elementary")
- Step 6: Make sure the Pin Status says "Active" if you want your pin visible to perspective Scouts and parents on the map.
- Step 7a: Select your primary contact. The primary contact will receive all emails from prospective Scout parents, so be sure to let the person know that they will be responding to all parent leads. If the fields in this section are "grey" then you must check the "Contact Person" box in the "Fields Displayed on Google Pin" section at the bottom-left side of the page. If the person is already a registered adult leader in your Scout unit, then their name will be selectable from a list. Once selected, all information is automatically provided in this section's fields.
- Step 7b: Also be sure to check all the information with the primary contact volunteer and edit fields that are no longer current (e.g., phone number, email address). It is very important that you keep this information up-to-date as volunteers and contact information will change over time.
Step 8. Enter the location where your unit holds its meetings (address information). This address will dictate where your unit pin will appear on Google Maps. Note that it may be helpful to enter the name of your meeting location "address 1" and the street address on "address 2"
- Step 9. Type special announcements, up to 133 characters, in the box under Special Announcements. We suggest you list your feeder school(s) and/or church.
- Step 10. Check the Google PIN preview - this is a preview of what will appear on the map. Parents will only be able to see what is in this box, so please review it carefully for accuracy.
- NOTE: There is an option to change the icon from a Scouting map symbol representing your unit type to something else. Please DO NOT change the unit logo icon.
- Step 10. Once you are done, click the “SAVE” button and your information will be uploaded.
That’s all you need to do to set up your unit for BeAScout.org. Be sure to do this as soon as possible so your unit will get recruiting leads.
Recruiting Resources
Parent Orientation Meeting
Online Registration and BeAScout.org instructions
Rocket Day
Recruitment Ideas
National Resources
BeAScout.org
New Leader Resources
Selecting Leaders
SHAC Membership Committee Resources
Webelos to Scout Transition
New Units
Spring Recruiting
Packs are encouraged to hold spring recruiting events. Invite newly recruited Scouts and kindergarteners to attend day camp and pack summer events. This is a great opportunity to get them engaged in the program. Sometimes we think we can only recruit in the fall, but spring is a great time to get new Tiger Cub Scouts and their families involved early.