Why we are here
:

3
Journey to Excellence is the new performance assessment, communication and recognition program for Councils, Districts and
Units.
(It Measures and Validates the Why)

Here’s how we believe the Journey to Excellence
Program can help your Council
• Planning
• Assessment
• Recognition
• Incentive for Continuous Improvement
• Benchmarking
• Early warning of Potential Problems
• Non-Intrusive
• Support for your Districts and Units
• Support from the Area, Region and
National Council
4

• Journey to Excellence evaluation is available for
Districts and Units (Packs, Troops, Teams, Crews, Ships)
• Criteria are based on factors shown to produce successful, healthy, growing Scouting
• Recognition can be awarded based on performance measured or improvement
• Evaluation is made at time of district or unit recharter
5

Quality
Growth
Quality, growth, and sustainability must all be in balance for success to be truly achieved.
6
Sustainability

• Councils with a satisfactory performance receive the “Bronze” level of recognition
• Councils which do better than satisfactory receive higher recognition
– Effective Performance – “Silver” level
– Excellent Performance – “Gold” level
• Levels of recognition are determined and published each year
7

Two Ways to “Travel”
Three Levels of Recognition
• Determined Standard (DS)
– set benchmarks
• Performance Standard (PS)
• Gold
• Silver
• Bronze
– continuous improvement
8

10
3 levels
How are Balanced Scorecard
Criteria Determined?
Bronze
20 th percentile of Councils OR show a measurable improvement
Silver
Gold
50 th percentile of Councils OR show a measurable improvement and be over a bronze minimum standard
90 th percentile of Councils OR show a measurable improvement and be over a silver minimum standard
A key to Journey to Excellence is Continuous Improvement

11
• Each year, the criterion requirements will be tightened to reflect the improved performance by councils
• The successful councils, districts, and units will focus the majority of their efforts on the “drivers” that effect the JTE indicators
• While monitoring the performance of all JTE indicators, the successful councils, districts, and units will align
80% of resources on the 20% of indicators that demonstrate the greatest potential

12
Performance Indicator Relationships

Low unit retention generally falls in three categories:
1 – High BSA Methods Delivery Model – 25%
Typically cyclical losses due to either lack of unit service by district personnel, chartered organization support, and/or unit level volunteer turnover
2- Council Funded/Scoutreach – 40%
Losses mostly attributed to whereby the Council either no longer has the funds to support or the leadership to run the unit programs or a different standard has been set as to what is minimally acceptable.
3 – Low BSA Methods Delivery model units – 35%
Typically these were units that had very low engagement in the aims and methods of Scouting. Members may not have participated at all in appropriate Scouting programming. Not necessarily subsidized by council resources.

Using the JTE Balanced Scorecard
& Strategy Map to break the vicious circle surrounding membership health
• Mission Impact Leading Indicators: Advancement,
Camping, Trained Contact Leaders
• Sustainability Leading Indicators: YSE-TAY Ratio,
District Committee, Council Fundraising

Low Sustainability & Mission = Low Retention

High Sustainability & Mission = High Retention

• On average, only 45% of new units are chartered longer than 18 months
• 60% of new units chartered by faith-based organizations charter on average longer than
18 months*
• Units chartered by Faith Based Organizations also have significantly higher advancement ratios*
• Units Organized “right” last longer

Leveraging the Chartered Org. = High Retention
Low Sustainability
High Sustainability

1. How do Faith Based Organizations leverage the JTE to enhance the Scouting experience?
2. Leveraging the JTE - how do we engage more
Faith Based Organizations to create new opportunities for youth?
3. How is chartering a unit a leading indicator to enabling the Faith Based Organization to accomplish its mission?

Great Councils = Great Units = Great Kids