New SPL. I need a little advise and help.

[Sandthecool12]

Hello, I'm new to this forum and sense I'm a new SPL and the SPLs before me haven't done much for the troop, I think, I hope y'all can help me. Sense I've started being an SPL about 4 weeks ago I've started doing PLCs because my troop have never done PLCs and I was hoping y'all can help me figure out how to plan it so it can be as efficiant as possible. I was also wondering if other people can come to the PLC such as instructors, OA rep, exc. right now i just have SM, SPL, ASPL, PL and scribe coming. Also is doing one camp out a month asking too much. That is all my questions right now thank you for reading this. 

 

-Sanders

[Sentinel947]

1 campout a month is perfect.

 

The positions you have coming to the PLC is perfect. If you need the other positions present to get things planned then invite them.

 

PLCs generally involve planning the next few months of outings, planning the next few months of meetings, and resolving any issues that might come up.

 

Best of luck to you! I was in your shoes before. SPL is a challenging but rewarding opportunity.

[Stosh]

Welcome to the forum @Sandthecool12.  I generally have hand small troops, but when my troop grew to 4 patrols, the boys decided to have an SPL.  ....but the boys diidn't have a PLC...... so I can't help you there.  The SPL did a fantastic job of leading, but left the management of the patrols to the PL's.   

Edited April 24, 2017 by Stosh

[qwazse]

Welcome!

When there is only one patrol in a troop, the SPL can be redundant.

But in general the SPL's goal is to support each PL as he does his job.

So key questions to ask are:

What do you want to do?

What do you need to do it?

 

It sounds like you've asked those questions, and you think some of those other people have answers for you, so yes invite them. But, it could be that they have something the entire troop should hear (like a special event or service event or service project), in which case you put them on the troop meeting's agenda.

 

There is are two books:

Senior patrol Leader's Handbook,

Troop Leadership Training Course.

 

Have you read them?

[KenD500]

I definitely recommend the Sr Patrol Leader's Handbook.  It has a standard PLC meeting agenda to aid you.

 

If possible, find your local National Youth Leader Training (NYLT) course to attend.

[MattR]

Sanders, that's really great that you want to do a good job. As others have said, the SPL handbook is a good place to start.

 

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that you are responsible for the calendar. That's a big part of what the PLC meetings are about. You shouldn't just decide what it is but help the PLC decide. I'd suggest you talk to your SM about what servant leadership means. With that in mind, focus on qwazse's question of what do you want to do? What does the rest of the PLC want to do? What would make your troop a better troop? More fun? New skills? More just hanging out with friends? More service? More scouts?

 

If the previous SPLs have not done much then my guess is your troop is just cruising along and likely doing the same old thing over and over. One thing that's really hard for scouts to do is understand that they can do something different. One thing you should think about is doing a review of your previous calendar. Ask the PLC what they really liked, what they'd like to do more of, what they didn't like. It would be great if the PL did this with his patrol as well.

 

So, to answer your original question, the first meetings of the PLC should be about figuring out what the calendar will be. Often that's a long meeting or even a campout. Once you have your calendar figured out then each PLC meeting is figuring out the details.

 

Good luck and let us know how it works out, both good and bad.

[Sandthecool12]

Hey y'all thank you for the feed back. To answer some of y'all's questions. I have seen the SPL hand book before when my brother was SPL but I can't find it. Yet one of the old SPL's has it and is giving it to me. I will read it front to back to help me. Thank you for suggesting it. And I've never read or seen Troop Leadership Training course qwazse. I'll look for it. KenD500 I've gone to NYLT before and loved it. It has been almost a year and I will be going to NAYLE this year and I'm very excited about that. And finally MattR thanks for the questions to ponder. I will defiantly do the calendar thing. I think that would be a great idea to get ideas for camp outs.

 

I have another question for someone to answer. My troop as relatively small we have 2 patrols. I was hoping before my "Term" is up i was hoping to get 1 new scout patrol. To do that I need to invite people to come. But i have to ask. What has been y'all's most efficient way your troop have invited people to come to the meeting for example invite friends, go door to door, hand out flier, have an "Open House" exc. Thank you

 

-Sanders

[Col. Flagg]

Hey y'all thank you for the feed back. To answer some of y'all's questions. I have seen the SPL hand book before when my brother was SPL but I can't find it. Yet one of the old SPL's has it and is giving it to me. I will read it front to back to help me. Thank you for suggesting it. And I've never read or seen Troop Leadership Training course qwazse. I'll look for it. KenD500 I've gone to NYLT before and loved it. It has been almost a year and I will be going to NAYLE this year and I'm very excited about that. And finally MattR thanks for the questions to ponder. I will defiantly do the calendar thing. I think that would be a great idea to get ideas for camp outs.

 

I have another question for someone to answer. My troop as relatively small we have 2 patrols. I was hoping before my "Term" is up i was hoping to get 1 new scout patrol. To do that I need to invite people to come. But i have to ask. What has been y'all's most efficient way your troop have invited people to come to the meeting for example invite friends, go door to door, hand out flier, have an "Open House" exc. Thank you

 

• SPL handbook can be purchased at your Scout Shop. If you look online you can find it in pdf format.
• TLT or Troop Leader Training has been replaced by ILST. It essentially goes over the role of each position and what they do in the troop. It does not do much to cover the Patrol Method.
• Try the new Troop Leader website. The Program Features helps you plan camp outs and troop meetings. Essentially gives you a template for these events. Program Resources gives you the games, skills and other things that you can use to fill in your meetings and events.

Your Scoutmaster should be leading the training for all Scouts using ILST. If he isn't, share these resources with him and sit down and figure out together how you can use these resources. Share with your PLC. Teach your PLs how to use these tools and jointly develop meetings and camp out plans together.

 

Use these and you will make your life easier.

[Sandthecool12]

Thank you for that Col. Flagg

[qwazse]

Sorry for the senior moment, I meant ILST. But really, that's a second priority. It's not really for yourself. It's a course that you would use to train the youth leaders in your troop some weekend. Think of it as a pre-NYLT.

 

As far as recruiting, the guys that stick in a troop are usually the ones who manage to come camping with you all. The main thing that you want to do is try to make sure every boy in your community has been invited some way to join your troop.

 

For Webelos in the area, that usually means sending one of your guys to be their den chief. That should have already happened if you want to garner the most from this years class of cross-overs.

 

For older boys, that means a personal invite. The best are when you can help hold an assembly in your middle school(s). Then you and your fellow scouts try to meet and remember the names of every boy in attendance. Same thing goes for if you march in a parade or raise the colors in a sporting event. Stay in uniform afterword, if you see some friends your age, invite them to hang with you and get an ice cream or something. 4th point = friendly.

 

That doesn't always work, but if there's ice cream involved, who cares? 8th point = cheerful.

 

Like I always told my kids, go out, be safe, talk to strangers.

Edited April 24, 2017 by qwazse

[KenD500]

Most effective way we've found to get new people is peer to peer.  Word of mouth from Scouts to their friends and parents to other parents.

 

2nd most effective way - Den Chief in one of the local Packs.

[blw2]

whenever I see mention of ILST, I think of this post

http://scoutmastercg.com/fifteen-minute-patrol-leader-training/

 

Now this was obviously written to the audience of an Adult Scout Master....but I wouldn't think there would be any harm in a SPL taking a look

 

Actually, that web site has a huge amount of great information you could look through, that you might find helpful.