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Roundtable on Roundtables: Difference between revisions
From ScoutWiki, For Everyone, Everywhere involved with Scouting and Guiding...
→Tips for Planning Effective Roundtables
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== Encouraging Attendance == | == Encouraging Attendance == | ||
Start a publicity campaign. Many leaders have no idea what roundtable is or who may attend. Be sure to promote roundtable on websites, newsletters and using email and Facebook. | |||
== Inviting More Presenters == | == Inviting More Presenters == | ||
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== District Roundtable Branding == | == District Roundtable Branding == | ||
District patch and nametags. raffle. breakouts. Midways. | District patch and nametags. raffle. breakouts. Midways. | ||
==Incentivize newcomers== | |||
One district in San Antonio developed an honor patrol system. The troop with the best attendance was given the district’s Scout stave to decorate with the troop’s number. Bonus points went to troops with first- and second-time attendees. To make things more fair for smaller troops, the district used a percentage system. (In other words, five of 10 leaders attending would beat six of 13.) | |||
==Challenge unit commissioners== | |||
If you have dedicated and enthusiastic unit commissioners, they’ll encourage their units to attend roundtables — even offering them a ride if possible. | |||
==Feed them== | |||
One district in North Carolina serves a troop-sponsored meal at each roundtable. Scouters pay a small fee to cover this expense. If a full meal isn’t possible, at least offer refreshments like snacks, soda and coffee. | |||
==Play games== | |||
Our Scouts love games, so why wouldn’t the grown-ups? Games and competitions can make roundtables a highlight of any Scouter’s month. | |||
==Stick to a schedule== | |||
Start on time and end on time. Include both the start and end time on the agenda to keep you honest. If your roundtable develops a reputation for going well into the night, more people will skip it. | |||
==Encourage unit participation== | |||
Encourage unit participation, not individual participation. Instead of encouraging every leader from every unit to be there, ask units to send a different person each month. That leader is asked to report back what he or she learned to the unit. This way more leaders are exposed to the magic of roundtables. | |||
==Consider the audience== | |||
With a new leader who hasn’t attended, make a personal request to them. A Facebook invite probably won’t work. With a seasoned Scouter who hasn’t been to roundtable, ask that person to teach their skills. They’ll feel important and will return. | |||
==Reward attendance== | |||
At your district awards banquet, give a plaque or trophy to the pack or troop with the best overall roundtable attendance. | |||
==Offer breakout sessions== | |||
If you’re worried that some of the topics covered at roundtable won’t be useful to every single attendee, split your schedule into breakout sessions where leaders can choose from subjects that interest them. Breakout topics could include climbing, cooking, camping, games, campfires or pretty much anything else that interests you. | |||
==Involve the youth== | |||
Scouting’s for the youth, so have them lead the opening ceremony and a skit or song. Then be sure to offer something to keep them occupied while the adults discuss roundtable topics. | |||
==Combine and conquer== | |||
Instead of splitting Cub Scout and Boy Scout roundtables into separate events, some districts combine them to encourage unity. They include a breakout portion where Cub Scouters and Boy Scouters can discuss topics specific to their program. | |||
==Share the work== | |||
Don’t let one Scouter do all the roundtable planning. That’s how things get stale and volunteers get burned out. | |||
== Announcements ??? == | == Announcements ??? == | ||
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== Roundtable Midway Exhibits == | == Roundtable Midway Exhibits == | ||
== Coveringing Large Geographic District == | |||
I live in district 4 times the size if Rhode Island. One way we help solve attendance problem is to hold | |||
several roundtables within the district at different parts of the district,These each have a different rt commissioner that lives near that areas rt and no 2 are scheduled for the same night. | |||
== [[College of Commissioner Science|Commissioner College]] == | == [[College of Commissioner Science|Commissioner College]] == | ||
