New WEBELOS/AOL Program - Which option are you doing?

[fred johnson]

... can someone give (or point me to) a brief description (hmm' date=' where have I heard that recently, oh yes, in a thread under Advancement) of what the change to the Webelos program is? Or is a change to the entire Cub Scout program? [/quote']

 

... BSA presentation ... BSA updates web page

 

From what I've seen, it's the biggest changes in the program ever. Lots of good changes. Lots of changes that some people like and others dislike. Overall, I think the changes are very very good.

 

BUT ... it doesn't solve many of the fundamental issues. faith program or civic program. Program starting way to young (1st grade, Kindergarten in some areas). Way too repetitive and it still is way too repetitive. Requires too much adult effort.

[blw2]

you know, now that you mention it... you're right. It does require way too much adult effort. Seems like almost everything is like pulling teeth... at least in my pack. Should be easier than this.....

[Eagle94-A1]

http://www.scouting.org/Home/programupdates.aspx

 

These are the biggest changes to theCub Scout program in over 40 years, and probably longer.

 

In a nutshell

 

All ranks will require 7 "Adventures" that consist of 2 den meetings, 1 activity, and a pack meeting to get recognized. Each adventure will be either a belt loop (T-W-B) or Pin ( Webelos). The Webelos badge is no longer required for AOL. Some requirements for the adventures working with other dens, visiting a pack committee meeting, etc. More outdoor activities including Camping.

[Sidney Porter]

Each level will have 7 achievements which is suppose to take 3 meetings each. I think that is a piece that people have not talked about. a lot of packs aim for B&G to obtain rank. I think it is going to be harder to reach the milestone in that time frame (which isn't really a bad thing). Sept - Mar would be 7 month, this assumes you have 3 meetings in Nov and in Dec. I think a lot of units have fewer den meetings those 2 months. So I think rank is going to be obtained for most in the April time frame. I am interested in how the packs handle this. Are they going to try to move B&G, are they going to have 2 large event or will one of them become low key.

 

The other big change is the activity belt loops and pins are going away. (The achievements will now be loops and pins for the Web / AOL).

 

AOL can be reached w/o Web to help with 5th grade recruitment.

 

I beleive there is a goal to have more outdoor requirements.

[Eagle94-A1]

Blue and Gold should be in February as thatis Scout Anniversary Month. But I know some units push it back to March since December is essentially a loss with Christmas holidays.

 

Biggest concern the leaders at my RT is Crossover in the December through March timeframe. According to the literature out so far, You cannot start on AOL badge until after June 1st prior to 5th grade. All of our packs start working on AOL requirements simoultaneosly with the Webelos badge. And as soon as they finish Webelos badge, they then work on AOL exclusively. So we have Cub Scouts crossing over to Boy Scouts in December through March.

 

But the 7 months to earn rank, combined with the facts A) that all of the packs I've been familiar with over the past 32 years do not have a formal summer program (only 2 had any type of summer program) ; B) Most packs don't meet during the Christmas and other holidays; and C) you cannot start work on the AOL badge until 5th grade we have some leaders extremely concerned. Predictions are that we won't have them finished AOL until May, and htey won't be ready for summer camp.

[Fehler]

There are requirements for camping at younger levels (attend a camp for Wolf, camp overnight for Bear). This will be hard to accomplish, unless councils/districts have more Cub Scout-level camporees in the Fall/Spring.

[Eagle94-A1]

Fehler,

 

Are the campouts something the packs can do on their own? I haven't read all of the requirements yet.

 

ALSO I do know that for those units that cannot camp, specifically LDS packs but maybe a few others, the information being given to RT commissioners is that Troops can do day activities that do the camping activitities, i.e. campfire, cooking, etc. instead. Also said that family camping would meet the requirements too.

 

So I'm assuming, and you know what can happen when you AsUMe , that that option will be available for everyone.

[Sidney Porter]

Are there that many units that do not camp? I assume that all district run some type of resident camping in the summer. It is not hard to put on a some family camping in the fall or spring up north depending on where you are in the south winter might be the best time to camp. Plus a lot of zoo's, and sports teams have scout night where you can camp either on the field or in the park this might not be the best camping experience but it exposes the scout to sleeping in a tent. A lot of the program is taken care of with those.

 

When we were in FL our unit gave the following opportunities to camp

Zoo, minor leage baseball, NFL football, NASCAR track

Resident camp, district fall camping

4 family camping

Plus Webelos usually had a Webelos camping and camp with 2 different troops

 

In Oh we have

2 family camping

Resident camp x2 (we market 2 different councils to allow for scheduling conflicts but scouts typically would only go to one)

Zoo, minor league baseball

Webelos can have den camping and 1 of the troops puts on a good camping experience for them

 

In hindsite I realize that our FL pack was the exception but I thought our Ohio unit was pretty common.

[Eagle94-A1]

SP,

 

You'd be surprised. In my neck of the woods, there is still the mentality that 'Cubs don't need to camp." Yep heard that from a 4 bead WB21C SM, Vigil Honor member of the council camping committee. So Cub Scouts is an afterthought.

 

Give you an example. Since 2010, there has been a "Cub World" with Cub Specific activities and camping area that has been held in conjunction with the council's Boy Scout camporee. I don't remember ever getting the Cub World info at the same time as the camporee info. Reason being that that not much emphasis is placed on the Cub event. With the exception of the 2010 event, it has lacked professional and volunteer support as all emphasis has been placed on camporee. Cub world chief has begged and pleaded for additional help and resources to no avail.

 

Another example was a Cub Scout event in the fall. It was an epic fail due to lack of council support. Heck people are still waiting on the patches for the event! When folks inquired about them, were told sorry, the company they ordered the patches from shut down, and since the event was last year, the books are closed so no patches. Only public shaming on facebook got the council to finally order the patches 5 months later.

 

As for Cub Scout resident camp, it too is an afterthought. While camp promotions focus on Boy Scout summer camp, none is done for ub Scout resident camp. In fact most of the time the information on resident camp comes AFTER Memorial Day, when most packs in this area close down for the summer. As for staffing, from the accounts I've been told, the summer camp staff are not enthused about working with the Cubs. They try and get volunteers who should be working directly with the Cub Scouts to run events. As for activities with the exception of the climbing wall and staying in tents, it's day camp revisited.

[Mr Steve]

NJCubScouter - you might find the answer to your questions here http://www.scouting.org/filestore/program_update/pdf/Cub%20Adventure%20Program%20FAQs.pdf

 

Also, check out all the information on the program update page

 

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/programupdates.aspx

 

I went to the training and feel the new program is better than the current one. More active, more doing stuff... less passive, less describe...

[Faith]

SO' date=' I'm wonder what others are planning at this point. Most folks around here at round table etc. are reserving comment.... I get that, but which way are you leaning?[/quote']

 

I will be a Webelos leader come June 1st, so we of course are going with the new program. The den leader ahead of me is sticking to the old program. She said pretty much what Eagle94-A1 said (#1 & #2) as her reasoning behind it. I, however, am excited for the new program.