Karah sent in this question
My crew has never been extremely active. Meetings were dull and half of the activities were canceled before we even did them. But this fall I was in for a shock. Almost all the members left, either for college, or because they were simply bored with crew. I was left in charge, my brother and I literally hold all five positions and he’s too busy to help much. I’ve been trying really hard this last month to improve the crew as much as possible. We are piggy-backing all the Troops campouts (My father is scoutmaster). And instead of just talking we do most of the planning online and meet to watch movies/go to restaurants and we even had a costume party. The problem is we only have about four other active members, all of whom are in band. So their weekends are booked. I don’t know what to do. I don’t want it to be my fault the crew dies. And I really want to stay in scouts, as a girl Venturing is my only option. How can I get people to come back? Is there anything I can do to bring new life to the Crew? Thank you so much for any advice.
Karah
President of Crew XV
Recruiting is one of the most important and difficult aspects of Venturing. Crews tend to start up and then fade away after a few years when their members move on to newer things. Unless you are recruiting constantly it is difficult to keep a crew going.
So how to recruit? First, think about what made you and your friends join. Plan some great activities and carry them out, even if there are only a handful of you. Get together with your other active members and find at least one or two dates a month when they can do something together. Have an open house at your chartered organization and promote those activities.
Getting the word out is very important. Publicize heavily using whatever communications method your chartered organization has available. Also, some teens will be reluctant to come to smaller events. Team up with another Crew or two in your area and plan some joint activities. Look for district and council level Venturing events you can participate in.
Readers, what are your ideas for breathing new life into a Crew? Add them to the comments below.
When you get a prospective new member, don’t drag them to a boring meeting. Plan a get together. My crew will often shop at a mall and go ot to dinner and we invite them (after we get an application). This way they get to know the crew before getting too involve. This gives them a good idea of the adventures we get ourselves in to.
Does the crew have a certain they do? The crew that I’m with runs a Shooting Sports Program. Everything from firearms to archery. They get trained and certified. The Crew Advisor is an NRA/State Certified Instructor(also a Scoutmaster). This would help in recruiting if the crew had a specific thing they did. Check with your local council and talk with the Venturing Council Member. They will be able to help. Good Luck