Have you heard of a Scout Patrol that doesn't like to camp?

[scoutldr]

Sometimes you just need to have a discussion with the scouts and their parents and remind them what Scouting is. It's like gun-haters joining the NRA. Why would you do that?

[walk in the woods]

Sounds to me if you force them into camping you'll just push them out of the program. How old are these scouts? Maybe you encourage their interests now, reinforce the patrol method in whatever activities they choose and turn them into a specialty Venturing Crew when they get to 14?

[LeCastor]

Sounds to me if you force them into camping you'll just push them out of the program. How old are these scouts? Maybe you encourage their interests now' date=' reinforce the patrol method in whatever activities they choose and turn them into a specialty Venturing Crew when they get to 14? [/quote']

 

 

These Scouts are 12-13 years old and I certainly am not forcing them to camp. Far from it! I encourage them to participate and they put camping on their Patrol calendar from time to time...and don't show up. I do encourage them to pursue their own interests, as I've tried to state in this thread. They are having fun and planning non-camping activities. That's great! But it's not outing and "Scouting without outing...". Well, you know...

 

 

(We are starting a Venturing Crew in January and the burnt-out older Scouts and their sisters are looking forward to the adventure.)

[CalicoPenn]

There is a saying on the Appalachian Trail: Hike your own hike.

 

We used to say (and some of us still do) in the Boy Scouts: Advance at your own pace

 

Maybe we need to revise for the Boy Scouts: Make your Boy Scout Experience your own Boy Scout Experience.

 

Ok, maybe they don't do as much outing - maybe they don't want to be Eagle Scouts - maybe their interests lie in a completely different direction than conquering the great outdoors. But that doesn't mean the Boy Scouts can't offer them something (and vice-versa).

 

Have any of them earned one of the following merit badges that seem perfect for this group of young men yet? Digital Technology? Robotics? Game Design? How about Engineering? Remember, one of the reasons for merit badges is so that the boys can explore different vocations and avocations while they're young - how many, let's call them Technoboys, are out there not in scouting just wasting time in front of a computer or game console just being entertained - how many of then might benefit from the more technological merit badges that might spark an interest in them to take their fun times further into a career?

 

Have you thought about trying to recruit an ASM that may have similar interests that can think beyond the narrow box we sometimes put certain things into? For instance, have any of them earned Orienteering yet? Do you have someone who can convince them that Orienteering can help them with gaming by putting them through an invisible maze that reveals itself through compass points and pacing?

 

 

I know there is a big faction of folks who love to talk about the Outing in Scouting but has anyone actually looked at the requirements lately? The number of camping nights out needed for Eagle happens to be the same number of camping nights needed for Camping Merit Badge - Any troop that has not handed their new Scouts a blue card for camping merit badge the day the join is missing a golden opportunity to get those camping nights started - sure, it may take this group of folks longer to get them done, but if any of them do want to be Eagle, they only need to camp about 3 nights per year from 11 to 17 - and blue cards don't expire.

 

I love the search and rescue outing idea - this Patrol could be engaged as base camp support coordinating the search and rescue while the other Patrol(s) are out doing the searching.

 

I suspect that we're looking at the near term future of the Boy Scouts of America - and it's not really unexpected.

[King Ding Dong]

I will get yelled at for this. Sounds like a STEM troop. No reason you cannot have them form a First Lego League under the Troop umbrella. The structure is really no different than the patrol method. We have a Mindstorms set and it is a blast. My son has not joined a team because the main season is August-October and scouting is just to busy at that time. If you make it to the World Championship in St. Louis you can camp at one of our facilities.

[scoutergipper]

It just blows my mind that a group of kids would join Boy Scouts, and then stay in it for a year or two, if they didn't like to camp. I also don't understand how it could become optional. It seems like the pressure of the expectations of the rest of the Troop would cause this group to either start camping, or leave to find another activity they liked.

 

This is not to say that Scouts is for everyone. I tell people all the time I think Scouting would be of great benefit to any boy/family that gives it a try with the right attitude. But the reality is that not everyone can muster the attitude or open mind. Some are always going to allow some part of the program - the mud, the patriotism, the chaos - to get in the way of what the program really is.

[qwazse]

... But it's not outing and "Scouting without outing...". Well' date=' you know ... [/quote']

 

Is still Super Cool!

 

{What you all are about to read is from the guy who will find a picnic table in a field before sleeping in the troop's cabin and will only bother with a tarp if it's rainy or the oaks are dropping acorns. So anybody who wants to throw stones just better be aware that my house probably has less glass than yours.}

 

Don't beat yourself up on this one. Outing is not always camping. It's often pushing comfort zones by starting with the familiar. This means we unit leaders have to spend time unlocking the key to a kid's brain. Camping is often an easy sell because most kids equate that with adventure, but citizenship can be an adventure, service can be an adventure, youth ministry can be an adventure, gaming can be an adventure. (I'm hearing gasps. You all can breath.)

 

Right now, I have to endure a troop and crew who don't want to master orienteering skills. Kinda limits the envelope we can push hiking. Fine. I approve plans where they stick to marked trails and maybe scratch heads over "temporary dislocations." Meanwhile, I still invite any willing adult to orienteering courses for the sake of my personal fits and giggles. I'll hike back-country by dead reckoning with the one young ASM who want's to find the rock feature that is not on any map. And I talk smack to the boys about what they're missing. I didn't figure out this on my own. One day a few years ago, my PL gave me a call, "I was debating with SM about what state the Board Tree Tunnel was in, he said he'd drive me and a buddy there and we could hike around and figure it out."

 

LeC, this may be the row you have to hoe. Throw the occasional gimmick to draw these boys out of their shells, but generally settle for an infrequent camping schedule. Help your venturers line up a half dozen outings and attend as many of those as you can. Hit them up for ideas that may work the youngn's. Maybe for one or two activities, they will offer to share their campsite.

 

Most of all DO YOUR OWN THING and make sure everyone knows what that is. A couple of them may come around, and really that's all you need to keep the outdoor skills fresh among the group.

[King Ding Dong]

Look at the positives. You are on the vanguard of Scouting and exactly what Natioanl wants. Play your cards right and that patrol will be featured on the cover of Boys Life in no time. Can they make a robot tie a bowline?

[Stosh]

One can run a Rogain for 24/7 that could run from Friday night to Sunday noon. Sleeping and camping is optional.

 

Stosh

[LeCastor]

I love you guys! You've made this Beaver smile.

[CNYScouter]

Last winter I was talking with an adult from another Troop who was just made the unit's membership chair.

The Troops numbers were falling and the Pack with the same CO had folded

He was looking for ideas on increasing membership

 

A week or so later I ran into the Troop's ex-Sm who had stepped down last year

He said he thought this Troop was in trouble because they don't camp

None of the Scouts wanted to camp.

They scheduled campouts but no one would sign up to go.

So it's not just younger Scouts that don't want to camp

 

As to getting the younger scouts to go camping check out the "Just Camping" thread

Don't just go camping - have some type of activity planned.

It's a fishing trip not a camping trip

Go to camporees- they don't have to be your districts or even in your council - if you see something interesting go to it

 

Right know I am trying to figure out how to make "Magic: the Gathering" card game into a live-action contest to do at a campout

 

[LeCastor]

Don't just go camping - have some type of activity planned.

It's a fishing trip not a camping trip

Go to camporees- they don't have to be your districts or even in your council - if you see something interesting go to it

 

Right know I am trying to figure out how to make "Magic: the Gathering" card game into a live-action contest to do at a campout

 

Hey, CNY! Yeah, I totally get that and I've always made a point to ask the PLs the following questions:

 

"Ok, so what do you want to accomplish this weekend? What are you going to do on this trip?:

 

Green Bar Bill used to say that a hike wasn't a hike if there wasn't a purpose to it. Same goes for camping.

 

As for "Magic: the Gathering" I've found my Scouts are really into a game called "Munchkin" which I think might be similar.

[LeCastor]

UPDATE: None of the members of the young patrol were able to bring themselves to commit to going on the outing they put on their calendar. Honestly, this camping trip was doomed to fail when I found out the PL and APL, both, decided to choose a merit badge clinic--OMG--over leading their patrol to a glorious weekend in the wilderness.

 

Good news is they're fired up about an electronics-themed event next month. At least there's that...I guess.

 

I'm going to continuing Scouting in the outdoors and all who want to join me may do so. Boom!

[Stosh]

UPDATE: None of the members of the young patrol were able to bring themselves to commit to going on the outing they put on their calendar. Honestly, this camping trip was doomed to fail when I found out the PL and APL, both, decided to choose a merit badge clinic--OMG--over leading their patrol to a glorious weekend in the wilderness.

 

Good news is they're fired up about an electronics-themed event next month. At least there's that...I guess.

 

I'm going to continuing Scouting in the outdoors and all who want to join me may do so. Boom!

 

First of all I would have a bit of a discussion/mentoring/coaching/tirading with the PL and APL about what leadership is all about and reflect those sentiments when it comes to signing off on POR requirements. I have no problem with not signing off when the work isn't done (and my boys know it).

 

As far as going in the outdoors without them, make sure you don't take pictures and bring back to show them what they missed. There are a few on the forum who think that is a self-esteem buzz kill. It's kinda too bad that my boys don't get any self-esteem stroking in my troop, but they get a ton of self-respect, which is far more valuable in the long run. I've done the invite the boys and go anyway a ton of times. Eventually they will get their toe wet and find out it really is a fun time. Patience, need patience.

 

Stosh

[LeCastor]

 

First of all I would have a bit of a discussion/mentoring/coaching/tirading with the PL and APL about what leadership is all about and reflect those sentiments when it comes to signing off on POR requirements. I have no problem with not signing off when the work isn't done (and my boys know it).

 

As far as going in the outdoors without them, make sure you don't take pictures and bring back to show them what they missed. There are a few on the forum who think that is a self-esteem buzz kill. It's kinda too bad that my boys don't get any self-esteem stroking in my troop, but they get a ton of self-respect, which is far more valuable in the long run. I've done the invite the boys and go anyway a ton of times. Eventually they will get their toe wet and find out it really is a fun time. Patience, need patience.

 

Stosh

 

 

Oh, Stosh, you gotta know that sit-down talk is on the docket! I'm not pleased with this merit badge fixation they share to the detriment of their Patrol mates.

 

I guess I don't understand what you mean in the second part. I should NOT take pictures? What the what?

 

As for patience...I have a ton of that. I've been patient for a long, long, long time as we move closer and closer to a Troop with two distinct patrols...I can continue to be patient with these anti-outdoors youngsters.