IMPROVING WEBELOS‑TO ‑SCOUT TRANSITION

Background

The current Gallup Organization study reports that almost 70 percent of the eligible Webelos Scouts do join Boy Scouting.

•	35 percent join with their Webelos den.

•	12 percent join with a friend.

•	21 percent join the troop at their church or school.

The key factor in the transition of Webelos Scouts to Boy Scouts is establishing a working partnership between the Webelos den and the Boy Scout troop that most of the Webelos Scouts will join.

This partnership should be firmly in place by the start of the Webelos Scouts' fifth‑grade year. Every fifth‑grade Webelos den should be linked to a troop. Here are suggestions for district support:

Webelos Tracking

•	Identify fifth‑grade Webelos Scouts. Resource: Renewal Plan for On‑Line Council for Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, Webelos Scouts, and Adults, No. 13‑609B. 
•	Consider neighborhood troops or potential markets for new troops. 
•	Encourage communication between troops and Webelos dens.

Joint Roundtable

Offer a time and place where the leadership of the pack and troop can strengthen their partnership once or twice during the year.

Supporting literature includes:
•	Webelos‑to‑Scout Transition, No. 33870
•	Webelos Den‑Troop Joint Overnighter, No. 13‑007
•	Webelos Den Activities, No. 3 3 85 3
•	Troop Program Planning Workbook, No. 33018 (new‑Scout patrol)

Joint Activities

Joint activities hosted by the troop should take place during the Webelos den's fifth‑grade program year. These activities will vary from troop meeting visits to Webelos den‑troop overnighters (see No. 13 ‑007).

Graduation Ceremony

Pack and troop leaders work together to ensure the ceremony provides a bridging experience. The ceremony may also include welcoming parents into active involvement with the troop program. Each troop should prepare its own ceremony for welcoming the graduating Webelos Scouts into the troop. The boys and parents need to feel the new troop membership offers many adventures ahead and that the troop is excited about this new‑Scout patrol. They need to feel wanted.

Some districts have districtwide graduation ceremonies for all Webelos Scouts who are joining Boy Scouting, in addition to (but not in place of) Cub Scout pack graduation.

Key Leaders

The Webelos den leader works through the advancement program and visits and plans joint activities with the troop, including an impressive graduation ceremony.

Program support includes: 
•	Cub Scout Leader Book (chapters 6 and 10), No. 3 3220 
•	Webelos Scout Book, No. 33235 
•	Webelos Den Activities, No. 33853 
•	Supplemental training

The Scoutmaster directs the establishment of a cooperative link between the troop and the pack. The Scoutmaster appoints the Webelos den chief and an assistant Scoutmaster to work with the new‑Scout patrol. He or she encourages joint activities (including graduation ceremonies) and sets the tone for welcoming new members. The Scoutmaster also establishes timing of the new‑Scout patrol to include members of the graduating Webelos den.

The unit commissioner provides continuing program support to the pack and troop in all of the above.

Fifth‑Grade Timing

Timing during the fifth‑grade year is most important. Webelos Scouts may become Boy Scouts as soon as they have earned the Arrow of Light Award. For many Webelos Scouts, this happens in January or February of their fifth‑grade year, The pack blue and gold banquet is an excellent occasion for awarding the highest award in Cub Scouting and for graduating Webelos Scouts into a Boy Scout troop.

The troop then has three to four months to help the new‑Scout patrol prepare for summer outdoor experiences.