Chartered Organization Representative (COR)

Training Course

Logistics / Admin

• Sign in–BSA ID# and e-mail

• Restrooms• Refreshment area

Welcome & Introductions

Introduce yourself:• Name • Where you are from • Your Chartered Organization • How many years in Scouting as youth &

adult

Who is this course for?

• First time Charter Organization Representatives (CORs)

• CORs who are about to help stand up a new unit

• Follow on CORs to units that have been operating for several years

• Anybody interested in what the purpose of the COR is

COR Training Course Outline• Welcome and introduction• Purpose and Mission of the BSA• The Charter• Charter Organization Rep

– Place in the organization hierarchy– Tasks (notional)– “5 minute speech”– Resources– Training opportunities

• Personal Lessons– Passdown log

• Finales

Questions

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BSA Mission

"The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law."

Purposes of the Boy Scouts of America

•Citizenship training •Character development •Personal fitness

BSA accomplishes its purpose by making its program available to existing organizations that have compatible goals. These groups include religious, educational, civic fraternal, business, labor, and governmental bodies.

Charters

Charters are granted to the local council for two purposes:1. Extend an invitation to community groups / organizations to use the Scouting program. 2. Provide supporting services to help community organizations / groups successfully carry out their Scouting programs.

• These responsibilities are captured on “The Annual Charter Agreement” between the Chartered Organization and the Council

• This Agreement is part of the Recharter package and is to be signed by the Institutional Head (i.e., The Executive Officer) of the Chartered Organization and submitted along with the Recharter package.

Chartered Organization Responsibilities

• Conduct Scouting in accordance with its own policies and guidelines as well as those of the BSA.

• Include Scouting as part of its overall program for youth and families.

• Appoint a chartered organization representative who is a member of the organization and will represent it to the Scouting district and council, serving as a voting member of each.

• Select a unit committee of parents and members of the organization who will screen and select unit leaders who meet the organization's leadership standards as well as the BSA's standards.

• Provide adequate and secure facilities for Scouting units to meet on a regular schedule with time and place reserved.

• Encourage the units to participate in outdoor experiences.

Local Council Responsibilities

• Respect the aims and objectives of the organization and offer resources to help meet those aims and objectives.

• Provide year-round training, service, and support to the organization and units.

• Provide training and support for the chartered organization representative as the primary communication link.

• Provide techniques and methods for selecting quality unit leaders and ensuring those selected meet BSA leadership standards.

• Provide primary general liability insurance to cover the chartered organization and its board, officers, chartered organization representative, and employees against all personal liability judgments. This insurance includes attorney's fees and court costs as well as any judgment brought against the individual or organization. Unit leaders are covered in excess of any personal coverage they might have, or if there is no personal coverage, the BSA insurance immediately picks them up on a primary basis.

• Provide camping facilities, service centers, and a full-time professional staff to assist the organization in every possible way.

COR’s Relationships

The Big Three

The COR is part of the big three; not a collateral duty.

The unit leader is responsible for planning and executing the programs.

The Committee Chair is responsible for call, presiding over, and promoting attendance at monthly unit committee meetings and any special meetings that may be called. The CC is responsible for raising the funds and managing the budget.

The COR is responsible for ensuring that the unit is adhering to the tenants and policies of the charter organization and BSA policies.

COR

Unit Leader (i.e. Scout Master) Committee Chair

COR’s Tasks• Encourage unit leaders to take training and become trained

yourself. • Promote well-planned unit programs. • Organize enough units to meet need. • Promote recruiting new youth members. • Encourage transition from one program to the next. • Assist in annual unit charter renewal. • Suggest Good Turns that benefit your organization and its

community. • Encourage regular unit committee meetings. • Encourage active outdoor unit programs. • Promote earning advancement, including religious awards,

and recognition of leaders. • Approve unit finance policies. • Represent your organization to the district and council.

Selecting and Recruiting Leaders

1. Recruit. “5 minute speech”

2. Gather a Selection Committee

3. List the Qualifications

4. List the Candidates

5. Organization Approval

6. Call on the Prospect

7. Approach the Prospect

Prospect Says Yes; Now What?First, an application and Youth Protection Training

are completed

Second, immediate completion of basic leader training should occur: – OnLine: Position-Specific Training for Cub Scout

leaders – Personal coaching (within 48 hours) – Encourage completion of face-to-face courses

Third, an announcement to the:– Organization– Other leaders of the unit– Parents

VFW Post 2632C.O.R. Passdown

• Tab A – The Charter Organization Representative – National circular 511-006

• Tab B – Troop 1203 Troop Handbook• Tab C – Pack 1203 Pack By laws• Tab D - Pack 1203 Program Plan (2013-2014)• Tab E - Troop and Pack internet resources• Tab F – Uniform inspection list

– Boy Scout and Cub Scout– Insignia Guide

• Tab G – The Charter Organization– Western Shore District circular

• Tab H – The Charter Organization Representative – University of Scouting syllabus

• Tab I – VFW Wood Badge scholarship form

Resources for the COR

• Staff and volunteers of the Local District and Council:– Training, advancement, service chairs– Unit commissioner / District commissioner staff – District committee (you are a voting member)– District Executive (a professional Scouter)

• National Council:– books, – pamphlets– audiovisuals

Training Opportunities • Online• MyScouting.Org

– Youth Protection– Position Specific– Some specialized– Council/District training schedules

• District Training– Pow Wow– Round Table– BALOO/IOLS

• Council Training– Summer Camp

• Wilderness First Aide• IOLS

– Wood Badge

• Print– Pack Program Planning

Guide– Scoutmaster’s Handbook

• High Adventure Camps (i.e. Philmont Training Center)• Wood Badge intensive• Adult Leadership Challenge• Commissioner specific

• Publications• Scouting magazine• Council Newspaper• Guide to Advancement

(2013)• Insignia Guide (2012)• National circular 511-006:

Responsibilities of the COR• Your fellow Scouters!

• Relationship of the big three is developed and built with each generation of leadership. Dependent on each of the personalities

• Big Three should not be a dual hat: COR should not be a unit leader (i.e. ScoutMaster or Cubmaster) or Committee Chair– Maybe as a Den Leader or Advancement Chair

• COR is voting member of District and Council executive board

• COR is not personally liable for Troop or Pack (if acting in good faith, and according to BSA rules and policies)

Personal lessons learned(1 of 3)

Personal lessons learned(2 of 3)

• COR is only position that can ‘fire’ a volunteer– Last resort. Remember that everyone is a volunteer

• Only Mandatory training requirement: Youth Protection Training– BUT…. Responsibility to provide trained leadership to scouts– Training is a continuous process

• Rules change. Stay current.– Rules had greatly changed since 1973– Small changes sometimes missed by Charter Org, Scoutmaster

and Committee Chairs

• Know Charter Organizations expectations, resources and programs (i.e. Patriots Pen)

Personal lessons learned(3 of 3)

• Training should be constant• Good to know much of the other training resource

realistically available– Philmont Adult Leadership generally not– District Pow Wow, Round Table and University of Scouting is– Online training

• Troop and Pack technically do not own anything: Charter Organization owns everything– Need for an adult Quartermaster?

• Recognize unit leaders with personal awards– Knots, military medals, VFW and Masonic awards for service to scouting

• Expenses and mileage may be tax deductible– See Pub 9

Review

• Recruit unit leadership– Encourage unit leadership development– Recognize unit leaders

• Promote Boy Scout policy & Organization goals

• Mortar to the stones– Liaison between unit, organization, district

and council• You define your role and place

Finale• Remaining questions from opening

• Take-aways– Copy of VFW Post COR passdown index– Copy of “5 minute Join Scouting” speech

Questions?