Fall Recruitment Starts Now: Is Your Unit Ready for Online Registration?

BeAScout.org Online Registration Can Turn Your Join Night Into a Membership Success

To: Southeast Louisiana Council Volunteers

Fall recruitment is here, and families are actively looking for programs that will provide their children with adventure, friendships, leadership opportunities, and a place to belong. One of the most important things your unit can do right now is make sure your BeAScout.org Unit Pin and online registration process are ready before your Join Scout Night.

A family may hear about your Pack or Troop from a school flyer, social media post, a friend, or your Join Scout Night. When they are ready to take the next step, BeAScout.org and online registration should make joining Scouting simple, fast, and convenient.

Scouting America's online-registration tools are specifically designed to support traditional recruitment activities such as Join Nights and open houses, while allowing families to find units and complete applications online.

BEFORE YOUR JOIN SCOUT NIGHT: CHECK YOUR UNIT PIN!

Think of your BeAScout Unit Pin as your unit's digital front door.

When a parent visits BeAScout.org and searches for Scouting near their ZIP code, the information they see about your unit may determine whether they contact you—or move on to another opportunity.

Do not assume your Unit Pin is correct just because your unit has used it before.

Before your fall recruitment begins, every unit should review:

• Unit name and program information
• Meeting location
• Meeting days and times
• Unit contact person's name
• Phone number and email address
• Unit website or social-media information
• Program information that will help a new family understand what your unit offers
• Whether your unit is accepting online applications
• Whether the unit is properly displayed on BeAScout.org

Scouting America's guidance specifically recommends periodically reviewing and updating the BeAScout Unit Pin so prospective families can successfully contact the unit.

Remember: Parents Don't Know Our Scouting Language!

Instead of writing:

"Tigers meet Monday."

Consider:

"Our 1st-grade Scouts meet Monday evenings."

Instead of:

"Troop meets twice monthly."

Consider:

"Scouts ages 11–17 meet twice each month and participate in camping, outdoor adventures, community service, and leadership activities."

Your Unit Pin should speak directly to a parent who may know absolutely nothing about Scouting.

HOW TO UPDATE YOUR BEASCOUT UNIT PIN

Unit leaders can update their Unit Pin through my.Scouting.org.

Step 1 — Log in

Go to my.Scouting.org and log in using your Scouting America account.

Step 2 — Open Organization Manager

From the menu, select:

Organization Manager → Unit Pin

Current guidance identifies Organization Manager as the location where unit leaders update Unit Pin information.

Step 3 — Review EVERYTHING

Do not simply look at the address.

Review every field available to your unit, including your contact information and the information prospective families will see when they find your unit.

Ask yourself:

"If I were a parent seeing this unit for the first time, would I know where we meet, when we meet, who to contact, and why my child should join?"

Step 4 — Save Your Changes

After making changes, scroll down and select SAVE.

Some information may take time to synchronize with BeAScout.org and other Scouting systems, so do not wait until the night before your Join Scout Night to make important changes.

A NEW BEASCOUT EXPERIENCE IS HERE

Scouting America launched an updated BeAScout experience on August 3, 2026, designed to provide prospective families with more useful information before they contact a unit. Unit leaders have the ability to update the new Unit Pin information through Organization Manager in my.Scouting.

This makes NOW the perfect time to review your Unit Pin before fall recruitment accelerates.

HOW TO USE BEASCOUT AT YOUR JOIN SCOUT NIGHT

Your Join Scout Night should not end with:

"Here's a paper application. Take it home and bring it back."

Instead, make online registration part of the event itself.

Set Up an "I'm Ready to Join!" Station

Have a laptop, tablet, or several devices available at your Join Scout Night.

Display:

JOIN SCOUTING TONIGHT!

1. Visit BeAScout.org
2. Find our Pack/Troop
3. Select "Apply Now"
4. Complete the application
5. Pay applicable fees online
6. Welcome to Scouting!

You can also place a QR code linking families directly to your unit's BeAScout page on:

• Recruitment flyers
• Sign-in tables
• Presentation screens
• Business cards
• School handouts
• Social-media posts
• Unit websites
• Parent information packets

The objective is simple:

Don't make parents leave your Join Night intending to register later. Help them register while they are excited about Scouting and standing in front of you.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE PARENT APPLIES?

This is where unit volunteers must be prepared.

Submitting an application does not mean the unit's work is finished.

Applications are processed through the online registration system and appear in Application Manager for authorized unit volunteers.

Youth Applications

Authorized unit leadership reviews and accepts youth applications.

Adult Applications

Adult applications require the appropriate COR approval and Scouting America's required screening process.

Adult volunteers should not be told that they are fully approved simply because their application was submitted or initially accepted.

THE 24-HOUR RULE

Scouting America's online-registration resources recommend that units take action on new leads and applications within 24 hours.

Why?

Because interest has a shelf life.

A parent who completes an application tonight is excited tonight.

A parent who receives no response for three or four days may begin wondering:

"Did anyone receive my application?"

Or worse:

"Maybe Scouting isn't very organized."

Make this your unit's standard:

New lead today → Contact within 24 hours.

New application today → Review and process promptly.

New Scout today → Welcome the family immediately.

WHO SHOULD MONITOR APPLICATIONS?

Every unit should identify at least one responsible leader—and preferably have a backup—who regularly checks:

my.Scouting → Application Manager

Unit leadership should know who is responsible for monitoring:

• New leads
• New youth applications
• New adult applications
• Pending actions
• Parent questions
• Registration issues

Scouting America also recommends using appropriate Key 3 delegate roles when necessary so that inquiries are not left unanswered.

MAKE ONLINE REGISTRATION A TEAM EFFORT

The success of online registration should not rest solely on the Cubmaster or Scoutmaster.

Unit Leader

Promotes the opportunity and helps welcome new families.

Committee Chair

Helps ensure the unit's registration process is working and applications are addressed.

COR

Plays the critical role in the adult application approval process.

Key 3 / Delegates

Help ensure leads and applications receive prompt attention.

Every Volunteer

Should be able to answer one basic question:

"How does a parent join our unit tonight?"

If the answer requires five phone calls and three days of waiting, we need to fix the process before Join Scout Night.

YOUR FALL RECRUITMENT CHECKLIST

Do this BEFORE your Join Scout Night:

• Review your BeAScout Unit Pin.
• Confirm your meeting address is correct.
• Confirm your meeting days and times.
• Update your unit description.
• Make sure the correct contact information is displayed.
• Confirm your unit's online application capability is active.
• Log into my.Scouting and verify you can access the appropriate registration tools.
• Identify who will monitor new applications.
• Identify who will handle youth application approvals.
• Make sure your COR understands the adult application approval process.
• Test your BeAScout page before the event.
• Put your BeAScout link/QR code on every recruitment piece.
• Have a laptop or tablet available at Join Scout Night for families ready to apply.

THE GOAL: DON'T JUST GENERATE INTEREST—CONVERT INTEREST INTO MEMBERSHIP

Our fall recruitment efforts should not end when a parent says:

"This sounds great!"

Our goal is to make the next step just as easy:

"Great! Let's get your family registered."

BeAScout.org gives families a way to find your unit.

Online registration gives them a way to join your unit.

Your volunteers provide the most important part:

THE WELCOME.

Every inquiry is an opportunity.

Every application is a potential new Scout.

Every Join Scout Night is an opportunity to grow your unit.

Let's make sure Southeast Louisiana Council families can find us, contact us, register with us, and—most importantly—feel welcomed into Scouting.

FALL RECRUITMENT IS HERE.

CHECK YOUR PIN. TEST YOUR PROCESS. PREPARE YOUR TEAM. WELCOME NEW FAMILIES.

For official resources, visit Scouting America's Online Registration resources and BeAScout.org.