Common traits of successful troops

[dkurtenbach]

I really like BW's list but I'd like to turn the part of it dealing with program into something a little more concrete: A checklist of sorts for Scoutmasters and Troop Committees and PLCs doing annual planning. Something a bit more more detailed and comprehensive than the Quality Unit Award requirements -- How many nights camping? What types/mix of camping and other activities? For new or struggling troops, it would serve as a set of goals. For great troops, it would serve as a list of "bare minimumns."

 

Dan

[JoeJansen]

I would suggest that to build a checklist of essential elements for a successful troop you have to start with a checklist of successful elements necessary for a boy to have a great Scouting experience. What makes this a challenge is each boy will progress at a different rate and new boys may join all the time. Still, you have to start with a checklist of successful elements necessary for the individual boy to have a great Scouting experience. So I would look closely at the requirements for each Scout rank and decide how opportunities to earn each requirement depend on a great troop program. It's supposed to be a boy run program, too, so the boys need to be involved in devising the successful troop program elements. It sounds like a challenge and it is, but it's one well worth taking on. The way I would go about it would be to devise some potential plans for the troop and show it to the boys, pointing out how it permits individual growth for each boy. I would also show them a suggested personal growth plan which outlines the path an individual boy may take to advance in the program. I would then encourage the boys to fill in the plan for the troop, keeping in mind the need for opportunities for each individual to progress. The nature of the sugggested personal growth plan and the nature of the suggested troop program elements will depend on where the boys in your troop are at. If they are all beginners - new Scouts - you will have different suggestions than if you have boys who have been in the program some time. All this sounds complicated, and I guess it is, but remember to include in the suggested plan(s) great Scout games and contests and Scout campfire activities to keep it from becoming overly serious and grim. The Scout Promise and Scout Law should be referred to in the planning process to highlight the importance of these in implementing the plan(s). But remember that Scouting is a game and supposed to be fun. At one time there was a position in patrols for a "cheermaster" (the Green Bar Bill Handbook for Patrol Leaders outlined the duties of this and other positions) and keeping Scouting cheerful, both in planning and implementation, is very important.

 

You will find all of the above a challenge but you will be able to rise to this challenge. It is a challenge well worth taking on.

 

Joe Jansen

JAJansenJr@gmail.com

http://www.customprograms.info/scoutingresources.htm

I used to be an Owl. SC-70-15

Scouter's Key earned as a Scoutmaster

[JoeJansen]

There is a very interesting discussion of a troop planning process at

 

http://scoutdocs.ca/Documents/Youth_Input.php

 

where the author describes how he had the youth participate in the planning process and how events subsequently unfolded.

 

Joe Jansen

JAJansenJr@gmail.com

http://www.customprograms.info/scoutingresources.htm

I used to be an Owl. SC-70-15

[juris]

Scouter Bob, You seem to be in Scouting for a while, and that is great. You have to agree, that BSA training, example the woodbadge is a bit out of date and are out of touch with our modern world. Therefore the current SM has to use his imagination and new resources to keep his scouts enthusiastic and modivated. The best and simple application I used is " USE IT IF IT WORKS, OTHERWISE DELETED " See if this concept will work in your troop. Juris

[Bob White]

Juris,

Could you share a specific example of a Wood Badge concep you feel is out of date?