Wayne- your perception is correct. Volunteers do not take ownership with as much dilegence, passion and follow through as the professional Scouter. I believe that we as professionals have fostered and nurtured this. Ever since I have been a professional Scouter, my accountablity (CA's/Goals) as well as pay for performance have been squarely tied into the achievement of membership and unit organization goals. This is a culture that I believe has been created. And changing culture takes time and creativity.
As for constructive ideas; I would offer the following:
A. New PDS system will help to change culture- only if we (professional scouters) have the corporate will to evaluate performance in the BSA differently than we did before.
B. Re-define the role of District Executive & District Committees. He/she & District Committees become responsible for everything but new unit organization and community level fundraising. Focus them on quality program delivery and growth among esisting units. He/she/they service the current chartered partners who have scouting- develops a relationship with them to take them to full scouting unit engagement, supports them with youth membership drives, training for leaders, camping and activities to supplement their programs, unit level FOS and popcorn Sales.
C. Hire a new professional Specialist position- New Business Development. He/She works with an ongoing Marketing and Sales Volunteer Committee to cultivate and engage new Chartered Partners. Once engaged, they bring in local DE's and their committees to assist in new unit organization and ultimately serving the new units that follow.
D. Hire a new professional Specialist position- Finance Specialist. He/She works with an ongoing Fundraising Committee to raise community level contributions throughout all districts in the Council.
Volunteers need a phone number or email for tech support for mysocuting. Right now, all they do is call the Service Center. Please get us out of the middle and reduce volunteer/customer frustration.
Nice idea. I like it, however, I am not sure that the BSA has the capacity to execute such a major undertaking. If we did, I would sure vote to do this.
Prior to a current sitting SE to be considered and approved for consideration at another Council; I would propose that an Administrative Review be conducted in their current Council as part of the promotability "consdieration" process.
In the case of a SE who is retiring, then the Review process should happen as quickly as possible to determine what if any special skills are going to be required of the new incoming SE.
The PAS database seems to be so rigid that making simple adjustments to a person's record, in light of prior mis input is next to impossible. The recording of training, whether current for their position both past, present and future should not be this complicated.
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