Welcome back to Wandering Webelos Watch.  This edition is explains who can take credit for the fine job of giving all the Webelos Scouts a real chance at the experience of Boy Scouting.  OK, never mind that – EVERYONE can take credit because it takes a team effort between troops and packs to get ‘er done.  Oh and we’ll mention the number one strategy to keep ‘em from Wandering.

First of all, officially per BSA literature it is the responsibility of the Webelos Den Leader, Scoutmaster and Cubmaster.  Scoutmaster?  In fact there are several meetings between the Scoutmaster, scouts and families if you follow closely in the Scoutmaster Handbook.  Each fall there is a Scoutmaster-Webelos Leader-Parent orientation just to let the families know what changes are coming up (from Cub to Webelos and Webelos to Scouts).  This keeps the families from thinking this is more craft & cubbie stuff for big boys; meaning there is some new and different fun coming if he is bored; and also there is new and different fun coming if he is not bored – you can seriously surprise a good 21^st century, video-gaming boy out of his skin by telling him he’s doing a 5 mile hike with everything on his back J.

Once crossover gets really close the Scoutmaster and Scout should be having a conference together.  This is a chance to begin bonding so the boy can really trust his strange, new leader.  He can meet with as many Scoutmasters of different troops as he likes.  If you really push, maybe you can get a signed application out of the meeting.  Voila – mission accomplished.

These orientations should be about how the program (Webelos and Boy scouts) works, costs, how the family participation changes, patrol method and of course the highlights of Boy Scouting.

Finally, the number one strategy to get Webelos excited about Boy Scouting…..DEN CHIEFS.  I’ve seen the glassy-eyed, wondrous looks 10 year-olds give big boys that are good Den Chiefs.  It is almost like a rock star (maybe rap star these days) is in the room.  If those meetings and orientations did not convey the cool stuff Boy Scouts do then surely a “Celebrity” Scout who recaps what he did each week to the den will get the excitement going.  As a bonus the Boy Scout gets some serious leadership experience and service time.  The den chief and den leader should attend Den Chief training to understand the role. 

Now Den Chiefs are a longer term strategy that can be started as Wolf Scouts. Next time - we share some more strategies you can use short or long term to stop the Webelos from Wandering.