Each of us has a different reason for serving Scouting as an adult. Perhaps our child was in the program, and we signed up to help volunteer. Maybe you had a special interest in serving the BSA. Probably many of us initially joined as a youth and then either continued or reengaged with Scouting as an adult.
Personally, I was a Scout as a youth, moving through the Cub Scout and Boy Scout programs. I left Scouting late in high school, but after joining the company I worked for after college, I learned they sponsored an Exploring post. Here was my opportunity to reengage. I eventually became the post advisor. It was fun to interact with youth on an adult level, albeit I was only about 8–10 years older than many of them. Before long, my first child was old enough to join the Cub Scout program, I stepped up as Cubmaster, and the rest is history.
I relate this story because it illustrates one of the many ways we can encourage young adults to engage with the Scouting movement or transition them from Scout to Scouter. Maybe they served on staff at Philmont and are already making that transition, or maybe they could benefit from a discussion to evaluate other positions.
Naturally, there are many reasons why someone might become engaged or want to remain engaged with the Scouting program. A strong incentive to act on them is to receive a personal ask. As commissioners who recruit new commissioners, we know this. It’s so much easier when someone is personally asked, and even more effective if we have a personal relationship with the person we are talking with. The same applies when asking someone to join Scouting as an adult. We have many needs with many positions to fill.
The exact same process works for current Scouters who are thinking it may be time to try something else. If that “something else” is non-Scouting, have a discussion with that person to share how a “change in scenery” within the Scouting program can be an exciting opportunity and an excellent way to continue to help the program. Perhaps moving from a unit position to a district position or becoming a merit badge counselor or a commissioner is a good choice, or perhaps even becoming involved with a training activity or camp program would be a way to keep the Scouting spirit alive and serve youth on a different level.
As your technology commissioner, I’d be remiss if I didn’t remind you that technology can be a convenient method to help with recruiting others. All a unit needs is a phone or tablet to register someone! As a commissioner, each of us can ensure that our units have enabled this convenient, online registration capability. For more information, refer to Information About Online Registration for Councils and Unit Leaders at Scouting.org.
As each of us responds to how we can help to grow and sustain Scouting, consider who you might know that was in Scouting as a youth, who might have an interest in working with youth, or who is currently in Scouting but may need a different experience or challenge to keep their involvement moving in a positive and production direction. We need good volunteers more today than ever. Let’s all see what we can do individually to help grow and sustain our beloved program by focusing on being the heart, building relationships, and working to change lives along the way.
Director, Global Security Innovative
Strategies
Bray Barnes is a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Silver
Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Learning for Life Distinguished
Service Award. He received the Messengers of Peace Hero award from
the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and he’s a life member of
the 101st Airborne Association and Vietnam Veterans Association. Barnes
serves as a senior fellow for the Global Federation of Competitiveness
Councils, a nonpartisan network of corporate CEOs, university presidents, and
national laboratory directors. He has also served as a senior executive for the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leading the first-responder program
and has two U.S. presidential appointments
Managing Member Calje
David Alexander is a Baden-Powell Fellow, Summit Bechtel Reserve philanthropist, and recipient of the Silver Buffalo and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the founder of Caljet, one of the largest independent motor fuels terminals in the U.S. He has served the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, Teen Lifeline, and American Heart Association. A triathlete who has completed hundreds of races, Alexander has also mentored the women’s triathlon team at Arizona State University.
President, CEO & Managing Director
Stonetex Oil Corp.
Glenn Adams is a recipient of the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the former president of the National Eagle Scout Association and established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. He has more than 40 years of experience in the oil, gas, and energy fields, including serving as a president, owner, and CEO. Adams has also received multiple service awards from the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers.