WHAT KIND OF HELP?

The district helps pack leaders in a variety of ways:

• COMMISSIONER SERVICE: There is an experienced volunteer Scouter called a Unit Commissioner assigned to help your pack. He or she can advise you on program ideas, administrative procedures, opportunities for your pack and is especially helpful at rechartering time.
• ROUNDTABLES: Another Commissioner service program. This is a monthly get together of pack and den leaders where program ideas for the following month are presented and discussed.
• LEADER TRAINING: A district committee regularly provides training courses covering various aspects of pack and den leadership.
• ROUNDUP HELP: Another district committee that provides training and support for recruiting boys and leaders.
• SPECIAL PROGRAMS: A district committee organizes a variety of special programs such as Webelos Woods, Scouting For Food,  and district wide outdoor events.
• DIRECT HELP FOR CUB PACKS: Commissioners and district committees are there to help packs put on the best Scouting programs for boys and their families. If you have problems, call on your district!

• CHARTERS: Issues local organizations charters to operate Cub Scout Packs, Scout Troops, etc.
• CAMPING: The council provides properties where packs may camp and various summer camp programs staffed by nationally trained directors.
• POW WOW / UNIVERSITY OF SCOUTING: Large day-long training seminars covering a variety of subjects of interest to pack and den leaders.
• SERVICE CENTER: A local outlet where pack leaders can purchase badges and other Scout equipment.
• INFORMATION: The council provides regular mailings, internet access, and a Service Desk for all Scouters.
• STANDARDS: The council provides and enforces safety and operating standards that are consistent with National BSA policy and are designed to protect both youth and leaders and to support the aims of the Scouting Movement.
• SERVICE DESK: A place where pack leaders and other Scouters can get answers to questions asked in person or by phone, mail or email.

WHAT IS THE COUNCIL?

A Local Boy Scout Council is an independent non-profit organization that has been granted a charter from the Boy Scouts of America to organize and support Scouting units within a certain geographic area. It is governed by a volunteer board of directors that raises money, hires a Scout Executive - a professional manager-  and owns property. The local council, in turn, grants charters to local organizations within its area to run Scout units - packs, troops, posts, ships and crews. Each of these Chartered Organizations designates a representative who collectively elect the board and the officers of the council and, in effect, own the council.

The purpose of the Local Council is to make quality Scouting programs available to all eligible youth within its boundaries. It does this by working with local organizations to organize and support Scouting Units.

A Scouting Unit is a Cub Pack, a Scout Troop, or other BSA youth group.

The local council is divided up into administrative areas called districts. A district usually has a definite boundary, encompassing a few dozen chartered organizations and sometimes works only with certain levels of Scouting (Venturing, for example). Each district has a volunteer organization that works directly with the units it is responsible for. They are guided and advised by one or more professional Scouters on the staff of the Scout Executive.

The purpose of the district is to work through chartered organizations and community groups to organize and support Scouting units. The support is directed toward making every unit successful.  The end result of effective district support: more and more members receiving a better and better program.
 
 

The council and the district exist for the purpose of making your pack and its leaders successful.

The charter is the legal agreement permitting an organization to use the program of the Boy Scouts of America. The charter gives its adult and youth members certain privileges (uniforming, access, protection, etc.) In return, the organization agrees to adhere to certain BSA standards. Charters are granted to local organizations to organize packs or troops for example and to Councils to provide Scouting to a geographic area.

Charters are typically granted for a year and must be renewed annually.

HOW IS THE COUNCIL ORGANIZED?

Local Scout councils are chartered by the BSA National Council to provide Scouting. The council is, in effect, owned by the Chartered Representatives of all the Organizations who provide Scout programs within the council boundaries. They have the majority of the votes at the annual business meetings where the council officers and the board are elected.
The officers (the council president and other board members) hire a professional Scouter to be the Scout Executive (SE) who is responsible for the day to day operation of the council properties and programs.

The officers and the board, who are almost always volunteers, are responsible for setting council policy, funding the council operation and overseeing various activities such as district operation, camping, advancement and membership. They also select an experienced volunteer to be the Council Commissioner.

The SE hires a staff of professional Scouters, camping and office personnel and other specialists necessary to maintain an effective council operation. A professional is appointed to advise each council committee to ensure that its activities follow BSA policies and guidelines. Other professional Scouters are assigned as District Executives to guide the District Committees and Commissioners.

HOW IS THE DISTRICT ORGANIZED?

The district is organized around the Key 3:

1. The District Chair who heads the district committee,
2. The District Commissioner who leads the district Commissioner Corps, and
3. The District Executive, who may be aided by professional assistants.

The District Chair is nominated by the District Nominating Committee and is elected at the annual district business meeting and approved by the Council Executive Board. Chartered Organization Representatives have the majority of votes at these meetings. District Chairs with strong leadership and organizational abilities can have a profound positive effect on their district, the committee and the units they serve. If they are ineffective, their duties and the duties of absent committee members often fall to the District Executive resulting in uneven district operation.

There are several sub committees:

• Finance which organizes various district fund raising projects.
• Membership which analyzes membership needs and opportunities.
• Program which provide special services such as training, advancement, camping and activities.

The District Commissioner is nominated by the District Nominating Committee and is elected in a similar manner. They usually have many years of experience in a variety of Scouting programs and have strong leadership and organizational abilities.
 
 

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This person is the professional Scouter assigned by the council Scout Executive to guide the Commissioners and the members of the District Committee to successfully make Scouting happen. Typically, the DE is young, was a Scout and often is enthusiastic about the program. They are well trained by the National Council in district organization and in BSA policy and can be very helpful to pack leaders in these matters. They mostly, however, lack experience as a pack or troop leader. Don't expect them to be especially helpful in questions about den or pack programs - your Commissioner and Roundtable staff will probably have more Cub Scouting experience than your DE.

MEMBERSHIP (Why is it Important?)

Most Scouters agree with the official position of the BSA that our program is so valuable to American youth that it should appeal to the majority of them. Therefore we tend to judge how good our program is by measuring the number of members: how many join and how many stay. If we believe that our program is that good, then we should expect more boys to join our packs and most of them should remain members right through Webelos II. In short, we can't teach citizenship, build character and encourage fitness to boys until they are members of our dens and our packs.

The council and district membership committees organize new Scouting units in under-served neighborhoods and provide unit leaders with recruiting and retention help.

Membership growth is an important factor in measuring the quality of districts and councils.

MONEY (Why do they need it?)

It costs councils more than $100 a year to provide a good Scouting program for each Scout. The major expenses are providing professional guidance to Scout units and districts, building and maintaining camp properties and providing one or more service centers that support all Scouting activities.

The Unit Commissioner (UC) is an experienced, trained Scouter, assigned by the District Commissioner to be of service to about three packs and/or troops. They often are recruited from leaders, committee members or parents whose sons have had successful Scouting careers.

ROUNDTABLES:

Roundtables are monthly get-togethers of Pack and Troop leaders for the purpose of sharing program information. They are usually held on a week day evening and last for about an hour and a half. They are lead by a Cub Scout Roundtable Commissioner supported by a staff of experienced Cub Scouters.

TRAINING:

The district training committee is responsible for putting on New Leader Essentials, Cub Scout Leader Specific Training, and Youth Protection Training. The Council Training Committee usually provides all other training like Pow Wow or University of Scouting and Wood Badge.

CAMPING:

The district and council camping committees promote a variety of outdoor and camping programs for Cub Scouts and Webelos.

ADVANCEMENT:

District and Council Advancement Committees are often concerned mostly with Boy Scout ranks - sometimes exclusively with the rank of Eagle Scout - and often, are oblivious to Cub Scout advancement. A few councils are aware of the relationship of advancement to membership retention and actively support the Cub Scout and Webelos advancement program.

What Can You Do If your District Doesn't Help?

Most district provide adequate service to packs and troops and are staffed by good people. Occasionally, however, a district will really mess up and leave the units and leaders to fend for themselves. The fact that most districts are OK doesn't help much if you can't get the help you need.

Here are some suggestions of what you can do when help doesn't show up.

No or Poor Commissioner Service -

A Commissioner serves your pack as a sort of general practitioner. It's having a knowledgeable outsider give you a good check up.

Without Commissioner service a pack may miss valuable opportunities, or leaders may start practices that are not in their best interests. A good Commissioner should detect this and suggest corrective action.

Occasionally, you may even be assigned a Commissioner who is not in your
pack's  or your CO's best interests.

What Can You Do?

• Hassle your DE and your District Commissioner to provide better service. Enlist the voice of the Chartered Org. Rep. (CR) for support.
• Look up ex leaders and invite them to visit your pack and assess your operation. They may be able to objectively appraise things better than the guys in the trenches.
• Use the various pack and program evaluation charts:

Pack Quality Unit Commissioner's Work Sheet

Try to be objective - follow any recommended actions.
• Become a ReCharter Guru. Maintain good pack records, learn the recharter process (Your Council Registrar may be a resource). Use Online rechartering.
• Learn to get useful information from your Council newsletter and website. Send your CR to district committee meetings and at least one leader to Roundtables.

Inadequate Training

Your leaders can not operate effectively or safely with inadequate training.

Your leaders must be trained.
 
 

What Can You Do?

• Check for training opportunities in other districts or even nearby councils. You don't have to be trained by people in your district.
• Use your Pack Trainer to check for training opportunities and coordinate training for all leaders.
• Use the online services for Fast Start and Youth Protection. Go to your council website and follow their directions.
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