Recruiting Venture Age Members.

[Eamonn]

Venturing seems to be the program that is the one that is the most misunderstood.
When Councils and Districts could make Quality by showing 2% growth, some units that ought to have been in the LFL program were placed in Venturing.
Even now DE's who need to end the year +1 in units will look at a Troop with older Scouts and see if there is any way that a new Crew can be made to spring up.
Still despite these misunderstandings and abuse, there are Crews that are doing a good job and are helping to work toward the vision and mission statements of the BSA.
While it seems to me that many work in the High Adventure Area, I'm sure that there are others that work in other areas.
I'm really interested to hear how these successful Crews go about recruiting Crew Members.
So far the best thing that has happened in Sea Scout Ship 777 is girls. They seem a lot happier to invite their girl friends along than the boys do. Without any effort we now have 4 female members.
Do First-nighters really work?
I send out 48 letters to High School Students that had in the survey that our Council sends to the HS, said that they had an interest in nautical activities. So far the response has been a big fat zero!!
While I'm sure that some of the Crews that are off-shoots of Troops do make it. Sadly in our area the Crews either only last a year or the youth are all Boy Scouts and don't really do anything as a Crew.
I have read nearly all if not all the ideas that National has put out. I want to know which ideas work and which don't.
I'd really love to hear ideas that you have tried and do work.

[ThunderingWind]

I'd really love to hear ideas that you have tried and do work.

I have worked with two Crews, both being more start up than exisiting, and am taking on a third. One in Indianapolis, one is southwest central, semi-rural Missouri, and the new one in Johnstown, PA.

From my experience, each group was different. The first two were "off shoots" of the troop. Both were able to draw some non-Scout boys becuase of no uniform, no "pressure" to advance. Both drew girls.

The girls part is interesting. Some girls come because they are the girlfriend of one of the boys. Some come for the adventure. Some boys come because of the girls and the social aspect of a Crew and its activities.

For me, first nighters have not worked. Word of mouth recuriting by the base membership was it.

I will have to wait until 14 NOV to tell you if a first ngihter worked with the latest Crew.

In Scouting,

Thundering Wind

[ThunderingWind]

Well, our First Nighter was a bust. We made contact with the three area Troops (Scoutmasters were supportive, not thinking we were stealing the older boys) and the two local high schools (both made anncouncements for five days and had flyers available). Even reached out to the Girl Scouts (good relationship here) to offer an opportunity for the older girls.

Got NO ONE.

Seems there was a fight at a recent school hockey game between the fans. So most of the student body was at the game to see if it happened again.

So we now know where the priorities of the local youth are. I think the Chartering Organization is going to drop all efforts.

[jr56]

I have tried high school recruiting with not much success. Word of mouth seems to have the most effect.

[riverwalk]

Yeah, I agree. In my Explorer Post experience, the Firstnighters had mixed results. Like many other examples in life, most of the letters sent out, received no responses. In many cases (where they came out for the event), youth said they didn't know how we knew to invite them? They often didn't relate it to the survey used by BSA at the beginning of the school year.

Word of mouth and local news coverage helped more than anything. And we ran about 50/50 on boys/girls, often for the other reasons stated. In my current efforts to start a Crew, I'm trying to keep all that in mind.

[wagionvigil]

Girl SCout Troops, Church Youth groups are both great places to start crews.

[riverwalk]

And that's also something I've been sharing locally, that we approach such groups.

[wagionvigil]

Girl Scout troops are running into a klot of road blocks when they want to do high adventure activities. This is therir out. I tell them to continue to earn their GUSA awards But also tell them hey you can stay active until you are 21 in Venturing.
Greater Pittsburgh Council is Holding a Venturing Summit December 9th. Anyone interested in information on this check GPC Web site for the information a application.