Commissioners

SHELTER ROCK DISTRICT

Who and What is a Commissioner?

As a Unit Leader, do you know who your Unit Commissioner is?

When is the last time that your Unit Commissioner was in touch with you?

Do you know what your Unit Commissioner’s job is? Read on...

Shelter Rock District Commissioner: Harvey Krimko

We teach our Scouts to be good leaders by being informed leaders ourselves.

What is Commissioner Service?

Commissioners are your unit's first line of help in Scouting. They work to get you the answers to your Scouting questions.

There are a number of different types of Commissioners. Each unit (pack, troop, and crew) should have a Unit Commissioner. Your Unit Commissioner should be your unit's best friend as they help your unit be its best.

There are also Roundtable Commissioners. These Commissioners develop and present the program and training at our district's monthly roundtable.

To support the Unit Commissioners and Roundtable Commissioners, there is the Assistant District Commissioner (ADC). Each ADC provides support and backup help to the other Commissioners. The leader of the ADC's, the Unit Commissioners and the Roundtable Commissioners is the District Commissioner.

The District Commissioner works to make sure your unit has the best possible Unit Commissioner to help your unit's program.

The District Commissioner is also one of your district's Key 3 (District Commissioner, District Chairman, and District Executive).

What can a Commissioner do for your unit?

Your Unit Commissioner will help your unit be the best it can be. There are a number of key functions that your Unit Commissioner can help your unit with year-round. Such things as:

· Quality Unit Award

· Unit Inventory

· Leadership Inventory

· Re-chartering Help

· Charter Presentation

· Uniform Inspection

· Unit Program Planning

· Unit Problem Solving

· A Unit Resource

An important note about Commissioners: Commissioners do not lead your unit (that's your job as a unit leader). They are a resource that you can call on to help you solve your Scouting issues and concerns in delivering the Scouting program to your unit's youth. If your Commissioner does not know the answer to your question, they know who to ask to get the answer for you as quickly as possible.

Becoming a Commissioner is a great way to serve.

Are you interested in serving as a Commissioner? There are a number of different positions available in Commissioner Service. Like helping units in your community, than the Unit Commissioner position is for you. Want to help even more leaders, than the Roundtable Commissioner may be right for you. Starting on the Roundtable Staff, helping the Roundtable Commissioners is your start point.

Are you good with administration of others and recruiting others to help? Than maybe the Assistant District Commissioner position is for you. From time to time, there is the need for a leader for the Commissioner Staff. That's where the District Commissioner position comes in. The District Commissioner is best having served in the Unit Commissioner position and Assistant District Commissioner positions before taking on this important role.

Many districts also have a special Unit Commissioner or Assistant District Commissioner called the "Life Saving Commissioner". The Life Saving Commissioner's job is to help a failing unit come back to life. These Commissioners understand how Scouting works and work closely with other Commissioners and the District Committee Members to get the right kind of help to the units needing help before they fail and Scouting is no longer available to the community's youth.

If any of these Commissioner positions are of interest to you, contact your District Commissioner, Harvey Krimko, at 516-334-3340 for more information.

How Does Your Unit Function?

Answer These Ten Questions to Check the Health of Your Unit.

1. Does your unit have a regularly scheduled committee meeting each month?
(Units should have their committee meet once a month to transact the business of the Unit and review and coordinate the upcoming months activities)

2. Are your unit's activities planned and scheduled at least six months out?
(Parents like to know what activities are upcoming and on the horizon. Good communication with your parent groups will encourage them to support the Unit's activities)

3. Does a committee member handle all the unit's funds?
(The Scoutmaster/Cubmaster needs to be working with the boys and the program. Time spent collecting and disbursing money takes time away from the boys and the program.

4. Does a committee member purchase and keep records of all the advancement awards?
(The Scoutmaster/Cubmaster needs to be working with the boys and the program. This is a job well suited for a committee member who does not want to be an assistant unit leader but wishes to act in a support capacity.)

5. Are all your leaders trained? (A Trained Leader is a better leader)

6. Do leaders in your unit attend Roundtable?
(Roundtables are your leader’s opportunity to get program resources, to get information about upcoming District Events, and to talk to other leaders that are having the same problems and successes you are having in your unit.)

7. Do a majority of your unit members subscribe to “Boys Life”?
(It is a statistical fact that a scout is more likely to stay involved in the program if he subscribes to “Boys Life”.)

8. Does your unit participate in Shelter Rock District Events?
(District Events promote the concept that each individual unit is part of something greater.)

9. Does your unit participate in the Junior Leader Orientation Workshop (JLOW) course?
(A Trained Youth Leader is a better leader)

10. Does your unit have a unit leader succession plan?
(Transfers and Family Emergencies occur. Don't let you unit flounder because an assistant leader was not prepared to step into the leader role. Have a Plan!)

If you answered “YES” to 7 or more of these questions, your unit is very healthy.

If you answered “YES” to either 5 or 6 of these questions, your unit is functioning but needs to improve its committee organizational structure.

If you answered “YES” to 4 or less of these questions, your committee is not functioning and your Unit Leader is rapidly approaching Burn Out. Your unit is in danger of failing.

Units that score 6 or below should take immediate action to improve the committee function and enhance the program you present to the scouts.

The Commissioner staff is here to help and give guidance, call us.