My woodbadge ticket idea

[WarrenW]

Hi,

 

I've been thinking hard the last couple days about what to do for my ticket since I came home from the first part of the wood badge course. Our pack has everything we need just about. And from what I have read here, it should be something I can do myself that would help my unit.

 

Well, I have already done a web site for our pack (www.Pack26.com) but we need a web site for our district which does not have one. It would be a great way of bringing alot of local packs together also. And I need to start doing a newsletter for our pack. Alot of people do not seem to read their emails. But if they have a newsletter with the calendar of events it would help.

 

So would doing a district web site and the newsletter be a woodbadge ticket item? My district exec said the web site would be great and if I added the scout outreach program on the site that it would help with the diversity goal.

 

Also, I am the committee chairman and a Bear den leader in our Cub Scout pack. I am also the district chairman for the Scouting For Food drive we will be having in March. I can't count that cause it will be done before I even finish the woodbadge course. But because I work with the district some, my position allows me to do things district level such as the web site.

 

Any thoughts on this?

 

Thanks

 

Warren

 

[Bob White]

But first a Vision.

 

Your ticket goals should relate to what you want to accomplish in your vision of Scouting. Write doen a few ideas now. Be careful not to think you are done with your ticket itens before you have even experienced the rest of the training information.

 

As you learn more, more odeas will come to you of how you can improve, and what you can accomplish using the skills you are being taught.

 

Relax and enjoy the journey. There will be time allowed you next WB weekend to add more to your ticket.

 

BW

[Knight]

I agree with you completely, BobWhite.

 

 

...But now I've finished Anteloping, I don't know what to do...

[WarrenW]

Thanks for the tips. The senior scoutmaster told us that we really need to have out ticket outlined when we return. He said no one will go home until the tickets have been completed and approved by the second part of the course. So thats why I'm working on it.

 

Since taking over committee chairman, I had already worked so hard on the unit. I got all of the leaders trained, created a web site for our pack, organized more events for the boys, awarded the leaders awards for recognition, chairman for the scouting for food drive, etc.

 

So I did alot that I wanted our pack to be at already. Now I need to find a way to improve something I have already improved.

 

I had thought we needed to do five projects. If that had been the case, I was going to make a knot board for teaching the boys knots for all the dens, start a newsletter for our pack, create a web site for the district to help bring many of our units together more and include the scout outreach program with it, build a rank advancementcandle log holder for ceremonies, etc.

 

I have tried to think of a ticket thast I could include these projects that is aimed at improving our unit. In return, they all help the boys also.

 

Thanks

 

Warren

 

[Lisabob]

I think you need to focus somewhat more clearly on what your current volunteer position is, because tickets are usually written with an emphasis on what you can do in that position. Doing a district website seems like a great idea and very helpful - but it has little or nothing to do with your position as a bear (soon to be webelos?) den leader or pack committee chair!

 

Do you have a meeting coming up with your patrol, before the second WB weekend? Will your troop guide be at that meeting? If so, ask your TG to come a few minutes early so that you can bounce some ideas off him or her. That person may be able to help you hone your focus a bit further.

 

And one thing I realized as I was working my ticket is that scouting life after WB is all one big ticket. You only get beads for that first part of it, but I can guarantee you that you'll get to a point where you see potential ticket items everywhere you look in scouting (sounds like you're already there). You don't have to do everything now, and you don't need the motivation of beads to keep right on "working your (unofficial) ticket" on your own, long after you earn the beads.

[WarrenW]

Thanks. I really didn't feel the district web site was an appropriate item after thinking more. I just keep drawing blanks. I spoke with my guide before I left and he was the one that came up with the knot board. Thats when I thought it was five projects.

 

I'm really trying to think on this cause its not something I just want to get by on. I want to be proud of it. I'll keep thinking...

 

Warren

 

[Cubmaster Randy]

Warren: Personally, I think that any of those items might work. But as we and others have said, You need to start with YOUR vision

The district website would have been perfect for a giveback item. Givebacks are now not required, but as of last summer they were still optional. Not sure about today. Check with your TG

If you see in your vision the need to improve communciations and a Pack newsletter will help, then it can be a good item.

If you want to be able to teach the boys knots and a knot board will help, then you could include it.

It's your ticket, these items will get you from where you are today to where you want to go.

 

Have you read "Alice in Wonderland"?

Think back and remember the conversation between the Cheshire cat and Alice when she came to a fork in the road and she asked him which way she should go?

[Lisabob]

Warren,

 

Take some time to talk with your pack's leaders too. What kinds of strengths and weaknesses do THEY see in your pack? Think about how these fit with your own skills, interests, and your position.

 

The "ticket" both is, and is not, 5 individual projects. Ideally it should be 5 items that will, when taken as a whole, all support your vision of where the pack needs to go. So yes you'll have 5 separate tasks, but hopefully there will be an over-arching objective to tie them together.

 

Just to give you an example - when I wrote my ticket I was our pack's advancement coordinator and training chair. Now our pack was in a state of disarray at the time, and part of that disarray had to do with lack of information/communication among leaders about what resources existed to help them plan a solid program. Everybody was reinventing the wheel and getting burned out and frustrated in the process. Den and pack programs were uninspired (boring?), not very organized, and always run by the same couple of exhausted people. No one wanted to help because people did not know where to turn for ideas and were afraid it would all get dumped on their lap if they volunteered. Our few leaders were mostly not trained for their positions either. I wanted to see our pack do a better job of supporting leaders by making sure they had the resources they needed to plan an exciting program based on various awards and advancements cub scouts could earn.

 

All of my ticket items focused on providing better information to leaders about how advancements worked, what local resources were available, and how they could use those resources to provide a better program to the boys. There were many off-shoots and additional benefits (both intended and unintended), but my main focus to improve the quality of our pack's use of advancement and award opportunities. It worked, too. Over the course of 18 months we recruited 15 new leaders, trained all but one, kept all but three (one moved, one left scouts, and one passed away). We provided every leader in the pack with a local resource book including where to go, who to contact, and ideas for den meetings, for 20 beltloops and several additional awards. We introduced the (at the time) "new" beltloops and coordinated with the local elem. school to have a "language and cultures" beltloop workshop as part of the school's international week. We re-introduced the world conservation award to the pack (no one had earned it in several years) and got a pack-wide conservation program up and running with a local, under-resourced nature center who were delighted to help us help them.

 

Another person from our pack attended the same WB course as I did. His focus was on improving the pack's outdoor-oriented program and his ticket items were related to that goal. On the last example above, his and my ticket actually overlapped.

 

I am NOT saying you should do what he or I did. I am saying that you and your pack will get more benefit from a ticket that has a coherent vision of what you want to do and how each item supports that vision, than from a random list of 5 projects that need doing. In fact, if I had it to do over again, I would probably spend more time honing that vision than I actually did.

 

 

 

 

[John-in-KC]

Warren,

 

If you read Lisa's post, you'll see how important VISION is to the Ticket. Vision will give you some clarity on tasks which need to be done (the GOALS).

 

I do suggest a cup of coffee with your TG before your next weekend. Our patrol had 3 meetings, and our TG was there for 2 of them (one was simply a craft night working the Patrol flag). If you're having patrol meetings, seek your TG out!

 

John

I'm growing old and feeble...

[WarrenW]

I'll definately talk to him about this. I also did what Lisa said - I sent an email to all of my den leaders to see what they suggested about our pack, what could be improved, etc. I got three immediate replies and they were all about the same. We do not have any kind of resource for new leaders to learn from when they are recruited. Alot of us were just thrown into the positions and give a couple books to read. We need something to help guide each den leader according to their rank. Also, we need lesson plans saved for den meetings. I could have been a much better Wolf den leader last year if I had something to go by. The books out there were not too much help really.

 

Another leader also suggested something like a "welcome kit" for new scouts and parents. I have parents so confused about den and pack meetings. What are belt loops and pins... So something to help them out at the beginning.

 

If we can get new leaders headed in the right direction and also keep the scouts and parents interested, then it will be more fun for everyone. I also want to find a way to get the parents more involved with their boys in scouting. I don't want it to be something like soccer where they just stand on the sidelines and watch but not get involved.

 

All of this was in the back of my mind but was not sure how to approach it for my ticket. Its all starting to come together and I'm feeling really good about this. If it can improve both the scouts and the leaders experience with scouting, then I will have made a difference.

 

Building a knot table or log candle holder is nice which I'll still do but it wasn't that special thing I really wanted to do. I'm going to talk to my patrol guide about this tonight and see what he says. But like everyone kept saying, just wait and put more thought into it and it will come together. I'm hoping it has.

 

Thanks

 

Warren

 

[John-in-KC]

Warren,

 

We have folks from all ages and life experience levels in the regular poster pool. Relax. We all, to a man and a woman, worked through this. We all had some struggles, but it does come out ok in the wash.

 

I promise

[Knight]

...And I can Antelope no more, but I'm going to work my ticket if I can...

[Eagle732]

Warren,

One of my ticket items I called Webelos to Troop Day. I invited several local troops and packs to a day of demonstrations by the troops. This was an opportunity for 2nd year Webelos to meet troops at one location and encourage them to cross to Boy Scouts, It was also an opportunity for the troops to recruit. Troops brought recruitment information and had games and skills stations set up for the Webelos. It was a great success, so much so that it continues 5 years latter.

I did a variety of ticket items to focus on district, unit, and self. Taking a training course related to my position counted, I did our councils University of Scouting emphasizing Cub Scout leader skills. Another item was developing a course and teaching it at our districts training day.

I think your District website is a fine idea. Its nice to see a ticket item carry on after youre done. I had the same situation with the staff wanting the tickets done before we left that second weekend.

Good Luck

 

[Eamonn]

I think you need to stop looking at the Ticket idea.

Start thinking of your vision and your mission.

You might want to think of it along the lines of having a big family holiday meal!!

First you need to think what holiday?

(The position you serve) While of course you can have hot dogs and hamburgers at Christmas or you could have turkey, dressing and cranberry sauce on the 4th of July. But most times people do tend to follow tradition.

Next look at why you are having the big family meal? (Your vision)

Different families have very different reasons for wanting to come together for a big family meal.

Next close your eyes and think about the event.

Think about the food that will be served the way the table will be laid. This is your mission.

Once we have these in place we can start making lists of what needs to be done.

Order the food.

Clean the silver.

Cook the food.

Lay the table.

These are your goals.

To try and put the goals before the vision and the mission, just isn't going to work.

Having the dining room table set for a picnic that will be served outside is a bit silly!!

Buying hot-dogs when your eating roast lamb?

Your vision might be about you!!

What do you want to become better at? (Something you can use to help the Scouts you serve now and maybe in the future?)

Your vision might be about the Pack, where is it now? Where will it be in five or ten years from now? (Yes after you have gone -Remember the guys who planted the acorns, it took 400 years till the beams in the church needed to be replaced!!) How is the Packs relationship with the CO? Would building or re-building that help the pack in the years to come?

How is the Packs uniforming? What might be done to make it better? (A Uniform exchange or bank?)

Something like this could go on long after you leave.

Writing a ticket really isn't that hard!!

You do need to get your vision and mission in place before you go setting goals.

It is important to remember that it should be your vision and your mission.

You might want to start from looking at what isn't as good as it might be?

Or you might want to think about what will still be around long after I'm gone!!

Good luck

Eamonn.