Author: Aren Cambre
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Failed councils love fees
In today’s episode of “what the hell is going on”, we have the Crossroads of America Council. Starting April 1, 2023, its new bureaucracy-preservation fees inflate annual membership costs to $340, 304% of the prior year’s cost. That’s right, just to be a Scout in this council, you will have to pay $340 a year.…
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Departed Scouts: letting them go usually is best
I was Cubmaster of a large pack for 5 years. The biggest waste of my time, in terms of return on value, was re-recruiting departed Scouts. What I learned: On poor den program, not supporting my Den Leaders enough may have been the #1 thing I would have changed if I had a do-over. The…
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The case for equity and inclusion: Ending BSA’s specious coed ban
In 2018 and 2019, BSA allowed girls into its boys-only programs. This inclusion was accompanied by a ban on coed Cub Scout dens or coed Scouts BSA troops. The coed ban is specious: It rests on misinformation and on sexist, racist, and harmful folklore. Its pile-on effects reduce youth safety, harm members, and harm the…
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UMC’s BSA shift is a blueprint, inflection, and opportunity
The United Methodist Church gave us a blueprint to ditch the obsolete chartered-organization model.
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Scout units should never have bylaws
(Editorial comment: Sacred cows are tasty. Apparently bylaws are sacred cows. Many comments are reacting to sentiments not expressed in this article. To be clear: It is good to document practices. It’s not good to turn them into formal bylaws.) While formal policy’s certainty may be appealing, it is a bad idea for Scout units.…
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Don’t renew inactive adult leaders
Scout units often have non-participating adult leaders. Renewing them is a poor practice. This is not a call to ingloriously kick them out. It is a call to conversation. After I share why inactive adults should not be renewed, I give conversation ideas. Why Being an adult leader means a high level of access to…
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Scouting must be fun, adventure, and meaning
I’ve talked to many who were in Scouting decades ago. Their best memories: fun, adventure, and meaning. Not badges. Do a two-point test on everything your Scout unit does: Is it fun or adventure, or does it get you there? Is it something meaningful that the Scout or family don’t get otherwise? (e.g., challenging family…
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Upgraded Venturing Activity Planning Form
BSA’s Venturing Activity Planning Worksheet hits the right topics, but it’s an old-school, print-only PDF. Here’s a Google Docs version: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q8gQJ3rNGPLvbPdtP2d__6uawclVRlx2kAcZADgzij0/edit?usp=sharing. Copy it, then change the red text. The Google Docs version helps with collaboration, sharing, and assuring access to current information. This follows BSA’s wording and structure, with light changes where needed.
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Do they want to come back?
“Do they want to come back?” Leaders must ask that after every Scout event. “Do they want to come back?” Nothing else matters until that answer is “yes”! If they don’t want to come back, they won’t do advancement. If they don’t want to come back, they won’t come to the next campout. If they…
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Deciphering BSA medical forms
(UPDATE: BSA updated its AHMR in December 2019. While some details are different, the big picture remains the same.) BSA’s medical forms are complicated! I made a guide to help leaders know how to check form completeness: AHMR review. To summarize, you have to make sure Parts A, B, and C are fully filled out.…