New Cub Books not so good??

[eleanor-akela]

Having just taken delivery of the new 'Power Pack', cub handbook type thing, the leaders of my group as a whole are not impressed. We feel the books are aimed at much younger children, a lot of the important information has been missed out and it now involves a lot of extra admin (as if there wasn't enough already!) for the leaders with regards to badge work etc. Is everyone else impressed, and are we on our own feeling this way???

[acco40]

I'm not sure what you are referencing. Are you commenting on the new Cub Scout rank handbooks (i.e. Wolf, Bear and Webelos handbooks) that may be out in August? To my knowledge, national sent up a trial balloon at Philmont to see the reaction to the new books. Nothing is definite yet to my knowledge.

 

Cub Scouts is getting younger with the Webelos Cub Scouts more and more sucked into Boy Scouts and away from the Pack (new uniform, rank badge, etc.) and Tiger Cub Scouts more integrated into the Pack. Character is the new theme it seems.

[Bob White]

Eleanor-akela,

Could you be more specific about the manual. The only Power Pack resource I am aware of is a supplement by that name for the cub youth protection program that focuses on how to deal with bullies. Is this the resource you are refering to? What additional administrative duties do you mean?

 

Bob White

 

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[Robin]

This may be very confusing for most of you! The powerpack is the new UK Cub handbook. Our whole program has been changed this year. The old handbook had a reading age of about 11 years, not very handy for an 8 year old Cub. The new book is more child freindly and is probably a good book for new Cubs as an introduction to Cubs but apart from that is almost totally useless. It has pictures of the activity badges but no badge requirements. We are supposed to hand out photo copied sheets to the Cubs.

I have made up a floppy disk for each Cub with all the Activity badges on it.We are giving them to the Cubs in our distict to see if it makes life easier for the leaders.

[eleanor-akela]

Floppy discs certainly seems a good idea, but I doubt many of my cubs have access to a computer at home, or one they can use freely for outside interests at school. How long did it take you to put all the stuff onto floppy disc? Do you think they have done this because they want badgework to be done within cubs, rather than at home for the keen ones? I should have explained earlier that I am a UK cub leader, shouldn't I!! Just figuring out how to use this forum thing.

[Robin]

It took me about an hour to do the disk and about another 3 to correct the mistakes. I had a few Cubs test the disk out for me last weekend and will see them tonight at cubs to find out what they think of it before I make a lot of copies. All of my Cubs but one either have a computer at home or can get use of one. Most Kids should be able to use a computer at school or the local library.

We printed our own books for the old programme as our cubs didnt seem to be able to read the handbook, but I am trying to make life easier this time (I dont fancy printing 40 books again for my pack)

I dont think they want all the badgework done at Cubs, more they were saving on printing costs. The Scout matrix book doesnt have badge requirements either. They will probably bring out an extra book next year to take more cash off the kids. The SA's excuse will probably be that the stuff is all on Scoutbase.