Can Committee members get the Boy Scout Leaders Training Award?

[BartHumphries]

They are technically Boy Scout Leaders, right? It seems like all adult scouters basically have the same requirements, with the exception that Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmasters must complete Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills in addition to everything else?

 

The requirements for the Boy Scout Leader's Training Award are basically those things that we want all the adult scouters to be doing anyway, right?

[rdclements]

Yes

[CHLees3rd]

Absolutely! The Tenure for Committee Members is the same as it is for Scoutmasters- two years. The Performance options are the same-do five of them. The difference is the Training section. Since there is no course named "Troop Committee Specific Training" for Committee Members to take, my unit has them take the Troop Committee Challenge which describes how a Troop Committee works to support a troop. We consider it a suitable substitute. Scoutmasters must take Scoutmaster Leader Specific Training and Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills. All take the online This is Scouting for the retired instructor-led New Leader Essentials course.

 

For the most part, the Performance options are the things we want Scouters in a troop to do.

 

I discovered earlier this year that the Scoutmaster and three Asst. Scoutmasters in my troop had fulfilled all the requirements for the award yet none of them had it. I got together with the Committee Chair and we completed and submitted progress records for each to District. District approved them and gave us certificates, medals, and knot patches for each Scouters. I presented the awards to the Scouters at the last Court of Honor the troop had. They were very surprised and very honored. I'll be submitting the paperwork for the Committee Chair next as he just completed his fifth Performance option.

 

YiS,

Chazz Lees

 

[BadenP]

I think the real problem here is semantics, are committee members really considered to be "Scout Leaders"? Their job requires no direct contact with scouts, even though some do go on camping trips with the troop that is not part of their duties as a committee member. Their function is mainly an organizational and administrative behind the scenes position. For that reason I do not feel that a committee member should be eligible fot the Scout Leaders Award, however is would be nice for them to have an award for committee members recognizing their efforts.

[jstephens42]

If you read the requirements for the award, one of the 12 requirements (which you must complete 5) can only be completed by a committee member: 'Fulfill requirements of a troop committee function as described in the Troop Committee Guidebook.' This would imply that the award is to be awarded to committee members as well. It also specifically says that IOLS is only required for ASMs and SMs.

[BadenP]

jstephens

 

You could be right or maybe that applies to someone who was a committee member and then switched over to ASM or SM, leaves it too open for interpretation. Still IMHO a "Scout Leader" leads the boys not administrating policies for the unit behind the scenes.

[BartHumphries]

I recently took the Unit Committee fast start training online. I'm not on the Unit Committee, I'm an Assistant Scoutmaster, but my opinion is that knowing what other people are supposed to do can only help me do my job better. It's like singing, in my opinion -- knowing the other parts to a song helps me sing my part in better harmony because I'm really familiar with where we blend, where one part should be emphasized over another, etc. So, I took it that course and I think the Unit committee probably shouldn't be working wholly behind the scenes, what they do should probably be visible even to the boys in the troop.

 

For instance, the Committee Equipment person should be working with the troop quartermaster -- if they're both trying to do the same thing independently, then it's just not going to work as well. When the Senior Patrol Leader is planning activities, he will likely need to coordinate with a number of the committee members. There's a whole lot of examples that I can think of where the boys likely should be contacting and working with their unit committee counterparts.

 

I think they should be acting as leaders, not as absentee board members who come in to ratify some decisions then go back home again until next month. That's purely my opinion, though I don't know how widespread that opinion is amongst other people.

[BrotherhoodWWW]

BadenP if your point is that you do not feel that those adults in roles other than SM and ASM should not be eligible for the Scouter training award thanks for that opinion. Seems like an arrogant opinion to me. As Bart points out if Committee folks fulfill their jobs as proscribed in the training literature their jobs are direct contact in nature, perhaps moreso than an ASM. Each committee position other than COR and CC has a specific Scout POR assigned to be mentored by the adult. CC' when they are doing their jobs work just as hard as any ASM I've ever met.

[CHLees3rd]

BadenP,

 

When I was awarded the award back in 1992, it was called the Scouter's Training Award and not the current Boy Scout Leader's Training Award. Back then Committee Members earned it too. I have been told that long ago before the six current Cub Scouting knot awards, all Scouters, even Cub Scouters, used to get the Scouter's Training award and the Scouter's Key. I am pretty sure the Scouters who told me this also mentioned it was before my time as I do not remember it. I do not think the BSA changed the name to exclude Committee Members so much as to specify to all that the award was for adults involved with troops in the Boy Scout Division.

 

YiS,

Chazz Lees

[BadenP]

Brotherhood

 

What do you think Boy Scout Leaders Award means, and do you think a committee member who comes to a adult committee meeting once a month and that has no contact with boys whatsoever deserves this particular award? I don't think so, it really is a no brainer, a scout leader leads scouts which a committee member does not do, if they are hard working there should be a different award to present them. The SM and ASM, CM, WL, DL devote more of their personal blood sweat and tears to the boys than any other volunteer and should not be lumped in with those who write policy and push paper in the background. Those people do an important job but not one of being a scout leader and should receive seperate recognition.

[ChaiAdventure]

Baden

 

While I understand and respect your opinion, it appears that the award is for all Scouters associated with a Troop. The "progress record" makes it clear when it states that applicants must complete:

 

"Boy Scout Leader Fast Start training.

Complete New Leader Essentials.

Complete Leader Specific Training for your position.

Complete Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills (for Scoutmasters and assistants).

Complete Youth Protection Training."

 

If this were designed for only SM/ASM, then there would be no reference made to "training for your position" or that SM/ASM are the only ones required to do IOLS.

 

I am not saying whether this is right or wrong, but simply the way that I read the requirements.

 

 

 

 

[ChaiAdventure]

and to add to that....

 

COR's are eligible as well....

[Eagle92]

When I earned the award in question,it was called the SCOUTER'S (caps for emphasis) Training Award, not the Boy Scout Leader's Award, and it was open to all Scouters.

[AlFansome]

 

"The SM and ASM, CM, WL, DL devote more of their personal blood sweat and tears to the boys than any other volunteer and should not be lumped in with those who write policy and push paper in the background. "

 

 

Wow.

 

So what about an ASM who's done the following to earn the award....

 

* Help with two annual unit and/or district Friends of Scouting presentations.

* Participate in six Boy Scout leader roundtables.

* Serve on the staff of a council or district training event.

* Help with two annual unit and/or district Friends of Scouting presentations.

* Fulfill requirements of a troop committee function from the Troop Committee Guidebook.

 

Do they deserve it? None of those 5 requirements have anything to do with direct boy contact and would typically be the type of requirements that CCs, MCs, and CRs would fulfill to earn the award.

 

Maybe there should be another award for ASMs-who-help-out-when-needed-but-dont-shed-blood-sweat-or-tears-like-truly-worthy-boy-scout-leaders.

 

 

 

 

[Eagle92]

Didn't read all the posts when I posted earlier, been dealing with pack problems again. So when I was rereading, this statement hit a nerve. And BP please do not take it personally as it is not an attack on you, but more of a vent on my pack's situation.

 

"The SM and ASM, CM, WL, DL devote more of their personal blood sweat and tears to the boys than any other volunteer and should not be lumped in with those who write policy and push paper in the background. "

 

Yes "direct contact" leaders do put a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and time into the program. But without a good committee providing support to the "direct contact leaders" by helping out with such things as arraning cook crews ( I'm in CS mode), spreading out activities so that you do not have 2 events back to back or worse double booking the same weekend, working with the COR to book dates for facilities, helping to recruit new ASMs or CMs,ad nauseum, then your direct contact leaders will be spending more time dealig with stuff they really shouldn't than spending time with the youth.

 

A good committee provides support for the program, allowing the leaders to deal directly with the youth. They help provide resources to make programming possible. They are are part of the team, not a bunch of paperpushers, and if they are doing their jobs and a little extra, then that are worthy of recognition.

 

Again I apologize if this seem an attack on BP b/c it isn't. This is more of a vent. right now my pack doesn't have a working committee, and it's putting a lot of pressure on me and a few other leaders. I got an event this weekend and A) we don't know who is going as there was no committee member coordinating the registration, B) we do not have a cook crew as the regular crew are going to an event the following weekend with the troop and no one was there to pick up the slack, C) we do not have someone to deal with advancement, i.ee record everything, buy everything, and prep it for the pack meeting ( only awards given out were the ones I purchased for my den as not giving out something that was earned is a pet peeve of mine), and I can go on. If we had an active committee, I could focus on my den.