Want to recruit more youth to your troop? Don’t hold a “troop open house.” Sure, it is one of the three key recruiting methods – But, I say don’t do it.
Why? Put yourself in the shoes of a 10-year old child. The words “open house” represent that night each year when mom or dad head to school to talk to their teachers. And, the last thing most youth want to do after six hours enclosed in the cinderblock walls of learning is to volunteer themselves for another 90-minutes of anything that sounds remotely like school.
So now what? Hold an event and call it anything other than an open house. Be creative and tap into the talents of your troop. Do something that will excite your membership – current and future – so you can showcase the energy of all of your unit membership.
Be wary of static displays that provide nothing for the Webelos to do. Punch up “Ye olde campsite display” with well-done campfire program and you have the beginning of a successful not-a-troop-open-house. Add some hands-on Dutch oven cobbler preparation and you’ll have an event that makes me, um, I mean my Webelos want to join your troop!
