The
Commissioner
a publication for commissioners and professionals
Winter 2022
Sustaining Youth and Adult Volunteers in Scouting
The key to retaining engaged youth in Scouting, and engaged volunteers in units, districts, and councils is all about having a good fit between the volunteer and the role they are asked to consider.
That fit should start by looking at the changing world of work and society as well as how it impacts our ask. The hierarchical ladder of the past is giving way to a multidimensional lattice. It’s moving from a chain of command to cross-functional teams and from rising the ranks to cross-training. It’s based on choices you make.
This has been true in Scouting for some time. The path you are on is not limited to starting as a den leader or unit commissioner and working your way up to district commissioner or beyond. If you feel more comfortable organizing camporees, you can choose to join the program committee. You may end up as a council commissioner or council VP of Program among so many options. Where you are today is a starting point, not a determination of where you will be. And the same should be kept in mind when choosing someone for a role or task. Keepan open mind.
In Scouting, it seems that we often focus on positions and filling up org charts rather than tasks. The emphasis should be on getting things done; full organization chart is not a guarantee that things will get done.
This also means that Scouters in a position to determine or recommend others to positions of service need an open mind regarding what is “truly” required to successfully complete a task or fulfill a role. Is experience as a Scoutmaster truly essential to be a unit commissioner or can we educate on missing knowledge?
After looking at what needs to be done, we need to look at who is available to help. Are there den leaders who are moving on to Scouts BSA without a role in a troop? Are there salespeople, managers, or customer service representatives at work who were Scouts as a youth who could serve as a district commissioner or district chair? Do new volunteers even need previous Scouting experience?
We need to cast a wide net. When recruiting, do you consider Scouts who turned 18 or 21 and have the skills you need to join your commissioner team? They have seen a unit from the customer’s perspective; that is a key view. Or would they make a good candidate to promote camps as a member of a district program committee because they spent a week at the council camps for the past seven years? Maybe they would even excel at planning a camporee!
There are many opportunities to involve young adults in marketing and communications. Do they have the tech savvy to help run a Zoom meeting for you or fix a PowerPoint slide deck when it isn’t quite right? Do they have skills on social media or with email programs that could be used to get the word out for a commissioner team, district committee, or upcoming event?
Whether you are recruiting/retaining adults or youth, finding a good fit is the key to success. Sometimes the best conversation you can have with them involves a question: “What are your strengths?” Then see where your team can use them.
If they have heart, find a place for them. Welcome them into the Scouting community. They will make Scouting better.
