District committee leadership includes the district chairman, one or more vice chairmen, and chairmen for the membership committee, finance committee, and program function. The program function includes tasks to be performed related to training, advancement / recognition, camping/outdoors, and activities/civic service. The district chairman also appoints special and ad hoc committees. The district commissioner provides communication with the commissioner staff and the condition of all Scout units.
Source: No.34266D • BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA • 2001 Printing
District Chairman
A district chairman leads the district and does the following:
Identify and recruit enough of the right people as operating committee chairmen.
Initiate plans and help committee chairmen recruit an adequate number of members to carry out the functions of the district.
Plan (with the district executive) and preside at district committee meetings.
Work with the district commissioner and district executive to stimulate and to coordinate the work of the district, to ensure the success of the Scouting units.
In cooperation with the district executive, ensure the completion of district goals.
Represent the district on the council executive board, once elected.
Recognize individuals, committees, and chartered organizations for their Scouting accomplishments.
Support local and national Scouting policies, procedures, and practices.
Help to secure support for Scouting from top community leaders throughout the district.
Encourage district’s role to attain public support of Scouting.
Track and attain goals for district’s achievement items.
Annually appoint a district nominating committee to select nominees for district officers and district members at large.
District Membership Chairman
Responsible to district chairman.
Interface with council relationships chairman.
Establish plan and objective for membership growth.
Recruit and train organizers for units (new and reorganized) .
Work with district commissioner and district training team to provide new units with personnel.
Plan and conduct youth-fact and chartered-organization surveys.
Cultivate interest of potential chartered organizations and community groups.
Organize new packs, troops, teams and crews. (Use New-Unit campaign.) .
Analyze Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, Venture Scout and district – level membership.
Implement year-round full membership plan.
Identify and conduct recruiting methods for chartered organizations and units.
- New Unit Campaign
- Relationships conference
Track and attain membership growth objectives.
District Activities Chairman
Develop and implement a plan for activities and civic service projects in district.
Ensure that activities remain in accordance with national policy.
Recruit and train district people as required.
Support and strengthen units by assuring program visibility and balance of activities.
Promote and conduct displays and skill events:
- Booth shows
- Expositions
- Camporees
- First aid
- Swim meets
Encourage Good Turn ideas through units’ participation in community projects and civic service activities.
Coordinate activities at district annual meeting and Scouters’ recognition dinner.
Promote proper uniforming at all special events.
Evaluate progress in implementing activities and civic service objectives as required.
Coordinate with council activities and civic service program.
District Camp Promotion & Outdoor Tasks
Develop annual schedule of meetings and projects.
Recruit and train district people as required.
Understand each unit’s camping and outdoor record.
Implement council outdoor promotion plan in district.
Assist unit committees in understanding and implementing their year-round outdoor program through personal contacts and roundtables.
Promote youth’s interest in camping and outdoor programs:
- Order of the Arrow
- Summer camp
- National high-adventure programs
- Cub Scout camping
- Cub Scout outdoor program
Assist council committee with current outdoor areas for camps, hikes, and picnics.
Promote National Summertime Pack Award and National Camping Award.
Promote use of camperships.
Give guidance on health and safety concerns as required.
Supervise use of off-council campsites by permits and inspections.
Promote Webelos day.
Assist troops and teams to assure outdoor activities; include 10 days and nights of camping with a long-term summer camp.
Track and attain camping and outdoor objectives.
Coordinate council camping and outdoor program.
District Advancement Chairman
Stimulate advancement and recognition of Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Varsity Scouts.
Ensure that advancement and recognition remain in accordance with National Council’s requirements and procedures.
Recruit and train district people as required.
Establish advancement goals for district’s pack, troops, and teams.
Develop plan to achieve district advancement goals.
Assist packs, troops, and teams: evaluate progress as required.
Provide council with recommendations of youth or adults who qualify for special recognition (i.e., various lifesaving awards.)
Assist district people in understanding of advancement procedures.
Coach troop and team leaders in methods for conducting boards of review and courts of honor.
Give special assistance to troop or team with poor advancement progress.
Recruit and train district merit badge counselors.
Produce a district merit badge directory.
Recommend unit and district Scouters for special district and council recognition.
Track and attain advancement objectives.
Coordinate council advancement and recognition programs.
District Training Chairman
Establish district training objectives.
Participate in council meetings dealing with training policies, program, and procedures.
Recruit and orient training committee and faculty team as required.
Prepare an inventory for units and districts of all scouting jobs that require training.
Plan, schedule, and coordinate an annual district training program based on training inventory.
Evaluate and report on training progress.
Maintain unit and district training records.
Offer training opportunities to every unit leaders.
vPromote attendance at all training courses.
Give special assistance to untrained unit leaders.
Provide a trainer as a new unit is being organized.
Approve applications for district training recognitions.
Conduct adult basic and supplemental pack, troop, and team leader training.
Support Wood Badge training.
Provide specialized training such as:
- Cub Scout leader pow wow.
- Den Chief conference.
When a district has venturing responsibilities, assist venturing advisor with basic and supplemental training and provide orientation for elected crew officers.
Track and attain training objectives.
Coordinate council training program.
District Finance Chairman
Responsible to district chairman.
Ensure implementation of council finance policies.
Serve as council finance committee member if so stated in council bylaws.
Recruit and train committee on tasks provided by council finance committee.
Ensure the acquisition of funds for the council budget.
Support sustaining membership enrollment plan and campaign.
Retain interest of sustaining members and contributors.
Develop prospects for sustaining membership.
Encourage participation in family phase of FOS.
Support council “project selling” program.
Support council “trust fund” promotion.
Inform units of unit financing policy.
Review units’ funding project applications.
Achieve district’s share of council finance campaign.
Support district activities that involve income and expenses, assuring proper policy and adult control.
District Commissioner
Reports to the Council Commissioner
A district commissioner leads the commissioner staff and does the following:
Identify and recruit enough of the right people as commissioners so that all Scouting units in the district receive regular, helpful service.
- Assistant district commissioner
- Cub Scout roundtable commissioner
- Boy Scout roundtable commissioner
- Enough unit commissioners for each to serve only three units
Train members of the commissioners staff.
- Conduct commissioner basic training
- Conduct orientation/personal coaching
- Guide commissioners toward Arrowhead Honor and Scouter’s Key
Supervise and motivate unit commissioners to visit each unit regularly, identify unit needs, and make plans to meet unit needs.
Administer the annual commissioner service plan, which gives specific purposes for commissioner contact with units at designated times of the year.
Coach the chartered organization representative.
Involve unit adults in training and roundtables.
Oversee the unit charter renewal plan so that each unit reregisters on time and with optimum membership.
Guide roundtable commissioners to ensure that monthly roundtables are well-attended, and provide practical and exciting unit program ideas.
Plan an preside at monthly meetings of the district commissioner staff.
Work with the district chairman and district executive to stimulate and coordinate the work of the district (District Key 3) .
Help meet district goals.
Represent the district as a member of the council commissioner cabinet.
Support local and national Scouting policy, procedures, and practices.
Attend district committee meetings to report on conditions of units and to secure specialized help for units.
Promote the use of the Quality unit program for packs and troops and a standard of good unit operation and set objectives to increase the number of Quality units.
Assistant District Commissioner
Reports to the district commissioner.
Recruit a full staff of unit commissioners to serve the assigned area.
Help the district commissioner train unit commissioners and roundtable commissioners.
- Conduct personal coaching/orientation sessions.
- Participate in the formal basic training course.
- Help unit commissioners attain the Arrowhead Honor, Scouter’s Key, and Distinguished Commissioner Service Award.
Attend monthly district commissioner staff meetings.
Serve units with no assigned unit commissioner.
Maintain regular contact with unit commissioners under your supervision:
- To assess units’ strengths and weaknesses
- To help find solutions to units’ problem.
- To provide information, informal training, program ideas, and recognition.
Coach the chartered organization representative.
Evaluate, at least quarterly, the performance of unit commissioners and provide the help necessary to give the unit commissioner the confidence and expertise to serve assigned units effectively.
Support the district’s and council’s program emphases.
Become familiar with the program themes offered by the BSA for Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops, and Varsity Scout Teams.
Supervise the operation of the annual service plan for assigned units.
Keep track of recharter status and progress of all units.
Promote uniform-wearing and BSA standards.
Involve unit adults in training and roundtables.
- To help unit commissioners work successfully with unit committees, chartered organization representatives, and chartered organizations.
Roundtable Commissioner
Report to the district commissioner.
Conduct monthly roundtable meetings.
- Develop regular roundtable plans.
- Participate in the annual council roundtable planning conference.
- Meet with the district executive and district commissioner to review the council’s master roundtable plan and adapt to the district plans.
- Lead a monthly roundtable planning session.
- Use national aids: Boy Scouts or Cub Scout Roundtable Planning Guide, Roundtable Planning Sheets, Scouting Magazine, Program Helps, Boys’ Life, etc.
- Determine what contributions can be made by resource people, and arrange for their participation.
- Recruit roundtable staff, as needed, to handle program elements, projects, physical arrangements, hosting, and participation.
Coach the chartered organization representative.
Involve unit adults in training and roundtables.
Secure help from commissioner staff:
- Report on roundtable plans regularly at each district commissioner staff meeting.
- Enlist the district commissioner’s cooperation in getting unit commissioners to attend roundtables.
Promote roundtable attendance:
- Obtain the unit commissioner’s help in bringing new leaders to roundtables.
- Follow-up on unit not participating.
Evaluate roundtables:
- At least twice a year appraise the effectiveness of roundtables.
- Seek suggestions from unit leaders.
Train roundtable staff:
- Use the Boy Scout or Cub Scout Roundtable Planning Guide.
- Working well in advance, assign specific roundtable program projects.
- Follow through with those who have accepted assignments.
Unit Commissioner
Report to the district commissioner or assistant district commissioner as assigned.
Help each unit earn the Quality Unit Award.
Use the annual commissioner service plan, with its scheduled opportunities for commissioner contact with units.
Know each phase of Scouting and its literature. Be able to describe how each works.
Visit meetings of assigned packs/troops regularly, usually once a month.
Visit regularly with the unit leader.
- Listen to what the unit leader has to say.
- Offer encouragement and support.
- Using the literature and profile sheet, help the leader see opportunities for improvement.
- Maintain good unit leader relationships.
- Encourage unit participation in district and council events and training.
Work to assure effective unit committees.
- Visit with the unit committee periodically.
- Observe the committee, offer suggestions for improvement, and work to solve problems
Make certain that proper techniques are used to select and recruit unit leaders.
Facilitate on-time charter renewal of all units.
- Help the unit conduct a membership inventory of youth and adults.
- Help the unit committee chairman conduct the charter renewal meeting.
- See that a completed charter renewal application is returned to the council service center.
Contact the head of chartered organization following the charter-renewal meeting to describe unit’s progress and to make arrangements for the charter-presentation ceremony.
Attend all meetings of the commissioner staff.
Become trained:.
- Initial orientation and basic training.
- Arrowhead Honor and Scouter’s Key.
- Council commissioner’s conference.
Set the example.
- Adopt an attitude of helpfulness.
- Keep promises.
- Be concerned about proper uniforming.
- Be diplomatic.
Know the resources available to the unit in the neighborhood, district, and council.
Return to Japeechen District Homepage