Membership: Recruiting and Retention during a Pandemic
A unit needs a steady flow of youth to grow and be healthy. A year-round recruiting plan is essential. Membership retention is a measurement of a unit’s quality and success. Today, unit leaders have the extraordinary challenge of managing unit membership during a pandemic. Unit leaders need clear solutions for delivering a quality program, keeping JTE goals in sight, while also ensuring Scouts are safe. The following tips and methods will help your unit circumvent or overcome membership shortcomings:
·
Appoint a committee member to serve as the unit New Member Coordinator. The coordinator will work closely with the chartered organization, youth and adult unit leadership, unit commissioner and district committee to develop and implement a Unit Membership Plan. Ensure the coordinator is position-trained.
·
Conduct peer-to-peer recruiting via email & social media. Ask parents, volunteers, and Scouts to invite their friends to join your unit. Be sure to include your unit QR code or URL to your unit’s online application. Include a preview of the unit’s schedule of activities. Include testimonials. Ensure the invites are personal. Make it a contest or game for Scouts to recruit their peers. Promote the ‘Recruiter’ patch – perhaps the most important patch in Scouting! See the Virtual Recruitment Playbook for ideas.
· Recognition: immediately recognize Scouts for their achievements. Encourage and motivate adult leaders to earn awards/square knots and be sure they are recognized and nominated for district, council, and Order of the Arrow awards and honors that are available. Show your appreciation and do it often.
· Plan and publish a schedule of activities with both a Plan A (in-person) and Plan B (virtual) from now until the end of 2021. Include a hybrid model that will appeal to families that may have reservations with participating in in-person activities.
· Avoid cancelling or postponing activities. This can have a negative impact on morale and ultimately membership.
· Camping is King! Packs can be flexible. However please ensure troops are offering opportunities for Scouts to camp monthly and year-round. If you are unable to conduct an outing in-person as a unit, conduct separate outings as a den or patrol, and/or virtually. Safely mix in other activities such as hiking, cycling, or service projects. Give heavy weight to activities that are virtually feasible and consider the hybrid model.
For more tips, methods, and information on how best to manage your membership during a pandemic, please contact your unit commissioner and/or district committee. Please also reference the BSA’s Marketing and Membership Hub for the latest information on “Tools and Resources to Strengthen Your Units.”
