New Unit Organization with Religious Emblems Group 

 In Progress

A successful way to start new traditional units at religious insitutions is to turn the initial emphasis by focusing on the church's membership and organizing a faith-focused youth group. Name this group after the Scouting religious emblem for that group.

For example, at a Presbyterian Church organize a church youth group for 1-3 graders called God and Me. The first few meetings are focused on the Presbyterian Religious emblem (God and Me), with infused Cub Scout activities. As the religious program draws near to completion, transition to additional Cub Scout meeting programs and the Bobcat badge and outdoor programs, eventually delivering a full Scouting program.

This can be continued each year with a new class of youth enrolling in the faith-focused group and transitioning into Scouting. It can be used for youth of any age and Scouting program.

This method has several immediate benefits: 1) the chartered organization has more members participating in their Scouting program--creating increased support and better program delivery, 2) Scouting immediately develops demonstrated value by addressing the primary objective of the organization: faith, 3) parents are immediately engaged and active in the program by working side-by-side with their children.

Support for this kind of initiative can be provided to unit-serving executives through a generic toolkit. Not needing to be faith-specific, the new unit organization process can be amended to provide steps for church officials and Scouting volunteers. An additional resource could be the production of "den meeting in a box" style kits to assist religious institutions in delivering the program.

Innovation Engine Theme of the Week or Month 

 In Progress

Begin a new period (week or month) with a theme, like: “How can local councils increase membership in minority areas?” or “How can local councils increase traditional membership?” or “What changes need to be made to the program to attract today’s youth?”. This will help focus the thought and discussions on common areas and might create that million dollar idea.

Streamline Marketing and Brand Management to Save 

 Completed

Money, Improve Efficiency
In the New BSA, it’s all about individual contributors making the difference and employees using their brains to collectively contribute to a New BSA. Brand Management and Marketing should publish guidelines that allow us to make individual decision for the collective benefit of BSA. This would reduce the number of staff needed by Brand Management and Marketing and save BSA money. It also would be less intrusive to getting things done.

Under the current structure, Marketing and Brand Management have set themselves up as an inhibitor to individual creativity and have effectively projected that they are the only group allowed to be creative.