Youth Leadership Selection

[Sparkie]

Our troops' sr. leaders will all be at Seabase during summer camp. I guess that's good news! But the bad news is there is not an SPL or ASPL attending summer camp. How would you recommend selecting a leader for the week? There will probably be about 20-25 boys attending. None of the scouts have SPL or ASPL experience... just patrol leader experience. Should the Scoutmaster decide or should the boys going decide? Maybe the current SPL should appoint one of the boys going....just a thought. How would you handle this?

 

Sparkie

[EagleInKY]

You've really got a good news/bad news story here.

 

Not knowing all the dynamics of your troop, but I'll weigh in anyway. I would favor having your SPL appoint another ASPL now, and have this lad be the SPL for Summer Camp. It could be seen as a permanent or temporary appointment - your choice. Call it a "battlefield promotion" of sorts. Note - there could be ripple effects if, for example, he choses an existing PL. But I still favor putting it in your Junior Leader's hands.

[evmori]

Eagle gives sound advice. The other thing to do might be to have the SPL decide between the current PL's who should be SPL & ASPL for summer camp.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[OldGreyEagle]

Why not have all the scouts who will be attending Summer Camp elect a SPL for the week. Have the election in the next few weeks and then the Summer Camp SPL will have plenty of time to be oriented to the duties he will have.

 

Why have boys who will not be there control who will lead the boys who will be there?

[dan]

I would have the current SPL select the SPL for the week, and explain to him that even though he will not be there he will still be responsible for the troop, through the leader he selects.

My reasoning for this, is that it is still his troop, his responsibility does not stop just because he is not there.

[acco40]

dan, eagleinKY, ed, etc. you are all partially right IMHO. Yes it is the SPLs troop but instead of having him choose or appoint someone in his absence or sanction OGE's "troop election" advice try the following:

 

Don't have the SPL choose, have the SPL determine a solution to the problem. The SPL may decide an election is the way to go or maybe his appointment or maybe a novel idea that you or I have not even thought of yet. If he truly is in charge as dan, bluegrasseagle and Mr. Mori suggest, shouldn't he determine how the temp SPL is selected and not the SM?

[Bob White]

I'm with OGE,

If I were the SM I would counsel the SPL to have the scouts who will be going to camp elect an SPL for the week of camp . If I were the SPL I would discuss options with the SM and then suggest that the scouts who will be going to camp elect an SPL for the week of camp. But it should be the SM and SPL to decide the solution.

[evmori]

Once again, acco, you are right on the money! Excellent suggestion! Bravo! Wish I would have thought of it! I will have to remember this if it come up in my unit.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[KA6BSA]

However the SPL and SM decide to do it the Acting SPL for summer camp should meet the same qualifications the troop has for the regular SPL job. In our troop that would be First Class, previous PL experience, and attendance requirements (active Scout). Being SPL at summer camp is a demanding job, working with boys who may be homesick, not be eating right, and worn out by all those fun activities. It should be done by a qualified boy so he has the best opportunity for success.(This message has been edited by KA6BSA)