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Read Hints for Arrow of Light Leader or Hints for Scoutmaster
 
This is a list of points for an Arrow of Light den leader to keep in mind to ensure a successful transition of scouts into a Scouts BSA troop. The preparation begins before the Arrow of Light program starts, but no matter where in the program you currently are, you can make changes to improve now.

Attend Den Leader training before you start your program. Understand, believe in, and always use the Guide to Safe Scouting - always. In the spring while your scouts are Bears, talk to the current Arrow of Light leaders for ideas, suggestions, and advice. Plan ahead - make a schedule for the next 10 months, which activity badge for each month. Remember the 5th grade program ends in February - they transition to Scouts BSA in March. Share the load - have a sign-up sheet so every parent can lead one or two adventure badges. Have a Parent Meeting at the start of the program to explain differences between Cub Scouts, Arrow of Light, and Scouts BSA and what you expect of them. From the very start of the program, expect the boys or girls to join a troop. Never say 'if', always say 'when' and keep them looking forward to being in a troop. Plan outdoor adventures like Outdoor Adventurer, Fishing, Paddle Craft, and Cycling to fall in prime outside seasons. Duty to God, First Aid, Engineer, ... can be done more easily indoors. It is important that scouts experience camping before joining Scouts BSA. Start early to get the youth ready for camping. Have backyard campouts. A parent must be with an Arrow of Light scout on all campouts, but the scouts can do all the work. Keep the program going during the summer between 4th and 5th grade. Fun summer activities like backyard campouts or campfires, hikes, swimming will give scouts a good taste of what to expect in Scouts BSA. Encourage scouts to attend Summer Camp before 5th grade. Help scouts create duty rosters and menus for campouts. Healthy meals during Scouts BSA camping is one of the bigger challenges so making the habits now is good. Plan a service project for school, church, or community each summer. Start presenting the requirements for 'joining Scouts BSA' early in the program and continually until they finish. Keep your program outdoors as much as possible - a little rain or snow won't kill you. Employ experts to present skills for more excitement and value, for example a retired Forest Ranger for Into the Woods or Paramedic for First Aid. Using a trained Den Chief from a local troop gives the scouts great exposure to what a Scout is - get one! Attend the Roundtable meetings to pick up information and ideas from others. Meet the Scoutmasters of local troops. Arrange some visits for your scouts to see the Scouts in action. Work together on requirements to earn the Arrow of Light badge. Try to have all scouts earn it and receive it at one pack ceremony. After reaching the Arrow of Light badge, transition to individual progress. Each scout is responsible for completing two elective adventure badges, but not all necessarily together as a den. Make the scouts more and more responsible for the program, from leading games, to leading entire meetings, to planning the upcoming month's outings. As Scouts, they will plan and execute their entire program. Become thinking as a Patrol rather than a Den. This is the time to transfer to tan uniforms. The patrol also chooses a patrol name, emblem patch, patrol yell, and makes a patrol flag. These are all things they'll do in Scouts BSA too. Proper insignia placement on the tan uniform is important - it will carry over to Scouts BSA. Present EVERY adventure badge. Get another adult to lead those that require different skills than what you have. Offer a hike at least every other month. Teach how to safely camp, and have the scouts CAMP often. Teach how to safely cook, and have the scouts COOK often. Healthy, tasty, hot food is critical to success in scouting. Teach how to safely use knives, and have the scouts USE them often. Every scout should earn the Knife Safety adventure early so they can use knives. Teach how to safely build fires, and have the scouts BUILD them often. A scout should build all campfires and you should have many fire-building contests. Encourage inactive parents to participate. A successful scout needs the support of their parents. Buy a Scouts BSA Handbook for your reference, and to make your scouts look forward. Ask a Scouts BSA troop representative (scout and adult) to come to your den and tell you all about Scouts BSA. Work with your Cubmaster to ensure a good Arrow of Light ceremony with Order of the Arrow participants. Know which troops your scouts are going to so the Scoutmaster can be at the ceremony. Contact the Scoutmaster well before the ceremony and ask them to attend.

 

 
As a Scoutmaster of a troop, the ongoing success of the troop is directly dependent on new boys or girls joining the group. Most new Scouts join by crossing over from an Arrow of Light den so a good relationship with the packs in your area is important. The end of the Arrow of Light program is also a time when many scouts drop out of scouting because they saw it as an end rather than a beginning.
Many troops have an 'Arrow of Light Transition Chairman' or 'Recruiting Chairman' that handles much of the tasks listed here.

Expect to be the driving force of getting Arrow of Light scouts to move on to Scouts BSA. Most Arrow of Light den leaders are not familiar with Scouts BSA. They volunteered to be a Tiger leader out of necessity for their son or daughter and now feel they are nearly at the end of their time commitment. Some of them do not understand that the Arrow of Light program's main goal is to prepare boys and girls to join troops. Know the Cubmaster of your feeder pack and have their email and phone number available. Ask when in the year Arrow of Light den leaders are identified and then ask for their names, email, and phone numbers as soon as they are chosen. Offer to have Scouts help with Pack events such as Pinewood Derby, Blue and Gold, or Conservation projects. Introduce yourself to each Arrow of Light den leader as early as possible. Set up a 15 minute meeting to get to know them and make sure they know how valuable their work is to your troop. Offer the services of your Scouts to help with their program. Select a Den Chief from your troop to help with each Arrow of Light den. Have them attend Den Chief training. If your troop changes leadership positions in September or October, a scout becoming Den Chief at that time for a 5th grade den can become their Troop Guide in the spring. This consistency is good for the new scouts. It does require a one year commitment from the Den Chief scout, but it is a great opportunity to increase their leadership skills. Work with your Senior Patrol Leader to ensure there are activities on the fall schedule to support the Arrow of Light requirements. They need to attend a troop meeting and one outdoor scout activity. Make sure Arrow of Light den leaders and Cubmasters are aware of your scheduled events well in advance. Give them copies of the coming year's schedule - enough copies so every Arrow of Light scout can have one. Contact Cubmaster in January to find out when and where the pack cross-over ceremony will be held. Offer to have troop representatives there to welcome Arrow of Light crossing over into your troop. Contact Arrow of Light den leader in December or January to arrange scoutmaster conferences with each Arrow of Light scout earning the Arrow of Light. Attend Roundtable meetings and greet Cubmasters and den leaders that you see. When Arrow of Light scouts decide to join your troop, remind them that this is the BEST time for a boy or girl to join Scouting. It is a new adventure in a new group so it's all brand new. Ask every new scout to invite one non-scout friend to visit a troop meeting with them. Let them know that they can earn a Recruiter strip if a friend joins the troop.