Ever deal with lack of Woodbadge support?

[EatingCantaloupe42]

I am currently working my tickets. I have 2 approved and I'm close to turning in my 3rd. My question is, has anyone come back from Woodbadge and had to deal with a sudden lack of support? I have to disclose that I am new to Scouting. I signed up for Woodbadge not knowing anything about Old Woodbadge vs. new, working tickets, earning beeds, ect. My thinking was if I'm going to do this Scouting thing I'm going to need all the training I can get. So I went.

 

And I came back ready to change the world! lol! Wood badge, for me, was life changing. I was so energized and enthusiastic and ready to "spread the gospel." I just knew everyone was going to be as excited and interested in the process as I was.

 

Instead I got cold shoulders. I can understand that there are some Scouters who have tons of expierence and have made the choice that they don't neccessarily need Woodbadge. And I can understand that it can be strange to have someone so new to Scouting talking to them about the benefits of Woodbadge.

 

But what I don't understand is being afraid to let fellow Scouter know which ticket I'm working on because of a fear of sabatoge. I don't want to get into the muck and the dirt of it. I'll just say that when my first 2 tickets were approved, I cried with relief. If anyone out there has had to deal with similar issues, I'd like to hear about it. How did you handle it? If nothing else, I'd just like to know I'm not alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Crew21_Adv]

EatingCantaloupe,

 

I hope that the rest of your ticket process goes much easier.

 

In real life, I have carried a few books of local trails. While the boys, fellow leaders and I have taken these trails, we have hit huge mud pits, fallen trees, or swollen rivers. We have had to look at our map and local trails book, back-tracked and taken side trails to overcome these natural obstacles. A little extra effort, and short fused planning, but we have had to back track, and taken an alternate trail to get to the trail's end and back to camp.

 

Some people may say, that the ticket process is only a beginning, not the ending to achieving the Wood Badge recognition.

 

In most Councils the Course Director, along with the Council Scout Executive and Council Executive Committee knows where there are needs. (What camps needing staff, what equipment needs to be fixed, what district critically needs training, etc, etc)

 

With the executive committee in agreement, it is easier for a Course Director to steer a Wood Badge participant towards meeting that council need.

 

But.. Yes. Still, sometimes there is a lack of support. There are traditionalist "My way, or no way at all". There are those that are afraid. There are protective Scouters. There are uneducated Scouters.

 

Yes.. Some Scouters and Fellow Wood Badge participants return and hit a few brick walls. It has happened to others, that tickets are modified, to still allow a Wood Badger to complete their mission, satisfy another need, and if an obstacle cannot be overcome, then taken the other path around it.

 

It is good to have a "coach counselor" or "permanent Patrol Guide", to help a recent Wood Badger overcome those obstacles. Especially in an area where there is a need, and you are willing to deliver the program to satisfy that need.

 

Some of us have experienced similar fustrations. And dealing with other Scouters may not always be easy, but keep the end in mind "its for the boys", look towards the end results of delivering the promise. If you feel that you are still hitting a brick wall, talk with your Patrol Guide or Scoutmaster about these obstacles.

 

Good Luck, Keep your chin up, and Keep working on your ticket!!

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv(This message has been edited by Crew21_Adv)

[jr56]

Yes, unfortunately I've encountered the same thing. Be flexible, don't be afraind to discuss a modification of your ticket with your course councelor. Keep your spirits up, and remember the end result will be worth it.

[Bob White]

The lack of support you speak of sounds more like resistance to your goals,probably caused by one or two things or a combination of them.

 

One being that some trainees write goals that they have no control of or authority over, so when they try to implement the work they trod on other peoples toes, or 2) the lack of communication. It's best to discuss your ticket goals in advance with those who you work with in scouting, especially those who you answer to as a leader, so that they know what you have in mind and approve of it as part of the units overall planning BEFORE you present the ticket for approval.

 

 

[Vicki]

Bob White makes a very good point - when I wrote my ticket, I wrote it up, then sat down with my CC and SM and walked through it with them. With their buy-in I worked it through with my troop guide from WB (in our council your TG is your ticket counselor).

 

Another factor that may be at work here is if you left the impression with the old-timers that they've been doing it all wrong and you're out to set them straight. Can't say that's what's happened here, just that I've seen it before.

 

But good luck! Any learning you survive is good learning!

 

Vicki (C-12-04, C-04-08)

[EatingCantaloupe42]

Thanks to all of you for responding! I get what all of you are saying. I did have to sit down with my cubmaster, in between Woodbadge weekends, and change 2 of my goals. The change was due to my having no authority over them and stepping on toes. I also believe that I did leave the impression that some had been doing things wrong and I had been given the tools to make things right. It was not my intent to make others feel that way, I was just so excited. I wanted to show them my "handy dandy notebook" filled with handouts on the EDGE, inclusiveness, ect. I realize now that some must have felt like I was shoving it down thier throats.

 

I learned mid way through my first goal that one den leader held the opinion that Wood badge was self-serving. It was all about me getting a belt, a cup, and beeds. This den leader then shared that opinion with some of the parents in other dens and then with some parents in my den. So now I have a group who don't exactly jump up and down when I ask for help or input. My cubmaster who went to the older Wood badge course says it's just a case of burn out. And maybe that's true. Maybe this den leader is burnt out. But then wouldn't they want me to step up and do more?

 

 

I have a wonderful troop guide who suggested I form a small contigent of people who understand what I'm doing and lean on them. It's a very small group! So I thought I would just come here and post and maybe find a larger group.

 

Thank you Crew21_Adv for reminding me that "its for the boys".

[Crew21_Adv]

EatingCantaloupe,

 

Greetings!

 

Certainly! Please understand what I meant.

 

Sometimes our first plan (or Wood Badge ticket) doesn't go as planned, so we have to improvise alternative plans. (Such as when weather doesn't agree with a weekend campout, summer camp plans, Cub Day Camp events)

 

My Troop's Annual Plan and my Venturing Crew Calendar is about 75 percent successful. We accomplish about three out of every four goals written months earlier. We still have monthly events, but sometimes change our events because of a variety of reasons.

 

Similarly, the ticket items and goals may need to be changed or modified. But they are still for the same agenda; for you to deliver a good program to your youth. That is essentially what I meant, when I stated "its for the boys".

 

I would expect most Wood Badge course directors would still be excited that you are still aiding Scouts to learn and advance. Either thru your original ticket or even a modified ticket.

 

Modified ticket items may have a different route, but still the same agenda.

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

[Bob White]

Keep in mind that not all Wood Badge goals benefit youth directly. This is a leadership course and not all participants lead or serve youth directly. And not all goals for unit leaders will be about dirct service to youth.

[EatingCantaloupe42]

Crew21_Adv hello and good morning!

 

I sincerely meant thank you! I took your comment as friendly and encouraging. Here lately I've grumped along and have been grinding my teeth together. My goals are aimed toward advancement of the youth as well as meaningful conservation projects. So, "its for the boys", is very relevant and appreciated.

 

I'm going to go ahead and get back in touch with my patrol guide and see if I can make some changes to my "What & How" on at least one ticket item. I believe in my goals and I'll be darned if I'll let anything keep me from accomplishing them. Having said that, I'm still willing to make changes so as not to butt heads any more than is neccessary. I was not even aware that I could make changes at this point in the process, it just didn't even occur to me. So thanks for shedding the light.

[Vicki]

EC42 - in terms of making changes to your ticket - your ticket and its items are a moving target until either 1) you get your beads or 2) 18 months elapses and you haven't completed them, so you don't get your beads (not the outcome we're hoping for, obviously). Your overall vision probably shouldn't change much but the way you get there is like life - better stay flexible!

 

Vicki

[EatingCantaloupe42]

Thanks Vicki, I appreciate your advice and insight. Knowing that there are options has helped take some weight off.

[kb6jra]

At first reading of this post, the thing that came to mind was "Good 'oL boys club" syndrome. Years ago in my old council, before they required fresh blood on WB Staff, and a new CD each course, there were many in the council who thought of the WB Staff as the Good Ol Boys Club and would do anything to NOT show support for the participants or the course.

 

Reading a little further it looks like you may have "overpowered" your fellow scouters with your enthusiasm. I'd say, if this was the case, that you should try to back off on the WB excitement for those you think are resisting you. Taken in little doses over time, they will succumb, but WB via Fire hose may be a better analogy of what they're feeling.

[EatingCantaloupe42]

Lol, a fire hose indeed!

Yes, I agree I was very enthusiastic when I got back. And I have settled down and kept WB talk to a minimum. However, I still have to deal with a Scout leader who believes that my goals are "self serving". I'm fine with someone not liking me. It's when they go to Scout parents and discuss how what I'm doing isn't really for the youth. That's not right. This is about more than my enthusiasm.

[Vicki]

Yep, and people like that are like the old adage about anal sphincters - everyone has one. It's the very rare group that doesn't have one and the rest of the group eventually identifies theirs, treats it politely (since most people don't seem to like confrontation), but, for the most part, ignores it. You'll feel better if you look for the signs that people are just politely listening - they're there. And go about your business. Smile at it, even when what it's saying smells bad: