Organizing a District Camporee

[LeCastor]

Hi all,

 

Last fall I was asked to plan/organize a district camporee with about two months notice, which as most of us know isn't very much time at all especially when Troops usually have annual calendars planned out a year in advance in most cases. So out of roughly twenty Troops in the district, we had four commit and show up for the event. Despite the low turnout we had fun and it was quite the intimate atmosphere at the "camporee-wide" campfire on Saturday night. I was able to wrangle a few folks to come in an lead activities for the Scouts, since I didn't have time to poll the youth and get their input. The OA chapter was where I thought I'd get the most help but they weren't able to pull it off on such short notice.

 

So I offered to chair the camporee again for this fall with the knowledge that I'd have a whole year to prepare. The grand design in my head, at the outset, was to base the who thing off of Hillcourt's Field Book from the 1940s and have a staff of youth plan and run the whole thing with guidance from me and one other Scouter. However, the more I thought about it the more I wanted to just assemble a staff of youth, put them in a room, and have them hash out what kinds of things they'd like to do/see at their camporee. It should be what they want to do and not what I want them to do. (Even though a Green-Bar-Bill-themed camporee would be AWESOME!)

 

Does anyone have any advice for me regarding the chairing and/or organizing of an event like this? Any words of wisdom?

[pchadbo]

", put them in a room, and have them hash out what kinds of things they'd like to do/see at their camporee. It should be what they want to do and not what I want them to do. (Even though a Green-Bar-Bill-themed camporee would be AWESOME!)"

 

 

Yep, that is what should happen. Give them your idea, see if they want to run with it, then get out of thier way.

 

A couple years ago a troop of boys decided to do a nighttime Zombiw Apocolypse themed Camporee in our District. Word got around and the Coucil Exec called the Scoutmaster to change the theme. HIs response: "the PLC meets on this date, you want to tell them to change thier camporee, you tell them"

 

Needless to say he did not show up and our District Camporee had more attendees than the other 3 District Camporees held the same weekend, combined.

 

[CNYScouter]

I have done this before and here’s the step’s I took.

Find 2 or 3 older Scouts or Venturers, no more than 2 or 3, that would be interested in organizing the event.

At your first meeting have some ideas on Camp-o-ree themes and events to start things off.

Usually the Scouts need ideas to get them started but once they begin most of the time they can come up with good ideas on their own.

 

[Eagle94-A1]

In regards to the scouts running the event, I personally would not do that as I would stick with adults running the events. My rationale for that is the camporee is FOR THEM (emphasis, not shouting,) and I think t would be more fun for them to participate than staff.

 

BUT, as BP once said, "never ask an adult what you can ask a scout."

 

So I'd ask the OA chapter their thoughts.

 

Some ideas if the OA said it's a great idea and wants to follow through.

 

1) Get the OA on board ASAP. They are probably your largest group of scouts at one time.

 

2) Get the SPLs together ASAP to start organizing and planning

 

3) Embrace the scheduling nightmare if you want all scouts, including staffers, to have fun.

A) Stagger when events are done so that event staffers have time to do events

B) Have some"Special Events" that do not require scouts to staff. BEST SPECIAL EVER was a US Army Special Forces display. We are within driving distance of Bragg, and our camporee chief had some connections there. OK, the Blackhawk had to cancel last minute due to a hurricane, and the entire group could not come ( they were supposed to ride the Blackhawk) but we did have two soldiers with their kit drive up and put on a demo for us. Did I mention it was the BEST SPECIAL EVER? ( and yes those last two caps were me screaming in that old V-Bar camp staff voice!)

 

[qwazse]

... I would stick with adults running the events. My rationale for that is the camporee is FOR THEM (emphasis' date=' not shouting,) and I think t would be more fun for them to participate than staff.[/quote']

 

Wait a minute! Weren't you the guy who was worrying about your young scout being a poor choice for SPL two months ago? How's that going? If he's doing well, imagine him keeping it up for a year or two.

 

Then imagine LeCastor coming up to him saying "I've seen/heard how you lead your troop of 30 the past couple of years. How'd you like to lead 300 for a weekend? You won't be alone. There's that fellow in that other troop who I think you did ordeal with last fall. And the VP from my crew ... I think you and some other SPL's were playing slap-jack with her and the VOA officers at craker-barrel last camporee. And maybe a buddy who you think would be good at this sort of thing. We'll meet during roundtable nights ... pizza may be involved."

 

I'm not sure how he'll reply, but I'm pretty sure it won't be: "I'm sorry, Mr. LeCastor, but camporees should be for me, and think I would have more fun if I were to participate rather than staff!":p

[Stosh]

How's about a Patrol Method Camporee. Instead of registering troops, register patrols. Then survey them to find out how many of those patrols are real patrols and how many are ad hoc patrols, see if any troop is capable to sending their boys as patrols or do they all have to gather for meals as a troop, how many troops don't have enough adults to do a patrol method where all the patrols are camping separately, etc. If done right it would be a great learning experience for troops to evaluate their set up as compared to a real Patrol Method program. I'm thinking it would be very telling with the number of troops that wouldn't show because they are incapable to camping as patrols....they don't have the equipment, don't have the youth leadership, don't have the adult control, don't have the normal structure, etc. to pull it off.

 

Instead of an SPL meeting on Friday night, have a camporee PLC meeting. Each PL lets the group know what their patrol is going to provide to the camporee program.

 

Divide the patrols into 2, 3 or 4 groupings. Each patrol in each of the groups is responsible for a program, demonstration or competition. Divide Saturday into 2, 3, or 4 matching sessions. If your patrol is assigned to the first session, you do your thing for the patrols to come see, and then the other sessions your patrol travels around to see what the other patrols have to offer during their session.

 

How much adult involvement is necessary for this set up? VERY LITTLE and that's the beauty of it. Patrols (not scouts) do the planning and execution of the camporee.

 

So what's the adults going to do? Well they gather together in groups of 4-6 mixed groups (no two leaders from the same troop) and they walk around watching and learning what the boys are doing and/or not doing so that they have something to take back to their troops to implement or improve their patrol method program. Sometimes if one were to quit talking and start watching and listening they get insights into things they wouldn't see if they hadn't stepped back and taken the time to learn. Before any of my boys take on leadership in my unit, they must take one meeting and do nothing but stand next to me and watch what's going on and then quietly tell me what they see. It only takes one meeting for the boys to realize that there's a ton of stuff going on that they don't see because they are too close to the situation or too involved to notice. Adults can learn this way as well.

 

Awards are given out for the best patrol program, best patrol demonstration, and best competition, etc. Notice that no patrol can win more than once. Best teamwork in a patrol, patrol flag/yell, best PATROL dinner Saturday night (how much did the meal cost/boy, style of cooking? Dutch oven, reflector oven, degree of difficulty in making it, nutritionally balanced?, etc.), best ??? whatever.

 

One patrol is responsible for Friday night registration (make sure each patrol is as far away from another patrol of the same troop, one might be 10' from another patrol, but that patrol is not one from your troop), another for Saturday am flags, another for Saturday pm flags, another for campfire program (no individual scout MC, done as a patrol), etc.

 

If this sounds like all Hell is going to break lose on this camporee, you're right, that's what happens when it's boy-led, patrol-method setup.

 

Stosh

[Eagle94-A1]

Qwaz,

 

As I said, "I personally... BUT ...'never ask an adult what you can ask a scout." And as you well know, I have been wrong before .

 

As for the SPL, very rough around the edges, and needs some mentoring like all first time SPLs, but otherwise doing well. Training went well, but sometimes I do think it went in one ear, and out the other.

 

As for being asked to run a camporee, I could see him staffing one in 2-3 years. And thinking about it, I know I would love the challenge as a Scout. But considering what I've seen him do at the troop lock in, as well as hearing about what he's done during patrol corners the past 2 weeks, I have a very strong suspicion ( and again I could be wrong) that he would indeed pass on the opportunity in order to help his newest NSP and their troop guide. Yep, he's been working with them a lot to get them up to speed. In all honesty he's a better PL or TG than SPL, but that's because he's "Been there, done that, has the patch.":p

 

Then again, he may just want be a.... TIMELORD and wear their T.A.R.D.I.S. Patrol emblem.

 

 

 

Stosh,

 

LOVE IT! (and yep I'm yelling this go around )

[LeCastor]

Eagle, one of my best memories of Scouting was getting to staff a Cataouachee District camporee in 1994 at Camp V-Bar!

 

My goal is to give the Scouts as much ownership of their program as possible. And, Stosh, I already have the Patrol Method dealio on my radar.

 

Thanks for the ideas, all. Keep 'em coming!

 

LeCastor

[Eagle94-A1]

One idea in my neck of the woods that has never been followed through: a Backpacking/Mobile Camporee. Basically everyone starts at one location and stays overnight. Next morning, everyone is given an azimuth to shoot, then go to that location with all their gear. At the spot they do the event, shot a 2nd azimuth and repeat. eventually all end up at the main camp.

[oldisnewagain1]

Sometimes the Scouts have the best ideas. A venture crew in our area use to run the district events and the were the best ones I'd seen in years.

[oldisnewagain1]

Sometimes the Scouts have the best ideas. A venture crew in our area use to run the district events and the were the best ones I'd seen in years.

[TAHAWK]

We have had good luck in having the distict's SPLs/Crew Presidents meet as a committee to do the planning with the events to be sponsored by one or two troops.

 

The sponsoring troops describe the event, including rules, provide for event equipment, and staff the event at the camporee or klondike.

 

Two or three of the right sort of adults act as advisors resources and use questions to be sure the events are doable and the rules crystal clear.

 

The committee of SPLs elects the "SPL" for the Camporee or klondike. That SPL is responsible for follow-up to be sure the sponsoring units' preparation is on track (part of each written plan is progress points), is in charge of the colors ceremony Saturday morning, and the awards campfire Saturday night.

 

Maybe we've been lucky and people reserve the right to critique events, but there have been no major issues and attendance has been way up over what it was when a committee of adults selected and planned events and then begged and pleaded with troops to supply staffing. (Different troops running events AM vs. PM resulted is what were, in many respects, two different events due to different attitudes about judging. This caused a perception of unfairness, and pretty rough critiques at the meeting Saturday night.)

 

We start planning eleven months in advance. Two months sounds like punishment, proving that "No good deed goes unpunished."

[LeCastor]

Our district program committee met last week to plan the late-2015 and 2016 calendar year and I suggested moving the fall camporee from late-October to late-September. Based on the other things going on in the council and district, I think we are more likely to get Troops thinking about this particular camporee. (Yes, Stosh, I like the idea of registering Patrols rather than Troops, but we'll have to see how to make that work logistically; I'll work on that!)

 

I've got a meager budget based on 130 Scouts attending. Considering we had ~20 this past fall, I've got my work cut out for me! I love a good challenge, though. At roundtable last night I met with a young Scouter who has agreed to work with me as a co-chair for the event. We agreed that having three Scouts brainstorm a program is a good call. Then, we'll see if they want to have other Scouts run events. Personally, I believe the Scouts will like this idea. And the co-chair and I agreed that the OA chapter is an excellent place to start.

 

Thanks, all, for the great advice! Isn't Scouting awesome?!

 

LeCastor

[DuctTape]

No reason why the boys can't plan the entire camporee and included in that planning is finding adults to perform certain tasks.