KentuckyScouter Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 So, This summer my daughter will be the first female SPL for NYLT in our council. I was wondering how many other councils have broken this barrier? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberSchiff Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 (edited) Welcome to scouter.com This should be an interesting first topic. Edited May 11, 2017 by RememberSchiff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back Pack Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 (edited) So, This summer my daughter will be the first female SPL for NYLT in our council. I was wondering how many other councils have broken this barrier? We've had a few. They run things just like they do their crew. Giving that Venturing is more focused on project and event planning as part of rank advancement, Venturers are usually best prepared to run such events. All staff should have gotten plenty of training prior to the course starting. The biggest issue is understanding and teaching the patrol method. Edited May 11, 2017 by Back Pack 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwazse Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 (edited) @@KentuckyScouter, welcome to the forums! And congratulations to your daughter. You should be proud. However, among seasoned venturers, she's no novelty. We routinely push our venturers into leadership and service, so NYLT is a natural draw for many of them. Since at that level, the odds of a venturer being of either sex are about even, and the odds of finding venutrers on NYLT staff are high if even only a couple crews in your council are functioning as they ought, it is more than likely that a female NYLT SPL will turn up from time to time. Are you sure this is the first time this has happened in your council? @Back Pack is correct. Unless she is from a small crew, or a large crew that operates small "activity committees", the patrol method will have only been a theoretical construct. She will have to sell it without ever having tried the product for several years continuously. But, unfortunately, that's not unlike scouts from many of our troops these days. Edited May 11, 2017 by qwazse 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle94-A1 Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 1) WELCOME TO DA FORUMS! 2) I thought NLYT no longer uses the terms SM, SPL, etc since the program,includes not only Boy Scouts, but also Sea Scouts and Venturers? 3) Can Explorers now do NYLT? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Flagg Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 However, among seasoned venturers, she's no novelty. We routinely push our venturers into leadership and service, so NYLT is a natural draw for many of them. Since at that level, the odds of a venturer being of either sex are about even, and the odds of finding venutrers on NYLT staff are high if even only a couple crews in your council are functioning as they ought, it is more than likely that a female NYLT SPL will turn up from time to time. I think all but one of the new national VOA are girls. The website hasn't quite caught up to social media just yet. We had a new girl join our crew. She's just turned 14 and she's already Pres and running the crew as if she'd been in Venturing for 5 years! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdidochas Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 So, This summer my daughter will be the first female SPL for NYLT in our council. I was wondering how many other councils have broken this barrier? Why isn't she the Crew President? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwazse Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 Why isn't she the Crew President? @@perdidochas, as an advisor, I have no problem with venturers working their crew using the patrol method. I have had problems with boy scouts working their troop using a club method. I don't know if it's the age range, mixing of sexes, or something cultural, but the propensity for boy scouts to sit on their hands when someone else steps in to work is much higher than with venturers. The PM makes those boys more responsible for the working of things. So, for NYLT, the lingua franca of the patrol structure is a better option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJCubScouter Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 (edited) Welcome to the forum, KentuckyScouter! I have never heard of this, but then again I wouldn't know who the staffers of our council NYLT troops are. (When my son did NYLT I don't think Venturers had been included in NYLT yet.) It sounds to me like a natural result of including Venturers in the NYLT program. It is kind of amusing that, due to the terminology used at NYLT, a young woman can hold a title that she wouldn't be able to hold in the program on which the NYLT staff structure is modeled. Congratulations to your daughter! Edited May 11, 2017 by NJCubScouter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumbymaster Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 Congratulations on her achievement. As for how common and where, this is all a matter of the local culture. In the White Stag leadership development program (they offer a program very similar to NYLT but run by venturing posts not council), this is not at all uncommon over the last 30-50+ years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JosephMD Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 When my son took NYLT the SPL was a female. I don't think he noticed. National Capital Area Council Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HulkSmash Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 I can speak from experience. I know this is my first post but I was curious how people felt on this topic as I searched the internet. I am the current Scoutmaster/Course Director for my council's NYLT course for 2017 and 2018. We run two years as Scoutmaster and two years as advisor. Last year when I was over program it was obvious who the most qualified person was for SPL and that was one of my female staffers. We had a male SPL at that time and he did an absolutely amazing job. For 2017 I put her in place (as well as a number of other females as guides and such) and she knocked it out of the park. This year I will have another female but only because when I look at qualifications and who's heart is truly in the program that's what makes the most sense. It doesn't hurt that I have young ladies who have staffed multiple NAYLE courses, sit on the VOA and hold regional leadership positions that help them to be the leaders they are. To me we should be gender blind and pick the candidate who is most qualified to bring the best program to the youth. We preach diversity in both Wood Badge and NYLT so I see it as just another way we live the values we are teaching. Unfortunately there are those that do not feel that way. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwazse Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 I know this is my first post but I was curious how people felt on this topic ... Last year when I was over program it was obvious who the most qualified person was for SPL and that was one of my female staffers. We had a male SPL at that time and he did an absolutely amazing job. For 2017 I put her in place (as well as a number of other females as guides and such) and she knocked it out of the park. This year I will have another female ... Welcome to the forum @@HulkSmash! The biggest practical concern that folks here may have (that may or may not come with underlying opinions about sex and development) is the level of experience implementing the patrol method. With a Boy Scout's resume that experience is measured straightforwardly by years in a patrol, as a patrol leader, as SPL, etc ... What about your female staffers' experience do you take as equivalent to the patrol method ... or what about her performance did you decide could be translated into being a guide to nascent PL/SPLs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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