finding my place and working my ticket

[Lisabob]

This is something I've been thinking over for a while and I'd appreciate your input, as this forum is the best scouter network I have.

 

When my son was in cub scouts, I started out as "just" a parent. After a year I thought that maybe I had something to offer so I joined the pack committee, went to training, and started helping out here and there. That was nice. Shortly after that though the pack went through a leadership crisis and a bunch of people quit, including our CM, some den leaders, and our CC. Suddenly I and a couple of others found ourselves in the deep end and I got a lot more involved because there wasn't anybody else to do things. I went to Woodbadge, together with our new CM. I earned my beads and, I hope, helped the pack develop a more stable leadership base and a better program in the process. Not to mention learning a lot about myself and improving my own skills.

 

When my son crossed into boy scouts a couple years ago I took a more backseat role again. He needs the space to grow without me being so involved and besides, I didn't know the boy scout program as well. So I joined the committee, lived through training, and I've learned a lot about the program. But I haven't been super-involved and that's fine. These days I'm mainly doing paperwork to help along a variety of troop projects, very much behind the scenes and not terribly taxing stuff. I don't want to be an ASM - we have 8 or 10 ASMs now, all of whom probably do a better job of it than I would.

 

I have been involved, on and off, in a couple of district membership positions. I learned that membership is not the job for me! In large part, the problem with district positions is that they require umpteen meetings, almost always on the same night of the week and that night just never works for me. This isn't something I can change. (Not to mention, I'm a terrible counter of beans. My perspective is that we should focus on strong programs and the membership will come, rather than pushing, pushing, pushing registration. This is the wrong perspective for that job.) My thought, upon getting involved here, was that maybe I could help bridge the webelos-scout gap for some packs and troops. But perhaps the district level is too large for me to be successful because I found myself working with over 30 units and I never felt like I had much connection to any of them.

 

District roundtables are always on that same night of the week that rarely works for me so helping there isn't an option.

 

I've lent a hand with some trainings, and I like doing that. I also think I'm good at it (This is what I do in my day job; different content, same basic skills.). But our district training staff is a loosely organized crew who just get called together in the week/couple of days before our bi-annual leader training days, and most folks seem ok with that. So there's not a lot to do here. If asked, I'll be happy to help out on occasion in the future with training but it isn't an ongoing task.

 

I like the idea of being a UC "friend to the unit." Except that the UC role in reality doesn't seem to match very well with the ideal. I'd be happy to be a "friend" to a couple of units; but not to half the district! Most of the UCs around here are people who are essentially "retired" from scouting and frankly they're not very active as UCs either. So I'm a little leery of offering my services there.

 

I've thought about just finding a pack somewhere that needs a hand and volunteering there? On the other hand, I think it is better when pack leadership comes from within since those are the people with sons in the unit.

 

So I guess I'm trying to re-design my mental "ticket" in scouting and I'm not sure where to go. I don't want to be that person who seems to be involved in running every event. I don't want to wear my scout uniform more often than my "civilian" clothes! But I do feel more of a need to contribute, if I could just figure out where and how I fit.

 

Your thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

[Stosh]

Do what you do best.

 

My boy hasn't been in scouts for 10 years, but I'm still doing my scout thingy.

 

If you feel the most comfortable on the Cub level, go back and enjoy yourself. Do not allow the Peter Principle to take over. If you work best and enjoy most Cubbing, then that's for you.

 

I did my ticket on the Webelos transition. I worked the Webelos II program and worked with the SM of the Troop to help these boys make the transition. During my tenure of that time I had all AOL boys that all crossed over and about half went on to Eagle.

 

Do what you do best and quit worrying about having to do something you really don't enjoy.

 

Stosh

C9W93

[SR540Beaver]

Lisa,

 

BLESS YOU!!! You said something that I'd like to encourage you to explore. The Webelos/Troop relationship. I am the lead ASM for new scouts in our unit. Last year we had 24 new scouts. Most crossed over in the spring, but we had some straglers as late as October. We are expecting close to the same number this year. Our desire is that the Packs have their B&G in February and cross their Webelos over at that time. We fire up our new scout program around the first of March and get the boys into the whole patrol and troop groove with monthly outing leading up to summer camp in June. Our problem is that some of the Packs that are going to crossover to us are going to wait until March, April and May. That puts us in a bind program wise having to back up and cover skills and requirements over and over each month. We can do it, it would just be beneficial to do it as a whole group instead of onesies and twosies.

 

We do recruit and have relationships with several Packs. We want to expand our influence on them next year. We want to strengthen our relationship and work to convince them of several things. First, Webelos is an 18 month program, not a 24 month program. Work on the majority of pins the first year and start getting them outdoors MORE in the last 6 months when they are maturing, getting bored and ready to move to Boy Scouts. Second, like I said above, get the Webelos out camping as a den some. Third, February is the birthday of Cub Scouting, do your B&G and crossover then....not in May.

 

We want them to understand the value of crossing boys in February so they can become familiar with the troop and its operations. Boys who cross "on time" are more likley to attend summer camp than boys who cross right before and are not comfortable with the idea of spending a week away from home with a bunch of older kids they have not gotten to know yet. We want them to understand that boys who go to summer camp are more likely to reach 1st Class. We want them to understand that boys who reach 1st Class within their 1st year are more likely to remain in scouting longer.

 

While we are very active in trying to maintain our relationship with the Packs and find ways to improve it, one of the things that has come up in conversations is this question. Why doesn't the district do more to facilitate the Webelos/Boy Scout relationship? Why are they not pushing more camping for Webelos? Why are they not encouraging February crossovers? The district needs someone who will champion that and bridge that gap and get Packs and Troops moving towards the common goal of registering and retaining scouts.

 

Give that some thought. It would be a valuable service that would impact many lives in the positive.

[eagle-pete]

Lisa

 

What do you really want to do? I would start with that. I'd start with one of the scouting families that you are most interested in helping with (Cubs, Boy Scouts, Venturing, Explorers) and have a little chat with them. Find out where they need assistance and see if you can provide it.

 

You might want to suggest to them some of your interests, such as training. Offer to help make sure everyone gets trained or at least knows where the trainings are offered. Offer to the Boy Scout or Cub Scout committees to join and be the committee member for training.

 

These are just examples or suggestions. I don't know you. I wouldn't know where you could be the most help or where your place is. You will need to find that, but if you are involved and available, it will naturally come to you.

 

I would be sure to stay involved though, even if it is just helping out with paperwork. Staying involved allows you to be in touch with what's happening in your pack/troop. You will become aware of needs that arise.

 

It may take some time, but you will find something with which you are happy and comfortable.

 

Keep On Scouting!

 

Eagle Pete

[SpongeBob]

Your District Training Committee may need help.

 

Part of the Centennial Quality District program requires that districts get more leaders trained. It sounds like yours only offers it twice a year, and that may not work well.

 

My district is already re-aligning themselves to provide training more often and in different formats to suit the working single parent. They used to do it on a Saturday (YP, Essentials, Specifics), but they have divided it up into a few weeknights.

 

There may be other postions with in the committee that may need extra help as well to meet the Centennial Quality District standards. (I'm on the Membership committee in mine - and I already feel the stress of the "beans").

 

Following the same lines of thought, your DE or UC's may know of a pack that does need help to meet the Centennial Quality Unit Award.

 

As for the Webelos transition, there is a District Committee Postion for this. It's beneath the membership chair, as the Webelos Membership Chair. But, you'd be bean couting again (but not actively recruiting), and following up with boys to find out why they did not cross-over.

 

Our district committee meetings are once a month, with council-wide ones twice a year. My membership committee meets in person occasionaly, but we communicate via email the rest of the time. From what I've witnessed, if you were to be the Webelos Membership chair, you may not need to go to all of the meetings if the Membership Chair above you can let you know what happened in the meetings.

[Cubmaster Randy]

I think you are heading in the right direction. Once you identify that you want to work (training, Webelos transition or whatever) on which will correspond to your interests and skills, I would suggest you talk with your district chair about what you would like to do or what needs to get done. (some folks would say to talk with your DE)

 

Make it your vision, write it out your goals

 

If you want to be a UC,but don't want to take on half the district,then be a friend for as many units as you would like. talk with your District Commisioner. It is a volunteer position, you don't have to take more than you want

Just because the rest of the commisioners are all "essentially retired" does not mean that you cannot start something new. Maybe you can start a new trend, have them recruit those crossing over Web II leaders and CC/CM leaders for pack commissoners as well

 

[ScoutNut]

I would like to make my pitch here. I know that you said that you feel Pack leadership should come from within the Pack, & I certainly agree. However, if Cub Scouting is where you would really like to put your efforts, there is one position tht always get the short end of the deal. Tiger Den Leader.

 

Typically, you have a CM and/or CC who are trying to sign up as many 1st grade boys as possible, but they have a big problem. They need at least one of those uncertain, confused, unknowledgeable, parents to sign up as the den leader or, no matter how many boys want to register, there will be no den. This is NOT good, and many Tigers have been lost because parents were just plain gun-shy about being asked to lead.

 

Having a Tiger Den Leader already in place, who is experienced in Cub Scouting, is a great benefit to a Pack. Having one who knows the Pack, it's people & ways, is an even greater benefit. As the year progresses, the Tiger Leader gets to see the parents in action via Shared Leadership & gets to know the families. The families get a chance to understand the program & get "hooked on Scouting". By March or April (when your council starts offering Spring training!) the Tiger Leader has a pretty good idea which of the parents would make good Den Leaders for the following years. In May/June, when the boys graduate to Wolf Scouts, their new Den Leaders can be introduced.

 

I have been the Tiger Den Leader for our Pack for 9 years now & I LOVE it! Every boy in the Pack, except those who joined after Tigers, has been thru my den. I know them & their families. I have gotten to see them learn, grow, move on up to Boy Scouts & come back as Den Chiefs! I have also been able to be mentor to a bunch of GREAT Den Leaders.

 

 

[John-in-KC]

Lisa,

 

First and foremost, there is working not being done in Scouting for the lack of volunteers. I promise you, you will find a rewarding niche.

 

There are many good suggestions here. As you point out, a Unit Commissioner is only as good as his or her own commitment, passion, knowledge, and ability to observe, listen and offer feedback. I'd say have a talk with your District Commissioner. See what he wants and expects. He's the lead volunteer for program support; if he's happy with what he has, avoid, if he's wanting to energize his program, help.

 

Digging in on a Pack that doesn't have a core of committed volunteers is a good idea as well.

 

Are there Scoutreach units needing leadership?

 

Are there teens and young adults who'd benefit from Venturing?

 

Does counseling religious awards call you?

 

Take your time, look around. Your Scouting hour a week will find you ;-)

 

John

I used to be an Owl

C-40-05

[Eamonn]

A couple of things that come to my mind.

 

I'm happy that you have not allowed yourself to be bullied into doing things that your heart isn't really in.

I'm not proud of the fact that I bullied people into serving in positions that weren't a good fit and the end result was that in time they just had to walk away.

 

It seems some people are not happy unless they are calling yet another meeting!!

Of course some meetings are needed and are worthwhile.

A little time back, I was out almost every night at some sort of a meeting. Needless to say this didn't sit very well with Her Who Must Be Obeyed.

I really dislike Dinner meetings!! Driving for two hours to eat expensive bad food with everyone playing Boy Scout (Not even a glass of wine!!) To accomplish next to nothing and then drive home again. Really is a waste of time.

Why not just set up a conference call?

I'm not sure where a central location in the Northeast Region might be? But I used to get mad that so many meeting were in New Jersey!! I couldn't help thinking the reason was because it was convenient for the Regional professional staff.

Some weekend conferences were just a total rip off! Breakfast meetings with $30.00 for breakfast. I can't eat $30.00 worth of food that early in the day add the cost of the room and dinner and I could fly to England for about the same cost!! (Not to mention the fact that I had to take a day off work.)

Ea.

 

[MollieDuke]

I agree that finding your way is hard sometimes.

 

I also was going to suggest Tiger leader as many have done. Your experience would be wonderful there. Not to mention that I feel that anytime you can find a leader without a boy involved is a good thing for objectivity.

 

I would also like to toss out "Advancement Coordinator" into the list of possiblities. The reason being that I found it to be the best use of my organizational skills, my computer skills, and my cumulative experience. I am also a pack/troop trainer for advancement as well. I often get called on to do individual meetings for troops/packs that have new leaders to explain the paperwork, the intent, the rules, and all that right away. It is a fairly easy job, and I meet and greet well, so that is no problem.

 

Good luck.

[Lisabob]

I just want to say thanks for all of your thoughts. It helps to get other perspectives sometimes. I really have to get out the door to work so just a quick question to ScoutNut and Mollie - when you decided to go back as Tiger DLs after your child was done with cubbing, how did you decide which pack to work with? We have 8 or 9 in our town, at least as many again in the next town over. For now I wouldn't want to go back to the pack my son came from (I'm well known there but I think the CM would view this as encroachment on "his" turf - not my intention but I fear he'd take it that way anyway). I also am wary of joining up with a pack in really bad shape - the giant sucking sound you would hear might be me, getting sucked into doing a whole lot more than just Tiger DL with the pack! And that's my second question, did you have any kind of explicit understanding with existing leaders (CM, CC) that the ONLY thing you would do would be Tiger DL? I wonder if that would help avoid the above concern.

 

I'm not settled on doing that yet but I admit it is an attractive thought. I think my husband would believe I'd gone off the deep end though...

 

 

 

 

[Fuzzy Bear]

I cannot count the number of times that I have gone to District Committee meetings and heard Committee Chairs say, I need help for... This happens monthly and by almost every Chair. Visit any unit Committee meeting and there will be the same requests being made. Yesterday, I went to our monthly OA meeting and the Advisor began his lament. 'The OA is going under, nobody will...on and on.'

I volunteered.

 

Here is what is different about my assuming another position than in the past. I define what job(s) are essential to fix the problem. I define what job (only 1) that I am interested in and have the ability to do. I define the amount of time that I am willing to commit to getting that job done. I also define the length of time of that commitment. I do not commit beyond 12 months.

 

I should write a 12 step program for Scouting. (It would go something like this...)

Hi, I my name is fb.

I will volunteer for only so much time away from my family per week, month, year.

I will only take on selected jobs.

I am not here to save Scouting from going under. It takes a community.

I am but one person, no matter how talented and how little money.

I am willing to assist on several time limited tasks.

I am not always available.

I have other things to do in my life that are also very important.

I get paid for doing my day job and that is where the bulk of my time needs to be spent.

Scouting does not pay as well as my day job.

Scouting is meant to be fun.

I may sacrifice myself for my family but Scouting needs to find other martyrs to do its' bidding.

If I pay close attention to the few jobs that I accept in Scouting, I may find that I can do them well.

Satisfaction is found in doing things well.

I could go on. I know this subject well. I have been severely wounded. I survived.

fb

 

 

[eagle-pete]

fb

 

The 12 step intro would actually go something like this...

 

"Hello, my name is Eagle Pete.

It has been 1 month since I last volunteered for yet another position in my district..."

 

Eagle Pete(This message has been edited by eagle-pete)

[John-in-KC]

Pete,

 

ROTFL!!!!!

 

Lisa,

 

Let us know how your vision finds itself!

 

John