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brian.russ

brian.russ
Member since : Oct-27-2008 (Verified)
4 Ideas, 8 Comments, 488 Votes

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Ideas Posted

27
Remove the audio from the Soccer and Scouting website (http://soccerandscouting.org/), or at least add a Pause or Stop button to the video.
Moderator Comments
10/7/2009

From: Maria, Oscar & Aaron, Hispanic Initiatives Team

Thank you for your suggestion for improving our Soccer and Scouting web support resources. For the past few months, members of the Hispanic Initiatives team, along with Brand Marketing, have engaged in the renovation of the Soccer and Scouting program. During this time, we determined that a more comprehensive evaluation of the program was required. In 2010, a new National Soccer and Scouting Task Force, comprising of BSA professionals and volunteers, will form to evaluate all aspects of the sports program. Part of this program evaluation will consist of updating existing program resources such as the video components, along with print and web support material.

We are always striving to better serve today’s youth and families and always welcome and appreciate your recommendations.
48
I recommend creation of better retention tracking tools in Scoutnet or MyBSA. For example, widgets or reports that showed our 2, 3, and 4-year retention of our programs (Cubs, Boy Scouts, etc.) and individual units within our service area would be very helpful.

Further, I recommend there be a creation, or better promotion if it already exists, of a local council award for long-term membership retention. This could be like the marketing awards, High Five Club, etc. - given out annually to those councils and districts with significant 2, 3, and 4-year retention rates. If we better emphasized keeping youth involved and engaged for three to four years we might have less burden on recruiting 15-25% of our annual membership to "+1" by December 31st.

Better retention tools in Scoutnet or MyBSA would more easily allow the professional staff to see which units have a high turnover rate. Further, this would allow us to see where more training and program support may be needed. In addition, creating recognition for those groups that did have strong retention might disincentivize councils and districts from relying on programs that created units with high turnover rates.
Moderator Comments
10/20/09
From: James (Jamie) K. Shearer, Department Manager, Program Impact Department

Retention and more specifically tenure have been identified as one of the KPI's (Key Performance Indicators) for unit, district and council success. A method to capture this information is in the process of being developed. In the very near future, a dashboard style report should be available.
The Scoutnet-populated Unit Roster should be changed to include the Unit Commissioner. If there is not a Unit Commissioner, a field saying "No Commissioner" or something similar should be in place.

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Every year local councils are required to prepare a unit roster that includes members and adult leaders after rechartering or establishing units. Because the Unit Commissioner is so important to the health of the unit, they should be included on the list. (How many times have we heard a unit leader say "What's a Commissioner?")

This would be great to synthesize with the new Unit Visit Tracking System.
Moderator Comments
5/4/09

From: Gary P Butler, National Director, Council Solutions Group

Very interesting concept. It would certainly raise the awareness as to which units have commissioners and which ones do not. Definitely will ask our Community Alliance team look into this one.
The Boy Scouts of America needs to encourage professional staff to earn advanced degrees (MBA, MA, PhD, etc.).

The BSA should help cover the cost of advanced degrees and offer salary or career perks for post-graduate work as an incentive.
Moderator Comments
11/25/08
From: Eric Howell, Associate Director, Center for Professional Development
Brian
Thanks for your thoughts
Rani Monson and the innovation team will field your questions to the proper discussion groups
Compensation is a partnership between the National BSA HR group and your local council

CPD's discussions include:
1. Continued support of MSU as designed. Note: MSU is developing on-line courses to enhance this program
2. Add local council identified degree programs for budget support. MSU does not work for everyone. This option will not work for everyone
3. Add a service contract component to higher degree program support.
4. Create a formalized MSU discussion group for graduates and those currently enrolled
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Comments Posted

brian.russ 1 month ago
Great idea Charlie. Would be a huge boon to have one central point for all literature, even if we had to pay.
brian.russ 1 month ago
Where did you find information on Pez production?
brian.russ 2 months ago
I spoke to some of my new Eagle Scout parents today and they reported that they DID receive congratulatory letters from the Obama administration.
brian.russ 2 months ago
There are already quite a few groups and other pages dedicated to Eagle Scouts on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. The two largest Eagle Scout groups on Facebook have 6,181 and 2,264 members. If you want to look them up, they're titled "Eagle Scouts are Sexy" and "Eagle Scout", respectively.
brian.russ 2 months ago
I agree with dlajoie, the beads and other Woodbadge accoutrements are sufficient recognition.
brian.russ 3 months ago
The Western Region handed out temporary tatoos that stated "West is Best" at the 2002 NOAC and it was a huge success.
brian.russ 9 months ago
This is a great idea. I would suggest making the badge more broad to include similar action sports (just as the sports merit badge has several sports involved). These could include:

-Surfing
-Mountain Biking
-BMX Biking
-Wakeboarding
-etc.
brian.russ 11 months ago
Let's add welding requirements to metalworking merit badge.