Problem with District Training

[ScouterRob]

I been trying to talk to the Trainer for training in the District and I am getting a brick wall. I call the trainer about every other week to ask about training and he does not want to return call or emails. When I attend the roundtable and approach him, he says he gives me a call.

 

The training is Varsity Coach, and I would be happy to do self training or such, to sign the card to give to my Troop Committee because they refused to support the Varsity program without the training. So no training, no Varsity, No High Adventure, No Scouts.

 

Any ideas

[scottteng]

You probably have him out of his comfort zone. He may have never even heard of that specific training. I would be proactive order the $12.99 syllabus from national then next time you see him have the syllabus in hand and ask him for help getting through it. There is not much demand for some of the odder specific trainings we have never had more than one for venture specific. The syllabus is item 34877 available here:

http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/default.aspx?cat=01RTL&ctgy=PRODUCTS&C2=BOOKS_LIT&C3=LDRS_TRAINING&C4=&LV=3

[Gold Winger]

I'm a bit confused. Are you wanting to form a new unit, a Varsity Team, using the troop's CO and committee?

 

Why can't you do a high adventure program without a Varsity Team? Many troops operate a Venture Patrol within the troop as a patrol that does high adventure stuff.

 

[ScouterRob]

The troop committee want a varsity group (14-18) because half of the boys in our troop is that age. The other half age range is 12-13. That is the explantion they keep giving me. They do not want Venturing, just Varsity.

 

Also I already got the Training Sylabus, The Guide Books, the Program manuals. I read through all of them and been doing the program with great success. Now I am waiting for the council to Official Train me so the committee will approve and buy the awards.

[willhi1979]

As a District Training Chair, I've only been requested once in the past three years to offer Varsity Training. I said I could do it, but it looks like the Team didn't end up forming so the class wasn't held. You are likely out of the Training Chair's comfort zone since we typically deal primarily with Cub and Boy Scouting and some with Venturing. It's also possible that he feels like training one leader isn't enough to invest the time as it's a eight hour course plus preptime. It's also tough to listen to the same person for that amount of time so he might be worried about presenting it all himself. Many Councils also require that you take a course before you teach it and that you teach it before you direct it. It's possible that that prohibition is preventing his interest.

 

If I were you, I'd contact the Council Training Chair or VP and ask if there were any Varsity Training Courses planned or if one could be put on. There's a possibility that there would be a greater need for it at a Council Level. Be careful not to talk bad about your District Training Chair though even though he probably deserves it... You could also ask the Council VP if they would issue a card since it seems like you have done a lot of self-study training. The worst thing that could happen is that they would say no and direct you to the District Training Chair. You could also look at your surrounding Councils and see if any of them have a stronger Varsity Scout program and offer the course.

 

Additionally, it's kind of odd to form a team for this. Are you in a LDS Unit? I know that they are typically one of the biggest users of Teams due to their structuring of the Priesthoods. If you aren't LDS, I personally wouldn't understand the Committee's Reasoning.(This message has been edited by willhi1979)

[GKlose]

Although others have experience with this sort of thing, and will jump in with a correction --

 

Let me point out that "Venturing" is a completely separate program from a Boy Scout troop.

 

A "Venture Patrol" exists within a Boy Scout troop.

 

They are two distinct ideas, and are commonly confused. I was just at weekend training where the confusion reigned once again. The trainer, with some prompting, corrected everyone. And at that very same moment, another scouter walked up and added his two cents about a "Venturing Patrol" and the "Venture program" (I kid you not!).

[emb021]

"The troop committee want a varsity group (14-18) because half of the boys in our troop is that age. The other half age range is 12-13. That is the explantion they keep giving me. They do not want Venturing, just Varsity."

 

Does your troop committee understand that Varsity Scouts are a separate unit from the troop? These boys will basically be moved out of the troop and form a Varsity Scout Team. A VS Team not some kind of adjunct to the troop or the like.

 

Prehaps what they really want is a Venture Patrol (NOT to be confused wiht Venturing). A Venture Patrol would just be a patrol of older boys WITHIN the troop which can do high adventure stuff on their own, BUT still be part of the troop and be the junior leaders.

[ScoutNut]

Leader training has nothing to do with the Scout's ability to earn recognitions. Having a Chartered unit does.

 

Your Troop Committee has NO SAY at all about what a Varsity Team does. A Varsity Team is a SEPARATELY CHARTERED UNIT, with it's OWN Team Committee.

 

A member of a Varsity Team has the same rank advancements and requirements as does a Boy Scout. The advancement program in a Team is run by a YOUTH Team member, who is aided by an adult on the Team Committee. Your Troop's Committee has no authority with the Team

 

Talk to the Bishop of your stake about chartering a Varsity Team.

 

However, if you are not following the LDS priesthood program in your LDS chartered BSA units, why go to the trouble of chartering a Varsity Team? Simply form a Venture Patrol for the older Scouts in your Troop, and do high adventure outings as a Patrol.

[GMitch]

You have been given some good advice, let me add to it. The Church Handbook of Instructions suggests that we have a Scout Troop and Varsity Team chartered for Aaronic Priesthood aged Young Men, with the Venturing Crew optional, but strongly suggested. If you are going to combine your Teachers and Priests, then my person suggestion would be charter a Venturing Crew and not a Varsity Team. With that said, the reason we charter the three units is to maintain a distinct Quorum identity. Chartering only two units does nothing to facilitate that. The other thing that is odd here is that the Committee is hindering advancement due to training. While that is admirable that they are pro-training, they are somewhat misguided in depriving the boys from progressing because your District is ill-equipped to offer Varsity Leader Specific Training. Maybe if your committee attends Troop Committee Challenge, then they'll better understand their role and yours? No easy answer, you need you COR to resolve this with the committee (Team or Troop Committe? If it is the Troop Committee it is none of their worry), and the best way is run the program as outlined in the handbook.