Rant alert on Growing the Scouting movement and lack luster volunteers

If I can’t have a rant in my own Blog I don’t know where I can….so.

 

After yet another lack lustre comment from my Leadership over new initiatives to grow scouting.  I am incensed and taking it out on my (currently one lol) loyal readership.

 

I am firm believer (and have proven that it works) that every child comes with a leader in waiting, it's simply our job to create a role that that parent wants to step into.

 

The Scouting movement must grow.  Historically scouting in the UK used to be much higher in density, other countries have ridiculously higher penetration/population.  On the world stage I think the UK is #15 or so.

 

I think that there is tons of scope for growth, new groups, new sections and more diverse ways of delivering scouting like community units, home based units business based units.  All of which I have started in the US and none of which I am aware exist in this county. 

 

Honestly I am a bit sick of leadership complaining about the lack of volunteers. All this negativity while, at exactly the same time, the parents of all the children in the program, children on waiting lists etc. are constantly being fed into a system that has a "childcare mentality" of what scouting is.  I see almost all the parents of our scouting participants “dropping off” their children.  To me Scouting (for the parents) is simply one step away from putting the kids in front of the TV or Xbox.

 

For me the scouting program is about, at is core, involvement.   

 

I have seen and hear tons of hard evidence and millions of stories all about the fantastic difference in the lives of youth the scouting program has made.  The fantastic impact that their scout leader has had in their life.  The fantastic experience it has been for long time scouters to deliver the program.  But at the same time as we KNOW how great it is I have to fight with entrenched leadership to open new units. Fight with existing leaders about giving parents one of the greatest gifts they could get in their adult life - a chance to know their child in a whole new way, to be their child hero and role model.  In my opinion the problem, well the biggest problem, to having loads of volunteers is the existing culture and insular attitude of our current volunteers.

 

I have created a set of resources, funded vehicles for growing the movement and challenging the attitudes and entrenched resignation to volunteer recruitment.  BUT ultimately my opinion, informed and supported as it may be, counts for almost nothing.  As a volunteer lead organisation I cannot make one tiny iota of difference if there isn't some leadership and engagement to any initiatives I suggest.

 

Still, I have meet all my District Commissioners and I try to encourage and support them in trying something new.  It must be something new because everyone knows that " business as usual" is simply going to give us exactly the same result i.e. Last year we had negative growth.

 

Thanks for reading my first and hopefully last rant in my blog.. lol I feel better already J