Elective 311 Commissioner Service Champions of the Units

1. Elective 311 Commissioner ServiceChampions of the Units

2. Keys to Great Commissioner Service • Having enough commissioners • Equip them for service • Service focused on Unit Retention

3. Commissioners • Have a long history • Preceded professional Scouting • Were chosen for personal qualities and skills • Considered the local authority for Scouting • Were highly respected • That’s not always the case today! • And that makes it hard to recruit commissioners

4. How Can We Change That Notion? • Stand tall as an example • Recruit highly respected people • Make commissioners identifiable • Make them visible • Recognize them in front of their constituents • Present them as an authority in Scouting

5. Where to Find Them • Within units • Individuals with Scouting ties • Organizations or jobs that appeal to mentors

6. Do Your Homework! Things to think about: • Why would they want to do this? • What will they get out of it? • What do they like best about Scouting? • What do they want their legacy to be? • Why do you want this person to do this? • Are there any advantages to their job/life outside of Scouting? • Make a note of how long you want them to serve.

7. How To Ask • When you ask them to consider being a commissioner • Do it in person • Tell them why you chose them • Focus on them--their skills, what they will get out of it, why they are right for the job, things you discovered in the homework phase • Be honest about the requirements/time commitments of the job • Promise to “go along” during the decision-making phase

8. Equip Them for Service • Good Commissioner/Unit Match • Skills of UC vs Needs of Unit • Knowledge of Program • Tenure of Unit • Proper Training

9. Equip Them For Service Good Commissioner/Unit Match = Unit Retention

10. But . . . • Did you know that only 1 out of 3 units established make it to the third re-charter? • What can we do about that?

11. Re-think “New Unit” • Traditionally a new unit is characterized as: • Chartered • Not reached its first re-charter Additionally they can often be described as novice at the Scouting game A unit that has been dropped and restarted can also be described as “new”

12. What if . . . . • We define the term “new unit” to mean any unit with less than 36 months tenure • We assign specialized Unit Commissioners to those Unit (N-UC) • We give those units extra attention

13. Give New Units Extra Attention OK. . . But for how long? That’s not clear-- it’s different for each unit But if given extra attention for 2 re-charter cycles or up to 36 months, they’ll have a better chance of success So how do we accomplish this?

14. To Be Successful • District Committee, the District Executive and the Commissioner Staff work together to: • Establish units positioned to succeed • Nurture new units for 36 months • Support all units of the district Let’s consider the process from the beginning. . .

15. Best Approach • “No Unit Before Its Time” • Use specialized “New-Unit” Unit Commissioners (N-UC) • New Unit Organizer and N-UC together • Enroll unit in current Quality program • Additional monitoring • District committee should develop a follow-up plan to support for 36 months

16. No Unit BeforeIts Time • Suggestion: hold initial charter until: • Adequate adult leadership (suggest 5) • Adequate youth (suggest two den/patrols of five each or a crew of ten) • Specialized New-Unit Commissioner involved • New Unit Process is complete • Consider timing of charter

17. Specialized New-Unit Unit Commissioners • Special training and reduced unit load • 36-month commitment • Visit more than once a month • Meet monthly as an advisor with key Unit Leaders (Chartered Organization Representative, Unit Leader, Committee Chair) • Use New-Unit Service Plan plus Annual Service Plan

18. Tracking New Units • To assist monitoring, the following ideas are currently under review: • UVTS could have a date of original charter field • On ScoutNet the “N” designation could last for 36 months

19. Other Options • Many councils use a color code to describe Unit Health • Current color code is: • Green for strong units • Yellow for weak and unorganized units • Red for dysfunctional unit • Why not add orange for new units • Use orange meaning “needs constant attention” • Use orange regardless of strength for up to 36 months to focus attention on new units

20. District Follow-Up • New-Unit Status Report at each Key 3 • District Committee members assist with New-Unit support • District Committee participates in supplemental New-Unit Leader training (see next slide) • District Committee creates recognition plan to celebrate New Unit success

21. New-Unit Leader Supplemental Training • Sessions should be topic-based • Delivered primarily at District level • Delivered by members of District Committee and Commissioner Staff • Topics delivered individually (30 minute sections) • Presented on a rotating basis with unit program cycle in mind • Or all sections could be delivered at a District/Council training event

22. Recognition Plan Could Include • Founder’s Bar given at charter filing • W. D. Boyce New Unit Organizer Award given at first re-charter • At 36 months recognize: • Unit leaders and members • New Unit Organizer and N-UC • District Key 3 • District recognition for zero dropped units

23. Thoughts? • Already doing something like this? • NCAC has been working this • Interested in trying? • Talk to your Key 3 • Get back to us

24. But in the end. . . It’s not really about the units we have. . . It’s about the youth they impact!

25. It’s about this one

26. And this one. . .

27. And all the “ones” in our care.

28. Thank You!