Make yourself comfortable. We will start soon.

1
Welcome

• Make yourself comfortable.We will start soon.

2

• Reminder to instructors Check the notes pages
  of this presentation for the text of the
  Commissioner Basic Training Manual
• This is a hidden slide and will not show in the
  presentation.

3
Commissioner Basic Training
4
Session 1

• Why Commissioners?

5
Opening

• Pledge of Allegiance

6
Opening Ceremony

• The Cub Scout Promise
• I, (name), promise to do my best to do my duty to
  God and my country, to help other people, and to
  obey the Law of the Pack.
• The Scout Oath
• On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to
  God and my country and to obey the Scout Law to
  help other people at all times to keep myself
  physically strong, mentally awake, and morally
  straight.
• The Venturing Oath
• As a Venturer, I promise to do my duty to God and
  help strengthen America, to help others, and to
  seek truth, fairness, and adventure in our world.

7
Introductions

• Name
• Present job in Scouting
• Previous positions held
• Tenure
• Awards earned

8
Learning Objectives

• State the purpose of the Boy Scouts of America
• State the mission of the council and district
• Explain the four-function concept of council and
  district operation
• Describe the commissioner unit service role and
  its relationship to supporting a unit in a
  quality program
• State the methods and steps of good unit program
  planning

9
Purpose, Aims Methods of Scouting
10
Purpose of Scouting

• To promote, through cooperation with other
  agencies, the ability of youth to do things for
  themselves and others, and to teach youth
  patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred
  virtues

11
Aims of Scouting

• Character development
• Citizenship training
• Personal fitness

12
Methods of Scouting
Cub Scouting (Boys grades 1-5) Ideals Den Advancement Family involvement Activities Home and neighborhood centered Uniform Boy Scouting (Boys ages 11-17) Ideals Patrol Advancement Adult association Outdoors Personal growth Leadership Uniform Venturing (Youth ages 14-20) Ideals Group activities Recognition Adult association High adventure Teaching others Leadership
13
Council Mission

• Voluntary association of citizens chartered
  organization representatives
• Promotes Scouting within a geographical area
• Guides supports districts to
• Make Scouting available to youth
• Provide adequate funds
• Maintain standards and policies
• Serve organizations using the Scouting programs

14
District Mission

• Ensures growth success of Scouting units within
  the district's territory
• Works through chartered organizations and
  community groups to organize and support
  successful units

15
Four-Function Plan

• Membership/Relationships
• Finance
• Program
• Unit service

16
Commissioner Service Role
17
The Commissioner Concept

• The commissioner is the liaison between the local
  council and Scouting units.
• The commissioner's mission is to
• Keep units operating at maximum efficiency,
• Maintain regular contact with unit leaders,
• Counsel leaders on where to find assistance,
• Note weaknesses in programs,
• And suggest remedies.
• The commissioner is successful when units
  effectively deliver the ideals of Scouting to
  their members.

18
Unit Commissioner Responsibility Card

• Report to the district commissioner or assistant
  district commissioner as assigned
• Help each unit earn the Quality Unit Award
• Use the annual commissioner service plan, with
  its scheduled opportunities for commissioner
  contact with units
• Know each phase of Scouting and its literature.
  Be able to describe how each works.
• Visit meetings of assigned packs/troops/teams/crew
  s regularly, usually once a month

19
Unit Commissioner Responsibility Card

• Visit regularly with the unit leader
• Be aware of unit leader concerns and challenges
• Serve as the unit leaders coach and counselor
• Build a strong, friendly relationship
• Using the literature and profile sheet, help the
  leader see opportunities for improvement
• Encourage unit participation in district and
  council events

20
Unit Commissioner Responsibility Card

• Work to ensure effective unit committees
• Visit with the unit committee periodically
• Observe the committee, offer suggestions for
  improvement, and work to solve problems
• See that adult leaders have adequate training
• Make certain that proper techniques are used to
  select and recruit unit leaders

21
Unit Commissioner Responsibility Card

• Facilitate on-time charter renewal of all units
• Help the unit conduct a membership inventory of
  youth and adults
• Help the unit committee chairman conduct the
  charter renewal meeting
• See that a completed charter renewal application
  is returned to the council service center
• Make arrangements to present annually each unit
  charter at a meeting of the chartered organization

22
Unit Commissioner Responsibility Card

• Attend all meetings of the commissioner staff
• Become trained
• Initial orientation and basic training
• Arrowhead Honor and Scouters Key
• Annual council commissioners conference
• Know the resources available to the unit in the
  neighborhood, district, and council

23
Unit Commissioner Responsibility Card

• Set the example
• Adopt an attitude of helpfulness
• Keep promises
• Be concerned about proper uniforming
• Be diplomatic
• Be a model of Scouting ideals
• Conduct own Self-Evaluation on page 51 of the
  Commissioner Fieldbook

24
Commissioner Quiz The unit commissioner (true /
false)

• 1. Reports to the district executive.
• 2. Must be an expert in training adults and
  youth.
• 3. Is only concerned with reregistering a unit
  on time.
• 4. Should be familiar with the official
  literature used by units for program.
• 5. Visits the unit committee only, on a regular
  basis.
• 6. Must know the unit program planning process.
• 7. "Sells" the unit leader on district and
  council functions, as a primary responsibility.

25
Commissioner Quiz (continued)

• 8. Periodically communicates with the chartered
  organization representative to offer help.
• 9. Regularly attends Roundtables to check up on
  unit leaders.
• 10. Guides the unit through the annual service
  plan.
• 11. May earn the Commissioners Key.
• 12. Attends monthly meetings of the district
  committee.
• 13. Is not involved in the presentation of the
  unit charter.
• 14. Must be familiar with the monthly program
  themes.
• 15. Encourages assigned packs, troops, teams,
  and crews to earn the Quality Unit Award.

26
Unit Commissioner Video

• AV-04V001R

27
Commissioners Roles

• Friend
• Representative
• Unit "doctor"
• Teacher
• Counselor

28
Supporting the Unit
29
Supporting the Unit

• Topic Indicators of unit health
• Method Buzz groups

30
Indicators of Unit Health Pack

• Leadership
• Webelos dens
• Advancement
• Youth attendance
• Membership
• Family attendance
• Den participation
• Meeting operation
• Den chiefs
• Tiger Cub dens

31
Indicators of Unit Health Troop

• Meeting operation
• Boy leadership
• Skills instruction presentation
• Skills instruction levels
• Membership
• Budget plan
• Attendance
• Patrol activity
• Adult assistance
• Outdoor program

32
Indicators of Unit Health Crew

• Adult Advisors
• Elected officers
• Planned program
• Adult assistance
• Membership
• Meeting operation
• Service projects
• Program capability inventory

33
Indicators of Unit Health Post

• Adult leadership
• Elected officers
• Planned program
• Adult assistance
• Participation
• Meeting operation
• Post specialty
• Program of emphasis areas
• Adult Resource Survey

34
Commissioner Worksheet
35
Sample
36
Evaluation Tool

• Commissioner Worksheets
  pack, troop, crew, post
• Do unit leaders resist evaluation?
• Do you understand the profile?
• What are your resources?

37
Unit Program Planning
38
Cub Scout Program Planning

• Unit commissioners should understand process and
  tools
• Program Helps and Pack Planning Chart
• Cub Scout Leader Program Notebook
• Council calendar
• Chartered organization needs
• Annual program planning conference
• Monthly pack leaders meeting
• Den Chief Den Leader meeting

39
Boy Scout Program Planning

• Tools
• Troop Program Features 4 volumes
• Program Planning Chart
• Boy Scout Leader Program Notebook
• Planning steps
• Homework (get ready)
• Find out what Scouts want (patrol leaders)
• PLC annual planning, SPL presiding
• Secure troop committee support
• Pass the word. Publicize.

40
Venturing Crew Program Planning

• Crew plans program
• Program capability inventory (adult resources)
• Adult hobbies, interests, skills, careers, and
  Ideas from PCI to program planning forms
• Venturing activity interest survey
• Planning steps
• Brainstorm activities
• Discuss and evaluate each idea
• Select activities and calendarize
• Plan details each month in advance

41
Summary

• Opening
• Purpose, Aims and Methods of Scouting
• Commissioner Service Role
• Supporting the Unit
• Unit Program Planning

42
Break!
43
Commissioner Basic Training
44
Session 2

• Units The Commissioners
• Top Priority

45
Learning Objectives

• Explain how unit committees are organized to
  support the unit leaders
• State the role of the commissioner in youth
  protection
• Recognize the standards for quality unit
  operation
• Evaluate unit operation
• Make a meaningful visit to a unit

46
Unit Visitation Basics
47
Unit Visit Basics

• Commissioners visit each unit at least monthly
• Visits may be to unit meeting, unit committee
  meeting, or unit leader
• Visits provide knowledge of how to help a unit
  improve its program
• Visits allow you to find out about problems
  before unit fails, weakens or members leave

48
The First Unit Visit

• Make appointment to visit an assigned unit
• Go with your observer-coach
• Worksheet will be filled out later
• Take your resource kit
• Observe for the entire meeting
• Do not participate beyond introductions
• Both new commissioner and coach fill out
  independent worksheets
• Wear your complete uniform

49
Second Third Unit Visits

• Second visit unit meeting
• Go by yourself
• Stay only 15 minutes (drop-in)
• Take your resource kit
• Make worksheet changes
• Third visit committee meeting
• Visit chartered organization representative
• Take your resource kit
• Be prepared with ways to help
• Give everyone your phone and address
• Wear your complete uniform

50
Unit Condition

• Know the condition of the unit at all times
• Is the program fun challenging for the youth
• Do leaders find the program rewarding
• Is there a membership growth plan
• Will the unit register on time

51
Commissioner Priorities
52
Distractions

• Unit service
• Do not fall into the trap of doing everything
  except your appointed job
• Principal Scouting obligation must be with
  commissioner responsibilities
• Do not register as a unit leader

53
Unit Focus

• Priority units receive most careful attention
• Do not give most attention to healthiest active
  units
• Prioritize unit needs

54
Effective Commissioner Leadership
55
Leadership Tasks

• Evaluate and improve your own performance
• Maintain a positive and enthusiastic attitude
• Work successfully with adults
• Guide unit leaders in working successfully with
  boys
• Set a good example for the boys and other adults
• Continue learning and growing in leadership
  skills
• Practice good communication

56

• Hidden notes slide

57
Unit Committee Functions
58
Pack and Troop Committee Functions

• Fast Start for a good start

59
Pack Committee

• Advancement
• Finance
• Outings
• Training
• Membership reregistration
• Record keeping correspondence
• Public relations
• Friends of Scouting

60
Troop Committee

• Advancement
• Finance
• Equipment
• Outdoor program
• Transportation
• Leadership selection
• Membership reregistration
• Friends of Scouting

61
Crew Committee

• Membership
• Finance
• Training
• Camping Outdoor
• Activities Civic Service
• Advancement Recognition
• Service

62
Introduction to Youth Protection
63
Commissioner and Youth Protection

• Annual Youth Protection visit in the fall
• Encourage proper leader selection procedures
• Coach unit people if child abuse occurs
• Promote the youth videos
• It Happened to Me
• A Time to Tell
• Personal Safety Awareness
• Explain how to use Youth Protection inserts
• Complete Youth Protection Training yourself

64
Quality Unit Operation
65
Danger Signals

• Style of leadership
• Leader wants to keep authority
• Lacks faith in boys / leaders
• Leader trains only by mass instruction
• Leader does not grasp possibilities of patrol
  method
• Unit is not meeting
• Unit is without adult leaders
• Unit has no committee
• No new members being added
• Low attendance at meetings
• Weak or poorly organized program
• No advancement
• No participation in day camp or summer camp
• No unit budget

66
National Quality Unit Award

• Four mandatory items
• Trained leader
• Trained assistant leader
• Outdoor program
• Recharter on time
• Minimum two of six optional items
• 100 Boys Life (or improvement)
• Advancement
• Service project
• Etc., appropriate to the type of unit

67
Summary

• Unit Visitation Basics
• Commissioner Priorities
• Effective Commissioner Leadership
• Unit Committee Functions
• Introduction to Youth Protection
• Quality Unit Operations

68
Break!
69
Commissioner Basic Training
70
Session 3

• How to Help a Unit

71
Learning Objectives

• State the resource and support available to help
  make the unit successful
• Use counseling fundamentals to encourage the unit
  leader and to lead him to self-sufficiency
• Explain the annual commissioner service plan
• State methods of membership management
• Use the resources of the district committee
• Use the unit charter renewal process in
  rechartering a unit
• Use commissioner lifesaving techniques to resolve
  unit life-threatening problems

72
Counseling
73
Counseling Defined

• The ability to listen to someone in such a way
  that they will solve their own problems."

74
Fundamentals

• Time and place with no interruptions
• Understand what the leader is saying
• Let the leader know you hear and understand
• Do not give advice!
• Guide the discussion through questions
• Leader solves their own problem
• If they don't solve their own problem
• Give information
• Propose possible alternatives
• Let leader pick best solution
• Summarize from time to time to keep on track
• Support thinking with information
• Know the difference between information and
  advice
• Resources
• Commissioner Fieldbook, Counseling

75
District Committee
76
District Committee

• Four function organization
• Membership
• Finance
• Program
• Unit service

77
Membership Functions

• Gather information
• Cultivate relationships with community
  organizations
• Organize new units
• Help youth join existing units

78
Finance Functions

• Obtain the districts share of funds for the
  council budget
• Carry out FOS in the district
• Meet goals by target dates
• Implement finance policies
• Conduct project selling
• Assist with endowment development
• Stimulate United Way relationships
• Recognize donors

79
Program Functions

• Training
• Camping and Outdoor
• Activities and Civic Service
• Advancement and Recognition

80
Training

• Determine who needs training
• Build annual training program
• Develop plans for specific courses
• Promote courses
• Provide training recognition

81
Camping Outdoor

• Promote resident camping for all packs, troops,
  and teams
• Develop and promote Cub Scout day camps
• Promote year-round camping by all units
• Provide guidance on health and safety
• Use camperships
• Guide the Order of the Arrow

82
Activities Civic Service

• Recruit teams to carry out district activities
• Involve the district in community service
  projects
• Promote and help with council events

83
Advancement Recognition

• Help unit leaders with advancement procedures
• Monitor unit advancement progress
• Recruit merit badge counselors
• Approve Eagle Scout service project plans
• Recommend youths and adults for special awards

84
Unit Service Function

• Regularly visit all units
• Demonstrate BSA concern for unit leaders
• Facilitate on-time charter renewals
• Appraise and help units improve their program
• Help units earn the Quality Unit Award
• Help units benefit from council resources
• Conduct monthly roundtables
• Guide the unit leader selection process

85
Membership Management

• Membership Management

86
Membership Management

• Buzz groups for 10 minutes
• Topics
• Unit with mostly older boys
• Inventories of active boys
• Year-round recruiting
• Preventing dropped units
• 1 minute reports

87
Membership Management

• Unit with mostly older boys
• Recruit
• Inventories of active boys
• Committee Involvement for inactive boys
• Program or Administrative issue

88
Help Units Grow

• Year-round recruiting
• Birthday greetings
• Phone Invitations
• Personal Invitations
• Webelos-Scout transition
• Preventing dropped units
• Assigned to unit
• Assigned while organizing new units

89
Unit Charter Renewal Process
90
Charter Renewal

• "If commissioners are providing regular
  visitation and doing their job as in the Annual
  Service Plan, then rechartering becomes a minor
  paperwork exercise."
• George Crowl, 1982
  

91
Objectives

• Reregister unit
• On time
• Maximum membership
• Two deep trained leadership

92
The Plan

• -90
• -60
• -45
• -15
• 30

93
Charter Renewal Plan

• 90 days before
• District executive visit head of chartered
  organization
• 60 days before
• ScoutNet available to log on
• Membership inventory
• Recruit to make up loss
• 100 Boy's Life

• 45 days before
• Charter renewal meeting
• Boys and Adults
• Fees
• Approvals
• Plans for the next year (Quality Unit)
• 15 days before
• Submit charter renewal to service center
• 30 days after
• Charter presentation

94
Ninety Days Before

• District Executive visits Institution Head
• Friendly visit
• "How can I help"

95
Sixty Days Before

• Membership inventory
• Set renewal meeting date

96
Online Rechartering

• Available 60 days in advance
• Online Rechartering is easier
• Council furnishes units with ScoutNet data on a
  buffered web page
• Units make corrections in this data
• When data is correct unit uploads material to
  buffer on ScoutNet
• After turn-in, council accepts data and sends
  this data to ScoutNet

97
Forty-Five Days Before

• Charter review meeting
• Youth and Adults
• Fees
• Approvals
• Quality Unit status
• Plans

98
Fifteen Days Before

• Unit updates buffered ScoutNet data and gets
  signatures
• Submit to service center

99
Some Techniques

• Talk about 100 Boy's Life often
• Committee members do membership follow-up
• Discuss Quality Unit with the whole committee
  (several times a year)
• Unit people update ScoutNet data
• Charter renewal checklist

100
Thirty Days After

• Charter presentation
• Chartered organization head
• COR
• Unit Leader
• Unit Committee Chair
• The unit
• Sample presentation in Commissioner Fieldbook

101
Annual Commissioner Service Plan
102
Annual Commissioner Service Plan

• Gives specific purpose to regular and supportive
  contact with units.

103
Annual Plan

• April - Unit leadership inventory
• May - Troop uniform inspection
• August - Unit program planning
• October - Unit uniform inspection
• November - Youth Protection Training
• December - Membership inventory

• 90 days before charter renewal date executive
  officer visit
• 60 days before charter renewal date Membership
  inventory
• 45 days before charter renewal date Charter
  renewal meeting
• 15 days before charter renewal date Submit to
  service center
• 30 days after charter renewal date Charter
  presentation

104

• Annual Plan
• coupled with
• regular visitation
• provides good
• commissioner service.

105
Lifesaving Commissioner
106
Lifesaving Commissioner
107
Vital Signs

• What are they?

108
Vital Signs

• Youth dropping out
• No youth recruiting or poor recruiting methods
• No adult leader
• No planned program
• No youth leaders
• No discipline
• Unit stops meeting
• Charter lapses
• Chartered organization leader unhappy
• Only one active adult
• No parents involved
• Adult conflicts / poor communications

109
TAKE ACTION FAST

• Consult ADC / DC
• Ask some basic questions
• What are the problems?
• What are possible solutions?
• What do we do first?
• Who do we involve?
• How do we know when unit is saved?
• What is plan B?
• Be enthusiastic
• Apply "first aid
• Apply second aid
• Promote teamwork

110
Hurry Cases

• Unit not meeting
• No leader
• No committee
• No new members
• Conflict with chartered organization
• New untrained leader
• Weak leadership

111
Lifesaving Team

• Ad hoc, or organized
• Bring appropriate skills to bear on the problem
• Adapt to the individual problems

112
Summary

• Counseling
• The District Committee
• Membership Management
• Unit Charter Renewal Process
• Annual Commissioner Service Plan
• The Lifesaving Commissioner
• Open Forum
• Closing

113
Open ForumQuestions and Concerns
114
Closing

• Closing