curious_scouter

Outing signup is so messy. I don't have a good answer except I want max attendance, so I do not want to put unrealistic expectations on early signup. We let it go "as far as practical". Menu planning happens in the monday meeting before the outing. Someone leaves as grubmaster, they usually shop Thursday. We cut off self-serve signups on Tuesday AM but allow people to contact me right up to Thursday afternoon as long as I can confirm with the grubmaster's parent that they can add one for shopping. My goal is to get as many of my scouts on every outing as possible so I'm probably TOO lenient on this, but in my experience teens/parents don't commit weeks ahead and the last minute excitement of the planning in the meeting and post-meeting chatter on their group chats, etc. results in those who were not passionate about going suddenly caving into FOMO and wanting to jump in. Not uncommon for example that a Patrol plans their menu on Monday for 4 scouts and ends up shopping on Thursday for 7 because 3 more from that patrol go "What the heck, I guess if so and so and so and so are going - I may as well".

yeah, keeping an eye on renewals is going to be a regular affair for sure. It would be great if they would offer the option to auto renew. Most places I have a membership with like Geocaching.com, Gaia GPS, etc. all email ahead of time "Your membership will renew on X" and it gives you a chance to end the subscription otherwise it just renews. Unsure why they didn't go this route for everyone's sanity and their financial benefit.

This is the answer. It should be highlighted to the beneficiary in the first meeting IMO. They own ongoing maintenance or not. If a Scout sees an eroding project and chooses to do something to spruce it back up that's a nice windfall but should not be an expectation. Also, I tell people often: The first step to getting help is often to ask for help. If a beneficiary is incapable of doing maintenance on a past project, but would like something done - educate them that they can ask the troop the scout was from. The worst thing that happens is it's not possible and they're no worse off. I'd give service hours for renovating a past project for a beneficiary.

It shows 100% completion with that day's date. It just never updates. I literally sat next to him last meeting and watched him do it again in an effort to help avoid any issues and he did everything I would do (and have) and it just doesn't reflect. My suspicion is that he's somehow created a new my.scouting account and is doing the training there, but I could not confirm it with him. That's probably the biggest issue right now for us is duplicate accounts. Maybe. But I think most people are accustomed to subscriptions these days and that's what this is now. If they can handle hulu, I think they'll be able to handle this. I think the biggest challenge is getting the "old guard" to do it in the new way. Starting this year for anyone who's new this will just be "how it's done". But, as you say, even spreading the pain and breaking the challenge into smaller chunks is a decent benefit. The only downshot right now is it looks like the "penalty" for not renewing on time is you LOSE your registration. You have to submit a new application is what I understand. That's just going to create MORE duplicate BSA IDs and more confusion. But I'll know whether that's a legit concern 'round about Jan 1

Pretty much the same here. We did tell leaders we will pay/do your re-up or reimburse if you DIY. So we avoided any controversy there and many who have the means have stated they do not want reimbursement. We insist they should not pay to volunteer, they insist they do not want repaid, we let it rest and it's a nice bump in support. We have a TON of adult leaders registered, all active, but it has put a financial strain on the unit as fees skyrocket. So even a small relief here is welcome. Everyone else is going through it at their own distressingly slow pace but going. I suspect we'll have to pin down people to finish and likely will have to submit a batch we pay and bill people for just to avoid apps expiring and having to be redone. The hardest thing right now is that one of our adults shows as YPT expired, but I've literally watched him take the course, get the thumbs up - and it does not register. We're perplexed, but unless we can sort it out we'll have to drop him to re-up the unit and deal with it later. It's new, so it's a bit bumpy but once everyone is in the groove, I think it's going to ultimately be a benefit. No more pro-ration confusion, no more CRUSHING the committee / renewal chair for 2-3 months a year. Recharter for us was always such a goat rodeo. Leading cause of CC burnout in my book. I think this is already marginally better and will only improve in the years ahead.

Earmark weekends and "big" themes (canoe trip, campsgiving, district camporee) at annual planning conference. At APC they come up with a prioritized list of locations they want to camp. Outdoor activities chair and I (adults) work off that list to get sites booked throughout the year. PLC meets monthly and plans specifics based on where we land for campsite. We used to try to earmark specific sites for specific months, but found the popular sites were often hard to get. So we just try month after month until we get it. Then that's where we'll be and the PLC determines the theme/activities for the campout based on all the facts. We are (now) strictly Patrols on campouts. Cooking included. No exception and I NEVER split patrols. Either they just deal with the fact there's only 2 or 3 of their patrol going or the Patrol decides to team up with anther Patrol. But it's the entire patrol teaming up. I don't permit patrol mates to be separated. And I usually encourage them NOT to team up and to just roll with it. It's not perfect, but it's youth lead and Patrol method and IMO that's the way.

Good time to practice using the most important gear a leader has: Your chair. And, a close second, working on your coffee (or perhaps tea) skills.

Another suggestion is ask the SM if it's okay if you plan and host ILST. They might just be overwhelmed, maybe they are even unaware it needs to be done annually and is a pre-req for scouts wanting to do NYLT. Or that it's their job to do it. I know my first year as a SM was super overwhelming and I had been an adult scouter and ASM for many years before taking on the job. The first year I was SM we didn't have OA elections - I didn't know I was supposed to request them and no one told me lol. Oops! Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by ignorance! Make the direct offer with a case. Once they let you do one thing and you do it well, you will find they have no problems letting you do more! Probably. Hopefully! I empathize with your position. It's not an easy spot to be in or to get out of. You seem like a good leader, but sometimes that means feeling lonely and having the weight. This too shall pass and things will gradually get better. Scouting is also generational. It's a blessing and a curse. Next year you'll have new crossovers (probably) with new adults and you may find your people then. Or someone presenting a headwind to you today find themselves busier with work in a few months and their absence means the bad habits they championed also fade a bit.

It's tough to turn a ship, it takes a lot of work. It can also be risky to turn it too quickly: Bad habits take time to correct and Scouting moves at Scouting speed - which can be frustratingly slow when you see that a lot of change is needed and your energy level for it exceeds those around you. SPLs serve for 6 months. Start working with prospective future SPLs now. Get them to NYLT. Then THEY will ask for ILST, THEY will come to PLCs with agenda. It's going to be tough to change things today. But you have to start planting seeds. If you like the unit otherwise, keep going. It takes TIME and PERSEVERANCE and REPETITION to change things like this but it'll come. If you don't have the time or tenacity to see it through, you might not be happy there long term and you owe it to yourself and your son to find a place where you can enjoy scouting. Or if your son is enjoying it in all its chaotic glory - maybe that's enough, you might be happier just being 'parent'.

If you like, you can probably still send feedback to: commissionerserviceteam@scouting.org

https://forms.gle/L5pHray2RdD4Xt2R9 for those interested n/m - no longer accepting input.

Those are all great ideas. I'd add: Form an adult patrol. Act like a patrol. Make a yell. A flag. Camp apart. Have your own kitchen, just like theirs. Do your menu, just like they do. Have your own grubmaster. Plan your own patrol activities when it's patrol time. Set the example.

We have revitalized our committee this year. I would like to provide a meaningful Scoutmaster report for them at committee meetings. Soliciting any ideas. I want to use this as an opportunity to inform, motivate and seek help where needed. Here is what I have so far Key dates for next quarter for program (campouts, COH, etc) Roster overview (registered vs. active, rank breakdown) Summary of report from IA on ranks, badges, awards earned this year Summary of campouts since last meeting Overview of summer activities Key news (we have an Eagle getting a special award for example) Scoutmaster asks to committee for new business section later, mostly gear that needs replacing Intention is to give a 'state of the union' to the committee who are active parents but not necessarily in the loop on all these things. Would like it to be one pager I can print and hand out so I can spend under 5 minutes doing overview during meeting.

they are/were available on scoutshop.org. I did break down and buy one to see it in person and have plans to work it up into a new uniform using old interesting patches off ebay.

Adults are the worst enemy to patrol method. We apply our sensibilities and biases to a process that the youth see no issue with. Last campout we had 5 patrols. 1 patrol was two scouts. 1 patrol was four scouts. They had a great time, they cooked and enjoyed their meals and were happy to have only their own dishes to contend with. I subscribe completely the B-P's POV: "The patrol system is not one method in which Scouting can be carried on. It is the only method." There is another tenant of B-P I fully subscribe to: "My ideal camp is where everyone is cheery and busy, where the patrols are kept intact under all circumstances, and where every patrol leader and Scout takes a genuine pride in his camp and his gadgets." So, in my unit - Patrols cook. Patrol Leaders have the perogative to team up with other patrols if they feel their patrol attendance is too low to justify standing alone. That is a Patrol Leader decision - not an adult decision. But if the Eagle Patrol leader decides with only 2 people coming to the next campout they would like to partner with the Owl Patrol who has 4 - to make 6 total - the entire Eagle Patrol teams up with the entire Owl Patrol in partnership for cooking and KP and activities. We once did this thing where adults would decide something like "With 16 scouts going, we should split into two patrols." This was misguided. This is leadership, problem solving, negotiating opportunities lost if adults get in the mix.