FrugalProf

Welcome Christopher! I am assuming Tiger Cub Den Leader duties too, as my son starts his Scouting journey as a Tiger. Hopefully we can trade helpful hints along the way!

"The real issue is the lack of effective adult leadership. Where is the COR in all this? Mediating conflicts between the committee and SM, assuring the quality of the program and recruiting new leadership is the COR's responsibility." -- agreed. The committee has allowed the CC to carry too much and the SM has been unresponsive to expressed concerns, hence the statements that the parents want to bolt as soon as the current CC leaves. The COR is the CO head, literally the pastor of the church, and while supportive of the troop, rarely shows to events, committee meetings, or even Courts of Honor (ex., just missed an Eagle Court of Honor - not sure why, but imagine it was for a good reason). So, the COR is a position in name only on the troop roster. "Who is going to be the new CC? What's the transition plan?" -- The election for the new committee leadership was held last week, including a co-chairmanship, not ideal but better than no chairman. The new leaders will take over immediately while the old CC is still around, allowing the new leaders to call on him for advice moving forward over the next six weeks or so until his move. "Who is going to take over as the new SM when the old guy gets tired of the criticism and meddling?" -- there are some potential candidates but the parents do not want to push the SM out, at least not yet. "How many of the whiney parents are serving as ASMs?" -- one stepped up at this past election cycle Why haven't they stepped up and helped the SM with training? -- they have but SM won't let them help

Thanks MattR, I like the shut in idea as well and I think the green bar campout will work if it gets tried. The new ILST has some of those problem solving tasks and suggests rotating them like you and twocubdad have. I think it is great that you and twocubdad have developed some of your own ideas...never hurts to tailor the delivery of the training to what the new of the troop are. Regarding the volunteering to conduct the training...I have and so have several of the committee members. The SM always says he will get to it. The problem is not so much that he doesn't follow a specific training, like TLT or ILST but that he doesn't train the boys in leadership, period. Even more challenging is the fact that he has declined offers to help from committee members and parents and even ASMs, some of whom have left the troop in frustration. At the last committee meeting, I urged the committee members to be direct with the SM and let him know they want their boys trained shortly after the elections so they can succeed in their positions. I also, once again, spoke to the SM and offered to help with training if he wants me to help. I'm going to check in with them in two weeks (they have Monday off for Memorial Day) and see if there has been any progress. Thanks for your suggestions.

Twocubdad, Thank you for your candor. I should add that members of the Troop Committee approached me about concerns over the troop, particularly that there have been no TLTs or even PLCs in the Troop for the three years this young Troop has been up and running. It is the classic case of an adult led troop - SM steps into room, boys are quiet and attentive. He steps out, and chaos ensues. Until very recently, the SPL (over multiple individuals and through several election cycles) was largely unable to gain control over the boys. Only with the election of a new SPL and some instruction from the Committee Chairman and the SPL's dad did the SPL gain the confidence and knowledge to lead the boys. However, the troop is still adult led, largely. Boys do not meet in PLC, they are not taken on green bar camping trips, there is no evidence of any formal training for the boy leaders and the parents are complaining about it. That makes it my business. I understand that it is the SM's right and privilege to teach leadership to the boys and I respect that. That is why I have waited for two years for it to happen and it hasn't. Now, as UC, I am faced with a severe threat to the survival of the Troop...with the imminent departure of the long term Troop Committee Chairman, MANY parents have openly stated they plan to leave at the end of the TCC's time in the troop (he and his family are moving). The primary complaint of the parents is lack of training for their boys in leadership but with the continued expectation that they lead, the parents are saying their sons are being set up to fail, not succeed. So, my duty to assist the Troop to be the best it can be and to survive year over year to rechartering is now in direct conflict with respecting the SM's right to teach the boys. As UC, I am supposed to help the Troop deliver Scouting as dictated by the District, Council, and National Offices. A fundamental responsibility of the SM is to teach the boys to lead, but this is not happening. I acknowledge that I am crossing the line by stepping in without the SM's explicit invitation. But I also attend meetings and other Troop events without an invitation as well. I am a friend of the Troop, not just the SM. I am stuck with the difficult task of resolving conflict that is brewing between the Committee and the SM. It is a lose-lose situation for me and the Troop unless I can convince the SM that ILST (or at least some form of leadership training) might be helpful to him and the troop in the long run.

Thanks for the input regarding SM not training boys. The exact cause of his reluctance is not clear. He acknowledges the need but then his description of training is not entirely consistent with ILST or even TLT and seems to be more along the line of camping skills. Specifically, he stated he needs to have a leader camping trip to teach the leaders how to properly wash the cookware. Since I was speaking to him in front of a committee member, I chose not to address it directly at that point, but I am fairly certain we are not on the same page since that response came from him immediately in the wake of showing him a copy of the old TLT manual. I am bewildered by the response since this SM is a veteran SM in our council with a son who achieved Eagle rank. The only choice I see is to ensure that I attend the leadership camping trip along with a couple of concerned Dads/committee members and work together with them to hold the ILST while including some cookware washing skills training as part of the demonstration of EDGE - that way, everyone wins!

Any advice on what to do if SM won't train boy leaders in TLT? As UC, I have asked SM to do this for nearly two years. I even bought the TLT manual and SM won't touch it, literally! I can't get him to even sit down and look at it. I know it is supposed to be the SM doing the TLT with SPL first, then SPL assists in training others. But since SM won't look at the materials, I have asked Troop Committee to ask SM for TLT for boys. What to do?

Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far. Please keep them coming!

Hi all, I was recently appointed as the Scouting and Youth Services rep for region in Alpha Phi Omega. I am going to poll the chapter VPs of Service in my region to find out what they have been doing in service to youth, however, I wanted know what you all think is the biggest youth problem is that college students could help alleviate.

I think it is admirable that you are remaining involved with your troop, even if it is only in a small way for now. Another contribution you could make would be to serve as a merit badge counselor for your troop, especially given the attention you are receiving from the boys. Keep up the good work!

Hello all, I am a Unit Commissioner who rejoined Scouting last June (2011) after nearly a 20 year hiatus from Scouting. In my time away, I completed three higher ed degrees, become a tenured psychology professor, got married and have two wonderful boys (5 and 1 yo). Last year, after teaching a course on the psychology of happiness, I realized that an important part of my own life that was going unfulfilled was volunteerism - giving back to society. I had been reaquainted with Scouting in the "lost Eagles" campaign through which I joined the BSA alumni association as well. As a life member of NESA, I had never become involved in Scouting since I joined Alpha Phi Omega in college and fulfilled my desire for volunteerism through that outlet. In my first year as a UC, I worked closely with the Troop Committee chairman, and other adult leaders to guide the troop to the gold Journey to Excellence award and with the leaders of the pack I work with to assist them in reaching the silver level JTE. Most recently, I have begun to work with my university's student life office and the National office of Alpha Phi Omega to help recharter the inactive chapter on our campus. This effort is ongoing but is going well thus far. The small group of about 8 undergraduates have completed three service projects already since late June and is going to complete another in a few weeks with the local council as they volunteer to help with putting on the summerfest program here. Thanks for participating in this forum and for your service to Scouting! I'm looking forward to learning and sharing here! Vann Scott