Ecunchatee / Bushawlo District
Centennial Quality Unit Award
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2008 Centennial Quality Commitment and Achievement

of Unit Award Interpretation of Criteria

 

“To improve the QUALITY of program in every unit in America!”

 

Use this information to guide your understanding of the criteria.  Use actual numbers from the previous year to guide your improvement as you establish your goals.  The unit leadership should meet with the district leadership to discuss what the unit wants to accomplish.  Together you can develop an action plan for excellence.  (If any of the criteria are at an agreed-upon number, then the goal might be to maintain them for this year.)  Additional details and other resources in support of the Centennial Quality Awards program can be viewed by going to the www.scouting.org Web site.

 

After you have completed the form, submit it to the council for recording and filing.  The first page is the council copy; the second page is the commissioner/district representative copy; and the third page is the unit copy.

 

1.      We will have _____ percent of our direct-contact leaders complete Basic Leader Training and Youth Protection Training.

Direct-contact adult leaders include: Cubmaster, den leaders, Webelos leaders and all assistants; Scoutmaster and assistants; Varsity coach and assistants; crew Advisor and associates.  These are adults who meet with youth regularly.  You identify how many are registered and develop a plan to have them trained.  If in the fall a new leader is registered within the past two months, their training status will not keep the unit from qualifying.  To help with this achievement, each unit should have a unit trainer to work with all adults who need training.  The job description can be found on the Web site under the Centennial Quality Awards program details.

 

2.       We will provide excellent programs to achieve our youth membership goal of ____ percent retention, recharter on time, and recruit _____ new members.

The youth retention goal and the number of new youth should be set with the commissioner and unit leadership at the beginning of the calendar year.  You should also work with your commissioner to recharter on time.

 

3.      In the spirit of the National Parent Initiative, we will recruit ____ new parents/adults to assist our unit program.

The purpose of the National Parent Initiative is for each unit to involve more parents/mentors with their unit’s program.  Every parent should be asked to help with at least one specific task.  Go to www.scoutparents.org  for more details and tools available to support these efforts.  Other adults who do not have children in the unit can also be recruited as mentors.

 

4.      We will have ____ percent of our youth earn advancement awards.

This includes the basic rank awards in Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, and Varsity Scouting.  For Venturing, this includes the earning of individual core requirements and electives in the Ranger, Quest, Trust, Bronze, Gold, Silver, and Quartermaster awards, as well as completion of the Venturing Leadership Skills, Kodiak, Kodiak X, or SEAL courses.

 

5.        We will have ___ percent of our youth participate in at least ___ outdoor experiences or group activities. 

      Specify in advance the events that will be used and how many are required to qualify.  For Cub Scouting, this could include pack meetings.  For Boy Scouts or Varsity Scouts, the emphasis is outdoor activities, not meetings.  The types of outdoor activities may vary for each type of program.  Venturing crews can develop an activity schedule centered on their planned programs of emphasis.

 

6.       We will conduct annual program planning and will provide the financial resources to deliver a quality program to all members.

Your unit should develop an annual program plan and share it with all members.  The unit develops a budget of expenses and a plan to provide the finances to achieve quality programs, through unit fund-raisers and member dues.

 

Additional Goals: When commissioners meet with unit leaders as part of the annual action-planning meeting, they can review other important areas.  Use the unit self-assessment tools as a part of this process.  To include, but not limited to: 100 percent of families subscribing to Boys’ Life, service projects recorded on the Good Turn for America Web site, two-deep leadership, active committee, youth training for Boy Scouting and Venturing, use of patrol method for Boy Scouting, and other important items.

 

14-190-08 2007 Printing

#14-190-08

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When will the unit award commitment forms be available to councils?

Unit award commitment forms for each council will be shipped in bulk in early fall prior to the implementation meetings to discuss with units, district, and council volunteers. They are also available to download from the national Web site - www.scouting.org.

2. How does a unit become eligible for the Centennial Quality Award?

Unit leadership will meet with their assigned commissioner or a district level volunteer to review the unit's program and establish program objectives. This must be done prior to February 15, 2008. It is no longer a part of the rechartering process.

3. When will units be able to qualify to earn the award?

When all requirements are completed beginning no earlier than October 31st, but no later than the end of the year (example, for 2008, you would begin to qualify after October 31st, but no later than December 31, 2008).

4. How will the new criteria for the award be distributed and explained to all councils, districts, and unit leadership?

The new program was shared at Top Hands in August with Scout executives. A supply of implementation packets were shipped to each council August 22nd to share with council, district and unit level volunteers in September and October 2006. We are counting on Scout executives to ensure the implementation in their councils. It has also been shared through The Commissioner Newsletter sent to all council commissioners this fall. The program details include: reasons for updating the current quality awards program, new commitment forms for units-districts-councils, training agendas, and unit action planning meeting support.

5. Are there other ways to learn about the new Centennial Quality Awards program?

The new program explanation can be found on the www.scouting.org Web site, on the commissioners Web site under www.scouting.org/commissioners, and on ScoutNET under BSA Info under Leadership Support Service under "Centennial Quality Award program". You will be able to download the details of the program and the unit, district, and council award commitment forms from the Web.

There will be some additional information available on the BSA Info site for professionals related to implementation of the awards program as the year progresses.

6. When will the recognition items be available?

All recognition items will be available starting in August 2008. Unit ribbons will be shipped to councils in bulk by August 2008. Individual uniform emblems, individual pins, and unit award plaques for those who qualify will be available to order from supply beginning in August 2008. (Remember a unit qualifies for the award after October 31, 2008.)

7. Does a council/district/unit have to meet all of the new award requirements to earn the new Centennial Quality award?

YES, they do have to qualify for all requirements in order to achieve the award.

8. On the unit commitment form, are the references to participation in product sales, conducting a unit FOS presentation and the number of unit commissioner visits required to qualify for the award?

NO. It is on the unit commitment form for informational and encouragement purposes. Each of these areas will help provide a better quality program experience for a unit. The unit's answer will not impact the earning of the award.

9. How does a December 2007 rechartering unit get recognized for the Quality Unit award?

The new Centennial Quality Awards program is completed on a calendar, not a charter year. In moving from the current award to the new one, it is suggested councils recognize their units who recharter this December with a special local council recognition unit ribbon. See question "15" that references the availability of a "special 2007 Quality Unit" emblem.

10. Can I obtain an electronic version of the Centennial Quality award logo to use in my newsletter?

The logos are located on a site that is accessible to councils only.

11. Have the criteria for Learning for Life districts, councils, Explorer posts and Learning for Life groups changed?

No. They will continue to qualify for the National Distinguished Learning for Life Award for districts and councils. Explorer posts will qualify for the "Exploring Excellence Award" and school-based groups will qualify for the "Learning for Life National Accreditation Award".

12. How do you use the additional goals section at the bottom of the interpretation form to impact qualifying for the award?

The additional goals are key areas that may need attention to improve a unit, district, or council program. They can be used on a case by case basis to measure the success as a part of the award requirements. Setting additional goals and their achievement will be determined by the volunteer and professional leadership at each level.

13. What qualifies as an outdoor or activity per month?

Each unit establishes a goal at the beginning of the year on the number of outdoor events or other activities. (Pack meetings can count as one activity per month. Packs are also encouraged to conduct or attend outdoor camping events periodically during the year.) Crews/Ships/Troops/Teams do not count their regular meetings and patrol meetings as outdoor events or activities.

14. How is recruitment of new adults defined?

Commitment and involvement by more registered adults is the overall goal. The training provided to them is critical in engaging them in better support of the program. Each unit should provide an annual orientation for all parents. As a part of the National Parent Initiative, suggested "specific tasks" will be developed to involve more parents and adults in the program.

15. How do units rechartering in December 2007 receive recognition for their accomplishments during their previous recharter year (for example, December 2005 through December 2006)?

Units rechartering in December 2007 may be recognized for what they accomplished the previous twelve months with a special "2007 Quality Unit" recognition emblem. The unit will complete the "Past Charter Year" column only of the "2006 Quality Unit" form and turn in at the time of rechartering. Units may purchase emblems only from the Supply Group beginning in December 2006. There will be no pins, plaques, or unit ribbons. The new emblems can be ordered by using catalog numbers: No. 18014 for "2007 Quality Unit" Emblem and No. 18015 for "2007 100% Boys' Life Quality Unit" Emblem - Both Retail price @ $ .79 each.

In 2007, the new Centennial Quality Unit Award emblems, pins, plaques, and ribbons will be available for all qualifying units.

Special Note: Councils needing additional forms can order them from Bin Resources at the Supply Group or download from BSA Info under the Program Group, then under Leadership Support Service.

16. When are the signed commitment forms due from units, districts, and councils?

  • All units should complete their commitment forms with the support of their commissioner and turn in to the council by February 15, 2008.
  • All districts should complete their commitment forms with the support of their Key 3, signed by the council and district Key 3s and turn in to the council by February 29, 2008.
  • All councils should complete their commitment forms with the support of their Area Leadership, signed by the area and the council leadership and turn in to the region by March 15, 2008.

17. When a unit completes their commitments for the new 2008 Centennial Quality Unit award next October, how do they submit their qualification to the district/council?

A special "completion form" will be available by next summer to all councils and districts for the units to complete at the time of the district's visit to establish and review their accomplishments for the award. The form will include order information on how to order the unit ribbon, lapel pin, unit plaque, and emblems for youth and adult uniforms. These forms will be shipped in bulk to the councils by the summer, along with a supply of ribbons to recognize the units who qualify. The form will also be available on line to print out for easy access.