Youth Training Adults

[dScouter15]

Wondering what others would think of youth scouts serving as trainers for adults. I could see this as a big advantage, both to the youth and to adults. Youth trainers (who would be older, experienced, mature scouts) could use their role as trainers as a way to practice communicating with adults, as a way to better understand the role of adult leadership in the troop, and as an opportunity to advance their own knowledge and skill. New adult leaders would have the benefit of seeing that this really is a "youth-run" program. It may also help to show that some youth leaders are just as, if not more, knowledgeable that some adult leaders.

 

I can see this being beneficial in an OLS type training. Probably less so in YP or Fast Start, but that's a possibility too. Any thoughts?

[ScoutNut]

My son helped with BALOO training while he was a youth (16-18). He helped with the cooking, equipment and campfire sections. One time he demonstrated DO cooking for all of the participants of BALOO, WLOT, & IOLS (all trainings same place and time). Once he turned 18 he took the entire course and is now an official BALOO staff member.

 

He has always enjoyed working with the adult Scouters and Professionals in the District and Council.

 

It is also nice to know I can at least get 1 or 2 staff helpers from my own house!

 

[Eagledad]

If our scouts had the skill, they usually did the teaching even when adults where the students. But I think the best place I saw where adults were a little taken back by youth instructors was our Woods Tools and Totn Chit class. Every March campout, our troop gives the class to both the new scouts and adults. Even if the adults are parents but not leaders, they are asked to attend the class. That is where I heard the most talk from the adults about being instructed by boys. Always a very positive experience for everyone and a great initiation into the boy run program, which is why I ask parents to participate. I once had a dad who was also an eagle question the youth instructors technique for sharpening knives. I told we were always open to corrections and improvements and for him to go look it up in the Scout Handbook. He came back very embarrassed that he had always been doing it wrong. He was very impressed by the scouts.

 

While I was the Council JLT Chairman, I always had the JLTC youth instructors teach the new adults coming into the program. Again to get the adults to trust the scouts and learn who was truly the leaders of the program. It works very well and I find adults enjoy watching scouts taking charge.

 

Great question.

 

Barry

 

[Gunny2862]

I don't have any issue with this.

 

I don't care who the instructor is as long as they know the material they are teaching.

 

I can see where there are those who don't believe that anyone younger or less "educated" than themselves could have a hard time buying into having the boys instruct them. I run into this on the receiving end myself from time to time.

[John-in-KC]

What's the problem???

 

When I recertified as BSA Lifeguard after many years break, I was being taught by young men. They were current, I wasn't.

 

If the young person has the expertise, then give him the tools (instructional techniques) to teach. Depending on the youth, it might be a good thing to have a "ringer" in the training audience... someone who will set an example of showing deference.

[fgoodwin]

There's a segment of WB21C that is taught by Venturing youth. At least that's how my Council does it -- I don't know if that's per the syllabus or not . . .

[ASM915]

One time my son took on the ASM handling the Camping MB, over proper clothing. The ASM was an axid backpacker. He didn't like my sons choice of weather related clothing, stating that the certain item wouldn't keep Dave either warm or cool. Dave had it listened for both conditions. Dave went back the next week loaded for bear (internet articles) and diplomatically explained to the ASM about carbon filiment clothing.

 

The best youth taught program was last year at NOAC at the LNT Trail in the TOAP area. Most of the Trail instructors were less then 14 years old, and man did they know their stuff, and made it comical too boot. Hats off to the Utah boys.

[emb021]

"There's a segment of WB21C that is taught by Venturing youth. At least that's how my Council does it -- I don't know if that's per the syllabus or not..."

 

That's per the syllabus.

 

Sadly, in some councils were Venturing is non-existant or very small, they use Arrowmen instead.

 

[eagle-pete]

I went to a PowWow one year as a Cub Leader. One of the classes I happened to take was an introduction to Order of the Arrow. The focus of the class was to inform Scout leaders what the purposes of OA are and the opertunities of service which OA provides to the troops, communities, and units within their chapter.

 

The person that led the discussion was a very bright, intelligent, and knowledgable young man. He was a Boy Scout in every sense of the word. He was very confident. He projected a sense of honor and quality which the OA and the Boy Scouts of America embodies. I was so impressed with this young man that I felt compelled to pass on the information he presented to the Boy Scouts in our own troop.

 

The folks in charge of that PowWow could not have chosen a better instructor for that class. I was convinced that day that this program really works. That we do, in fact, help boys to become great men.

 

I will always remember that class and the outstanding Boy Scout who taught it.

 

Eagle Pete

[Mrw1]

Our current SM had a year long period where as he was getting to know the program and the troop, he often clashed a bit with the older boys. He didn't listen when they told him how things should be done, including when they told him how the camp cabin was to be left when the checked out after a winter Klondike and then had the camp staff make them re-do stuff the way the boys has said.

 

He was an Eagle, but had been away for many years before his son was old enough to get into scouts.

 

With a few committee members patiently explaining to him what the boys knew and needed, he started to learn from them and trust them to do it their way.

 

They taught him, and now he is the one pushing the boys to take on the responsibilty for all the things he thought he had to do before.