Hi Everyone!

[Eagle Nate]

Hi everybody, checking out the forums. My mom (pamalam) started posting here, so I thought I'd try to keep up here, because I see there are some good ideas flying around. And I could use all the help I can get.

 

I'm the SPL of a new troop that started 3 months ago. We had a breakoff with another troop, long story. I'm trying to get my fellow scouts to get a little more excited in the activities we take part in. They are active, but not very enthusiastic.

 

Also, some boys are making fun of the others, etc.

 

And I'm the one that had the idea of the online chat, just for a 30min quick, saturday type thing.

 

So, any imput on any ideas would be nice, and I'll be lookin around for new fresh ideas, that are original

 

See you guys later,

 

-Eagle Nate

[Scoutmaster Ron]

Might be tough keeping things in order with everyone typing at the same time if your going to do this on a Saturday why not invite the Patrol Leaders to your house and discuss what direction you want the troop to go in and how to get others excited about what's happening. Get the patrol leaders on board with what you want to accomplish and have them spread it from there.

[Eagledad]

Hi Nate

 

Sounds like you have a lot on your plate. Let me suggest this, where do you see this troop a year from now. What is it you want the PLC doing. Just sit down and dream, no boundaries, no limitations, no restrictions from adults. You are the chief, the boss and the SM. Don't worry about what you think you can or can't do, just write a list of what you want your troop to be a year from now. Have fun with this list. It has to a fun troop doing cool things. It needs to be the coolest troop in the world.

 

Don't show me the list yet, but let me know when you finish it.

 

Barry

[Eagle Nate]

It is honostly quite hard to say what I see for the troop, but I can give you a breif explanation of what I'd like to see.

 

In a year from now, I'd like to be a sizeable troop, with very active scouts. Who love camping, hiking, and all outdoor activities. Who are always excited to try new things. I want the troop to be going on more long-term trips, and such.

 

As for the PLC, right now we are really working on the calendar, for he Committee is pushing us to do it for busgit reasons. Merit Bages we'd like to work on etc. What I'd like to see, is maybe more, getting together, thinking of leadership building games, team building activities. Talking about where we'd like to go on campouts for say a week or so.

 

I'd like to go white water rafting. Maybe snow shoeing. A long week-long hiking campout, where we hike for 14 hrs, set up camp, and sleep, pack up, and hike again. Something to that sort. I would also like to go to a weekend long JLT, where we camp somewhere, and develop leadership qualities. Have some games, etc. Also, I'd like to go on a "goof-off" campout. Where all of us boys can just go to some cabins somewhere, and have a good time. Be with our scouting borthers, but not really be obligated to do scouting activities. Could be used as maybe a bonding sort of thing.

 

 

This is just a portion of what I have whirling around in my head. But I have to go, getting quite late, and I'm going to build a mailbox with my dad out of wood for our committe chair person, Mrs. Nord.

 

Take care,

 

-Eagle Nate(This message has been edited by Eagle Nate)

[Eagledad]

All right, Mores scouts, JLT and a Fun program. Great goals and great vision. Does you SM know all this? Lets take one thing at a time. To get more scouts, you have to have a program that boys would like to join. If there is one word that boys want all the time, what is that word? That word is where you want your program to go. Do white water rafting, backpacking and a goof off campout get you that part of your program? Hmm. Next, you have to get boys to visit your Troop. How? Give these guys something they want. Webelos want activity badges, lots of them. If your troop spent two meetings in the fall teaching some activity badge for all the Webelos in your area, would they come? Will they like what the see? What makes your troop the one they want?

 

Next JLT. There is a lot of ways to do this, find out what your District and Council offer. Put those on your calendar and get the committee and SM to approve and go go go. Now what else? Teach it yourself. Get with the Scoutmaster and look over the New Patrol Leaders Handbook and see how you guys can teach the basics of that book in one day. OK now here is the secret. Again what is it that every boy wants all the time? All your activities have to be that way. We had a saying in our Troop, if its not fun, loose it or change it. Make the Troop JLT something cool. Yes, they will have to learn how to run PLC and Patrol Corners. They need to learn how to use and agenda, roster and menus. But that can all be fun. Example is an all night movie night, or lock in at the YMCA. What ever, its got to be something fun. Dont loose sight of the goal of teaching junior leadership skills, but dont make it something you dread going too either. Scouting is a game with purpose. A game is fun, the purpose happens because they came. I love this Scouting stuff.

 

Now for campouts, your troop is new. Start off with simple goals and a simple program, and then work toward the more challenging program. Example, plan the next campout at a local area doing something easy like knots and a five-mile hike. You and your SM need to focus on the scouts getting to the camp on time and together. You need to make sure there is an agenda and that you guys are following it. What about menus and food, cooking equipment? Is your Quartermaster in charge of loading the trailer? These are all simple task for an experienced troop, but yours is new and they need to learn. Teach them, build habits and traditions. Have PLC meetings and evaluate what youve done. Youre your PLC How did it go? Was it fun? Was everyone involved? WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE IT BETTER AND MORE FUN?

 

Pick your easiest campouts and build up over the year. Set goals so you know if youre going the right direction.

 

There are a thousand ways and ideas, I didnt even scratch the surface, but hopefully these suggestions get you started thinking in your direction. Im concerned that committee asking for so much so fast. How can you plan your next meeting, you next campout and the whole year all at once? Divide your task in smaller bites. Set meetings for certain task. One meeting for the Troop Meeting and campout, another for the annual planning.

 

There was an idea of how to do your annual planning sent here a couple days ago under PLC Chat?. See if that model helps you.

 

Now you need to understand that the BSA has set certain goals and guidelines for troops. You have to work toward their goals using their guidelines. lets understand your goals and the SM goals. If you dont have the SPL handbook, get it. For right now, look up Aims and Methods on the Internet. You will find the Three Aims of Scouting. Character, Citizenship and Fitness. Those are the SM goals for every scout. Not a big deal for you expect everything you do needs to have an outcome to one or more of those goals. The guidelines are basically your goals. They are the Eight Methods you should have seen when you looked of the Aims and Methods. Look closely, have you seen them before? Leadership, advancement, outdoors and uniform and so on. See the BSA doesnt just say youre and Troop, now go. They tell you to build your program using all the methods or tools. Each scout uses theses methods, there is no choice. What you do have a choice on is how and when to use those methods. So, I am suggesting that as long as you are working toward the Scoutmaster goals of character, citizenship and fitness in your meetings and campouts, he is a happy camper and will basically give you free reins.

 

Yes, there are some limits to your activities. You have to do EVERYTHING within the Scout Law and Oath. That is the IDEALS method. So, let say you want to do a hiking campout, how can you achieve the Scoutmasters goals? Well the fitness part is already taken care of. What about citizenship? Hmmm, is there the possibility of a service project? Maybe you will pick up trash along side the road. Maybe you can clean up a local campsite. You could suggest doing a flag ceremony for the camp if they have one. I guess the word is serve in some way. Now Character. Character is learning a habit that makes us a better person. So that is on going but what about getting the scouts to make a roster and patrol agenda. Then following it. Or if they dont follow it, the fix what the problem is. How about scouts getting to opening on time. Or, dealing with difficult scouts without yelling or loosing control. Hopefully others will chime in. But remember, character is how you act when nobody is looking. How can you do that on a five-mile hike or campout?

 

What else. Well if you are suppose to use the Eight methods. Lets figure how to use uniform and advancement. Hey, how about a scouts skills station at every mile at the hike. Or, how about a couple of adults or older scouts setting up a car wreck simulation where the scout walk on it and have to treat them. Then watch and teach how to do first aid. Many of those skills are advancement.

 

Is this too much? Its like a fire hose coming at you. Maybe if you can just still a glass out, you can get a little of it. Read this and think a while. Then respond. Or better yet , send it to your PLC and let them make comments so you can respond.

 

Let us know how it goes, have fun and good luck.

 

Barry

 

[Eagle Nate]

Hey, thanks alot Eagledad! Those are some fantastic ideas! I am going to copy/paste your messange in an e-mail, and send it to the troop. That helps alot, and gives me some cool ideas!

 

Thanks again Sir.

 

Take care,

 

-Eagle Nate

[Bob White]

Hi Nate,

Congratulations on being elected Senior Patrol Leader. Sounds like you have a spirited bunch of scouts on your hands. Here are some tips that might help. Don't try to tell the troop what to do. Instead build a leadership team with the Patrol Leaders. Remember the patrols are their responsibility. Your job is to help them to coordinate their efforts for the benefit of all. I can appreciate the efficiency of the chat board but first you need to be a team read through the new SPL handbook and then do a weekend campout with just the Troop leaders you and the Patrol Leaders. Come to an agreement as to what a troop is and what it means to live the scouting ideals. Agree to who you want to be and how you all plan to get there. Then have a one day workshop with the other members of the PLC and let them understand their role in reaching the troop goals.

 

Then plan some cool events. Never go back to the same place twice in a year. Don't go camping. Go do things and camp overnight when your done. Did you hear the difference? Camping is just eating and sleeping outdoors, what are you doing the rest of the time. That is what you need to spend time planning. Go fishing then camp, go repair a path at a park and go camp, go build and install Wood Duck houses and then camp out. Don't go camping Go Do Stuff and then spend the night outdoors.

 

Use the stuff you do as the leverage for getting things done. If you oversleep you will miss doing the stuff. If you do not learn to cook and clean-up efficiently you will miss stuff. If you don't participate you will miss stuff. When you have a good program you don't need a bunch or artificial rules. If you don't scout well you will miss good stuff. That is all the leverage you will need.

 

Above all, don't just repeat the Oath and Law, LIVE THEM.

 

A friend in scouting,

Bob White(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[ozemu]

Good to see you getting advice - and getting some.

 

I want to consider my response and I'm only home for a few hours tonight between 7 days away and another 5 from tomorrow morning.

 

Just for now - I've worked really hard for 2 years after starting a new Troop and now it is coming together. Mostly because I have a great leadership team as of two months ago. And the Scouts are good friends. The Scouts who were hard wrok have gone and left us in peace.