Ready to walk away from scouting

[SSScout]

""The Work Is Done By Whoever Shows Up"".  The Institution Head and Charter Organization  Representative , whoever they are, have sway over the choice of Unit Leaders. 

1)   No one can deny access to the Committee meetings. Even the Committee Chair, which, now that I think about it, how was she chosen?  Did the IH and/or COR choose her?  Was she the ONLY one who raised her hand when the job was first discussed?  Was there any kind of election?  And hey, what if someone is  Not a listed Committee member?  Fill out a Adult Volunteer form, take it to your COR for signature, give him the check for dues, voila, you are a committee member. 

Now, basically, in our Troop and Pack, if you show up at the Committee meeting, you are , ipso facto, a committee member!  You help decide! You will be given responsibility for an event!  Don't show up?  you have no cause to complain. 

2) Make sure the IH and COR know who is the "Treasurer" of record.  The CO owns the Unit, legally, and the assets thereof.  They should know this.

3)  As has been said, concentrate on your Den.  Make sure the boys have the Scout fun you can provide them.  Get them dirty. Get them active. Go places. See things.  Earn awards.  Enlist the parents and make sure they get the Scout experience they deserve, too! 

4)  "In you spare time",  take training in other areas, take your Den parents with you.   Anyone can take the Cub Leader Specific training, not just the "CubMaster" types.   The education will be eye opening for them.   Oh, by the way, are your Pack and Den Leaders "fully trained?"   Just thought I'd ask.

5)  If you see the necessity and have the spare time (!!), take Wood Badge.  Take your other Den parents with you.  Yeah, it's time off work, but the money can be found thru Council Scholarships, Union scholarships, Church scholarships.... 

6)  The only way a Scout unit can go bust is if folks let it.  Is it worth the effort to try and save it?  Should you "abandon ship" and jump to a better run Pack?  Only you can decide that.   You and your spouse and Cub.   If he is having fun and learning some from the Cub program, that is all the impetus you need to do one of those two choices.   Your efforts will be an example for others , regardless.

 

I wish you and your family smooth trails.    Good Scouting to you ! 

Edited March 1, 2017 by SSScout

[Stosh]

When I was a DL we met twice a month as a Den, once a month as a Pack. I could care less what the Pack did. Their meetings were boring not put the kids to sleep...literally.

 

The Pack was useful for the camp outs and getting bling. Other than that, they did nothing. Everything was done at the Den level.

 

Yep, that's what happens in my Pack.

[blw2]

I will say this about the idea of den leaders not showing up to committee meetings or to support the pack generally...

While not part of the committee formally, I hoped our DL's would participate.  We were short staffed and needed all the help we could get....

folks to take on pack level events as chairperson

to get in the loop regarding prepping for the pack meetings  maybe take a roll in facilitating a skit

or even if for nothing more than to brainstorm

 

When I was CM and basically CC too, I had a few DL's that would barely if ever show up.  They ran their dens, for which i was thankful, although a few didn't meet nearly enough in my estimation.... but it really left us short handed.  A lot of things I wold like to do at the pack meetings either didn't get done or were very uncoordinated because folks were never available or participating in the planning

 

For what it's worth, I always looked at the DL's to be the hardest working scouters in the pack, and I really did try to shield them from taking on too much extra stuff, but I needed them too sometimes...and I ended up feeling abandoned on more than a few occasions.

[blw2]

When I was a DL we met twice a month as a Den, once a month as a Pack. I could care less what the Pack did. Their meetings were boring not put the kids to sleep...literally.

 

The Pack was useful for the camp outs and getting bling. Other than that, they did nothing. Everything was done at the Den level.

yeah, we went through many of those boring meetings too.  Some of mine I'm sure were too, but I really made effort to get the scouts up and having fun as often as possible.  I tried to move things from "announcements to the parents" to "let's recognize and then have some fun".

[Stosh]

I will say this about the idea of den leaders not showing up to committee meetings or to support the pack generally...

While not part of the committee formally, I hoped our DL's would participate.  We were short staffed and needed all the help we could get....

folks to take on pack level events as chairperson

to get in the loop regarding prepping for the pack meetings  maybe take a roll in facilitating a skit

or even if for nothing more than to brainstorm

 

When I was CM and basically CC too, I had a few DL's that would barely if ever show up.  They ran their dens, for which i was thankful, although a few didn't meet nearly enough in my estimation.... but it really left us short handed.  A lot of things I wold like to do at the pack meetings either didn't get done or were very uncoordinated because folks were never available or participating in the planning

 

For what it's worth, I always looked at the DL's to be the hardest working scouters in the pack, and I really did try to shield them from taking on too much extra stuff, but I needed them too sometimes...and I ended up feeling abandoned on more than a few occasions.

@@blw2

 

Here's the rub, the CC and CM dump all over the DL's and then wonder why they don't participate in the pack planning and activities and stick to themselves in the den activities..... I don't.

 

Over the years I have faced many situations like these mentioned on the forum.  Some to the point where I just walk away and never look back.  Did it to my first Boy Scout troop where my son was a scout, and when the politics took over my Venturing Crew I just walked away.  The Venturing Crew collapsed within 2 years as the people aged out and no one wanted to get involved with the hassles going on.  My first scout troop I walked away from is under new leadership and those who were causing the problems are now gone.  They were able to survive, but it got really ugly before it got better.

 

What people don't realize is the people in the trenches are all volunteers.  They are not captive audiences for one's own aggrandizement, they aren't getting paid, they are plenty busy enough anyway, and most of those to rise to CC or CM/SM positions are 1) in over the heads or 2) have an ego to soothe that promotes an unhealthy climate for the program.

 

Lemme see.  I can stay and put up with political bickering, arguing and ego posturing or I can go do something else more productive.  It's an easy choice for me.

 

I never volunteered for any position higher than SM in the BSA.  Too much "politickin'" going on up there. Yet in another organization I hold training on the "trenches" level as well as holding a lead position on the regional level.  Some of my activities have been on the national level.  I have training tomorrow because the regional people want me to take on a promotion to the supervisory level.  The training is free and they told me to take the organization's vehicle to the training 2 hours away instead of my personal vehicle.

 

Who out there gets that kind of treatment from the BSA?

[Col. Flagg]

Who out there gets that kind of treatment from the BSA?

 

I have similar experiences. If I volunteer above my unit I get ridden hard, put away wet and someone else takes all the credit. That's fine, I am not in it for the knots, silver furry animals or the accolades. But I don't go back for a second riding either. I'll stick with my unit...or use the time to binge watch Vikings!

[beaglelover]

Thanks for all the replies, gave us some things to think about.  Had been mostly thinking about the boys, but I understand and agree about the commit to the CO as well.  

 

Also, yes, have owned beagles as pets.  Super cute and great with everybody, kids included.  But they pretty much suck at obedience. 

[blw2]

yes Stosh, but I never tried to dump on the DL's... that was my point about protecting them...or trying to.  I just needed them there to coordinate things....like at the pack meeting so that the skits would run smoothly without the 5 minute dead time delay while the DL teaches his guys the skit on the fly and I stand there trying to do a song and dance because I had no idea they were going to need that.....  that sort of thing....

I have similar experiences. If I volunteer above my unit I get ridden hard, put away wet and someone else takes all the credit. That's fine, I am not in it for the knots, silver furry animals or the accolades. But I don't go back for a second riding either. I'll stick with my unit...or use the time to binge watch Vikings!

 

Yeah, i binged watched Vikings to the point they had up on amazon prime a few months back.   Good show!

 

What I'm doing now is starting to think through some backpacking trips and considering getting back into that.... if the scouts won't go, maybe I will!