New Leader Packets / New Parent Orientation Guides

[April-D]

Do any of you prepare either or rely on the BSA documents for your handouts?

 

I'm interested in knowing what, if anything, anyone does for their new leaders...

 

as well as new parents coming into Scouts.

 

[eolesen]

For leaders, I'd suggest the BSA training as a starting point. We tweak the forms a bit, but National's format seems to work pretty well out of the box.

 

We have an parent orientation guide for the troop, and it does help.

[John-in-KC]

For New Leaders? TRAINING!

 

- Fast Start and Youth Protection online.

- New Leader Essentials

- Den Leader specific for the level they're going to be at.

 

BALOO is always useful, but supports the Pack more than any one Den.

 

Safe Swim Defense is always useful, but again supports a Pack more than any one Den.

 

- District Roundtable, every month, to get a lead on the coming National Program.

 

- If the Den Leader or ADL has a Boy Scout assigned as Den Chief, absolutely go through the training with him!! Mutual expectations between Den Leader and Den Chief are vital!!

 

- Finally, most Cub Scout Pow-Wows or Council Universities of Scouting (yes, Lisa, I understand...) provide a host of how-to classes to give ideas for games, activities, places to go and things to do!

 

If it'll be a while until District Training Team does Cub Scout Position Specific trainings, there are good resources on the "what they do" for unit leaders on the cub website:

http://www.scouting.org/CubScouts/AboutCubScouts/ThePack.aspx

 

Here's some how-to stuff:

http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/resources/The%20New%20Cub%20Scout%20Den%20Leader%20Kit.aspx

 

Here are some Cub-specific topical podcasts:

http://www.scouting.org/CubScouts/Cubcast.aspx(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

[backpack]

We have an orientation meeting every year. This is officially our first Den Meeting. We hand out our bylaws, parent orientation guide, our media release forms. We tell them about our website to get all information off of, especially since they never receive all the mail and handouts we send home. We only use BSA items when we refer to them specifically, such as two-deep leadership, achievements, etc.

 

As for new leader packets, we don't have any, but we (myself the CC, and the Cubmaster) meet with the new leaders, go over the paperwork, tell them what is expected, give them a list of resources, show them the library they can use, give them any help we have, as both of us have held every Den Leader Position). We also show them how to get to the website, and what's on it. It's a wealth of information, including a fillable pdf for the tour permits (or I will fill it out for them).

 

I'm also the self-appointed trainer, so I'm helping set up the first couple of months of their program, talking about resources, what electives go with the achievement, and alternative ways to do things. Like for Webelos doing a Mini-car clinic for the Handyman award, instead of doing things individually, we'll run a oil check, headlight check and car wash for a day. This is great for the parents to watch their kids work (doesn't always happen at home).

 

Keep it fun, let everyone know, there's a place for them, without volunteers, it's no good. Oh, at parent orientation, we get parents to sign up for a den night to teach something, and to bring a snack. You gotta get them while they're captive.

[Twocubdad]

On the Boy Scout side, we have a handout which is about 10 pages long and gets updated and adapted from year to year.  It includes much of the basics, summer camp info and a copy of our troop behavior expectation policy.

In addition, the first month after the new Scouts cross over is BSA 101 for both the boys and their parents. While the Scouts are working on basic skills with the new boys, we hold orientation meetings with the parents. The parents have their own breakout while the Scouts are in their instruction time.

The four sessions generally cover:

 

Week 1, Administration -- paperwork, apps, medical forms, calendars, summer camp sign ups dues, etc. Run by the membership chairman and treasurer.

Week 2, Program basics -- mission, aims and methods. I do this on myself.

Week 3, Advancement -- First year/First Class, procedures, expectations, etc. Run by our Advancement chairman.

Week 4, Camping -- Schedule, equipment, what to buy, what not to buy. We usually have the owner of the local outdoor (a retired SM) shop do a presentation.

We really encourage both parents to attend as we feel like the info we present is important even for the parent who isn't really involved in Scouting. That rarely works. I don't know that we get every family represented.

This does NOT replace leader training. The new parents who are will be troop leaders are still expected to take the appropriate leader training. We start working with the Webelos II dens in the fall and encourage the parents to start taking BSA training before crossover.