I need all sorts of advice

[robvio]

This may be one of those threads that get started that some of you will cringe to read. Bare with me.

 

I have decided to volunteer my services to become a Scoutmaster in my area. I got in touch with the local leadership to dicuss my options and there is one area open that needs help desperately. I have agreed to do my best to give solid direction and lay a foundation worthy of the Boy Scout cause.

 

I was a Cub Scout but the lady in charge was just a "babysitter" and we played on the playground alot. Webelos were the same with the same leader and our troop diminished to little of noone. My Boy Scout troop was Scoutmastered by a man who's son was in it, but chose to just be a supervisor while we played amongst ourselves. I never in a little over a year even made the rank of Tenderfoot.

 

Have I gotten myself in over my head. I dont think so. My learning curve will b slightly skewed to readjust to what I know and to learn many a new skill.

 

I am going to come here alot for help and any advice on what I should do from the get go to increase my knowledge base will be greatly appreciated. Any training you can recommend will be appreciated.

 

I will be giving you an update on where I will be once I am actually approved by the council. I am excited about the location and will soon fill everyone in!

 

Gentlemen..a little prayer and thought will be welcomed and thanked!

 

-Rob

[John-in-KC]

Welcome to our campfire. I think you'll find we're a friendly sort. We're willing to share, and we all have a lot to learn (me more than most)!

 

Congratulations on becoming the principal leader of a group of groups of boys. You are going to make a huge difference in a lot of lives. It's been 39 years since I joined Troop 110, but Mr Weiss and Mr Wright both made an impact!

 

Let's start with training. BSA offers a lot, some of it is online, and there are nuggets to be mined in all of it.

 

First things first: Take Boy Scouting Fast Start. It's a 1/World overview of Boy Scouting. It's online at:

http://olc.scouting.org/info/bsfs.html

 

Then, Youth Protection Training. Saving the parent/child relationship, we always operate with two adults who mutually support each other:

http://olc.scouting.org/info/ypt.html

 

Scouts like to swim. Some aquatics management training is required by BSA:

http://olc.scouting.org/info/ssd.html

 

As the weather gets warmer, Scouts like being on/in watercraft. We have a different aquatics training involving boating:

http://olc.scouting.org/info/saf.html

 

Here's a good introduction to the Scouting Advancement ... which is both a METHOD of Scouting as well as a system:

http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/videos/advancement/index.html

 

There's tons more online as you datamine further, but that's a start for time in front of the puter.

 

There are four training packages you should take from your District training team:

BSA New Leader Essentials. This is the common core for all Scouter training.

 

Scoutmaster Fundamentals: This is the position specific training for you and your Assistant Scoutmasters. It helps you manage program execution.

 

Scoutmaster Outdoor Leader: This is a hands-on, outdoor weekend. If you're not familiar with the outdoors, this gives you an introductory immersion.

 

Finally, Merit Badge Counselor: Each of us has some special skill we can share with young men. 127 (+/-) skillsets are enshrined as Merit Badges ... and boys love to show off that they've learned a new skill ... BTW, (and this is my opinion), I don't expect a SM to be actively counseling, but he needs to know what to look for in good Counselors. So.. you need the training as much as the Counselors do.

 

Your unit is supported by an array of local and wider area support systems, both from Scoutings Professional Service and from volunteers like us. For you, some key people to get to know are:

 

- Your Unit Commissioner. He or she has been there, and done that. If he hasn't seen your challenges, he knows people who have, and can get you answers to your problems. I pray you draw a good one!

 

- Your Roundtable Commissioner. He/she runs a monthly event, designed to give you about 45 days leadtime on the upcoming Scouting program themes. One month it may be citizenship, another aquatics, still a third cooking.

 

- Your District Advancement Chairman. This is the guy/gal who is responsible, among other things, for approving Eagle Leadership Service Projects. He can also advise on "what right looks like" in the broader advancement world.

 

- Your District Activities Chairman. This is the person who gets Camporees, Scouting For Food (or Good Turn for America), and Klondike Derbies organized. Thanks to him, two months outdoor activities in your program year come pre-packaged.

 

I've thrown a lot of info at you in a short internet post. Don't try to absorb it at one sitting. Take what I and others will give you and make your own checklist of "stuff you need to do soon" and "stuff that can wait a while."

 

Last, and most important thing: Premise of Boy Scouting is the troop is a miniature model representative democracy. There are roles and responsibilities for all. With coaching, the Scouts can do much of the program planning and implementation... and you're THE COACH! They'll need adult help, but we want them to learn to think and act for themselves.

 

Take time for yourself along the way It's going to be a fun journey.

 

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

[SueM]

Rob,

 

You didn't say if you were building a troop from the bottom up, or inheriting one that is already in operation...but, I agree with John in KC..one of the first things you need to do is start training yourself as much as possible. If your district/council does not have training sessions set up in the near future, go to your local trading post and get a current copy of the Scoutmasters Handbook and a Guide to Safe Scouting and start reading. Find all the online training (such as the Youth Protection training, Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat) and do them. Get a real feel for how a boy led troop is supposed to run...these forums are a great resource for that! I've learned an incredible amount here. Recruit other willing adult leaders and make sure they are properly trained from the start too. It's easier to have them learn correctly from the start then to try and retrain them or break them from local "traditions".

 

Your first and most important job as Scoutmaster is to teach boys to be leaders and then let them lead! One of my favorite B-P sayings is something like "A man should never do what a boy CAN" so teach them and then get out of their way and let them do it! It's a hard thing to do sometimes, but don't step in and try to solve all their problems for them..this is sometimes a hard concept though to get through to your other adult leaders. Offer suggestions for solutions but try to let them make their own choices..for right or wrong as long as a safety issue is not involved.

 

Thank you for having the courage to step up to the plate and for volunteering your time and energy for our youth! You will hit many "roadblocks" and have many frustrations along the way but always keep in mind just why you are doing this..."It's for the boys" and you will find that it's all worth the effort in the end when you see those boys learning and doing and being excited about it.

 

Sue M.

 

 

 

 

[robvio]

Thank you so much for all the links, info and kind words.

 

BTW Sue, I am not forming a new troop just priming myself to take charge of an exsisting one. Its dear to me because it was the same troop that I was in as a kid and I want to see that it gets a facelift and helps produce some fine young scouts that will be proud of the organization itself.

 

This may be the wrong place to ask, but if the ball starts rolling and we do the work on restoring the old meeting place this troop is supposed to meet, is it possible to link pictures here for public viewing or does one have to provide links to the pictures elsewhere?

[eagle-pete]

robvio

 

Welcome

 

I cannot add much to what has already been said here, except to tell you that as a boy, I was not able to participate much more than you. I am sure that my parents' relationship problems were very important at the time, but their problems became bigger than they could handle and somehow they forgot about a boy. Scouting became less of a priority for them, and consequently, less of an influence for me. I made it through Webelos. I never had a chance at getting my Eagle.

 

Sad story, eh? Nah! As an adult I never forgot the small amount of scouting that I did get exposed to. Even the Cub Scouts can make a difference. I got involved as an adult and over the past 6 years worked with some of the most excellent people I could have known. I decided to take as much training as I could find.

 

Wood Badge was a huge influence on me. Down the road, after you've gotten some of those things done that John has suggested, do whatever you can to get to a Wood Badge training course. I began to see the "vision" from Wood Badge. Somehow it all pieced together after that.

 

Also, it is vital that you keep foremost in your mind, and in YOUR vision of scouting, the underlying reason for the whole thing, which Sue has so eloquently described... that is, we are here for the boys. All we do... our reason for existing is for the boys. Actually, you may find that your experience as a boy in poorly run programs will actually augment this and you will do more to bring an excellent program to those boys, based on what you missed as a boy. At least, that was my experience.

 

Good Luck! And be sure to get into a Wood Badge course once you've gone through the basics in Johns list.

 

Yours in Scouting

 

Eagle Pete

(Incase you are puzzled about my nick name, because I just stated I never earned my Eagle Scout... Go to Wood Badge. You'll understand)

[John-in-KC]

We can even answer that question.

 

In general, Troops need to find their own web-hosts. You will need to visit your own Council's internet guidelines for specific policies.

 

Here are two known don'ts:

Don't publish information which specifically identifies a Scout. Predators do data mine unit websites!

 

Try not to use a service like "yahoo geocities" for your unit website. The National Council would like us to avoid associating our units and BSA with specific advertisers.

 

That said, there are two ways to show off your unit:

 

Post a hyperlink here in a forum.

 

Publish your hyperlink in the Scouter dot com unit rosters. Here is Missouri's:

http://www.scouter.com/Net_Roster/Boy_Scouts_of_America/Boy_Scout_Troops/Missouri/

 

BTW, an important (but as yet unofficial) position of responsibility is unit webmaster. There is no reason this cannot be a youth position. As SM, you can decide essential positions UP TO Life rank. Eagle has a mandatory list. There is even somewhere on the web, someone who makes an unofficial POR patch for webmaster.

 

HTH.

 

YIS

[John-in-KC]

I must agree with both Sue and Eagle Pete:

 

"Also, it is vital that you keep foremost in your mind, and in YOUR vision of scouting, the underlying reason for the whole thing, which Sue has so eloquently described... that is, we are here for the boys. All we do... our reason for existing is for the boys. Actually, you may find that your experience as a boy in poorly run programs will actually augment this and you will do more to bring an excellent program to those boys, based on what you missed as a boy. At least, that was my experience."

 

We are here to serve young men. That must be our driving motive.

 

[Beavah]

Hiyah Rob!

 

Start with trainin', as John suggests. Never forget, though, that trainin' ain't the same thing as experience.

 

Right now, identify another local troop that has a great, youth-run program that you like, and whose leaders you get along with. They're going to be your sister troop, your mentors. Visit them often - make it part of your personal schedule. Yeh need to see and feel ideas in action with kids, which trainin' will never give you. And you need friendly adult resources, and some good older boys to tap. Doin' a couple campouts with your "sister troop" the first year or two can be a big help.

 

Second thing, go slow. Nuthin' worse than a new guy comin' in tryin' to change everything at once, even if a "facelift" is needed. You have to build up support, a personal reputation, and some "social capital" before either the boys or their parents are goin' to follow you into new territory. Set a goal for yourself of bein' a good troop 3 years from now, and a great troop 6 years from now. Map out that gradual course. Don't try to rush it.

 

Third thing. Talk to your spouse/significant other. Get her on board, help her to see why this is important to you. Share your vision. Get in the habit of sharing your trials and successes. Listen to her advice, and include her in some way, however small. Save time so that you do the same thing for her "special projects."

 

Fourth thing. Talk to your buddies. You need to recruit or find a couple of good friends to be part of your adult team. Scoutin' is much more fun, and you'll stay much more balanced, if you're doin' it with your friends, the way the kids are doin' it with theirs.

 

Last thing. In whatever way you're comfortable, pray lots. Workin' with kids and their parents is often draining. Yeh need the help of a good Father to keep sayin' "Let the children come to me."

 

Scout Salute! And good luck.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Rob,

 

I second or third my vote on the Training suggestion.

 

I suggest leaving off the meeting place facelift.

 

I would throw support toward building a Troop Committee first and then let the TC and your CO "discover" and get involved in those kinds of projects.

 

As SM, your first responsibility is to help train young leaders. You can only do this by getting parental support through an active Committee and assistant SM's to lend strength to the direction. The goal is to get a group to do all of the many support jobs.

 

As SM, you are a non-voting member of the TC, so it is your influence that makes a difference as to what things get done or do not get done. This position keeps you in the mode of asking and not telling, which is very important. It is a group effort and not an individual that makes for a great program in a volunteer organization. fb

 

[SSScout]

Robvio:::Hey, and add my welcome to all the rest.

 

What they said, and here's my nickles worth (inflation):

 

Don't just say to the TC: "hey, I need..." but say to SOMEONE:: "Jack, could you help me with..." or "Betty, would you know how to..."

 

I find asking PEOPLE will gain the help, but just ASKING often doesn't.

 

Good Scouting to you.

 

YiS asking away

 

 

[Eamonn]

Hi,

I'm not going to disagree with those who have posted about attending training's or rafting up with a local Troop.

All good stuff.

I do think that a lot can be gained from just reading the Boy Scout Handbook -In fact read it a few times.

Read it just to know what's in it!!

Read it as if you were a Scout reading it for the first time.

Read it again, looking for fun and interesting ways of "Selling" it to the Scouts you will serve.

Then move on to the Scoutmaster Handbook!!

Just about all you ever need to know can be found in these two books.

Eamonn.

[robvio]

Guys, I realized after long hard looks, I posted this thread in the wrong forum. I apologize.

 

But thank you to all for the advice.

[Fuzzy Bear]

I would like to thank robvio for posting here for whatever the reason, though, I think I learned more than he did. fb

[red feather]

Welcome to the campfire, pull up a log and have a cup of (what we call) coffee.

 

As a SM entering his second year (10 as ASM and 2 on the committee) all I can add is have FUN. We have spent the first year getting the scouts used to the idea of 'boy lead' and are starting this year with a heightened focus on the Patrol Method. It will be your enthusiam that can carry the day. If the scouts and scouters see you having fun at the meetings and outings then they will also.

 

Other than that I really cannot add anything else to the excellent advice that has been posted. The key is training and working with the existing leadership to learn how they do things now and gradually putting your spin on it. Each SM has the opportunity to make their tour as SM special and it takes time.

 

Have fun, have patience and have fun

 

yis

red feather

[kb6jra]

Robvio, Good luck and congratulations on taking the plunge. Being a Scoutmaster is one of the most rewarding things I've ever done.

 

There's tons of fantastic advice here and I'm going to reiterate some of it. Beevah said you should visit another troop that has a program you believe to be the model for your troop. This is probably the finest example of what is good about Scouting, we're not in competition with each other (unless it's at a Camporee ;o) but we're here to work together to provide a quality program to our boys (and girls).

 

Training training training. You'll never have enough and there's always more to take.

 

I'm on my second tour of duty as Scoutmaster, and while I'm no expert I'd say that you need to get the parents of the boys involved as much as possible, helping to set up a working legitimate committee, providing adult leaders to help you provide great program, etc. My first troop died on the vine as I only had one adult assistant, an alcoholic father that was more problem than help for me. (this got my eye twitching again...dang)

 

Take full advantage of your resources. Paid professionals are there for you, and with each one of those there are 50 or so volunteers to back them up, so you're never alone, and in case you've not noticed, scouter's love to give advice...

 

Good luck