Pack-specific leader handbook...

[Fish]

BSA's Cub Scout Leader Book (CSLB) is a daunting document for a new leader in a pack. Essential/Specific training is very general. Has anyone out there put together a 20-30 page summary of: what a den leader needs to know to start a successful den, pack general rules and guidelines, locations of pack activities, tips on providing a good program, resource lists, etc. I'd like a base document from which to change to our pack specifics. I'm looking for document not to replace the CSLB, but a layman's summary highlighting the important points a new den leader needs to know right off the bat so he/she will not regret their decision to volunteer... Any other ideas would be welcome!

[Bob White]

Hi Fish,

What you describe cannot be contained in a twenty page document. Your best resource for those topics is Cub Scout Roundtable. Roundtable is a monthly supplemental training course put on in your district by the Commissioner Services staff. It usually lasts 60-90 minutes and a good Roundtable will incorporate all the things you mentioned.

 

When you say Essentials/Specific are you refering to both the New Leader Essentials Course and the Den Leader Specific Training Course? I would think those nearly 5 hours of training along with the Program Helps booklet would prepare you quite well to begin as a den Leader? What do you feel was missing?

 

Bob White

[Twocubdad]

Been there, Fish. You've been through training, you've read the book, now you've got those eight smiling faces looking up at you and you think to yourself, "holy smokes, now what do I do?"

 

I agree with you that the leader position specific courses aren't very specific. You get a lot of policy, organization and background, but not a whole lot of practical information. Pow-wow or University of Scouting has much more information on actual, hands-on den meeting and activity planning. I joke that basic training is to keep you off the front page of the newspaper and out of your DE's hair. Pow-wow teaches you what to do with those eight smiling faces.

 

Bob's right that there isn't a summary of the CSLB and that's it really isn't something you can condense. But if you're going to prioritize things, I'd look at the chapters on your specific program level and the ones on Cub activities.

 

Probably better advice is to spend your time studying your son's handbook. That's the best resource for den meeting ideas and activities. Take an achievement, add the other elements of a good den meeting you learned about in training (gathering activity, opening, closing, etc.) and you've got a den meeting. Program Helps, which Bob mentioned, is also a good resource. It has den meeting plans down to the minute you can follow, if you like. But even if you don't necessarily follow all the meeting plan exactly, it still has a lot of good ideas. Although our pack doesn't use the monthly themes, it's still use it to get craft plans, skits, songs, etc.

 

Try hooking up with other leaders who are a year or two ahead of you in the program. They can give you ideas of things that have worked for them as well as ideas for local outings. Roundtable is a good place to meet folks, if there aren't experienced leaders in your unit.

[Fish]

Mr. White,

 

I guess I'm looking for a document that a new den leader can take home after School Night and read in an hour to get a general understanding about the road on which they are about to embark. Mostly it would be about the pack's structure, meeting/activity places, rules that overlay the BSA's policies and guidelines, fundraising methods, den supplies reimbursement, annual pack activities, pack meeting agenda, etc. These things are not covered in any training nor at roundtable.

 

The document would breifly touch on alot of subjects they will need to know about quickly, such as awards, uniforms (class A vs. class B), family camping, local tour permit, family's role in scouting, etc. It would also go through the den meeting with focus on what other resources will help in each area of the meeting.

 

I can not expect a brand new den leader to absorb the Cub Scout Leader Book to know what is really important to run their den the next week. As I have experienced, when I flop down the CSLB it creates a large thud sound in their volunteering enthusiasm! But on the otherhand, I don't feel comfortable just giving them "What is Cub Scouting?" and "Your First Den Meeting" and expect them to run the den. I don't expect this document to be a cookbook that I give them and leave. I want to give them something they can use as an initial leader book, a link to the CSLB. Something that condenses the pack's direction, CSLB and other ancilliary resources into a "primer" for our pack's new leaders. It will also serve as a refresher for our current leaders.

 

Bob, you were correct about my meaning of essentials/specific. Don't take my comment on the training as derrogatory. BSA's training is extremely important, well done and vital to the success of a new den leader. But it is very general because it has to be. Training will reinforce what the document has gone through and provide them with some "jazzing up".

 

We are in a very large rural district and our roundtable is OK but poorly attended and therefore is mostly concerned with the pack meeting material.

 

Sorry to be long winded but I thought maybe I didn't word my request very well. We have recently built a parent's handbook which is 31 pages long and it tries to answer many of the questions I had as a parent first coming into the pack (I will hand them out at School Night for Scouting). I stole the idea (and their WORD file!) from another pack and switched the pack information to ours. (I'm lazy!) I thought maybe the same type of thing could be out there for the new den leader.

 

Essentially I'm looking for a handbook to answer the many questions a new den leader would ask after they have left School Night, sat down in their recliner and say "What have I done!" I think it would be an important survival guide for the new leader from the pack they just said yes to... I think it can be done in around 30 pages as well, similar to our parent's handbook.

 

Am I all wet?

 

Fish

[Fish]

Mr. White and Twocubdad,

 

Thanks for your good ideas and I agree with all of them. Maybe the document I'm searching for doesn't exist out there. But if there were, would you agree it would be helpful and perhaps make a difference for the first few months when the den is at its highest risk?

 

I'm new at this and I guess I've omitted an important bit of info. I'm a current Cubmaster, a former den leader (Wolf-Webelos) and a current parent (Tiger-Webelos I) as well. I'm trying to make the parent and new leader experience the best it can be.

 

Late night Fish

[Bob White]

general understanding about the road on which they are about to embark.

Found I believe in the front section of the Cub Scout Handbooks.

 

Mostly it would be about the pack's structure, meeting/activity places,

Varies from Pack to Pack

rules that overlay the BSA's policies and guidelines,

On-line YP training and online Guide to safe scouting

fundraising methods,

Methods vary from pack to Pack with Scout Popcorn one of the most common by not only choice.

den supplies reimbursement

Varies from pack to pack.

annual pack activities, pack meeting agenda

Varies from Pack to Pack

 

These things are not covered in any training nor at roundtable

If your District is following the Roundtable plan they are.

 

The document would breifly touch on alot of subjects they will need to know about quickly, such as awards

Found in the Cub Scout handbooks

uniforms (class A vs. class B)

No such thing. You are in uniform or you are out of uniform. The uniform is described in each handbook.

family camping

Not useed by every pack

local tour permit

Not a function of the parent or den leader. This is a committee responsibility.

family's role in scouting

Cub Handbook.

 

It would also go through the den meeting with focus on what other resources will help in each area of the meeting.

Program Helps manual does exactly that

 

I can not expect a brand new den leader to absorb the Cub Scout Leader Book to know what is really important to run their den the next week.

True, but there is no need to read the whole book. Just the portions that are clearly marked for the den leaders.

 

I want to give them something they can use as an initial leader book, a link to the CSLB.

The Program Helps Has meeting agendas themes, ceremonies, games, resources, everything they need for an entire years program when used in cooperation with the appropriate Cub rank Handbook.

 

 

We are in a very large rural district and our roundtable is OK but poorly attended and therefore is mostly concerned with the pack meeting material.

Communicate with the roundtable staff. Tell them you need Den Meeting Info.

 

What I think you also need is an Orientation Booklet for your pack to give to leaders and parents with your pack-specific information.

 

With so many program elements that are unique to each unit there is no way that national could devise the tool you describe ad certainly not in as few pages as you envision.

 

Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be. Running a den is not difficult if you use the existing tools. Training, Rank Handbooks, Program Helps, Roundtable. They are the simple recipe to a great Den and pack program. Don't spend time trying to make a better mousetrap. The one you have been provided works just fine. Really.

 

Good Luck

Bob White(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[Fish]

Mr White - Thank you for the detailed response! I don't expect this document to be from a BSA or council source. As you said, many of the things I want to pass on to the new leaders vary from pack to pack. I thought maybe someone from a pack out there might have built a pack-specific document to help new leaders transition from "I don't know anything" to "Oh, that's where that info is at" and "OK, our pack does it then or that way". I got some super ideas from the pack that provided me their pack-specific "parents handbook" (exactly like what you called the "orientation booklet"), I thought I could do the same for leaders.

 

One thing we may disagree on is that the recipe is simple. We have difficultly keeping first-time leaders focused on what's important the first month or two. They become overwelmed with the amount of information (all of the books, guides, meetings, training, and resources you mentioned)and they may give up or worse, do it their own way without regard to the BSA defined program. Regardless, the boys suffer. There is alot to absorb those first two months and it is difficult for most, especially those not familiar with cub scouts other than the occasional mention in the movies. If we can keep them focused initially on the most important things they need to know about our Pack and Cub Scouting, I think we'll have a more enthused, better den leader and provide the boys an excellent program right off the bat...

 

Fish

[sctmom]

Okay, I only skimmed the answers but let me suggest the following:

 

FastStart Training

The online version is GREAT.

www.scouting.org/cubscouts/faststart

There is also a faststart guide you can print out that is very helpful, I believe it even talks about what to do at the first den meeting.

 

Our district gave each pack a 4 page pamphlet by BSA called "First Month's Cub Scout Den Meetings". It is aimed at Wolves and Bears.

Says No. 3146, 1990 printing.

 

Also, refer to Program Helps.

Webelos Leaders need a copy of the Webelos Leader Handbook and a suggestion of which activity badge to start with (Fitness or Athlete, are 2 good ones in my opinion).

 

As far as info about local activities and such, some packs do have a this info in a Parent Handbook. Or just put together what you feel you need.

New leaders need a pack calendar, phone numbers of other leaders, info about Roundtable and training, locations of Scout stores & council office, and info on internet resources.

 

I think another key item is phone calls and face to face contact. Constant reminders that you are there to help them.

 

[scoutmom]

Take a look at The Virtual Cub Scout Leaders Handbook at www.geocities.com/yosemite/9152

 

I found this site very helpful. Also try www.powwow-online.net

 

Lots of information at theses sites -- it may be what you're looking for.

[ScoutNut]

SCTMOM - Just what I was going to suggest!! On-line Fast Start has a great intro to every position in a Pack and the pdf document is a great additional help. After that try to get them to training as soon as possible. It sounds like you are not happy with your councils training. Try nearby councils, although New Leader Essentials does have some council specific info you may be happier with how the training is run. I have taken just about every Leader Specific course and I have found them overall to be pretty good. You should be able to get some good question and answer time with a leader who has been there and done that. Of course, like everything else, a lot depends on the Trainer!

 

I wouldn't be to quick to push two 30-35 page books on a new leader. That would make one heck of a thud on the table also and I know that it would kind of turn me off! Encourage new leaders to use the resourses that are already out there and offer yourself, or another seasoned leader, to be available for any and all questions. Perhaps you can invite the new leaders (different night per level) over to your house for a coffee and idea session! MUCH nicer than a 30-35 page novel! I just did that with our leaders for the 4th grade Webelos. I dug thru all of my old BSA, Pow Wow, internet, and even Girl Scout stuff I have and gave them copies of lots of things that were Webelos related. We talked about the differences between Cubs and Webelos and the Webelos program in general. We chatted, snacked, and had a great meeting!

[Fish]

ScoutMom - you suggest two good sites that I have just spiked several text portions for our leader book. That's what I'm talkin' about! I've used those sites before but didn't think of using themas a resource for this. We have already started piecing a book together and it looks like it will be about 20 pages and works together with our parent's handbook (very little duplication of material).

 

ScoutNut - a very good idea to separately meet with the den leaders by rank. I usually met with the new leaders all together but I like your approach better. More one-on-one and informal (bonding is important between CM/ACM and leaders so they feel comfortable asking any question)

 

From the sound of it so far I don't think anyone has done what I'm attempting. If it falls with a thud, so be it. I'll chalk it up to meaning well. I have used my time in far more friveless endeavors!

 

Thanks for everyone's help!

 

Fish

[jbroganjr]

KISMIF - Keep it simple, make it fun! A 20-30 page document will only serve to keep folks away.

At www.usscouts.org there is a page with hints and tips for new leaders, that essentially is what BW and the rest are saying.

Send home the tip sheet, set up a time to watch Fast Start (available from District Training Chair or D.E. ) with your new leaders. Get them to RT and to Training.

Most folks will read the boys handbook to devise meetings. Suggestions for them, local trips. I point out that den trips are a great chance for us adults to go places we always wondered about (Inside of the police station, the 911 center, rescue equipment, manufacturing facilities) The program is a great door opener (make sure you find out if the tour permit is needed for an in town trip, our council used to want a tour permit for every trip, now only trips out of council and I am sure that is going to change again soon, ask your District Executive)

AS for CSLB Book, keep it in your pack library, show it at a leaders meeting. Most leaders don't ask for it or ever read it. They do however like the How To Book better!

Go to Round Table Get the Will to Do and theSkill to Do... and your RT commissioner should love to hear that he has an opportunity to present a den leaders break out session!!!

CS RT commish