Unit Leader

[trewm]

Can someone tell me what is the offical definition of the "Unit Leader"? Is it the Scoutmaster, Committee Chair or is anyone who is registered as an adult leader regarded as a "unit leader"?

[eisely]

When one talks about "the" unit leader, I infer that you are talking about "the" scoutmaster or "the" cub master or "the" crew advisor, of which there is one per unit.

 

If you change the article to "a" unit leader, then that could be almost anybody. People use the term "unit leader" very loosely. The preferable term might simply be "adult volunteer" or "scouter." The term "leader" in this context implies to me someone more directly involved in a volunteer capacity working directly with the youth members. Thus, for example, district volunteer staff would not normally be labeled "leaders" and I seldom hear district staff referred to as "leaders." Similarly, unit committee chairs are not "leaders" in the sense that their primary responsbility is not interaction with the youth membership of the unit.

[jmcquillan]

In terms of a Boy Scout Troop, the "Unit Leader" is the Scoutmaster, as eisley said.

 

But....say your troop goes on an outing that the Scoutmaster can not make, and an ASM takes his place. For that particular outing, the ASM becomes the "unit leader".

 

But....the person who volunteers to sit in the BIG chair and be the person responsible for everything....that's the Scoutmaster....and he/she is the real "unit leader".

[eisely]

We have a different vocabulary for events and outings. We refer to the adult whose name goes on the tour permit as a "trek leader," although there may not be any trekking involved. This can be any registered adult volunteer with the unit. In spreading the work around, our scoutmaster (unit leader) is seldom the trek leader.

[jmcquillan]

eisley,

 

That brings up a good point, and one that it took me years to realize. When the troop goes out camping, the SM does not need to be what you call the "trek-leader". Boy, I tell, you...if only I had known. But once I got the idea down pat, I always went on the trips, but I let everyone else do the organizing and work. All I did was to owrk with the SPL on getting his work done to organize the Scouts, and go camping. It was great from that time on. I really got to sit in the BIG chair (which I always supplied), and watched while the work and fun got going. My job as SM was enough work on these trips. But shedding all the other stuff was a real treat.

 

"Light dawns on Marblehead!"

 

 

[eisely]

I would further refine a point in response to an earlier post by jmcquillan.

 

A trek leader doesn't even have to be an assistant scoutmaster. We have some adults who are competent outdoorspeople (not just outdoorsmen) who are happy to lead an occasional outing, but do not wish to commit to a larger role as an ASM. The key question for accepting such volunteers is the qualification of the individual to lead the trek in question, not their title in the organization. I would go so far as to say that I have seen some assistant scoutmasters who were nice people and capable of making a contribution, but whom I would not want to see leading an expedition into the back country.