I just completed a survey about scouting in my council. It makes me happy to know they want feedback from us. I don’t think we’re asked enough about how it’s going on the front line. Granted, we’re supposed to be getting visited by our Unit Commissioners… but really, how 
often does that happen. …and when it does, how far up the chain does that info go? Anyway, here’s what this survey asked along with my rating and supporting comments that accompanied these answers.
My Unit
| Through Scouting, I teach youth skills they cannot learn anywhere else. | Somewhat agree |
| While boys can learn such skills in a number of other valuable arenas (including sports), scouting provides an incredible platform that is hard to match. A large portion of the skills we’re talking about here should primarily be taught at home. | |
| I fully understand my role within the unit. | Strongly agree |
| With the help of formal BSA training, I absolutely agree! If I was left to my own knowledge and experience (like so many other leaders do), I would not be carrying out the program the way it was intended to be. |
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| I understand the unique benefits that Scouting provides to today’s youth. |
Strongly agree |
| I love the scouting program for how it can be used to give experience, build confidence, accomplish goals and develop values that are so important in life. | |
Training
| I have support from other leaders that helps me be an effective Scout leader. | Neutral |
| If this question is relative to my home unit, I strongly disagree. If this question is relative to my district, I would strongly agree. So I guess they cancel each other out with my neutral rating. |
|
| Attending roundtables helps me become a more effective leader. | Somewhat agree |
| I regularly attend Roundtable and get something of value every time I go, however it doesn’t feel like all the necessary info makes its way down this path. |
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| I know where to go to get tools and resources to be a successful leader. | Neutral |
| Finding what supports my success comes largely from researching the internet on my own. I feel NO direct connection to the *source* of BSA news and info. In fact, I feel quite disconnected despite being a regular at my local roundtable. Much of what I’m doing with my troop was found by accident while digging around for some other scout-related subject. When I can’t find what I need, I’ve created whatever tools or materials myself [and shared them on this blog]. | |
My Council
| The council staff provides outstanding customer service. | Agree |
| In the time I’ve served as Scoutmaster, I haven’t had a need to interact much with my council to date. However, they’ve always been friendly and helpful on the few occasions I called about scout camp reservations or NYLT registrations. The bigger issue I have with my council is not knowing who to go to with questions I have about other aspects of running this program. |
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The last question was:
| If there was one thing I would suggest to improve Scouting, it would be… |
| Improve the online tools that could better support what we do. There is a TON more here to be said with not enough room to explain it. Actually, this is a *great* question I will add to my list of future topics to blog about. |
Thanks for giving us the opportunity to provide feedback – please keep asking!
UPDATE: Here’s my long answer to the last question about how to improve Scouting.
EL Movimiento Escutista es la esperanza para levantar nuevos y mejores seres humanos.
I think ALL boys should be in scouting to learn to be everything the scout law is.
i know that the boy in my troop wouldn’t know what they know if it was for boy scouts
Our council just sent these out too. I guess it must have been a nationwide thing.