Use this guide when your unit is deciding how to represent dens, patrols, committees, leader teams, and working groups in Woggle.
The goal is not to create a channel for every possible conversation. The goal is to give families and leaders a simple structure where the right people see the right Events and Announcements without everyone receiving every update.
What You Will Do
- Decide which Groups need a durable home
- Create Groups for real unit structure
- Check the Group list and detail screens
- Use audience targeting before creating another Group
- Set visibility and messaging boundaries deliberately
- Keep youth-safety and guardian visibility in view
Step 1: Start With Real Unit Structure
Begin with the groups families already recognize.
For a Cub Scout pack, that usually means dens, committee, and leaders. For a Scouts BSA troop, that may mean patrols, committee, adults, and a few working teams. For a Girl Scout troop, it may mean troop families, planning adults, and short-term event teams.
Do not start by recreating every text thread. If the group exists only because one event needs a reminder, target that Event or Announcement instead.
Step 2: Create Only Useful Groups
Create a Group when it has an ongoing job:
- Bear Den
- Falcon Patrol
- Committee
- Campout Planning Team
- New Family Onboarding
- Fundraiser Team
Name the Group the way families would say it out loud. “Falcon Patrol” is clearer than “Patrol 1.” “Committee” is clearer than “Adults Admin Thread.”
Step 3: Check the Group List
After setup, scan the Group list as if you are a new parent. The structure should look understandable without a private explanation from the chair or Cubmaster.
Open a Group and confirm the detail screen matches the purpose.
Step 4: Use Targeting Before More Groups
Many updates do not need another Group. They need the right audience.
Use audience targeting when:
- one Announcement should go only to a den or patrol
- one Event belongs to a working team
- one reminder applies to leaders but not all families
- one message should reach selected members without creating a permanent space
This is the main habit: create Groups for durable structure, then target Events and Announcements to those Groups.
Step 5: Set Visibility Boundaries
Visibility matters in youth-serving work. Keep the settings aligned with how your unit expects adults, guardians, and youth members to communicate.
Use your unit’s official youth protection and communication rules as the authority. Woggle can help make visibility and audience choices clearer, but it does not replace your organization’s policies.
Examples by Unit Type
Cub Scout pack
Start with:
- Whole Pack
- Tiger Den, Wolf Den, Bear Den, Webelos Den
- Committee
- Leaders
Use Group targeting for den meetings and committee work. Use the whole Unit for pack meetings, campouts, pinewood derby, service projects, and family-wide deadlines.
Scouts BSA troop
Start with:
- Whole Troop
- Patrols
- Committee
- Adult Leaders
- Short-term teams only when they have repeated work
Use patrol Groups for patrol-specific planning and reminders. Use the whole Unit for troop meetings, outings, courts of honor, service projects, and family decisions.
Girl Scout troop
Start with:
- Whole Troop
- Adult Planning Team
- Cookie or product program team
- Event team only when the work repeats
Use whole-troop updates for family deadlines and activity details. Keep adult planning spaces narrow enough that families are not pulled into behind-the-scenes coordination.
Keep It Simple Checklist
Before inviting families, check the setup:
- Every Group has a plain-language name.
- Every Group has an ongoing purpose.
- Families can tell which Group applies to them.
- Den, patrol, and committee spaces do not duplicate each other.
- One-off updates are handled with audience targeting instead of new Groups.
- Youth-facing spaces follow your unit’s visibility and guardian expectations.
- Leaders know who can add members or change settings.
- The first Event or Announcement uses the right audience.
Common Mistakes
Creating a Group for every event
Most events only need an Event page and a targeted Announcement. A Group should remain useful after the event is over.
Using private spaces by default
Private Groups are useful when the audience is limited. They should still be understandable and governed by the unit’s communication expectations.
Hiding important updates in a channel
If every family needs to act, use an Announcement or Event. Channels are better for conversation, context, and follow-up.
Next Step
Create the few Groups your unit can explain in one sentence. Then publish one Event or Announcement to the right audience and confirm families see only what they need.
