Webelos Training Essential Tidbits?

[AnaMaria]

I'll be helping with Webelos Leader Specific training this weekend. What one thing is it vital to pass on to these leaders?

[perdidochas]

I think a major think to emphasize is that Webelos are working to become Boy Scouts. They need to start learning to make decisions with less and less adult input.

[Eagle92]

WDLs need to A) let the denner and asst. denner take a more active role and B) Inform parents that they need to start letting go.

[The Blancmange]

Get them outdoors! Hiking, biking, camping, small conservation projects, etc. Make them hungry for more when they get to BS.

[dg98adams]

Webelos Leader Specific:

 

Working activity badges is a big topic and Arrow of Light if the Den is able to make it it.....but

 

The section that I think is VERY important:

 

Webelos-to-Scout transition (introduce to the youth early to Troops outings, don't wait till crossover, get to know some Scout Masters, take the Webelos Den Camping (still Cub Scouts though) - educate the parent on the differences/expectations of Webelos-to-Scouts).

 

The thing I observe Webelos or new Boy Scouts having the most difficulty with is: listening/getting information from a youth (SPL/PL/TG) on Troop outings instead of an adult.

 

That, and hearing,

 

"I don't know where my poncho/flash light/etc is, mom packed my bag".

 

 

 

[shortridge]

Try to find and use a good den chief to whom you can turn over large chunks of the program from time to time. That'll give the Webelos a direct role model.

 

Dump the indoor craftsy meetings! Outdoors, outdoors, outdoors!

 

Pick a den emblem, cheer, make a flag, etc., as an early introduction to the basics of patrols.

[Eagle92]

Can't beleive I forgot abotu the den Chief!!!!! A decent DC is worht their weaight in gold, and a great one is worth their weight in platinum.

 

Also while the youth may have a hard time gettin use to listening to youth, the biggest ones are the parents. Preparing parents for the transition from adult to youth lead should be a very important part of the WDLs' responsibility ( bold for emphasis)

 

One of the better troops in my district is youth run because the SM does use the patrol method. Problem is that the new parents are so use to an organized, structured meeting with adults in charge, that they cannot comprehend the "organized chaos" of the patrol method. From parents with only CS backgrounds, I am hearing complaints about the troop and I am constatly repeating my self about the PM.

[bbender]

On the topic of transition from adult-led to youth-led and getting Boys and Parents ready for Boy Scout Troops and the Patrol Method, let me copy the first part of an email from the cub-l listserv that we use in our "info" section about crossing over into a Troop:

 

"

Date: Tue, 06 Nov 2007 03:09:15 -0500

From: Lorie McGraw

Subject: crossing over and boring Boy Scouts (was Boy Scout Lists)

 

Hello, I have been watching this discussion with some trepidation and finally just had to join in. First of all, let me confess that my name is Lorie and I am a Scoutaholoc (Hi, Lorie!)

 

After 12 years in Scouts, starting with Tiger Cubs and moving up through 2 eagle sons, married to the Scoutmaster, Leader in Tiger/Cubs/Webelos, Cub Roundtable, Training Team, Old Boy Scout WoodBadge (one of the last sessions SR330-00 - Fox Patrol), Troop Committee and Webmaster, Associate Editor of American Scouting Digest, Boy Scout Roundtable Commissioner, etc, all I can say to new Webelos moms and Dads is:

 

Stop.

 

Take a breath.

 

Put down the Scout and slowly back away.

 

Get a cup of coffee and sit back and observe for at least 2 months. Talk to the other adults. Ask what the plan is. Ask how they do things. Ask to see the annual plan (every troop should have one, even if it is just a general outline). Ask how much interference they allow (if any). Get trained. Go to Roundtable and ask other new parents and olde Scoutmasters how this whole wonderful game of Scouting works.

 

Boy Scouts is NOT Cub Scouts and really does not even resemble it much. The highly active planned activities are usually reserved for Camporees. And they should be planned and carried out by the boys. Other activities are smaller in scope and run by the Senior Patrol Leader and the Patrol Leaders (part of the Patrol Leaders Council). THEY are the role model for the younger boys. It is the Boy Scouts. Not the Mommy and Daddy Scouts. Not the Lets Pretend that We Are Scouts or the We Only Camp When It Is Sunny Scouts.

 

If you wish to be useful, stay away from your son's Patrol. Let him struggle a bit. They will learn to help him and he will learn to ask for help from the leaders of the Patrol ---- the BOYS, not the adults. He can suggest a game or activity to his Patrol. But 9 times out of 10, the game that we as adults think is cool the boys will not touch.

 

You have NO business talking to or suggesting anything to ANY of the Scouts except through the Senior Patrol Leader, and that only after talking to the Scoutmaster and the Committee Chair. This is very important. Not only do you usurp the Scoutmaster, but you degrade the authority of the shared leadership of the Scouts themselves.

 

. . . "

 

I just love the line: Put down the Scout and slowly back away.

[NC Scouter]

Despite Webelos being described as prep for Boy Scouts there is still a big leap.

 

We all know one of the three aims of the scouting program is citizenship training. That is more than American history, government, and flag etiquette.

 

The patrol is the citizenship incubator of scouting. It is in the patrol that scouts get to practice citizenship in a real, tangible setting.

 

And among the T-2-1 requirements the cooking and meal prep items stand out as the ones that are not purely individual.

 

As a new scoutmaster who has been the ASM for new scout patrols for the past 3 years I have two recommendations in addition to what others have said.

 

1) Find or create opportunities for the Webelos to get experience making plans and decisions for themselves, and working as a team (think duty roster).

 

2) Encourage families to give their sons opportunities to be involved in cooking at home. It is plenty difficult for new scouts to cook in the field even with prior cooking experience, but trying to learn cooking in the outdoors is doubly hard.

[Eagle92]

NC brings up a good point in ref to cooking. Webelos want to do it. At our CSDC this year, the biggest complaints from the Webelos is that they didn't do any cooking or overnight camping. The 1st year Webelos even said that they would be willing to help cook for the entire camp next year.

[bbender]

Camping, camping, camping. Yep, that's the ticket.

 

A few years back, we started (in addition to Webelos Encampment in the summer), a tradition that Friday night of the Pack October Campout is "Webelos First Night".

 

The concept is that the Webelos come out Friday, and really dig into some camping/cooking skills "by themselves", and the rest of the Pack (usually less experienced campers) come Saturday AM, and the Webelos greet them at our campsite and help them set up, and start teaching the younger ones.

-- FYI we don't actually turn away other campers from Webelos First Night (those who are well able to camp).

-- But we don't try to "stretch" anyone into doing too much by making them think they need to get out there Friday night.

 

Then we have a joint campout with a Troop (Webelos Winter Camp), where they get to work/cook/hike alongside the Troop Members as provisional members of the various patrols. (Yes, G2SS police: winter, but in Georgia, and our facility has a large cabin with wood burning stove too so nobody gets frozen.)

 

Two years ago, after that camping and cooking prep, and some further camping/cooking at January and February events, our "New Scout" Patrol's first Saturday Dinner at their first Camp O Ree was -- I swear I am not making this up -- Honey Glazed Salmon on Cedar Plank!

 

And it was awesome.

 

[Eagle92]

Sounds like a good troop intro campout, esp the food. One troop did a "survival" campout with teh Webelos. Took to a section of camp where they could cut, burn, and dig without concerns for LNT principles. We taught them lashings, and then had them build patrol survival shelters. Also did soem old pioneering games, i.e. chariot races etc. Webelos ate it up.