Seamless Webelos to Scout Transition

alange

Revise

Vote Up

Vote Down

In Progress

Webelos that transfer into the Boy Scout Troop should not have to fill out another BSA application. Not only is more paperwork for the families and the unit leader, but it makes it feel like becoming a Boy Scout is not the next logical step like going for Tiger to Wolf is. We are the same organization and need to be able to make transition easier. Also, I feel that we would get earlier reports of cross overs if the leaders only had to "call in" which boys are now in the troop that were in the pack.

Idea # 109Boy Scouting

Moderator Comments

3/10/09
From: Rani Monson, Innovation Team Leader

In the future, the Innovation Council will be looking at advancement from the beginning of the program throughout the end. At that time, this issue will be addressed.

Comments

marcryan 1 year ago

I couldn't agree more! I hope this one gets some attention.

coverlan 1 year ago

problem is that the Webelo has a choice of what troop to join, its not always that a single pack feeds into a specific troop. I was a cub in my home town, then joined a troop in the next town over, because they had a better program.

donday 1 year ago

and why do we charge a transfer fee - why not make it no charge to go from webelos to boy scouts

mdulaney 1 year ago

Complete a Boy Scout application and health history signed by your parent or guardian.
This is number 2 on the requirements for Scout Rank. It will also help the council registrar. This would let her or him know what pack they are coming from.

akraus 1 year ago

It sounds like a good theory, but in practice I think we would have a lot of boys fall through into the registration black hole. As it is there are boys who get lost in the the Scoutmaster's briefcase and some of my Scoutmasters are horrible at returning calls much less making them, though I do agree about the transfer fee, especially if all of the units are on the same month like we're switching over to at our council.

bsutilla 1 year ago

YES YES YES.

This is a psycological thing.

Right now we make Scouts/families re-think joining our organization again when they move from CS to BS.

I don't agree with the "call in." But create a single transfer form for a troop to fill out, not the individual scouts/families. Each line is a Scout, the parent signs it, the leader signs the form and submits and pays. All is well. The family did nothing but sign they are joining that troop. The Scout leaders did all the rest.

lomiller 1 year ago

Though it seems like a good idea, filling out the form is usually the only way our records get updated. (Maybe at recharter if someone actually looks at addresses and phone numbers.)
Families move and a lot are dropping their land lines for cellphones. Unfortunatly we are not high on the priority list of people to update. Usually we only hear about an address change when someone complains they are not receiving their magazines.
I do agree they transfer fee should be dropped. What is it really for anyway?

Charles Howard-Gibbon 11 months ago

I agree with previous poster "bsutilla" on a transfer form that would be a roster list of one or more Scouts transferring from another unit into the newly joined unit.

Each blank line could contain spaces for the full name of the Scout, current address, birthdate, and parent signature. The bottom of the form would be signed by the unit leader. It would probably look similar to the form currently used for additional enrollments in Exploring. Such a form would have sufficient validation of signatures to assure a council registrar or data entry clerk of the membership intentions of the unit and the individuals. This could also work for Boy Scouts transferring into a Varsity Scout team or Venturing crew, not just Webelos Scouts moving into a troop.

I only recommend this for transfers. New members would still complete the entire BSA membership application, so that parents would have the opportunity to read the disclosure information on the cover sheets of that form.

I also concur that National BSA should consider eliminating the transfer fee from the registration system. It is perceived as unfair by some families and leaders, and a nuisance by many others.

Judy Sizemore 5 months ago

Status Changed from Active to Complete.

Judy Sizemore 5 months ago

Status Changed from Complete to In Progress.

Post New Comment

Activity Chart

Controversy Meter

Categories