membership & Recruiting resources

Welcome to the Pacific Crest Council Membership and Recruiting hub! Growing your pack and sharing the adventure of Scouting with new families is one of the most rewarding parts of unit leadership. You are never doing this alone—our field staff and membership team are here to provide tools, strategy, and hands-on support every step of the way.

Explore our proven step-by-step recruitment plan, valuable resources, and BeAScout guidelines below to make your next recruitment season engaging, inviting, and fun!

BeAScout Info & Online Registration Setup

An accurate, up-to-date BeAScout pin is your 24/7 digital front door. Families searching for local Scouting options rely heavily on BeAScout.org to find meeting times, locations, and primary contact details.

Keeping your unit’s information current on BeAScout.org is essential for welcoming new families. If a prospective family searches the map and sees outdated meeting times or last year’s leadership, it can make a frustrating first impression.

How to Update Your BeAScout Information

All unit leaders and committee members have access to update your unit’s pin.

To update your pin:

Log In: Go to My.Scouting.org.
Access Organization Manager: In the drop-down menu, select your unit, then click on Organization Manager.
Select Unit Pin: On the left-hand menu of the next screen, click Unit Pin to view the editable fields.
Save Changes: Enter your current unit details and click Save at the bottom of the screen.

Note: Updates typically take a few hours or overnight to reflect on the live BeAScout.org map.

Need a more detailed step-by-step guide? View these instructions from Scouting America.

Configuring Online Membership Registration

For step-by-step instructions on configuring online membership registration, please see this page from Scouting.org.

5-Step Recruiting Plan

Step 1: Organize and Plan

Success starts with early planning and coordination. Define your Join Scout Night strategy well in advance:

Define the Join Scout Night: A Join Scout Night is a dedicated meeting solely focused on welcoming new families and signing them up—it is not a regular pack or den meeting.
Location Matters: Select a location that is convenient and familiar for families to access. Schools are the best choice (such as the school gym or cafeteria), as families are already comfortable going there.
Build Your Team: Enlist unit volunteers and your district executive. Key roles include a Join Scout Night Coordinator, greeters, Youth Talk presenters, den/pack organizers, and game masters to run youth activities.
Partner with the Principal: Secure dates, times, and space early using your district’s principal meeting checklist.

Step 2: Promotion (Strive for Seven Points of Contact)

Individuals typically need seven points of contact before processing a new message. Combat confusion by deploying a consistent, multi-channel promotion plan 2 to 2.5 weeks prior to your event:

Youth Talks: The single greatest driver of attendance. Deliver brief, high-energy 2–3 minute presentations in classrooms, assemblies, or lunchrooms to get kids excited and prompt them to bring their parents.
Flyers & Posters: Send two rounds of flyers home via student folders (one 10–14 days prior, and a reminder the week of the event). Place high-traffic posters near front doors and school entryways.
Stickers & Buddy Cards: Hand out custom event stickers and peer-to-peer buddy cards so current Scouts can invite their classmates.
Yard Signs: Place at least two yard signs in high-traffic zones like pick-up/drop-off lanes and road exits.
Additional Methods: Utilize “Meet the Teacher” night tables, school/business marquees, PTA email newsletters, neighborhood listservs, sidewalk chalk messages, and uniform days.

Step 3: Hold the Event (Execution)

A well-run Join Scout Night moves smoothly through two major components:

Engaging Youth Activities: Keep new youth occupied away from the parents with fun, hands-on activities like stomp rockets, marshmallow shooters, paper airplanes, or earning their initial Bobcat basics/belt loop.
Concise Parent Presentation: Keep the parent presentation brief (no more than 5 minutes). Review what Scouting is, regular meeting times/locations, unit leadership contacts, the upcoming pack calendar, and details for the follow-up parent orientation.
Sign Them Up! Most parents attending are already sold on Scouting—make filling out applications and collecting registration fees straightforward and friction-free.

Step 4: Tally Results and Celebrate

Review all collected applications to ensure parent signatures, birth dates, grades, and Scout Life selections are complete.
Cross-reference applications against the evening’s sign-in sheet to ensure no family slipped through the cracks.
Package applications and registration funds to submit directly to your District Executive or district turn-in night.

Step 5: Follow-Up & Adult Recruitment

The Golden Rule of Retention: The number one reason families leave Scouting immediately after joining is a lack of follow-up. Reach out immediately with a personal phone call or email, welcome them to the pack, and remind them of the next meeting.
Hold a New Parent Orientation: Schedule a dedicated orientation within 1–2 weeks of your Join Night to deepen their understanding of Scouting, answer questions, and seamlessly integrate new families into functioning dens.
Invite Adults Personally: Avoid generic “the pack needs help” announcements. Identify specific open roles (den leaders, committee members, event coordinators) and make personal, one-on-one asks supported by clear position descriptions.

Recruitment Resources & Support

The Pacific Crest Council provides robust promotional tools at no cost to your unit, funded by Popcorn sales, Camp Card fundraisers, and Friends of Scouting contributions.

Printed Materials: Free flyers, posters, stickers, and buddy cards can be ordered directly through your District Executive (please provide at least two weeks’ notice).
Welcome Packets: Pre-packed bundles including Bobcat booklets, welcome swag, customizable pack info sheets, and youth/adult applications.
Check-Out Equipment: First-come, first-served physical assets available to elevate your recruitment booths and events, including feather flags, pop-up canopies, display boards, rubber band shooting ranges, fishing games, soccer sets, and Lego derby tracks (primarily located in Eugene).
District Field Staff: Your District Executive is ready to assist with principal meetings, youth talks, supply drop-offs, and event execution. Reach out to your local district team to map out your recruitment plan today!