RecruitingRecruiting&&

RetainingRetainingYouthYouth

ObjectivesObjectives

•Develop a successful recruiting Develop a successful recruiting programprogram

•Elements of a Crew Open Elements of a Crew Open HouseHouse

•Role of VP-Admin in recruiting Role of VP-Admin in recruiting youth membersyouth members

•Tools for retaining youthTools for retaining youth

Why Recruit?Why Recruit?

Recruiting ToolsRecruiting Tools

•Venturing Activity Interest Venturing Activity Interest SurveySurvey

•Publicity & PromotionPublicity & Promotion•Personal ContactsPersonal Contacts•Marketing VisitsMarketing Visits

Activity Interest SurveyActivity Interest Survey

•Council or district sponsoredCouncil or district sponsored•Identifies youth with Venturing-type Identifies youth with Venturing-type interests in local areainterests in local area

•Crew president or COR should write Crew president or COR should write a personal invitation to visita personal invitation to visit•Open House or ActivityOpen House or Activity

•Follow up invitation with a phone Follow up invitation with a phone call call

Publicity & PromotionPublicity & Promotion

•After school meetingAfter school meeting•Notice & posters in school, church, Notice & posters in school, church, teen center, student unionteen center, student union

•Radio public service announcementsRadio public service announcements•Newspaper articlesNewspaper articles•Notices in outdoor storesNotices in outdoor stores•Promotional spots on school TV Promotional spots on school TV systemssystems

Personal ContactPersonal Contact

•Friends invite friendsFriends invite friends•Shared interests and goalsShared interests and goals•Already a sense of belongingAlready a sense of belonging•Helps overcome fear of something newHelps overcome fear of something new

•Most successful recruiting toolMost successful recruiting tool

Marketing & Marketing & DemonstrationsDemonstrations

•Scout troopsScout troops•Youth groupsYouth groups•Service clubsService clubs•Scout showsScout shows• Junior Leader Junior Leader

TrainingTraining•Order of the Arrow Order of the Arrow

eventsevents

•Camp staff Camp staff •Scout showsScout shows•Youth leadership Youth leadership

campcamp• Eagle courts of Eagle courts of

honorhonor•University of University of

Scouting Scouting •Municipal service Municipal service

eventsevents

Recruiting TipsRecruiting Tips

•Make visitors feel welcome & includedMake visitors feel welcome & included•Follow up the visit with a phone callFollow up the visit with a phone call•Or other personal contact (school, church, Or other personal contact (school, church,

etc)etc)

•Include them in an activityInclude them in an activity•Avoid jokes about initiation or hazingAvoid jokes about initiation or hazing•Advisor call or visit prospective Advisor call or visit prospective member’s parentsmember’s parents

Crew Open HouseCrew Open House

•Exciting, enthusiastic, energetic Exciting, enthusiastic, energetic programprogram

•Primary purpose is recruit new Primary purpose is recruit new membersmembers

•Also, encourage current Venturers Also, encourage current Venturers and kick off the new program yearand kick off the new program year

•Keys to successful Open House:Keys to successful Open House:•Greeting•Icebreaker•“What is Venturing”

•“About our crew”

•Past Programs•Invitation to join•Activity•Registration & followup

Be Innovative…Be Bold!Be Innovative…Be Bold!

•Hands-on programHands-on program•Pictures = 1000 wordsPictures = 1000 words• Try something related to your crew:Try something related to your crew:•““Discover Scuba” eventDiscover Scuba” event•Skeet or rifle shootSkeet or rifle shoot•Rappel off meeting placeRappel off meeting place•Water sports & picnicWater sports & picnic•Accident scenarioAccident scenario

•First impressions are lasting First impressions are lasting impressionsimpressions

Role of VP-AdminRole of VP-Admin

•Primary responsibility for recruiting Primary responsibility for recruiting new membersnew members•Develops a recruiting planDevelops a recruiting plan•Promotes the crewPromotes the crew• Follows up with members who seem to be Follows up with members who seem to be

losing interestlosing interest

•Usually the chair for the Open HouseUsually the chair for the Open House•Recruits a committee to help plan & Recruits a committee to help plan &

conductconduct

•Conducts the Reflection afterwardsConducts the Reflection afterwards

Tools for RetentionTools for Retention

•Program, program, program!!!!Program, program, program!!!!•Meets youths’ desires and needsMeets youths’ desires and needs• Exciting, fun, challengingExciting, fun, challenging

•Supportive & welcoming Supportive & welcoming environmentenvironment•Safe, inclusive, positiveSafe, inclusive, positive

•Capable youth planning, Capable youth planning, preparing, & leading crew’s preparing, & leading crew’s programprogram• Leads to youth ownershipLeads to youth ownership

•Caring & supportive adultsCaring & supportive adults•Coaches & mentorsCoaches & mentors

Jamie S. – Crew 2000Jamie S. – Crew 2000

““Recruiting never stops and the Recruiting never stops and the program sells itself if you get the program sells itself if you get the message out.”message out.”

SummarySummary

•Recruiting is a continual processRecruiting is a continual process•New youth members are vital to the New youth members are vital to the vitality and longevity of the Crewvitality and longevity of the Crew

•Personal invitations are the most Personal invitations are the most effective methodeffective method

•VP-Admin is the key leader in the VP-Admin is the key leader in the recruiting processrecruiting process

•Youth leadership = ownership = Youth leadership = ownership = retentionretention