Finding Den Chiefs

[Adam S]

1st some facts about Den Chiefs that could encourage or discourage scouts

 

1. It is a year long position TWELVE MONTHS

2. It is the only POR with an award for good service

3. It is in many peoples opinions the single best recruiting method for a Troop

4. When the position is being filled properly it is a true leadership position on par with a Patrol Leader, there is planning and execution involved, advancing the scoutsi n your care...

 

As a scout I was a Den Chief and I had incredible fun, I had been a Patrol Leader first and I think Den Chief was more challenging and far more fun. Working with the Den Leader helped me improve my planning and leadership greatly and along with training made me very comfortable when I became SPL.

 

Today... I am still active with the Troop I was in as a Scout, I am the Cubmaster of one of the Packs in town and we have Den Chiefs for the first time in years.

 

My leaders with Den Chiefs are amazed by how helpful they are, not just in planning but in knowing what the boys will actually enjoy and in being able to control the Cubs when an Adult cannot

My leaders without Den Chiefs are extremely jealous

 

My cubs in Dens with Den Chiefs tend to participate in Pack Activites more, they have been more vocal about their interest in continuing to boy scouts/ becoming Eagle...

 

The parents are amazed that a boy just a few years older then their own can be so responsible and capable and have become more impressed with the scouting program.

 

I think we are having this success for a few important reasons

 

1. The troop and the pack has agreed we only want someone who proactively has expressed interest in the position, it's not something they are just doing to meet requirements.

2. The troop and pack agrees this is a full year committement, The troop acknowledges Pack events where the Boy Scout is working in his POR as "Scouting Events" for the sake of his own advancement

3. The Pack considers the Den Chief a valuable resource, not a pack mule or replacement for the Den Leader

4. Training is key, we get them into the online quickstart as soon as they express interest and into the next Den Chief training they can make no more then 30 days after they start the position

5. They must wear their complete uniform, In our opinion one of the reasons they are such a powerful resource is because the Cubs are impressed by the uniform, the webelos because they have almost the same uniform. If they don't have one we work with them, we have means to get them uniforms if they cannot afford one.

6. We prefer 12 years old and first class but we (SPL and Scoutmaster and Cubmaster) speak with motivated scouts, enthusiasm counts for allot in this position and age/rank are not directly corelated to ability or maturity.

7. We try not to put an older brother as a Den Chief in a younger brothers den. We don't want to overshadow the Cubs achievements nor hit the old adage "familiarity breeds contempt" Again, individual circumstances dictate

8. When we accept a Boy Scout as Den Chief, we make a big deal of it at the next Troop Meeting, I come to the meeting with the Den Leader of the Den he will be serving, we present him his cords, POR patch, and a handbook for the rank he will be serving.

 

Our Den Chiefs do not have perfect attendance, that is impossible. But most of them attend 90% or more of the Pack events while still being very active with the troop. It is a year long position and it can be demanding at times, the time away from the position is not time he is not doing his job it is time that he is not gaining experience that will help him be a better leader, the boys seem to inherently know this.

 

Bottom Line, Den Chiefs are a great program if you put effort in finding the right scouts for the job!

 

 

[SeattlePioneer]

As a pack leader, I've repeatedly visited the neighboring Troop's meetings after the pack meeting was over, and I'm pretty well acquainted with the adult troop leadership.

 

However, e-mails to the SM and troop committee chair to secure more cooperation for the pack have gone without replies.

 

Recently I was appointed Unit Commissioner for the Troop. I attended the Troop Committee meeting Wednesday for the first time, and the Patrol Leader meeting was going on simultaneously but separately.

 

The Troop is really in excellent shape in terms of program and leadership. The biggest weakness I see is membership --- new Scouts. The Pack has four Webelos II Scouts who could join the pack next February or March, so one of my aims was to secure more cooperation and support from the troop.

 

I was invited to talk to the PLC meeting, and the SM has offered to call the Webelos Den Leader and invite the den along on a mountain day hike in July and the Washington State Jamboree in August. That would be an excellent program assist for the Webelos Den, I would say.

 

We didn't get around to talking Den Chiefs, but Rome wasn't built in a day. Getting the Troop and the Webelos Den to cooperate on an outdoor activity or two would be a great start.

 

A good experience on one or both of those activities and perhaps we can talk Den Chiefs when our den and pack meetings start again in September.

 

I've also thought about having the Webelos Scouts ask the SPL to find a Den Chief or perhaps have the Webelos Scouts ask a particular Boy Scout to serve as Den Chief. That might be an appeal that would be hard to turn down.

 

Several of the Scouts are working up Eagle projects. Being a Den Chief would be an excellent opportunity to ask the pack and pack parents to help with the Den Chief's Eagle project, I'm thinking.

 

I continue to try to think of ways to create interest by the Troop in helping with the needs of the Pack.