Things I wish they'd told me....

[Cheerful Eagle]

I sincerely want to hear from all the den leaders out there. I'm a new trainer, and want to do all I can to help our new leaders be successful and have fun.

 

What was your training experiance like?

 

Are there areas of being a den leader that could have been covered better?

 

What do you wish they'd covered but didn't?

[briantshore]

I am winding down as my 2nd year as a den leader. I am moving on to Webeloes. My biggest challange is getting parents involved with the Pack. How to recruit parents to work as Leaders, Committee Members, or just stick around once and a while for the meetings. Most of them just want to drop the kids off, and find out what time to pick them up.

[funscout]

I'm in my second go-round as a Webelos Den Leader. I wasn't able to attend Webelos Specific training with my older son, but I did go to the training this Fall, now that I'm Web. 1 leader for my younger son. I wish there was a way to be considered "fully trained" without taking the Specifics course each time. I didn't learn anything new, due to my previous experience as a Webelos Den Leader. Also, I had already taken Leader Specific for both Tiger and Cub (Wolf/Bear).

 

My first time through Leader Specific training taught me a lot and was very worthwhile.

 

The paper work/record keeping can be a bit overwhelming, so make sure the new leaders understand that. Also, let them know that they will be learning as they go, and to be sure to ask experienced Scouters anytime they have questions.

 

Good Luck! I'm sure you'll do great!

[ScoutNut]

What kind of training will you be doing?

 

Will you be on Roundtable Staff, Council or District Training Staff, Outdoor training, a Pow Wow presenter, or a unit trainer?

 

Have you taken the Trainer Development Conference?

 

The kind of training you will be doing will make a difference in HOW you train. Some trainings have a specific syllabus to follow & in order to keep the training consistent across the country, BSA does not want variations from that syllabus. Other trainings might follow a general format, but be open to variation. Still others are pretty much of the "free form" variety.

 

The Trainer Development Conference will give you lots of ideas & ways to get your information across to your audience.

 

One thing I strongly suggest, be very knowledgeable in the subject that you are training. Know it inside & out & know all of the BSA rules, regs & policies that pertain to it. Nothing is more irritating than being "trained" by someone who doesn't have a clue what he is talking about & spreads incorrect information as fact.

 

[Cheerful Eagle]

OOps... you're absolutly right, Scoutnut, I forgot to specify.

 

I am currently a district trainer usually involved in New Leader Essentials, and Position Specific Training.

 

I haven't been to the "Train the Trainer" conference, yet. But I have sat under some very good trainers here in our council and at the Philmont training center. I also have a master's degree in education, and professional experience being a teacher trainer.

 

You are right about knowing the material you're supposed to be presenting. I've learned to say, "I'm not sure; let's see if we can find the answer."

 

[msnowman]

The single most useful piece of information I have gotten in the last 6 years is "BSA does NOT stand for Baby Sitters of America".

 

I wish I had heard it earlier in my Wolf ADL days and have always been sure to pass it on to other new leaders when I moved up to CM and now back to DL.

 

Good Luck

 

YiS

Michelle

[Fuzzy Bear]

I have held several leadership positions over the years in Scouting. So, I have a few rules of the road.

 

I require that we follow the program, book, and/or outline. It keeps us legal and out of trouble.

 

Cub Scouting is for parents and Scouts, so I require that for every Scout that one parent volunteers to do take one position, one event, one meeting, and/or something every month.

 

I also point out that we are required to work in pairs at all times and that one or the other person cannot always be there so we need to make everyone available to help.

 

I require that everyone completes the Resource Survey and be ready to be called on for help when needed.

 

I require that we have a calendar for a year's worth of great activities so we can plug in as many parents into every activity as possible to make it even better.

 

I always have or rely on a committee because people will not help one person that is drowning in their leadership position. They understand how easy it is to become the second victim plus they know it will not be fun. Joining a group insures that cookies will be available and that the work is easier when done in groups. And yes, you can have a quasi-committee/group to help you run a den. Let everyone know that you will not do it alone under no circumstances and that you refuse to get into some kind of legal bind for doing so.

 

I require that one person always documents every event and that we play it back to recognize what fun looks like and who is doing it.

 

I require that we recognize everyone that helped us have fun and what they did to make it so.

 

I require that we advertise as much as possible to let others know what fun looks like.

 

 

FB

 

 

[Lisabob]

I like Fuzzy Bear's "rules." Following them would just about guarantee a strong pack.

 

I'm a former DL and committee member from a pack that is not affiliated with any particular troop. As a webelos leader: I'd like to have had some practical suggestions for forming ties to area troops, maybe including a listing of area troops and the contact info for the SM and CC. I'd have liked some discussion of what the heck a den chief is (and isn't) and - most importantly - how to go about finding one! I'd have liked a clear explanation regarding which district/council boy scout events webelos are welcome to attend and which they are discouraged from attending, and when these are, so we would know what to try to get invitations to attend. (Note, a lot of this stems from particular weaknesses and points of contention in my specific area - but I am willing to believe that similar concerns come up in many other places too)

 

As a wolf and bear leader: I'd have liked more ideas about age-appropriate outdoor service/conservation opportunities in the area. Maybe also a list of some of the groups in the area we could contact to set up service projects or to visit for field trips. Seems like a lot of the time we end up re-inventing the wheel here and consequently we don't find out about a lot of great opportunities until we've been den leaders for a few years - ie, until we get to webelos.

 

I absolutely agree that more attention could be paid to strategies for recruiting other adult leaders and FB is 110% right that people will rarely volunteer if they think they'll be working all by themselves or "saving" an overly-busy individual and thus getting sucked in as well.

 

I'd have liked to see a training staff place emphasis on the cub program not only as a means (to stock boy scout troops) but also as an end in itself. We don't run the program only to feed troops.

 

Oh - and I'd REALLY have liked ACCURATE information! Irked me no end to be given blatantly wrong info (about awards and advancement in particular) by somebody who hadn't been associated with a pack in years and in a condescending manner, no less. In short, don't waste my time! (But I know you won't - the fact that you're asking at all is a sign that you are committed to doing a great job!)

 

Lisa'bob

 

 

[Newbie Den Leader]

"I'd have liked to see a training staff place emphasis on the cub program not only as a means (to stock boy scout troops) but also as an end in itself. We don't run the program only to feed troops."

 

Amen! If membership statistics are correct, many Cub Scouts will probably not continue into Boy Scouts. With that in mind, it's important that I help deliver a meaningful and purposeful program for the Cubs right now. There is no benefit to Cub Leaders to spend an excessive amount of training time discussing the details of Boy Scouts or Venturing.

 

Trainers should remind Cub Leaders they are not "quasi-Boy Scout" leaders but are indeed real leaders in the Boy Scouts of America. Being a Den Leader of 8 boys can be just as difficult and rewarding as being a Scoutmaster of a Troop.

 

[cubbingcarol]

I don't know if this is the kind of thing you are talking about but as for me I wish they had told me...

 

Have a back up plan. Sometimes I plan things with all six boys in mind and that really can't be modified, it helps to have a quick substitute in case I only have 1 or 2 show up.

 

Set time limits on crafts or other, sometimes tedious things. Send it home unfinished or save till next meeting.

 

Every once in a while (maybe once a year) let the boys plan the next meeting. It doesn't have to go exactly as they planned, but at least let them do some of the things they wanted, i.e. do nothing but play games, work on a specific craft, eat ice cream sundaes, etc.

 

I wholeheartedly agree with knowing your materials before you begin. If I had a nickle for every time I have heard a trainer say "I don't know, I'll have to look it up" I would be able to go to Woodbadge training for free!!

 

Carol

[FScouter]

It's important that trainers follow the syllabus. If a participant sees that strategies for selecting and recruiting other adults was not covered in the leader specific training, it's because that topic was already covered in the New Leader Essentials training, assuming that the trainer for that course followed the syllabus.

[Cheerful Eagle]

I've been checking this thread every day, and I'm so encouraged by the thoughtfulness of the feedback all you scouters are giving. Thank you!!

 

I think I'm going to print FuzzyBear's post and past it in the from of my den planner!

 

Lisabob, I agree. Especially if you aren't a native to your area (especially typical in my neck of the woods) it's hard to know the local resources. As a trainer, I don't have time to get into that during the class, but I am starting to collect e-mail addresses from my participants so I can follow up with them later. But the best source of local knolwedge I've found is the monthly Roundtable meeting.

 

cubbingcarol is sooo right. Planning and prep for a den meeting aren't complete without a backup. Semper Gumby!!

 

thanks again, all. I'll keep checking in as long as people keep posting!

[cubbymaster]

I would have to say all the forms and extra paperwork.

 

I'd like to see more training on this topic. My treasurer/secretary sat in the same training I did for leader specific. We both would have liked training on this area