While
every unit has a chartered organization, we can all agree that our units should
have a stronger relationship with the
religious, civic, fraternal, educational, or other community-based organization
that helps us deliver the Scouting program. These chartered organizations operate Scouting units to
deliver programs to their youth members, as well as to the community at large.
Responsibilities
of chartered organizations include providing quality leadership and adequate
meeting facilities for the Scouting unit, as well as appointing a chartered
organization representative to coordinate all Scouting unit operations within
the organization.
It
is important to maintain a positive relationship with your unit’s chartered organization:
1)
Communicate: Invite members of the organization to unit events. Let them
know of your successes and challenges. Give a report annually to the
chartered organization. This is a great
time to also present them with their charter from the council as part of a
formal ceremony.
2)
Service Project: Give back to the organization through service. For
example, clean up the grounds of the service club, write letters to the VFW
Post, help the church with a beautification project, etc. Such service
let’s your chartered partner know that you appreciate them.
3)
Partner: Meet with the chartered organization and brainstorm on ways that you
can help one another. For example, a church may have a youth program.
It might benefit both groups to bring the church youth and Scouts
together and do some shared program.
A
Scouting unit and a chartered organization share the same goal of developing
youth. A better relationship between the two will only help achieve that
goal.
