Leveraging Your Membership Committees, Big or Small!

Article submitted by Harold C. Young Jr., Southern Region Team Lead

“How can I use my membership committee effectively?”

“My membership committee is too small!”

“Where can I plug them in?”

We’ve heard your questions and comments, and we’re here to help.

Membership committees are designed to be a support system for the district. With recruiting season fast approaching, we would like to provide unit-serving executives with a few helpful tools that can make fall recruitment a little less stressful by engaging your membership committees.

1. Communication
   • Develop a clear plan for each member and their responsibilities.
   • Keep in constant contact with your membership committees’ members – make phone calls to your committee members.
   • Share the Council Membership Plan.
2. Utilize your membership committees to help with new unit development
   • Build a team whose sole purpose is to develop new unit prospects.
   • Make sure this team is diverse and reflects your area of service.
   • Take them on sales calls.
3. Provide your membership committees with short term projects
   • Flyer distribution
   • Join Scouting sign-up nights
   • Applications collection center
   • School Scout talks
4. Committee members as resources
5. • Resources to community involvement
   • Become a part of the local PTA/PTO
   • Promotors of the Scouting program

The above items are just a few ways in which we can engage members of our membership committees. We have provided two links below with helpful information and additional resources on how to utilize those volunteers that serve on your membership committees.

References: Membership Committee Guide and Unit Performance Guide

Scouting Wire would like to thank Harold for submitting this story.