Looking For Superpro.

[Eamonn]

Over the years I have met countless people who for a living work in a vast number of different fields. Just this week I had a very interesting discussion with a medical doctor who was of the opinion that potatoes were a worthless food item. Needless to say he was of course wrong, sad thing is that he is telling his patients this and because he is the doctor they take his word for it.

I have many good friends that work in law enforcement, some look at their job as to serve and protect some view it more as locking up the bad guys. My point is that just because you may have a title or work in a certain area it doesn't make you right all of the time.

In Scouting I work very closely with out DE. Who to my mind is the best thing that ever happened to our District.Before being employed with the BSA her only real Scouting involvement was that she is the mother of an Eagle Scout. She does not know all the answers nor does she pretend to do so. Very often she will phone me and ask where can I find out such and such.

While some councils may have the odd professional like our Man Of Steele who have been through the program and may know a little more then others about the program there are a good many that don't know that much. This does not make them bad DE's or professionals it just means that we as the volunteers have to help them a little bit more.

Just because a person wears a patch on the uniform, be they a volunteer or a pro does not mean that they know everything. Sad to say there are a few and thankfully a very few pros who think that once their pay check is from the BSA that they overnight become Superpro. To make things worse some go as far as to adopt an air of arrogance.

Those of us who have been around for more then ten minutes are aware that this game is best when we all work hand in hand. Just as there is no Superscouter there is no Superpro.

Eamonn

[FScouter]

It is a strength of character when one is willing to admit to not having all the answers. And is willing to seek out others to get the answers.

[Fat Old Guy]

"I had a very interesting discussion with a medical doctor who was of the opinion that potatoes were a worthless food item. Needless to say he was of course wrong"

 

Being Irish, you'd have to disagree with that :-)

[JimmyD]

"To make things worse some go as far as to adopt an air of arrogance."

 

Sounds like my SE and council members......

 

[commandopro]

JimmyD,

 

I see that you are young, so I'm going to go fairly easy on you. I wonder with your age and experience exactly how well you know your Scout Executive. Also, what are "Council Members"?

 

Here is why I gripe. Scout Executives, for the most part, are very knowlegeable and extremely dedicated to the Scouting movement. They have given their lives to this movement, in fact. Often they are faced with difficult decisions or have to defend unpopular decisions made by Boards of Directors. Often they are able to pull from knowledge and experience that a unit level Scouter might not have in order to make a decision.

 

Ultimately the Scout Executive is there to ensure that and increasing number of boys is recieving a high quality program within the borders of his or her Council. Sometimes that might mean closing a camp, and office or other facility to keep the Council financially solvent. These decisions never come easy. Remember the Scout Executive doesn't WANT to create controversy. They would rather avoid it. So, when they do create it, you can bet it is for a good reason.

 

Go get to know your Scout Executive. Ask him about his Scouting experience. I bet you will find he is far from arrogant. You will probably find him incredibly knowledgeable about the Scouting program.

[WAKWIB]

I was wonderin'....are the "pros" required to take some or all of the training that volunteers are encouraged or required to take?

 

In my opinion, if a District Exec. would be required to take the Wood Badge course (and some of the other training), he/she would be:

1}more knowledgeable of how the program operates at the grass roots level.

2}be able to cultivate positive relationships with the volunteers he serves through the shared experiences of the training.

 

Maybe something like this is going on already. If not, it could be something to consider.

[dsteele]

Yes, it is going on. Many professionals are Wood Badge trained, and not always because it's required . . . many of us want to be Wood Badgers.

 

The first three years of a professional's career it is difficult to squeeze in Wood Badge -- because they have many things to do, including Professional Development Levels I, II, and III. Wood Badge, among other trainings like camp school, etc. are considered very important in professional development both by supervisors and DE's and are attended by professionals.

 

Commandopro is exactly right -- no one tries to be arrogant. Just take some time to get to know your Scout Executive. They're busy, they have the job of facilitating tough decisions, but they are dedicated Scouters and are only trying to better Scouting in the council.

 

Remember that even though someone threw a stone that hit a person and the person doesn't show the pain, that doesn't mean the stone didn't hurt . . .

 

DS

[Fat Old Guy]

"Sounds like my SE and council members......"

 

As I've said before, I've never even seen the SE or any of the Pooh-bahs of the Council but it does sound like most every professional that I've dealt with. Phone call after phone call goes unanswered. Email after email goes unanswered. Then they have the audacity to come and ask for more money.

 

I've gotten more information from Man O'Steele than I have from any professional in my Council. Sad to think that he's being cut loose.

[JimmyD]

"I see that you are young, so I'm going to go fairly easy on you. I wonder with your age and experience exactly how well you know your Scout Executive. Also, what are "Council Members"?

 

Here is why I gripe. Scout Executives, for the most part, are very knowlegeable and extremely dedicated to the Scouting movement. They have given their lives to this movement, in fact. Often they are faced with difficult decisions or have to defend unpopular decisions made by Boards of Directors. Often they are able to pull from knowledge and experience that a unit level Scouter might not have in order to make a decision.

 

Ultimately the Scout Executive is there to ensure that and increasing number of boys is recieving a high quality program within the borders of his or her Council. Sometimes that might mean closing a camp, and office or other facility to keep the Council financially solvent. These decisions never come easy. Remember the Scout Executive doesn't WANT to create controversy. They would rather avoid it. So, when they do create it, you can bet it is for a good reason.

 

Go get to know your Scout Executive. Ask him about his Scouting experience. I bet you will find he is far from arrogant. You will probably find him incredibly knowledgeable about the Scouting program."

 

Alright our council is a million dollars in debt and they pased a bufget with a 100,000 defict.

 

2002 our troop sold popcorn but we never recived patches and pins and they took the money out for those. Also this happened with many other troops so in 2003 we deicded we would not sell popcorn and so did plenty of other troops and they lost 17k for not giving us our patches the previous year. (we're still wondering where there at and so are others)

 

Council went and made all current merit badge counselors fill out a a form stating that they would like to remain councselors for merit badges. Plenty of people sent them in but when the list came out the list was paper thin when this new policy took place previous year there was a huge number. When my father called council office the council employee was very arrogant blamed us for the papers when it was axctually there fault. (yes other troops had the ame issue)

 

Council supplky store=A distrct supple store=B

 

In our district we had a scout office. Well due to lack of funds they closed it. It was a proven fact that B served more troops although it was much smaller but it did then troop A did. Also our council president had other ideas and solutions to keep B but the board turned them all down. She uis the only person who was lookiing out for us the volunteers.

 

Point A is about an hour away while point B was about 20 mins. away. So now there doing "free shipping" onl once a month but the council right next to us is only about 25 mins. away from where we are at so now we will be using the other council's service center.

 

Before we found out about the million dollar defict the summer camp was going through huge changes (sewer system and new trading posts and other various things) we were all under the assumption that it was being payed for by grants. Apprently it wasn't and a lot of people voiced their opinions about it. Its also been known now that the council exceutive board that makes these changes are near or live by point A and work for a bank. It also seems like all council events now are only at point A anymore also.

[JimmyD]

"I see that you are young, so I'm going to go fairly easy on you. I wonder with your age and experience exactly how well you know your Scout Executive. Also, what are "Council Members"?

 

Here is why I gripe. Scout Executives, for the most part, are very knowlegeable and extremely dedicated to the Scouting movement. They have given their lives to this movement, in fact. Often they are faced with difficult decisions or have to defend unpopular decisions made by Boards of Directors. Often they are able to pull from knowledge and experience that a unit level Scouter might not have in order to make a decision.

 

Ultimately the Scout Executive is there to ensure that and increasing number of boys is recieving a high quality program within the borders of his or her Council. Sometimes that might mean closing a camp, and office or other facility to keep the Council financially solvent. These decisions never come easy. Remember the Scout Executive doesn't WANT to create controversy. They would rather avoid it. So, when they do create it, you can bet it is for a good reason.

 

Go get to know your Scout Executive. Ask him about his Scouting experience. I bet you will find he is far from arrogant. You will probably find him incredibly knowledgeable about the Scouting program."

 

Alright our council is a million dollars in debt and they pased a bufget with a 100,000 defict.

 

2002 our troop sold popcorn but we never recived patches and pins and they took the money out for those. Also this happened with many other troops so in 2003 we deicded we would not sell popcorn and so did plenty of other troops and they lost 17k for not giving us our patches the previous year. (we're still wondering where there at and so are others)

 

Council went and made all current merit badge counselors fill out a a form stating that they would like to remain councselors for merit badges. Plenty of people sent them in but when the list came out the list was paper thin when this new policy took place previous year there was a huge number. When my father called council office the council employee was very arrogant blamed us for the papers when it was axctually there fault. (yes other troops had the ame issue)

 

Council supplky store=A distrct supple store=B

 

In our district we had a scout office. Well due to lack of funds they closed it. It was a proven fact that B served more troops although it was much smaller but it did then troop A did. Also our council president had other ideas and solutions to keep B but the board turned them all down. She uis the only person who was lookiing out for us the volunteers.

 

Point A is about an hour away while point B was about 20 mins. away. So now there doing "free shipping" onl once a month but the council right next to us is only about 25 mins. away from where we are at so now we will be using the other council's service center.

 

Before we found out about the million dollar defict the summer camp was going through huge changes (sewer system and new trading posts and other various things) we were all under the assumption that it was being payed for by grants. Apprently it wasn't and a lot of people voiced their opinions about it. Its also been known now that the council exceutive board that makes these changes are near or live by point A and work for a bank. It also seems like all council events now are only at point A anymore also. Also a finacial person (i don't know title exactly) that worked with or for the council was let go. Our troop and others re under the assumption something is going on. We're all mad that they waited to tell us all of this, never did recieve our popcorn patches and pins and the budget they never told us at all and we all assumed eerything was ok. We have ben thinking of writing to national about this but we haven't decide yet. I'd appreacte any advice. I would like to take our whole county and become part of theother council but i doubt if that an happen.

 

(yes the odler topic I made before was becuase of these stituations.)

 

 

[Eamonn]

Scout Execs. and Professional Scouters are just like any other group of people. Doing what they do for a living. I know a lot of nurses who go the extra mile. I also know others who do what they have to do and can't wait till their shift is over. The same can be said about any profession.

Just because someone is a Scout Exec. does not mean that they are intelligent any more then it indicates that they are a moron. While the lot of a Scout Exec. may be hard at the end of the day it is what he or she is paid to do. Heck, there aren't hoards of people running around PA. Saying what a great job I do and when I mess up people get very sick and can die. Yet I don't get paid as much as our Scout Exec.

I do agree that many of the volunteers don't really know what is going on at certain levels in the Council. Not that it is a secret it at times is just something that is happening. Ask the right person and they will chew your ear off.

Working with the Council Executive Board is at times hard and yes some board members are a real pain. Some have their own agenda and little pet projects and again some of these board members are the most intelligent of people some are not. Even at the Board level we at times don't know what is "Coming Down" from the Region or the National level.

Some time back the Man Of Steele asked us what we expected from our professional staff. There was a lot of good ideas.

Of course the really dreadful thing about having a bad Scout Exec. Is that the volunteers hired him/her. Of course Field Directors are a different kettle of fish - But we won't even go there.

Eamonn