|
Information from Commander Tom Kesteleyn on starting a new OUtpost.....
Generally, my advice to Outposts starting the program is:
1) Recognize that the curriculum purchase is a one time expense. All Three
Years of program are in each group's curriculum at a cost of $45.00 ($15.00
per year up front) per age group.
2) Generally I recommend that parents purchase the T-shirt and Vest for
their sons. This, along with blue jeans is a great uniform (class C) and the cost for both totals less than $20.00.
3) Each boy needs a workbook. They cost $5.00 each (without binder). The cost
of buying the workbook is far less than copying it, and copying the entire workbook may be a copyright infringement. At $5.00 cost for three year
workbook, the are reasonable enough.
4) Get parents to pay at the time of registration. A usual total cost at
startup is around $35-40. Parents would pay up to $200.00 to sign their kid
up for other scouting programs. So this should not be an issue with most
parents. We are not requiring a full uniform, so the cost is around $100.00
less because of it.
5) Most churches do not mind subsidizing the cost of a handbook for the
boys. They cost $10.00 from GPH www.gospelpublishing.com . A boy will need
one of these for the Three Years they are in an Age Group. If they lose
their Handbook, they usually have to buy the replacement. And the church
usually absorbs the cost of the boys merits, but this could be added to the
parent registration. Boys merits cost is around $5-7 per year.
This method makes the cost per boy to the church total
excluding leadership manuals (which are a one time purchase) approximately
$15 per year. You can, rather easily, pass the cost on to parents when they
sign their child up for the year. Most parents are used to having to pay for
things that benefit their kids. If an entire year of weekly ministry is less
than $1.00 per week, parents see the cost to benefit is worth it. When they
have an investment in their children, they also find a way to get the child
there each week as well.
So, there are the options in how you fund the ministry start up. I
hope this has been a helpful insight for you. I would recommend that you go
to the Contact section and find the staff person closest to your church. We have a
great staff who are available to assist you in your start up. Please feel free to contact my staff or me directly with any questions you
may have.
|