Reasons to Get Trained

[MarkS]

I spawned this off the thread on Training and Insurance... Let's brainstorm on reasons to get trained so unit trainers such as myself can have some ammo when trying to encourage unit leaders to get training. I'm sure this has been done before. If you're aware of another source of info, post the link.

 

Here's my short list...

 

1. Every boy deserves a trained leader.

 

2. Wouldn't you rather YOUR boy's leader be trained?

 

3. Helps with developing an understanding of Scouting goals, organization and programs. Teaches the values, aims, history, funding and methods of Scouting and how they are reached in an age appropriate manner.

 

4. Provides you with specialized knowledge for your position.

 

5. Provides you with references (you get a guidebook) on and a better understanding of BSA policies and procedures.

 

6. Mitigates accidents. As a registered leader you are covered by BSA liability insurance with respect to claims arising out of an official Scouting activity whether you take training or not. However, you, the unit, the committee members, all of us, will be better equipped to ensure a safe and appropriate program. See item 5 above.

 

7. Lets you know where to get help.

 

8. Saves time in the long run.

 

9. It's actually quite fun and the more advanced the training, the more fun it is.

 

10. If all the leaders are trained, we can spend more time teaching the boys and less time teaching the untrained leaders.

 

11. You get to make new friends.

 

12. Cures you of your silliness inhibition (more for Cub Scout leaders).

 

13. You get a neat patch or two (trained/quality unit).

[SueM]

Mark,

 

#10 comes closest to what I would state as a reason...It is so much easier to provide a good program when you don't have to explain everything to other adults..or watch over their shoulders everytime they're with you at an outing to make sure that they are not doing things that are either unsafe or not allowed!! It's hard enough sometimes to keep track of what the -boys- are doing, let alone untrained adults!! When all the leaders are pretty much on the same page, they all know what the issues are and how to deal with them both effectively and correctly.

[OldGreyEagle]

I have often heard the phrase "deliver the promise" or "delivering the promise" used by scouters, I would ask those who balk at training, "How can you deliver a promise if you don't know what the promise it?"

[fgoodwin]

Mark, that's a great list!

 

May I steal, er, um, uh . . . "borrow" it??

[evmori]

Great list!

 

Remember, we are in this for the boys!

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[baden]

And the #1 reason is- (drum roll)

 

THE TRAINING CHAIRMAN WILL GET OFF YOUR BACK!!!

[MarkS]

baden... I thought about that one but decided against it putting it on my list because there's always something new to learn at Roundtable, Pow Wow, U of S, etc. Leader training is a continuously learning process. Plus retraining is required whenever a leader changes a position (even if it's graduating with your den from Tiger Cub to Cub to Webelos, etc.). I didn't want to make a promise I wouldn't keep.

[Lisabob]

How about, makes your job as a leader less stressful and more fun.

 

Also: gives you an opportunity to drink large amounts of free, really bad coffee (well ok I'm mostly kidding but hey, there usually are treats...)

 

Great list, Mark!

[John-in-KC]

What Sue, Ed and Lisa said (on the serious side).

 

What Lisa said about the coffee (on the humorous side).

 

John

A Good Old Owl

[Kudu]

If you're aware of another source of info, post the link.

 

William "Green Bar Bill" Hillcourt's classic "Ten Essentials of Scoutmastership." (This is where the "Game with a Purpose" quote comes from):

 

http://www.inquiry.net/patrol/hillcourt/scoutmastership.htm

 

Kudu

[John-in-KC]

Kudu,

 

I think you will find "The Game with a Purpose" goes straight back to a fellow named Robert Stephenson Smythe Baden-Powell, Lord Baden-Powell of Gilwell.

 

Two specific quotes, found in the 1919 edition of Aids to Scoutmastership, are:

 

FROM THE FOREWORD:

"The term 'Scouting' has come to mean a system of training in citizenship, through games, for boys or girls."

 

FROM CHAPTER 3, SCOUTING:

"SCOUTING IS A GAME for boys, under the leadership of boys, in which elder brothers can give their younger brothers healthy environment and encourage them to healthy activities such as will help them to develop CITIZENSHIP."

 

I'll also look in the Quotes by BP book tonight.

 

YIS John

A Good Old Owl Too

 

 

(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

[Kudu]

John,

 

Good luck with your research! I believe that you will find that Hillcourt is the author :-)

 

Most people forget that the correct quote makes a distinction between the Scouts' game and the Scouters' game:

 

"A realization that to the boys Scouting is a gameto you, a game with a purpose: Character building and Citizenship training."

[Miki101]

John,

 

Kudu is right.

 

"Scouting is a game with a purpose" is Hillcourt.

 

"Scouting is a game not a science" is Baden-Powell.

 

And you'll not find that exact first quote in any original Baden-Powell writings, but as Kudu states, good luck with your research.

 

miki

[John-in-KC]

Since reading a book by B-P is one of my ticket items (a *for me* item as a backup to one of the primary 7), I'll keep researching

 

Even if I don't find the exact quote, I'll still find good stuff!

 

John

A Good old Owl

[Miki101]

Don't just stop at one!

 

Which one are you reading now, and which ones have your read?

 

miki