Pack Trainer?

[mmallin]

Quick question for the forum. Can a Pack designate their own trainer, have that leader certified by the district training coordinator then conduct New Leader Essentials and Leader Position Specifics at the Pack level?

 

If I am reading the training manuals correctly this is allowed but wanted to see what other folks think.

 

Thanks!

 

[scoutldr]

Absolutely! That was the purpose in creating the position. To be considered "Trained" in their position, Pack Trainers must complete the Trainer Development Course.

 

That being said, many Councils and Districts have been slow to embrace the Pack Trainer concept. In my experience, the "training teams" (read: cliques) are reluctant to give up the "quality control".

[MaScout]

That is the game plan. However, in my district, we can't get the PACKS on board. We were working for this BEFORE it was a position, and we simply can't get the volunteers to do it.

[FScouter]

During the 4 years I served as our district training chairman, there were a number of people that inquired about becoming pack trainer. One man had taken most, or all, of the Cub Leader Specific sessions. I sent him to the council trainer development course and he became a pack trainer. He is very good.

 

Others have wanted to become a pack trainer too. The motivations of most were simple. The pack wanted their leaders to be trained, earn knots, and earn quality unit, but the leaders couldnt find the time to attend training. They wanted to do it in-house. Their idea of training was a brief overview at a pack committee meeting that wouldnt do justice to Fast Start training.

 

Yes, quality control was part of our training clique.

[fgoodwin]

PTs don't deliver NLE or position-specific training -- their job is to encourage pack leaders to attend the training for their position. PTs can deliver Fast Start and new parent orientation; see the position description at the national website:

 

http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/about/thepack/ptrnr.html

 

The Pack Trainer

 

The goal of the pack trainer is to have 100 percent of the pack leaders trained in their position responsibilities. New leaders and adult family members should receive orientation within one week of joining the pack, and leaders should receive position-specific training within 30 days.

 

Qualifications: Is at least 21 years old, subscribes to the Declaration of Religious Principle, and agrees to abide by the Scout Oath or Promise and the Scout Law. Possesses the moral, educational, and emotional qualities that the Boy Scouts of America deems necessary to afford positive leadership to youth. Is registered with the BSA as a pack trainer.

 

It is recommended that the pack trainer have at least one year of experience in a leadership position in Cub Scouting, preferably as a Cub Scout or Webelos den leader. Pack trainers should be trained at a district or council trainer development conference. The Pack Trainer is a member of the Pack Committee. For new packs and those lacking experienced leaders, an experienced leader from the district training team or another pack may be appointed as pack trainer until the new leaders gain experience.

 

Responsibilities: The pack trainer is responsible for

Conducting orientation of new families and pack leaders

Encouraging pack leaders to attend Cub Scout Leader Basic Training, which includes New Leader Essentials and Cub Scout Leader Specific Training

Helping with Unit Leadership Enhancements during pack leaders' meetings

Conducting other training as designated by the district and/or council

Encouraging pack leaders to attend ongoing training such as Youth Protection training, roundtable, pow wow, BALOO, Outdoor Leader Skills for Webelos Leaders, and Wood Badge

Remaining current with training material and program updates

Keeping track of pack training records

Encouraging den chiefs to attend Den Chief Training

 

[FScouter]

Fred has provided the new position description. Previously, the job included "Training each new leader and pack committee member for his or her specific position". Essentially, this meant the pack trainer had to be a part of the district training team.

 

The new position description should be a great improvement.

[SWScouter]

Just an FYI, there is a new Pack Trainer Award and knot.

 

Pack Trainer Knot: Royal blue and bright yellow

 

Pack Trainer Award

 

(Note: tenure and performance requirements for thsi award may not be met retroactively. You may begin earning this award on ar after September 1, 2006.)

 

Training:

 

Complete Fast Start training for the pack committee.

Complete New Leader Essentials and be familiar with and able to explain the key elements of Leader Specific Training for all volunteer positions in the pack.

Complete Youth Protection Training.

Participate in a trainer development conference.

 

Tenure:

 

Complete two years as a registered pack trainer.

 

Performance:

 

Participate in a Cub Scout leader pow wow or university of Scouting (if your council conducts them) during each year of tenure for this award.

Have Cub Scout roundtable staff certify your attendance for at least 30 percent of the roundtables during each year of tenure for this award.

Attain 100 percent trained leadership within the pack for the committee chairman, Cubmaster, and all den leaders.

Have a working plan in place for delivering Fast Start training to new leaders within 48 hours of their joining your pack.

Have a working plan in place for helping leaders who have not taken basic training to attend New Leader Essentials and Leader Specific training.

Keep and update training records of all leaders in your pack.

During the pack annual program planning meeting be available to answer questions about training courses.

Review ongoing pack leadership training status and provide leaders with updates on any available supplemental training.

 

[northlandscouter]

Well, with a 100% trained requirement to get the knot, I don't see to many of those being earned. That is, of course, unless we have a rash of pencil-whipping the records.

 

In all seriousness, it often is difficult to get 100% trained in all positions. Adult leaders have families and other obligations and are sometimes single parents. It is difficult to add 3 to 6 more hours a month to the "one hour a week" for training. Training is usually at the convenience of the training teams schedule and why not, they have families and other obligations, too.

 

I would not be in favor of the Pack Trainer doing Leader Specific unless they have served in that position but I would favor all the others. Unfortunately, I can see the scenario FScouter described playing out all to often.

 

There has got to be some sort of balance that can be found. Improve the convenience to adult leaders while at the same time ensuring quality. Of course, there is probably a Nobel Prize waiting for the one who solves that!

[scoutldr]

"I would not be in favor of the Pack Trainer doing Leader Specific unless they have served in that position but I would favor all the others."

 

We have people on the District Training team teaching CS Leader Specific who haven't been in the CS program for 10 years or more, if ever. I was one of those. That's one reason why I'm no longer in the training business. I got tired of having fresh-caught Den Leaders telling me that the materials were outdated and that I didn't know what I was talking about. They were right. As I have said before in these forums, one of the main problems with CS training is that the leaders go away feeling cheated. They don't care how Councils get funded or how to pin patches on a shirt. They want to know how to keep 8 boys from killng each other for 90 minutes a week. When I explained that they would get that through Roundtables and PowWow, they were downright disgusted that they had wasted their time. And the requirement that they get "retrained" for every step in the program is unrealistic and doesn't happen, in my experience. In my district the "trained leader" stat hovered around 30%, regardless of how many sessions I put on. Most of my training sessions were attended by people from other districts, which was OK, but it didn't make my DE any happier.

 

"new leaders should receive position specific training within 30 days"??? Ain't gonna happen in most Councils, unless the training can be done by the Pack Trainer. There aren't enough trainers to go around.

 

I thought the Pack Trainer concept was a great idea...having an experienced leader train and mentor the newbies in their own Pack with "just in time" training, rather than wait for the semi-annual district events. Too bad it's been watered down to the point that it's meaningless. The new job description has always been a responsibility of the Pack Committee.