Troop Open House
 

Introduction
  The Boy Scout troop open house allows a troop to swing open its doors and roll out the red
  carpet to welcome guests. It provides a forum to show off Scouting activities and the troop's
  accomplishments. It is an effective tool to reach youth who have never tried Scouting.

  Hosting a troop open house is a five-step process that has been tried and proven in troops
  throughout the nation. Each of the following five steps is vital to the event's success:

    1.Present a school rally to fifth- and sixth-graders.
    2.Mail the parents of interested youth a personal invitation to the troop open house.
    3.Follow the invitation with a telephone call to the parents.
    4.Host the troop open house for youth and their parents.
    5.Organize a troop or district activity to involve new Scouts right away.

  Youth join Scouting for the fun and outdoor adventure. Parents want them to join for
  completely different reasons—character building and leadership training. Following this plan
  for conducting a troop open house will help you address the wants and needs of both youth
  and their parents. Use the Troop Open House Planning Sheet in this brochure to track your
  progress.

STEP 1: Present the School Rally

    a.The Boy Scouts of America recommends that
       recruitment efforts be concentrated on fifth- and
       sixth-graders in early spring, as they approach
       Boy Scout age. Several resources can be used to
       spark their interest, including introducing youth to
       Scouting with an interactive presentation.

    b.Cooperation of schools is essential to gain access
       to Scout-age youth. Contact school administration
       to schedule presentation time during school with
       small groups of boys.

    c.Plan the presentation to highlight Scouting's
       activities, high adventure, and outdoor
       experiences. Display hands-on visuals such as
       backpacks, canoes, and tents, and allow the youth
       to check them out up close. Dress in outdoor wear
       to complete the setting. Allowing some
       experienced Scouts to assist in the presentation
       could help the youth visualize themselves as
       Scouts. The presentation should be no more than
       five minutes.

    d.Following the introductory presentation, give each youth a High-Adventure Survey,
       No. 34241. Ask them to check the high-adventure experiences that interest them.
       Explain that Scout troops do the kinds of activities listed on the survey.

    e.While the youth are working on their surveys, announce that you would like to invite
       them to join a Scout troop. Explain that they will receive an invitation to join a Scout
       troop in their community if they mark that they are interested in joining. Collect every
       survey, and check to ensure that each is complete with the youth's full name and
       contact information.

     f.If the school cannot allow assemblies with youth, suggest the alternative plan of
       having the school distribute the High-Adventure Survey. Be sure to pick up the
       completed surveys soon after their distribution.

STEP 2: Mail the Invitation

    a.The next step involves following up on the initial contact with youth who indicated their
       desire to join a troop. The Scoutmaster should send a personal letter to the parents
       of each interested youth, spelling out the values of Scouting and extending an
       invitation for the youth and his parents to visit the troop at its upcoming open house.
       Include a Time Well Spent brochure, No. 02-341, or another brochure that describes
       Scouting's values, to provide further information.

    b.Timing is important. Mail the letter as soon as possible after the survey is completed;
       schedule the troop open house for the week after the family receives the invitation
       letter.

    c.Model your letter after the following sample:

        Dear parent:

        Your son has taken a step toward building a solid future; are you
        willing to support his growth?

        Recently, your son indicated his desire to try his hand at such
        high-adventure activities as backpacking, cycling, camping,
        swimming, canoeing, rock climbing, and horseback riding. Our
        Scout troop will participate in these activities and even more in
        the coming year, and we would like to invite him to join the Boy
        Scouts of America.

        Scouting has a reputation for helping youth develop
        self-reliance, strong character, respect for others, good
        citizenship skills, and physical and mental fitness. For almost a
        century, our programs have instilled in young men the values
        and knowledge that they need to become leaders in their
        communities and in their countries.

        Please join our troop for our open house at
        __________________ (time) on ____________________ (date)
        at __________________________________ (place). You'll get a
        firsthand look at some of our troop activities, and you can visit
        with our Scouts and their adult leaders. Take some time to look
        over the enclosed brochure, and bring any questions or
        concerns to the meeting.

        I look forward to meeting you!

        Sincerely,
 
 

        Scoutmaster, Troop ____________________

        Telephone no. ____________________
 
 

  STEP 3: Follow Up with a Call

    a.On the day or evening before the open house, each prospective Scout's household
       should receive a telephone call from a member of the troop, ideally the Scoutmaster,
       who sent the letter. As you make the call, keep in mind that the youth has already
       expressed his interest, so direct the call to a parent.

    b.To help put the parents at ease, ask the following questions:
            Did the family receive the Scoutmaster's letter?
            Does anyone in the family have previous Scouting experience?
            Do they have any questions about Scouting or the troop open house?
            Do they know the time and location of the troop open house?

    c.Ensure parents that you look forward to meeting them and will meet them at the door
       to greet everyone.
 
 

  STEP 4: Host the Troop Open House

    a.The troop open house can be conducted as a districtwide event for a number of
       troops, or an individual troop can conduct one independently. The important idea to
       remember is that Scouting is showcased and each guest is made to feel welcome.

    b.Involve all troop members in the open house from the planning stage. Remind each
       Scout of the importance of building their troop; be receptive to their ideas. Begin
       making plans for the open house as early as possible, following these suggestions:
            Prior to the night of the open house, involve the troop in sprucing up the
            meeting place. Treat the task as a "spring cleaning" since the troop will be
            welcoming guests.
            Prepare a display of troop activities, photos, and awards that the troop has
            earned.
            Assign greeters to be at the door to welcome guests as they arrive. Be sure to
            have adequate seating.
            Have a printed agenda and a copy of the troop's calendar at each seat.
            Make assignments for each part on the agenda well in advance. The senior
            patrol leader should be the emcee of the meeting.
            Prepare refreshments for your guests if you desire.

    c.The troop open house should follow an agenda, such as the one in this brochure, to
       help guests gather a broad range of Scouting information. The youth is introduced to
       basic Scouting skills while an adult troop leader informs the parents about Scouting's
       values and its positive effect on youth.

    d.During the open house, Scouts and Scouters should do everything possible to make
       their guests feel comfortable and to answer each question as it arises. Be sure
       parents know they may ask questions at any time. The guests should be allowed to
       participate whenever possible.

    e.At some point, the Scoutmaster should explain that both the youth and his parents
       may join the troop. Have applications available for both Scouts and adults.

  Sample Troop Open House Agenda
                                                       Assign To:
  1
       Preopening
                                              ___________________________
       — Conduct a simple action game for early
       arrivals.
  2
       Opening
       — Hold the flag ceremony.
                                              ___________________________
       — Welcome the guests.
                                              ___________________________
  3
       Activity Time
       A. Skill time for youth
                                              ___________________________
       — Hot spark
       — Knot relay
       — Tent pitching
       B. Parent orientation
                                              ___________________________
       — Explain the ideals and values of Scouting.
       — Introduce the troop leadership and its
       organization.
       — Distribute the troop calendar.
       — Explain the summer camp opportunity.
       — Thoroughly explain the costs of troop
       membership.
  4
       Joining Process
                                              ___________________________
       — Youth and parents complete applications to
       join Scouting.
       — Announce information about the next troop
       meeting.
  5
       Closing
       — Scoutmaster's Minute
                                              ___________________________
       — Closing ceremony
                                              ___________________________
  6
       Refreshments (optional)
                                              ___________________________
 
 
 

  STEP 5: Organize a Troop or District Activity
  During the initial contact with Scout-age youth, we promised that Scouting is action-packed.
  Youth will expect that adventure soon after they become Scouts, so schedule an exciting
  activity soon after the troop open house. Here are a few suggestions:

  Troop Campout
  New Scouts joined with the expectation of going camping, and they should be given this
  opportunity for outdoor activity as soon as possible after the troop open house. Begin
  planning the activity well before the troop open house so that the event is in place when the
  new Scouts join.

  Districtwide Overnighter
  Some districts may choose to host all their troops for an overnighter at an area camp. The
  program could include basic Scouting skills, a campfire, and preparing a simple meal. The
  experience will quickly give new Scouts a sense of belonging and fulfill their expectations of
  an exciting adventure.

  Lock-Ins
  Lock-in events also have proven successful in some districts. Lock-ins, which are especially
  effective in colder climates, are more like "camp-ins" rather than the usual campout. They can
  be set up at the local YMCA or school gymnasium. Program possibilities could include
  swimming, sports, movies, refreshments, and a little sleeping.

  Two-Deep Leadership
  According to BSA Youth Protection policies, every BSA trip or outing involving Scout-age
  youth should be supervised by two BSA-registered adult leaders or one registered adult
  leader and a parent or guardian of a participant, one of whom must be at least 21 years of
  age. The chartered organization is responsible for ensuring that sufficient leadership is
  provided for all activities.

  For more information on BSA Youth Protection, consult The Scoutmaster Handbook, No.
  33009.

  Get New Scouts Involved
  New Scouts should be introduced into the mainstream of troop activities as soon as possible
  after they join the troop. Assign them to a new-Scout patrol and get them started on earning
  advancement. The Scoutmaster, assistant Scoutmaster, or troop guide should take
  responsibility for helping new Scouts get a good start.

  Troop Open House Planning Sheet
  District ____________________________
 
 
 
Troop
   No. 
School
Date of School
Rally
 Surveys   Yes/No
Date  Invitation mailed 
Date
Phone
Call
Made
 Date of
Open
House
No.
New
Scouts 
No.
New
Adults
 No. Boy's Life
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