Introduction
This article was sourced from a USENET posting found at the Google
Archive. The original source from from the Canadian publication, The
Leader. Enjoy!
Scouting attracts a lot of members, each with his or her own reasons for joining. Some come willingly; others have been convinced to join; a few may even be dragged in against their will. In this article, we want to look at why young people join Scouts and what keeps them coming back. If we understand what lures them to Scouting and give them the opportunity to meet their needs, we are sure to keep them.
Let's look at some common reasons young people join Scouts.
- Fun and Friendship: They like to have fun with friends. The
camaraderie of Scouts is one of its strongest draws. Young people can
enter a friendly environment to play sports and games as part of a
team. The Scouter is like an older brother or sister, offering
friendship and security in a different way than parents and teachers.
Scouting provides an alternative to sports and other clubs that put competitive pressure on young people. Some of your members may already have had bad experiences and may feel they don't fit in. Scouting offers them the chance to succeed as a member of a group.
- Setting and Achieving Personal Goals: Young people like to
challenge themselves. They find satisfaction in reaching small
goals--earning a badge, for example, or learning a new skill such as
firelighting. Then they can set larger goals-surviving a first hike or
camp or canoe trip. Later, they may want to earn the Chief Scout's
Award or set personal standards for their own lives.
Their goals are guided by their interests and hobbies. After awhile, Scouting itself may become the hobby. Whatever a young person's goals, Scouting can provide a way to meet them.
- Independence and Responsibility: Young people want to become
adults. Scouting gives them the opportunity to take small steps
towards independence. When they join, they may be breaking away from
parents for the first time, and the experience can be fun or lonely.
As they progress in Scouting, they are ready to take larger steps by planning activities, outings, and camps and learning from their experiences, good and not so good. If they become patrol leaders, they become even more responsible members of the group. Perhaps the leadership role is an important goal in itself, something through which they gain confidence and esteem.
- Family Factors: Families may influence young people's decisions to come into Scouting. Perhaps they want a break from brothers and sisters. Maybe their parents want a break from them and force them to join. Perhaps they come from fatherless homes looking for father-figures. On the other hand, they may be following in the footsteps of parents who were in Scouting.