Fixing a sinking Cub Pack

[John-in-KC]

Ann,

 

Ticket Counselor is a volunteer trainer, someone who is part of a Wood Badge course staff. At the 50,000 foot view, a ticket is a commitment from a student to him/herself and a mentor about a specific Scouting project ... one that will improve the person, the unit, or the Council.

[moosetracker]

Ann - Anyone who attends Woodbadge has not completed the course until they organize for themselves a ticket, which as John-In-KC stated is to help better themselves and their unit.. They have 18 months to complete the ticket.. It is like a mini vision of where you can see something in the unit evolving and improving, then figuring out the steps to work at makeing that vision a reality.. Some do it faster then others, but unless there were extenuating circumstances that gained you an extension, they need to be complete in that time.. The counsilor is just someone who was on the Woodbadge staff that has been assigned to look over your work and be a sounding board/guide as the participants work through their ticket.

 

John - Her ticket was related to her postion as a DL.. So it is working with the boys to get them prepared for Boy Scouts.. She doesn't have anything in her ticket related to getting other adult leaders on board, or recruiting new boys, or saving the pack.. For right or wrong, our Council pushes you to have your ticket within your current scout position (unless you are really planning to start something new like starting up a venture Crew, taking over as CM..).. This lady tried to have her ticket be about saving the Pack, but those who were approving tickets denied that goal, and had her create a new ticket that was about what she could improve in the position she was in..

 

[Basementdweller]

Head pops up......

 

 

Woodbadge?????

 

 

ticket, Staff, councilor..........Beads, Ticket, councilor.

 

 

 

Head begins to spin......

[ramblinrosey]

Hello Moosetracker,Havn't gotten a chance to reply to my Counselor(same course you are talking about)so he doesn't know where I am yet. I too have a similar situation as a UC, won't go into to many details on here but we had resignations xmas eve(1 week after recharter sent in) by Wolf DL and husband(CM) a week later by CC

I had one of the other CM arrange a CMtng. and we came up with solution,one of the other parents will do CC(when his wife delivers he will sub as WL with 1 parent(den of 2),the Treas. Daughter who is 18(+ venturer) will be ADL for the Wolfs(1 boy left that night now 3 more back since)removingI will Den sit until a replacement is found(1 mother has offered when her job hires an assitant allowing her more free time, should be apr/may)Your son will do fine temporarily-make sure he delagates.

As we have no CM(they havn't had Pack mtng yet this yr) we are all going to get together and put together their 1st on Jan 31!!!

And FYI, I only started working with this pack in Oct, Cm,PM etc kept getting canceled or moved and I had a hard time catching up with them,there also was a delay by District in Formally removing old UC.

We had IH at CM, she is looking for CM now also, we are also checking with local Sr center for former(in shape) Scouters(like I am) for help!!Venturers can help at PM also.!! Good luck to my fellow WB'r.

FYI I already have my beads from 1982 but decided to update myself with the 21st Century WB, I enjoyed Both courses but liked---- better.LOL

 

 

[SeattlePioneer]

>

 

 

THAT was a VERY foolish decision, in my opinion.

 

When a unit is falling apart, it is foolish indeed for people to fence themselves off in their position and say the problems are someone elses to solve.

 

Unfortunately, that sounds like dumb Woobadgery thinking getting in the way of doing some critically needed work.

[moosetracker]

Ramblin Rose - Sounds like some adult quarrel to get so many to leave just after recharter, rather then making an announcement and organizing others to take their position before.. But, it also sounds like you have a decent parent pool with people who will step up and take on tasks (although to date, the CM position is a little scary).. I have a feeling you will be able to talk someone into it eventually because they know that they are not committing themselves to doing EVERYTHING, and be the do-it-all guy..

 

SP - I understand the reasoning of the policy in most cases.. Adult battles start out with people who are sticking their noses into areas and issues they should not be involved with. But, there should be an "exception" rule..

 

I am not sure if this is defined by woodbadge, or grew out of our councils interpretation of something.. I know when my husband took WB, he could do anything for a ticket. A year later, when I wanted to do one of my tickets outside of the troop, I couldn't, I had to stay in the unit.. (at that time the 5 tickets were like 5 totally unrelated projects.) Now the ticket has changed to being one large goal with the tickets the steps on how to acheive it, and the whole thing must be within your current scouting position (or a position you are soon to start doing.)

[ramblinrosey]

MT, yes i do think this group of parents can make it work, they all realize they need to "recruit" boys and parents.

Have your son see what venture crew might be able to help him with Pack duties.

As for this packs hunt for CM,2 parents asked what it intailed and I had handouts with how and what Pack meetings are for them,no "it's only 1 hr a week" stuff.We are also looking outside the Pack parents also.

And like you I have been away from the Cub program for a real long time(30yrs)so I have been reading and getting my hands on everything I can to update,My 1st Den siting debute is next Tues, and I guarentee every parent will sit there the whole time to critique!!! So read up and Jump in ,it'll do you good!!(ask me that after next Tues and see if i still feel like that LOL)

 

As for the WB ticket, I resented and argued the fact of Staff basically writing my "vision statement",They backed off some, same went for my position and the Pack. Everything I've read say these ticket are to be writen by us,I included a step for Personal growth in Scouting (my adding a course at PTC relating to my position) that helps not just my pack but as a UC(Commish Staff) can also benifit others. I've done this before(WB) Just a little different this time in content.

 

 

[moosetracker]

Don't know, talking on the board before about WB, seems with most things our Council WB follows the Syllabus to the "T", where alot of places have invented their own version of.

 

But, the syllabus doesn't have the overview of the Ticket. When we had 5 seperate projects that didn't relate to tickets, I did the projects, but really didn't understand the process. Now that they have the vision or goal and the 5 ticket items are steps that will get you to that goal, I understand the ticket process (and for better or worse, working your ticket is alot easier)..

 

So, if our council is incorrect about something, I do not think it is that they are "too big for their britches".. But, more like someone went to the WB training picked up something and interpreted it wrong..

 

Now,I can see listening for problems of people in a position who are spreading themselves to thin, like a CC should not make it their goal to do the financing job better themselves, and get the PLC more organized, and organize a website for communication.. Because the CC's job is not to take on all the jobs of the committee, but to find new committee members to delegate appropriate tasks to them, & or let them take the reins for certain tasks. This would send up red flags the person doesn't quite understand their position.

 

When all 5 tickets were seprate full projects, I did not understand that one of my tickets could not be in doing a few things at council level to see if I might want to branch into that area. But, unless you were taking on a new position, or starting up a new unit, I can see that with having one project with all tickets are part of it you really can't use a ticket to explore new things, and the whole project could be something new, but if your going to do a LARGE project for it, you better be very sure you want to do this, and not be just exploring new things..

 

I can see where some of this could get interpreted slightly wrong.

[Twocubdad]

So as not to highjack the thread, I won't go into details, but "rescuing a failing pack" would be a lousey ticket item for a Webelos Den Leader. If you want to get into those weeds, we can spin another thread.

 

Of course, nothing -- Wood Badge or not -- precludes the WDL, Moose and MIB from taking on the task,

[moosetracker]

Possibly true.. Now if at that time, she had plans to take on CM or CC and go into a different position based on the needs of the unit, that would be another matter..

 

Still, it seems weird, and I still have fragments of being allowed to do whatever I wanted as ticket items as long as it was tied to my unit when I took WB..

 

Well lets just hope the unit lives long enough for her to complete her ticket, or if not they can relocate a majority of the boys to the Pack in our town, since she can not hurry the end results up.. It will take her until Feb-March of next year to finish it up.

 

As you said we can still do some things to try to help without it being tied to a ticket item..

 

 

[SeattlePioneer]

I agree that "rescuing a failing Cub Pack" is too broad and vague of a goal. But "organizing a spring recruiting night" is not.

 

There doesn't appear to be any shortage of discrete tasks that need to be done in that pack.

[Scoutfish]

Hey Moose....

 

Well, I only gleemed over the responces and didn't read with much detail except trhe first page, so -

I don't know if anybody else may have said what I am going to say:

 

In my opinion, I think the only thing you can do THIS YEAR is just start telling this person what needs to be done. Kinda like prep sheet or pre list.

 

I doubt anything will really happen worthwhile this year.

 

NEXT YEAR

 

Have that roundup you are talking about. Get a bunch of new scouts as well as their parents and then

start mentoring what this woman ( who is gonna be CM now? ) as she starts fresh and new.

 

Thing is, either their previous roundups and recruitment were just misses or they did rcruit but lost due to lack of anything that resembles a program -or as far as the scouts would be concerned; fun!

 

I also think MIB might just find a great niche as being a ACM. He is still young enough to remember what cubs should be inside and out. He remembers what was fun for him and what wasn't..as well as what might not have been fun but necessary - at which point you make that as fun as you can.

 

Biggest thing here is that whatever they are doing...they need to scrap it completely, cut off any thoughts of whatever they used to do, and start completely fresh.

 

Either meet seperate from the boy scouts or met on a different night.

 

Of course, I think you know all this.

 

What needs to be done is explain this to the mom . Tell it is a matter of must, not maybe. If she wants this to work, this is what she is going to have to do.

 

Take the remainder of this year and float along as there will be no gain from rocking a mostly empty half sinking ship. Next year, bring out a new ship ( all new program) and set sail.

 

 

[moosetracker]

Well I this year, I think until March the current CM will be there, then son will be CM until the current Web I cross over next March. Then this lady plans to be CM.

 

Son is currently an ACM, and might do both jobs within both units.

 

Seeing this is January, seems weird to do nothing until Next year. Especially I feel the best recruiting is done in the Fall when kids go back to school, and routines are starting.. rather then the Spring when parents are looking forward to the summer when routines are kicked to the curbstone.. Oh you might get some signup if the kids are old enough to go to summer camp, or you have a great summer line up (Which if we do nothing with this group all year long, would mean we won't have it unless the incoming parents want to come in and organize it.

 

I think if son comes in as CM, and the old CM takes on SM the time to change things up is with them taking on the positions under a condition that everyone is expected to pitch in one way or another large or small..

 

Half the reason these parents don't get invovled is that the job of the "do-it-all" man is not something they would wish on their worst enemy and if they show any intrest in helping out that job could some day be theirs.. Best to stay out and not risk it. So to get some to pitch in (seriously), all need to pitch in (while I know some who really don't want to will find the easiest thing to do).

 

I guess I can understand this behavior from parents who just have their kids in Cub Scouts for fun or a free babysitter.. But, if the parents really are hoping their sons learn about citizenship, leadership and teamwork.. Then I don't see how they expect the "Do as I say, not as I do" approach to work.

[SeattlePioneer]

In my experience it's VASTLY easier to keep a program going to to recover after it's failed.

 

I wouldn't let things slide a year. I'd be aiming at doing that spring recruiting program with an active spring and summer program to go along with it.

 

Newly recruited parents don't have the habits of dodging helping out like experienced parents may! Most new parents are enthusiastic about the program or they wouldn't join, and they are ready to help to make the program work for their boy.

 

Find out what activities your district has going and work those into your program ---day camp being a good example. But you can schedule hikes, Pinewood Derby or other fun activities during the summer to build interest and invite boys and families to bring more boys to your spring and summer activities.

 

That way you should have a cadre of new parents to help plan your program for the next school year and have a better program to offer for fall recruiting.

[Scoutfish]

Whoops! When I said the rest of this year, I meant scout year. ...Ending in May or June .

 

I'm not saying do absolutely nothing at all, but meant I wouldn't try to make any huge changes or switch things up until June (or after school starts) and the new scout year ( based on rank) starts.

 

Let them finish out this rank as they are doing, then impliment changes at the very beginning of the new rank. At that time, they are expecting something diferent at the "beginning" of the year.

 

 

Yeah, I so wasn't thinking about calendar year - especially with this being January!