Mark P. Hazlewood CEO OF P.R.A.Y. FAITH BASED INITIATIVE MEMBERSHIP PLAN

INTERESTED IN CREATING NEW UNITS (OR REFRESHING CURRENT ONES) WITH THE POTENTIAL TO:

BE SELF SUSTAINING?

BE OPEN TO ADDING THE NEXT MEMBER OF THE SCOUTING FAMILY?

CREATE COR’S WILLING TO DO PEER-TO-PEER RECRUITING FOR YOUR COUNCIL & DISTRICTS?

GOOD! LET’S LOOK AT RATIONALE AND STRATEGIES FOR DOING SO

 My concern is that the Chartered Organization Agreement seems to have been reduced from a partnership to a meeting place and a signature on the Chartered Organization Agreement  Chartered Organization vs. Sponsor  Homeowner vs. Landlord  Goal: move congregations from sponsors to Chartered Organizations REVIEW THE CHARTERED ORGANIZATION CONCEPT

 QUESTION: What is the role of Scouting as it relates to the Chartered Organization?  ANSWER: The council’s responsibility is to further the aims and goals of the Chartered Organization  In order to achieve your own goals (of self- sustaining units, adding the next member of the Scouting family, COR’s doing peer-to-peer recruiting), you must sell Scouting’s ability to meet the needs of the Chartered Organization REVIEW THE CHARTERED ORGANIZATION CONCEPT

1.Membership growth 2.Retention 3.Program 4.Trained Volunteers 5.Money WHOSE NEEDS ARE THESE?

1.Membership growth 2.Retention 3.Program 4.Trained Volunteers 5.Money  BOTH BSA COUNCILS AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS SHARE THE SAME 5 NEEDS  LEARN TO EXPLAIN TO THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY HOW THE SCOUTING PROGRAM CAN BENEFIT THE CONGREGATION! WHOSE NEEDS ARE THESE?

 Congregations need:  young families  adult males  Scouting can provide both!  Scouting has high brand recognition and attracts young families looking for values.  You need to teach the congregation how to create opportunities for Scouting families to get connected with the congregation itself  One obvious connection is through religious emblems 1. MEMBERSHIP GROWTH

 Religious emblems programs  Are developed by the national religious organizations, not BSA  (BSA approves the programs and allows the award to be worn on the official uniform)  Are taught by the faith community (most programs require the clergy’s signature)  Provide religious instruction for members of that specific faith group  Provide opportunities for family involvement, community service, reinforce Scouting values 1. MEMBERSHIP GROWTH RELIGIOUS EMBLEMS

 How do the religious emblems programs translate into membership for a congregation?  Roughly half of a typical Scouting group will not be active in a congregation  If the size of the average Cub Scout Pack is 10, there are perhaps 5 to 7 families without a congregational home who are meeting in the Chartered Organization’s building 1. MEMBERSHIP GROWTH RELIGIOUS EMBLEMS

 The congregation must offer a religious emblems class  Use the classes as an opportunity for the members of the congregation to interact with the Scouting families  Use congregation members as teachers; include Scouts in service projects; plan the award ceremony during a regular worship service and invite the families 1. MEMBERSHIP GROWTH RELIGIOUS EMBLEMS

 Take advantage of the new Religious Emblems Coordinator positions that exist at the Unit, District and Council levels  R.E.C. positions show that BSA is strengthening the core value of Duty to God  Religious emblems will be promoted like all other rank advancement  Each Unit/District/Council should set goals for the number of religious emblems to be earned  Encourage each Chartered Organization to recruit a Unit Religious Emblems Coordinator 1. MEMBERSHIP GROWTH RELIGIOUS EMBLEMS COORDINATORS

 The Unit REC makes a presentation on all religious emblems using the R.E.C. / Duty to God resources  Don’t forget: Scouts are encouraged to earn the religious emblem of their own faith  The chartering congregation offers their religious emblems program for their youth members and extends an invitation to the Scouting unit, especially the 50% without a current congregational home.  Congregations need to invite the parents to the first class and start building relationships. 1. MEMBERSHIP GROWTH RELIGIOUS EMBLEMS COORDINATORS

 Religious emblems can be a tool for faith formation and also to grow membership  If the congregation offers a religious emblem class to all youth in their units  If the congregation offers a religious emblem class to the whole scout district  The congregation expands its membership potential in close geographic area 1. MEMBERSHIP GROWTH RELIGIOUS EMBLEMS

 Congregations should involve Scouting families in short episodic volunteer roles  Get Scouting families working with the core leadership of the congregation  Build/strengthen relationships 2. RETENTION

 Scouting can enrich the programs of the religious organization  Scouting has high brand recognition  Membership opportunities  Proven youth program: citizenship training, character development, fitness  Outdoor resources (local and national facilities)  Venturing Program 3. PROGRAM

 Encourage the congregation to provide much of the leadership  Congregation members may volunteer to be leaders because they see it as service to their congregation  Congregations select the leadership that reflects their values 4. TRAINED VOLUNTEERS

 Congregations need their best kid person to be the leader. The leader can be the first connection to the congregation  Leaders must be trained.  Congregation members need training? Why not open your training to the congregation?  Reinforce that the Chartered Organization “owns” the unit. It’s like a franchise. 4. TRAINED VOLUNTEERS

 Additional members means more revenue 5. MONEY

1.Membership growth 2.Retention 3.Program 4.Trained Volunteers 5.Money BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN HOW SCOUTING CAN BENEFIT CONGREGATIONS:

 Understand what the Resolution is  Scout Oath and Scout Law  Duty to God  Behavior that exemplifies the highest level of good conduct  Sexual conduct, whether homosexual or heterosexual, by youth of Scouting age is contrary to our values. MAKE SURE CONGREGATIONS UNDERSTAND THE BSA RESOLUTION

 Also understand what the Resolution is NOT  Does not endorse homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle  Does NOT prohibit our faith based charter partners from requiring that the members of its unit abide by the moral values of the chartered organization.  A BSA Code of Conduct is being created.  A committee has been formed to strengthen the Duty to God component in the Scouting program MAKE SURE CONGREGATIONS UNDERSTAND THE BSA RESOLUTION

 Let’s use a SWOT analysis to understand how a religious organization might look at the BSA SWOT ANALYSIS

LOCAL COUNCIL STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES/OPPORTUNITIES/THREATS

SWOT ANALYSIS: LOCAL COUNCIL STRENGTHS 1. BSA’s ability to attract young families 2. BSA research Unit retention, rank advancement, leader tenure is greater in faith based units 3. Share common goals with faith community 4. Chartered Organization concept 5. Good brand recognition

WEAKNESSES 1. Councils have little to no knowledge of needs of chartered organizations 2. Councils provide little explanation about what’s in it for the chartered organization 3. No good sales tool for Chartered Organization 4. Councils have lack of understanding and utilization of religious emblems and REC 5. Council’s lack of communication with chartered organizations during the year

OPPORTUNITIES 1.70% of current organizations are religious 2.70% have only one unit or member of the family 3.Congregations need young families (average age of a UMC member is 59) 4.Renewed emphasis on Duty to God at BSA National committee report 6.Congregations have 5 common needs with BSA 7.Re-energize Religious Relationships committee by tasking them with membership 8.Religious hikes, retreats and camporees 9.Chaplains to help at summer camp and camporees (ask clergy for help!)

THREATS 1. Sharp membership decline especially in school- based chartered organizations 2.Equating a place to meet and a signature on the application as Chartered Organization agreement versus agreeing to be a give and take partnership 3. Faith communities have a general lack of knowledge of the real outcome of the membership vote 4. Concern that the next target will be the BSA leadership standards and then Duty to God 5. Other faith-based boy programs

 Research the Religious Emblems Programs  You need to do your homework  Before calling on a congregation, become familiar with their religious emblems program  The eligibility guidelines and requirements will differ from religion to religion  The P.R.A.Y. website provides links to all the different religious emblems  “Cheat sheet” STEPS TO TAKE

 Research the congregation  You need to do your homework on the congregation and denomination. What do you call the place of worship? How do you address clergy? How is it structured? Top down or bottom up? etc.  “Congregation Questionnaire” STEPS TO TAKE

 Find Cultural Informants – To open doors, teach/speak the language, eliminate cold calls  Council Staff, Council Board, Religious Relationships Committee, your Key 3, Chartered Partners  STEPS TO TAKE

 Become familiar with the R.E.C.  Resources available  Summary handout, video, webinar recordings, etc.  Encourage REC’s to sign up and receive the “REC kit” STEPS TO TAKE

 Keep informed  Sign up for P.R.A.Y.’s Bulletins  Join Mark on LinkedIn  Sign up for P.R.A.Y. webinars  Joint presentation with UMC – Nov 21 st  Recruiting Baptist Congregations – TBA  htm htm  Contact Mark with questions STEPS TO TAKE

INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS  Both sides must clearly understand the chartered organization agreement before it is signed.  BSA should use as many congregational volunteers as is feasible.  The congregation must “invest” their best kid person to be the leader

INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS  All volunteers must be trained by the local council  Religious emblems must be promoted by the unit REC  Congregations must offer a religious emblems class

FINAL THOUGHTS / SUMMARY  Visit your congregations now  Duty to God is a core value of Scouting. Scouting needs the faith community.  Do your homework. Are you familiar with RE, REC, CO? Can you articulate the reasons why Scouting and the faith community need each other? Can you articulate the benefits of working together?

 Thank you for your commitment to working with the faith community! THANK YOU!