Westark Area Council, Boy Scouts of America

Transcription

1 Westark Area Council, Boy Scouts of America Strategic Plan Mission Statement: To prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetime by instilling in them the values found in the Scout Oath and Law.

2 Initiatives: Youth Membership Ensure every eligible youth has an opportunity to be involved in a quality Scouting experience Volunteer Leadership Increase significantly the number of engaged, accountable volunteers at all levels of Scouting Community Partnerships Identify and engage strong Chartered Organizations and strategic alliances which value the principles found in the Scout Oath and Law. Council Properties Provide properties that adequately support quality outdoor programs. Our Scout Shops and Council Service Center will be a resource for all Scouting needs. Financial Stability Develop funding sources that provide a balance among operating, capital, and endowment needs, which will support significant growth in membership

3 Initiative I: Youth Membership Objective 1: Increase participation from 6,497 to 10,000 total youth members, while increasing our ability to serve youth of all ethnic, economic, and religious backgrounds in both urban and rural areas of the Council territory, within the next five years. Membership: Membership in the Westark Area Council, Boy Scouts of America is, to put it simply, the business we are in. The success of our program is largely measured in the community by the number of youth served. Recruiting and building Council membership is a year-round effort for volunteers and staff. Our goal is to not only attract youth to our program, but also to keep them involved and progressing in their Scouting career. Key Issues: Our Council has a 7.5% market share of the total available youth residing within the boundaries of the Westark Area Council. The national average is 10% and the national standard is 15%. Because our area s population is continually growing, we will need to make significant gains in the number of youth participating in our programs to move us toward the national standard. Currently we are serving 2,153 less youth than the national average and over 6,900 less than the national standard. To reach our goal of serving 10,000 youth, our growth rate will need to exceed 10% per year for the next five years. This type of growth cannot be achieved by strong Cub Scout recruiting alone. We must develop effective plans to recruit Boy Scouts, Venturers, and Explorers as well. Even with strong recruiting efforts in each of these specific programs, we will also need to improve our youth retention rate.

4 Youth retention is a key ingredient to membership growth. Several factors will improve retention including, increasing the percentage of trained leaders, strong Unit Commissioners, quality programs, and improving efforts in transitioning youth from Tigers to Cubs, Cubs to Webelos, Webelos to Boy Scouts, and Boy Scouts to Venturers. Another key ingredient to our success in membership will be improving our reach into all of our demographic sub-sets. Communicating the message of Scouting to families of our diverse population will take significant resources. Strategies to Address Key Issues: Achieve a market share of 10% by 2017 with an average annual growth of 700 youth members. Increase retention by 2% per year, moving us from 62% to 72% over the next 5 years. Develop recruitment strategies to address the changing demographic make-up of our youth population. Improve retention by developing and implementing an effective transition program for each level. Provide programs that match community needs, in cooperation with new partners, to reach at-risk youth. Continue to provide registration assistance for at-risk youth and units that need financial assistance. Utilize the Council Marketing committee to improve awareness of Scouting and all of our programs throughout the Council territory. Organize a net of 20 new units (Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops, Venture Crews, and Explorer Posts) per year for the next 5 years, taking us from 225 units to 325 units. Strengthen the Venturing and Exploring programs. Identify struggling units earlier and provide immediate support and direction to ensure they survive and grow. Achieve a demographic balance among youth membership that closely represents the overall demographic make-up of our communities.

5 Objective 2: Increase retention of existing members and the desire to join by non-members through emphasis on an exciting, dynamic program. Program: Program is the fun side of Scouting. It is not only the reason youth join Scouting, but also a big determining factor in how long they stay. Activities, training, outdoor camping, and advancement are among the key components of the Scouting program. A significant amount of time and energy is spent by volunteers and parents to ensure these aspects of the program run smoothly. In doing so, they work to qualify their unit for the Journey to Excellence, Gold Level Award. Key Issues: The key factors in improving the retention of youth are: increasing the number of trained adult leaders; supplement strong unit programs with exciting, dynamic events/activities and camping opportunities; and improving our facilities to support these objectives. Retention is in large measure a function of unit and Council program. If a Scout is having fun and is challenged, they stay in the program longer. In 2011, Council retention was 61.9%. There are two critical times in a boy s Scouting career where we can have a significant impact. The first is the initial experience of the boy, just after joining. The second critical time is during the Webelos to Boy Scout transition. Both of these critical times offer opportunities for the Council to support our units through program offerings that create an experience so exciting that boys will want to remain engaged in Scouting. Training adult leaders is essential to the delivery of an effective program. Our records indicate that only 36.8% of direct contact leaders are trained. Current training efforts should be amplified to ensure all leaders have the opportunity and encouragement to attend training. In 2011, records show that 58.3% of our Cub Scouts and 41.5% of our Boy Scouts advanced at least one rank during the year. Our target for advancement in rank is 70% of Cub Scouts and 50% of Boy Scouts earn at least one rank per year. Rank advancement is

6 critical to reinforce positive behavior and reward youth, subsequently keeping them active in the program. Total participation by our Cub Scouts in Council/District camping opportunities is 61% compared with the national standard of 70%. Participation by our Boy Scouts in long-term resident camp (summer camp) stood at 62.5% compared to the national standard of 67%. One of the challenges caused by increased membership is the additional burden on our camping facilities. With recent membership gains and our increased focus on improving our market share, our existing facilities will not be sufficient to meet higher demands. The growth of both Cub Scout and Boy Scout programs is creating the need to develop alternative approaches to our facility utilization. Rogers Scout Reservation does not have the infrastructure to support long-term camping programs. Camp Spencer is our most underutilized resource with no Council level programs currently conducted on this pristine lakefront property. Camp Orr is in the perfect location to offer High Adventure treks year-round, generating added interest by our older Scouts. Repairs and upgrades at all of our properties, as well as the addition of new facilities in some locations, must be undertaken in order to handle the current and future growth of our membership. Strategies to Address Key Issues: Provide Advancement opportunities within each district and at the Council level Evaluate and adjust all events and activities, making them more relevant and timely for our youth Move toward the national standard with 70% of all Cub Scouts earning one rank advancement each year Increase Boy Scout rank advancement by 2% per year, achieving the national standard of 50% within 5 years Monitor advancement records of all units and give special attention to units with below-average advancement percentages Utilize Unit Commissioners to provide help and assistance to units struggling to reach their advancement objectives Develop Council sponsored events for Venturers and Explorers

7 Enhance program opportunities at all Council camp properties Repair or upgrade facilities that have deteriorated or become obsolete Undertake improvements to all camp facilities Develop your-round high adventure programs to attract, serve, and retain older Scouts, Venturers, and Explorers

8 Initiative II: Volunteer Leadership Objective: Increase significantly the number of engaged, accountable, trained volunteers at all levels of Scouting. Volunteer Leadership: Volunteers are the ones who keep the Scouting program running. Volunteers from all parts of the Council ultimately direct and support Scouting through the Council Executive Board and the Executive Committee. The Executive Board creates Districts to best serve the youth in each community throughout our 17 counties. Districts are comprised of dedicated volunteer leaders who support unit level volunteers, and the youth served in these units, within a specific geographic area. The units are responsible for delivering a quality Scouting program to young people. Each unit has a Chartering organization that selects the best leadership for that unit. They, in turn, also nominate and elect leaders to administer the District and Council organizations. Key Issues: The vast majority of our volunteers are recruited and cultivated through our units, moving into District or Council positions as they achieve recognition for exceptional service. Our steady decline in units has limited our pool of prospective volunteers for District and Council positions. Other prospective volunteers are community leaders who recognize the value of the ideals taught through the Scout Oath and Law. These individuals may, or may not, have experience within the Scouting program. It is important to have a balance among those with program experience and those who are new to Scouting. Great insight can be gleaned from both groups and, working together, we will be able to serve more youth with a higher quality program.

9 Strategies to Address Key Issues: Create opportunities for training courses to be offered at convenient times and locations for our volunteers Achieve an increase in units each year, increasing our potential volunteer pool. Increase involvement of parents by communicating and marketing the benefits of the Scouting program Strive to have 90% of our volunteer leaders trained Collect addresses to enable early communication with new parents, driving them to register on the Council website to better target our communications to their interests Continue efforts in identifying and recruiting leading citizens throughout the Council territory to serve on the Executive Board Develop and engage Scouting alumni through cultivation events in each of our Districts Cultivate better relationships with our Chartered organizations Achieve a ratio of one Unit Commissioner for every three units

10 Initiative III: Community Partnerships Objective: Increase visibility through marketing and develop sponsor relationships for specific programs and/or facilities. Expand our programs through new Chartered Organization relationships. Marketing: Getting our message to the community is critical to the success of the Council. Proper communication and promotion are keys to being a leading youth serving organization. Scouting can address marketing by fully understanding and making a connection with its different audiences, including you, parents, adult volunteers, potential donors, businesses, the general public, and potential Chartered Organizations and groups. Key Issues: The Council does not take full advantage of the positive media environment that exists for Scouting within our Council boundaries. Increased visibility and awareness of all Scouting has to offer would improve our ability to establish new partnerships for units and funding as well as recruiting new members and their families. Strategies to Address Key Issues: Develop and implement a comprehensive marketing plan to support efforts to increase traditional membership, community collaborations, and financial support. Improve internet marketing and communication through the Council website, utilizing the resources of the BSA National website Constantly monitor the Council website to make it more informative, current, and user friendly Develop relationships with churches and other community organizations to start new units, especially Venture Crews, resulting in a net increase of 150 units by 2017.

11 Increase the number of Chartered Organizations that utilize the Full Family of Scouting Conduct an annual, council-wide Good Turn project each year in cooperation with a strong media partner Utilize information from Journey to Excellence to demonstrate positive contributions to communities throughout our territory

12 Initiative IV: Council Properties Objective: To offer our youth dynamic and safe program experiences at Council owned or leased properties. To provide convenient, comprehensive support to Scouting families through strategically placed Scout Shops and efficient administrative systems. Council Properties: The properties the Westark Area Council owns or operates include: Hembree Scout Service Center in Fort Smith; the NWA Scout Shop in Springdale; Camp Orr in Mount Sherman (just outside of Jasper); Rogers Scout Reservation (RSR) in Ione; and Camp Spencer in Mountain Home. There is no doubt that our camping facilities provide the perfect backdrop for the outdoor element of our traditional programs. Each of our camping properties are uniquely positioned to provide exciting, dynamic programs that vary widely from each other. Camp Orr is located on the Buffalo National River and is surrounded by high adventure opportunities of all types. RSR is 2,800 acres of prime real estate that boasts a private lake, primitive and developed campsites, a new shooting sports range, and Scout World with a fort, tree house, and ship as creative program elements. Camp Spencer is a 100 acre peninsula, jutting out into Lake Norfolk. Although this camp does not have many structures or facilities, there isn t a better lakefront setting anywhere. The Hembree Scout Service Center is in the heart of Fort Smith and houses offices, a large conference room, and a Scout Shop. In NWA we lease a Scout Shop that has had strong performance since the Shewmaker s investment covered the relocation and increase in inventory several years ago. Key Issues: Camp Orr was established in 1953 and has provided quality program for generations. In 2004, several improvements were made to this facility including the addition of two new shower houses, replacing the one original shower house. The road was also improved which greatly improves accessibility. The terrain at Camp Orr is fairly rugged. There are many opportunities for High Adventure programs, both on camp property and throughout the Buffalo National River area.

13 Rogers Scout Reservation was established in the 1970 s with the long term vision of hosting the Council s summer camp program. In order to fulfill that purpose, additional facilities would be required. The property is well suited for a variety of programs and has no restrictions, making development relatively easy. Camp Spencer is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers and we hold a long term lease. This peninsula is primitive with a pavilion and two pit latrines as the only structures. Development would require Army Corps of Engineer approval but the restrictions are similar to those for Camp Orr with the National Park Service. There are few limits to the aquatic programs that could be offered at this property. The Hembree Scout Service Center is an adequate facility for our current size but will likely be strained by demands of higher membership and increased staff. Reevaluating our current use of space could provide several additional years of service. In NWA we currently lease retail space to house our Scout Shop. This space is greatly limited by the landlord s restrictions. It has become apparent that a facility in a convenient location which could provide office space, meeting rooms, and retail space would be beneficial as our membership grows. Strategies to Address Key Issues: Develop an on-going, year-round maintenance plan to support the upkeep of all camp properties and administrative / retail facilities Conduct a study to identify best uses for each camp property and develop the facilities and infrastructure to support these programs Explore and develop program elements utilizing the unique characteristics of each Council property Set priorities for facility development that support and enhance significant membership growth Begin discussions with the Army Corps of Engineers to identify the scope and parameters of the development of Camp Spencer Develop a list of assets needed to ensure cost effective maintenance and development of our properties Evaluate space usage at the Hembree Scout Service Center and renovate as needed Identify and establish a permanent, Council owned location in NWA that will meet both current and future needs of the Council

14 Initiative V: Financial Stability Objective: Meet the needs of Scouting through growth in operating, capital, and endowment funds to significantly develop resources, Council properties, and Council staff in service to our youth and communities. Finance: We must ensure that we have the financial resources to pay for Scouting today as well as in the future. Serving a growing number of young people will require significant increases in our operational budget. Increased demand for our programs will require significant investments in our properties. We will also need to emphasize endowment giving to ensure that we have the necessary funding, well into the future. Key Issues: Much progress has been made in strengthening our financial position over the past several years. Our direct support has seen steady increases over the past four years. These increases will need to grow substantially in order for us to reach our membership and program objectives. Investments in our properties have largely been limited to maintenance with the exception of the newly constructed Trap and Skeet range. Revenue from timber harvests have covered these costs but other income streams must be identified to renovate, construct, and maintain our facilities to serve more youth. Endowment funds are literally the gifts that keep on giving. It is through a well developed and well managed Endowment fund that we can ensure the Council will have the income necessary to operate, well into the future.

15 Strategies to Address Key Issues: Increase income from the annual Friends of Scouting campaign from $302,175 in 2011 to over $500,000 in 2017 Increase revenue from product sales from $180,000 in 2011 to $360,000 in 2017, which is a growth rate of 14% per year and doubles our current sales revenue Maintain a balanced budget with at least a $5,000 surplus each year Increase revenue from camping and activities through higher youth membership and increased participation Establish a few, high quality, high revenue Special Events that improve our exposure to select demographics and generate significant funds Expand giving to the Endowment fund through improved education of prospective donors on giving tools like Annuities, Estate Planning, Deferred giving and other methods of planned giving. Plan and launch a major gifts campaign to secure the funds necessary to build and maintain Council properties to meet demands, provide for operational needs, and endow our future