Setting Expectations For Volunteering And Managing Leader Tenure

[blw2]

great point @@qwazse, I guess I had that in the back of my mind all along... that every job or help isn't in the form of a wearing the uniform.

 

My thinking at the cub level is that everyone should be encouraged and feel welcome to help....maybe even required to help...... just as you described.

 

But My thinking on the thread was more about how to best start some of those "because it's always been done" habits or traditions for the uniformed jobs, so that teh expectations are there for parents to look forward too... and that would help manage burnout....

 

If it's always a Bear parent talking Assistant CM for example, grooming for CM the following year.... then the Wolf parents sorta know they need to let the right candidate float to the top in their group.....

 

Sadly I think I lost the effort in my group, with the recent coup and the "old guard" taking it back over for the time being.....

I think the future folks in my unit be stuck with uncertain futures saddled with the struggle to figure out whos going to do the job, burn-out, etc....

and saddled with the B&Gs that go on all day (that should be a whole other tread.... I could write a few thoughts on that one based on my experiences!)

 

I'm just hopeful that this thread will get some wheels turning and help others.  It has helped me to develop the idea a bit more, not fully I think, but it does seem like a nice potential ideal to have as a rule of thumb, and I'll be sure to put a bug in the ear of the next leaders, when the old guard finally let go of the unit and move on completely.

[DuctTape]

The earlier and earlier they keep pushing the web-bs crossover I think is misguided. I know requirements have changed, but as we often bemoan here, not all are for the better. I also understand the rationale of the troop wanting more time with the new scouts before camp. I remember when the new scouts didnt really start with the troop until the fall. They were a bit older, having completed the 5th grade and this gave them and the troop a full year of integration, campouts etc... before summer camp.

[Mom2a]

A neighboring pack has the system set up of DL for tiger and wolf year becomes the CM for bear and Webelos 1 year. Steps down at the end of the year to be a parent for their sons final year as a cub. They serve as ASCM during the wolf year to learn the job of CM. I am just finishing up year 2 as a CM and feel like I have just gotten things running smoothly. (I was a supportive parent observer for 2 years with son 1 and Tiger leader for son 2 before being asked to be cub master.). I get burned out by the end of every school year and need the break of summer when our activities slow to 2 a month. Burnout was much much less this year when I had finally learned to ask for help and step back to let those helpers to do the job. I make sure that any volunteer from committee member to a parent who helps at one meeting knows I am grateful for their help. I let my den leaders know they can vent to me anytime they feel frustrated.

[SeattlePioneer]

<<I over the years have come to agree with you that burnout is the leading problem with struggling units, especially Cub packs. Cub Scouts is too long and too complicated for the average volunteer to manage. I say it again with capitals for emphasis: CUB SCOUTS IS WAY TOO COMPLICATED AND WAY TOO LONG FOR THE AVEAGE VOLUNTEER TO MANAGE.>>

 

 

 

I agree.

 

 

<<. But the main objective is for the scouts to have fun. For that to happen, the adults have to enjoy what they are doing. So we build around making the program as fun for the adults as it is for the scouts. >>

 

 

 

Another great Cub Scouting Truth!

 

I like to say that I encourage leaders to do things they are GOOD at doing, or things they WANT to do.

 

That tends to make for a good den or pack program,  in my experience.

[pargolf44067]

Makes sense. I would say half of our troops SMs were not registered members in their pack. But, they didn't come forward for a troop job either. They were recruited (heels dragging) to be ASMs and eventually found the passion to be very good Scoutmasters.

 

And, I can think of three pack leaders (Eagles/SPL/OA during youth) who planned to be SM's when they joined the BSA in Tigers, but declined the SM gig a few years later because they had burned out. However, it wasn't do to a lack of warning by me. I actually insisted two of these guys not get involved at the pack level, and they still did. You just can fight passion and enthusiasm. They would have been great Scoutmasters. 

 

Barry

We had a dad who didn't get involved at the pack level.  His son and my son were in the same den.  He was an Eagle Scout (as were his brothers) but he let his wife be involved.  She was a DL and very involved at the pack.  The dad would come on pack campouts, and would help when needed, but otherwise let his wife do all the volunteering.  As soon as his son crossed into the troop, there he was volunteering to be an ASM, getting trained, going on campouts, including a high adventure.  He worked well with the boys.  He was also big into the sports side with both his son and daughter.  His son took more to sports and ultimately didn't end up getting his Eagle.  But this is a perfect example of him not wanting to get involved until Boy Scouts, because that is what he loved about scouting.  All the crafts and other non-outdoorsy stuff about Cub Scouts he wanted nothing to do with, but his wife was involved so there was family involvement at the pack.  Oh, his wife also helped my wife with organizing our annual family camp, so she stayed involved with the troop as well.

 

We had another dad that was the CM for the pack.  He was a true showman and loved the role.  When his son crossed into the troop, he said he would volunteer in some role, but wanted about a year to decompress.  At the beginning of the next calendar year he came to me and said he was ready to help and asked what I needed.  He really was not into the camping/outdoors part of scouts (although he did camp occasionally), but he was a great organizer, so he became our Outdoor Committee person and did a great job.

 

My point on both these stories is that we shouldn't expect the volunteers from the pack to step right in and volunteer for the troop because of the burnout that they get at the pack level.  As much as troop leadership can be very transitional due to the aging out of adults, the pack leadership is even more so because most adults really don't want to be involved at the pack level once their son is out, while there will be some crazy people (like me) that are willing to stay beyond the tenure of their sons in the troop.

[Gone]

 

My point on both these stories is that we shouldn't expect the volunteers from the pack to step right in and volunteer for the troop because of the burnout that they get at the pack level.  As much as troop leadership can be very transitional due to the aging out of adults, the pack leadership is even more so because most adults really don't want to be involved at the pack level once their son is out, while there will be some crazy people (like me) that are willing to stay beyond the tenure of their sons in the troop.

 

Perfect examples and ones which I think everyone can relate with. We usually give pack parents the year off, but we also recognize some "type A" parents cannot sit still for long, so we engage them.

 

I have found that successful troops begin the dialog early with ALL adults and let them pick what they LIKE to do and not focus on what is NEEDED to be done. You will eventually fill all the roles this way. Those who feel a sense of duty will take the roles needing to be done, whereas those who may be put off by taking a "needed" role will gladly fill a role they want to do.

Edited June 15, 2015 by Bad Wolf