Click HERE to see our ever growing list of in person trainings offered through out the 2013/2014 year!

FOUR STEPS TO UNIT RETENTION

Commissioners own unit retention. Unit commissioners can take ownership by taking these four steps:

1. Unit Visits
   Unit visits are the foundation of unit service; without them, commissioners can't develop the relationships with unit leaders and the knowledge of unit operations needed to provide effective service. Engaged unit commissioners visit their units regularly. Journey to Excellence requirements for the number of visits made can set a district or council unit service team on the path to continuous improvement. The current defined standard for JTE Gold is a total of six visits in the course of a year. The Commissioner Award of Excellence in Unit Service sets the bar for excellence at 12 visits per year, six of which are physical visits (such as unit meetings, unit activities, leader meetings, and summer camp) and six of which may be significant contacts by telephone, two-way electronic communication, or in person. Our Unit Performance Guide sets a similar standard for visits to new units during their first 36 months of operation: one per month.

2. Unit Health Assessments
   Unit commissioners are called upon to complete at least two unit health assessments per year (in January and July). For units not achieving any JTE level, an action plan to assist in reaching at least JTE Bronze should be developed. The July assessment is also an excellent opportunity to conduct a midyear review with unit leaders of progress toward JTE goals; the January assessment is an equally excellent opportunity to review JTE performance for the year just completed and set new goals for the coming year. Unit health assessments should be shared with the district's Key 3 to identify opportunities to link units needing additional support with district operating committee resources.
   
   There is one additional opportunity for a unit health assessment: whenever a unit experiences a significant change in key unit leadership (unit leader, committee chair, or chartered organization representative). Commissioners should also incorporate Voice of the Scout data in developing unit health assessments.
   
   The Unit Performance Guide is an excellent resource for unit-serving commissioners on a variety of topics, including unit health assessments. All commissioners should be familiar with this guide and review it periodically to remain current on the contemporary unit service processes it details.

3. Making and Sharing Unit Visit Reports and Action Plans
   Reports of unit visits should be recorded in our Unit Visit Tracking System. Reports should include more than dates, numbers, and quality indicator check marks. Brief comments, using JTE terminology, enable data entered into UVTS to become actionable information that can be shared with other members of the district or council unit service team and members of the district or council operations committee to link units to expertise needed to meet unique needs. Unit health assessments and key elements of action plans can also be entered in UVTS, which will facilitate linkage to needed expertise.

4. Charter Renewal
   Timely renewal of unit charters is the last-and most critical-step to unit retention. If the previous three steps have been completed effectively throughout the year, this last one is far easier. The relationships built through regular unit visits will facilitate communication to support charter renewal and identify potential challenges. Unit health assessments and action plans will identify units at risk and enable them to access additional resources that may be needed to ensure timely charter renewal and unit retention. If unit visits have been made (and reported in UVTS) throughout the year, there should be no surprises during charter renewal.

Thank you for all you do for the Scouting program

Indian Trails District: Scott Fratianne sfratianne@charter.net

Mohawk District: Joe Munns munns1@gmail.com

Southern Lakes District: Joe Hess fort.scouts@gmail.com

Wisconsin River District: Bryan Anders dawg@bugnet.net

Yahara District: Sue Mabie rbmabie@charter.net

 March 15, 2014

                  The Glacier's Edge Council, in cooperation with the CBM Credit Education Foundation, Inc., is offering a special clinic at Camp Indian Trails on March 15, 2014, for the Eagle-Required Personal Management Merit Badge, as well as providing all attending youth with important information on credit use and avoiding identity theft.  This course is open to all SCOUTS.  However, it is recommended that Scouts be at least 13 years old to get the most out of the badge requirements - Priority will be given to those who are least 13 years of age, and VENTURERS.

  Registration will be limited to the first 100 Scouts who register.  Please sign up by March 11 to assist in planning and material preparation.  Please use this link http://www.glaciersedge.org/wp-content/uploads/PM-MB-Announcement-2014.pdf to download a form and register for this course.

Check out the OA High Adventure programs at Philmont, Sea Base, and Northern Tier. These programs offer two full weeks of high intensity outdoor adventure, leadership development, and a way to build friendships that will last a lifetime, for as little as $250. Any Order of the Arrow member between the ages of 16 and 21 is eligible, and spots are available for the summer of 2013. Visit us at http://adventure.oa-bsa.org/

Visit www.ScoutStuff.org

Stop in and see the new items that are arriving weekly.  

Don't forget to stop in and see all our great New Year deals!!

   

Please e-mail Nancy.Woolley@scouting.org if you would like a specific item brought to check out

 

Check the website to catch up on the six-episodes of  Are You Tougher than a Boy Scout? series on the National Geographic Channel. Find show recaps at blog.scouting.org/tougher, Toughscout.com, http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/are-you-tougher-than-a-boy-scout for more information.