Greetings, Alamo Area Council members! We understand that you may have questions about the recent restructuring within our Council. Here are some frequently asked questions that address key aspects of our vision, staffing structure, volunteer engagement, and more:
What is our vision as a Council?
- The Alamo Area Council seeks to provide resources to support and encourage Scouting programs in our community with the goal of facilitating higher-quality programs for an ever-increasing number of young people.
Are we keeping Districts or just restructuring the District Executive role?
- We are re-organizing the staff so as to be able to provide quality service to our Scouts, parents and leaders, as well as to be able to better introduce Scouting in the Alamo area to new families.
Are we still going to get the same support from the staff as we did before?
- The intent is for unit leaders to receive more support. Instead of one professional staff member to reach out to, leaders now have multiple options. Leaders and parents can reach out directly to our Growth Team for recruitments, Engagement Team for Unit Service, Retention Team for struggles with keeping members, and Outdoor Adventure Team for any type of event or activity support. The Development Team along with the Engagement Tram can help with Camp Cards and Popcorn. We are all here to help you.
Are you adding or subtracting paid employees?
- In order to best serve the future of Scouting in the Alamo Area, the council is constantly evaluating the staffing structure. At this time, the council is shifting staffing resources from some areas to others. New staff members are being added, while some vacant positions are being eliminated.
What type of input do units have on these decisions?
- Decisions about the best way to organize staff within the Alamo Area Council ultimately rest with the council’s Scout Executive. The Scout Executive has a volunteer board that he meets with regularly for input and feedback on the direction of the council and on the various decisions made with regards to its management.
What is the ratio of paid staff to volunteers? And units?
- The Growth, Engagement, Retention, Outdoor Adventures and Development Team staff number 14 individuals at this time. This amount may change as needs are identified. In 2023, the council ended with 2,664 registered adult volunteers and 222 units.
Is the New Unit Team (NUT Squad) a part of the future growth plans?
- Yes, these volunteers are crucial to the success of the Growth Team.
What is the plan to recruit more volunteers?
- Every new young person recruited into Scouting brings one or two (maybe more?) parents into contact with Scouting in the Alamo Area Council. It is the responsibility of existing unit leaders and commissioners as well as Growth Team and Engagement Team staff members to engage those new parents and other family leaders with unit and council level volunteer roles. Every new family should be given the opportunity to be involved in some capacity with at least one project within the unit a year. For many people, that one project can evolve into a more permanent volunteer role.
What is the role of a commissioner?
- The role of a Unit Commissioner is to act as a ‘friend’ and resource to the leadership of the units that he or she works with. The Commissioner is a conduit of communication between the council and the unit leadership, as well as a coach and voice of experience. He or she can also act as an independent third party voice to help resolve disputes. This person should be a unit leader’s first contact when facing a challenge or problem that they don’t know how to handle.
What qualifies a unit as successful?
- The Baden-Powell award that is available to all units in the Alamo Area Council is a good predictor of the level of success of a unit. Information on this award can be found at: https://www.alamoareascouting.org/resources/units/annual-unit-rechartering/baden-powell-unit-recognition/
Why is there an assumption that all units are suffering?
- Not all units are suffering, but some do from time to time. It is important to the success of local Scouting programs that every unit have the resources needed to operate effectively and efficiently. That is why it is critical that the staff and volunteers of the Alamo Area Council be available to help units quickly.
Why are some committees acting under the old district structure?
- In a few specific instances, physical geography concerns dictate that council committees still operate much as they did under the old district structure. As an example, Eagle Scout Boards of Review will continue to operate in various parts of the council much as they did before. This is because of the realities of meeting in person, often on weeknights, dictate that there is no one central location that will be convenient for everyone across the council’s 13,000 square miles. However, it is important to note that any Eagle Scout candidate may attend a board of review in any of the areas offered across the council. The committee will work under the guidance of the Alamo Area Council’s Advancement Committee.
