Volunteering As a Trainer

[Mafaking]

 

Back in January the district chair sent out an all points bulletin that they were in need of trainers for a district training event in late February. It would be for an adult training academy. I gave the long list a glance over and picked one I was interested in. I replied to the district chair and included a general outline of how I'll teach it. I had asked for a syllabus and they had none. I was to create one. I replied that I'll follow the program as written and introduce how our troop has put into practice. Pretty basic stuff.

 

A couple of let me check emails and the chair writes back OK you'll teach that, thanks. So I order resource material (free) from the State and County. I start brushing up on that part of the program. I also hold that date open on the calendar.

 

A month later I attend Round Table and that class is listed as being taught by someone else. 'Hey, um, I thought I was teaching that class'. Program organizer, "No, so & so is. You can pick something else though." Me, "I'll think about it." Not! I am not risking one of my precious Saturday's driving 60 miles round trip to find the true limits of your competence were exceeded four weeks earlier. I'll get there expecting to teach something, with material in hand and my own outline, but good old 'what his name', will be listed as doing it. No thanks!

 

I am really put out by this. More than is truly warranted and I am not sure why.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Eagle92]

Do you think it was a misprint? I would give the guy a call or email and double check that he didn't make a mistake. When you asked him on the spot, he may not have realized the mistake. We had something like this happen with my OA Lodge this past January. Luckily the mistae was caught in time.

[dg98adams]

I organize/chair the BALOO training for our council.

I get Scouters to cover "sections" of the course. I primarily use "online" communication too.

 

The DE is aware of it, but does not schedule scouters. He only passes info to me if someone is interested.

 

If I don't get "ok I'll be there" or a reply to "reminders" I drop that person. It's too hard to manage if you aren't in the loop.

 

Now the Trail Drive I organize fo the district is harder, since I have almost 25-30 Scouters on that one for ~200 Scouts. I still primarily use electronic communication. The only syllabus is the Merit Badge book. I do send out "links to Merit Badge counselor" guidelines/help".

 

I think whoever is actually organizing the class either did not get prompt communication from the DE or the DE did not pass it along correctly.

 

If you are still interested in volunteering, I would contact the actual person scheduling Scouters for the class. Don't drop back and punt just becuase the DE may have dropped the ball.

 

 

[emb021]

Sorry to hear of your experience.

 

As someone who has long been involved as a trainer in scouting (and other groups I'm in), I've long been annoyed by such poor behavior given to my fellow trainers and myself.

 

From your note, it sounds like you've involved time and effort into preparing for your session, which is now all for not. I've had the same experiences, so I can sympathise.

 

I even put down my frustations in a series of 'notes' on Facebook.

 

 

Some of the recent experiences I've had:

 

For a sizable state-wide scouting event, I've long been a trainer, and even had to organize my fellow trainers in a certain program area. After a particular disasterous event (somehow the host group were never informed we were doing classes), I was informed that those in the state-wide group would take on organizing the classes, so I won't have to. So I awaited being contacted. When I didn't hear, I sent out emails. No response. Finally I was contacted and told that 'all the sessions had been assigned'. One I normally do was given to someone else who had never done a session. Oh, but I could 'assist' him. I said fine, tho I felt very insulted by that.

 

I get to the event and find that the other guy wasn't coming, so I'd have to do the session by myself. Well, fine, expect as I was the assistant (and was never contacted by him) I had not brought any materials. I did a decent job, but it could have been better.

 

 

At another state-wide event, I get contacted about 4 days before the event telling me I was scheduled to do one of the classes. Gives me a lot of time to prepare.