Transforming Roundtables - What does that look like and why is it important?

BSA Commissioners
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Transforming Roundtables – What does that look like and why is it important?

Providing leaders with timely information on an ongoing basis is one of the best ways that we can support them - particularly in this time of change. Roundtable has been a primary vehicle for providing information to volunteers. Unfortunately, roundtable attendance has declined steadily for a number of years, making it difficult for it to be a solution for timely communication. A number of efforts and campaigns over the last several years haven’t altered that trend.

What is being done to change that?

  1. We have created a new, flexible roundtable agenda.

a. Opening

b. Hot Topics

c. Safety Moment

d. Program Breakouts

e. Closing

  1. We are encouraging virtual roundtables because they are proving to be effective during the COVID – 19 pandemic.

  2. Our National Service Center will provide national content for virtual meetings.

  3. New resources to support planning and hosting virtual roundtables utilizing the new content isbeing developed.

Why are we making these changes?

  1. We want to increase roundtable’s impact in a way that is simple, sustainable, and flexible

  2. Roundtable commissioners, scouters and council staff are busier than ever. Volunteers have made it clear they do not want to invest the total time (including travel) that attendance of in-person roundtables require.

  3. In most councils, access to technology now makes virtual meetings practical.

  4. Virtual meetings are effective,efficient and recommended, but not required. This flexibility meets local needs due to limited internet access as well as the need for periodic face-to-face gatherings. Virtual meetings can’t and shouldn’t replace all in-person meetings, but they have proven their value.

  5. We learned that virtual roundtables work.

a. COVID 19 provided opportunity to try virtual Roundtables widely across all corners of the BSA and received positive feedback on this approach.

b. Attendance increased and we reached an even broader audience when roundtables were recorded and shared.

More information is coming soon.

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