Context up front:
• (SMALL) linked girl troop grown out of an existing boy troop.
• adult leadership vacuum; Scoutmaster was attending classes the prior year and was seldom around - few ASMs, one of which is primarily Cubmaster
The Youth in question -
• VERY trained; trained through NYLT and staffed summer camp.
*LOVES* Scouting and all the things she can do in Scouting.
• has *zero* interest in new/young Scouts, and spends all energy linking up with former camp staff mates and older youths in nearby troops.
She’s current SPL because other qualified Scouts aged out. We now have essentially an SPL, a PL, a 2nd year who is always gone for sports, and two first year Scouts.
Her NYLT Vision was to recruit for the troop via social media, but near as I can tell, that’s not even a blip on her radar anymore. She spends the entire meeting talking to the PL (if she’s there-also a very busy kid) or “confirming with members of Troop XX” about Scout activities that have nothing to do with her Troop. I’m constantly pulling her back in, and the new Scouts are learning skills through the ASMs. I just finished staffing woodbadge, so the T4LTL mantra is ringing in my ears, but—she’s trained, she’s been given rein to lead—she’s just completely uninterested in the younger Scouts, and I’m constantly having to bring her back into her own troop.
She’s incredibly capable, and has checked all the boxes, but if I were to be honest about her leadership in her position, umm..I wouldn’t recommend her.
Is this normal?
Have you handled a youth like this? Is it possible to not recommend or lose priveleges due to lack of leadership, or is does a capable Scout who is not performing get a pass because she filled the SPL slot for 6 months?
admittedly, she didn’t want or campaign for the position. She inherited it because the other eligible Scout aged out.