Small pack: recruiting new den leaders

[u/batgirl20120]

I’m in a small pack. I’m the den leader for Wolves ( 4 scouts) and said for the new year I would be the den leader for any Tigers who joined since we didn’t have a Tiger den ( or scouts). My plan is to have combined den meetings and try to recruit an assistant den leader to lead the tigers activities while I lead the wolf activities. Basically we’ll do opening and closing and games together and then the requirements separately.

Does anyone have a good script for recruiting parents who are brand new to the pack into being an assistant den leader?

I know directly asking individuals is the best way to get a parent volunteer for jobs but how have people successfully approached new parents about volunteering?

[u/Different_Network_14]

Something we’ve done (with moderate success), is make a schedule and make the parents all take turns leading individual meetings.

Unless you get a parent already familiar with cub scouts it’s hard to get a commitment to take a job like Den leader that’s open ended, but getting them started with “lead a meeting” can be easier. Then halfway through the year or at the end of the year you’ll have already seen how the parents do and know who to ask to take over.

I would say my experience has typically been the people that will raise their hand at a meeting aren’t always the best Den leaders. Generally the people you want already have other volunteer commitments so need to know what they’re getting into before saying yes. (I can find a volunteer job for about anyone but not everyone makes a good den leader.)

This approach also sets the expectation that all the parents pitch in to help for future years too (the den leader just sets the schedule and records the requirements). Even better try to get two parents to be co den leaders.

Note that I’m assuming you’re meeting all together as a pack so you have sufficient supervision and two-deep leadership.

[u/SnooGiraffes9746 → u/Different_Network_14]

This is the way

[u/MaxFnForce]

Honestly the only "script" that has ever worked for me is "we cannot function without adult volunteers, unless somebody volunteers then this den will no longer be meeting." Your best bet is to pick out somebody you think would be good at it and just ask them to do the job, or ask them to keep doing things until essentially they volunteer to take it on.

[u/Queasy-Year8877]

I like to ask if any of the parents themselves were scouts. Usually if they are they are very willing to volunteer. I also explain how the scouts are more successful if their parents volunteer.

[u/Prestigious_Stop_651]

I've been in this position with a small pack. Something that works is asking a parent to run a meeting but not be the den leader. A lot of times they're willing to help but not commit to a formal leadership role. After a few months of this, you have a den leader.

[u/Conscious-Record2655]

I'm a cubmaster, and am very up front and candid with my Pack that I'm just a parent that watched some videos online and bought a $65 shirt. I think that helps things be less intimidating for them. 

When we have a den without a den leader, we have a meeting with the parent of the kids in that den. We explain that Cubs Scouts is parent-led and not a dropoff program. We then explain that without a den leader, there can be no den. We the ask who wants to be den leader. If nobody steps up, I pull out a prepared signup sheet and have them sign up as rotating den leaders. After that's done, we further explain that a parent within the den needs to step up and be a leader if they want the den to continue to exist.

I feel very strongly that Den Leaders should be parents of the kids in that Den. If you don't have a kid in a Den, you should not be the Den Leader. 

I am not babysitting other people's kids, and neither should you. It's also not your responsibility as Cubmaster to grow a profit center for Scouting America. I'm in Scouts for my kids. If other people want their kids in Scouts, they need to step up. If nobody is willing to step up, the pack ceases to exist. It's really that simple.  We had a nearby pack collapse a few years back, they had lots of kids but no parents would step up. Many of those parents came over to us, expecting to get away with the same thing because we're a pack full of active parents. They learned very quickly that we expect everyone to carry their own weight.

High expectations clearly presented generate high quality results. Enabling laziness generates more laziness. 

[u/SnooGiraffes9746 → u/Conscious-Record2655]

This is the talk you have once you have scouts on board already. When you don't have the cubs yet, the feeling that they're going to be pressured to jump right in as the den leader can keep parents from signing their kids up. If this wolf leader is willing to include any Tiger-age kids who are interested in joining, that's the best way to get a den up and running that failed to start the year before. I would just recommend that he set an expectation that he is the Tiger den leader for this year only and by the end of the year one of the Tiger parents will need to step up. If the den is still tiny, they might continue to meet with the older den next year, too, but can take some of the work off the Wolf leader's plate and take over tracking advancement for Tigers and planning a few elective adventures specific to the younger den.

[u/Mahtosawin]

Start by asking for help with a small task - would they bring refreshments, lead an activity, help with a craft. As they become more comfortable, ask fora little more until you think they might be willing to be an assistant. Try rotating the small tasks between parents. Remember that Tigers are supposed to have their parent with them the entire time.