Starting a New Troop

[hemispheres]

Hi,

 

I'm one of five ASMs from a very large troop.  We're looking to branch off with 10-15 scouts to start a new troop.  We have a couple of community centers that are interested in chartering us.  We also have 3-5 parents that are interested in being committee members.

 

Question to you adult leaders out there who have started new troops.  How quickly were you able to get your troops up and running?  How much time between filling out initial BSA paperwork to first campout / troop meeting?

 

Thanks! 

[Stosh]

You are starting out miles ahead of where I started.  2-3 boys, no gear but a good CO.  After 4 years we are up to a small handful of boys, a bit of equipment (all hand-me-downs) and yet the boys are doing well.  We make it to camp every year and it only costs the boys $50 each, the rest is raised with popcorn and other fundraqisers.

 

I started out with nothing more than a "section" of town that "needed" a scout troop.  We are surrounded by 5 other troops, all stretching into the section.  It is a economically depressed area of town.

 

We've been at it for 5+ years now.  (The in years is because the first year or so we ran the program without being a registered troop because we didn't have 5 boys to form the troop.

 

The hardest part is when my boys go to a district/council/summer camp event, they see the trailers, the new equipment, the matching tents, the fancy this and that, it's quite a bummer for them, but they soldier on anyway. 

 

The other 5 troops still tend to raid any feeder packs that could offer more boys that they have traditionally fed from and it's hard to recruit boys to a new troop verses an Eagle Mill, well entrenched program that tend to be generally adult run.  We pick up most of our boys from the neighborhood that haven't had a Cub experience.  Even the boys from the pack of our CO don't often join because they get lured away with the razzle dazzle of and easier scouting experience.  It is difficult not having older boys in the troop.

 

So even though I, too, started a new troop, the dynamics are far different than what you are starting with.

 

Best of luck with your new troop!

Edited July 29, 2017 by Stosh

[qwazse]

If everyone's on board with training, start-up should go quickly.

One piece of advice. Pick a meeting night different an the ones of your adjacent troops.

[RememberSchiff]

@@hemispheres  welcome to scouter.com

[Stosh]

Oops, missed that.... @hemispheres Welcome to the forum and best of luck with your new troop.

[hemispheres]

@@hemispheres  welcome to scouter.com

 

Thanks, Schiff!

[Eagle94-A1]

1) WELCOME TO DA FORUMS!

 

2) Paperwork can vary. When I was a DE, I had a pack that took about 3 weeks from start to finish with paperwork. A year later, the troop's paperwork took less than 2 weeks! Another pack I worked on took about 3 months.

 

3) They key will be getting your troop functioning. Depending upon the guys you have starting up, it can take a short time, or a few years.  Troop I'm currently with is about 7 years old. We are finally getting to a good point in my opinion. But we still have a ways to go too.

 

4) Good Luck.

[hemispheres]

1) WELCOME TO DA FORUMS!

 

2) Paperwork can vary. When I was a DE, I had a pack that took about 3 weeks from start to finish with paperwork. A year later, the troop's paperwork took less than 2 weeks! Another pack I worked on took about 3 months.

 

3) They key will be getting your troop functioning. Depending upon the guys you have starting up, it can take a short time, or a few years.  Troop I'm currently with is about 7 years old. We are finally getting to a good point in my opinion. But we still have a ways to go too.

 

4) Good Luck.

Thanks Eagle94!

[hemispheres]

If everyone's on board with training, start-up should go quickly.

One piece of advice. Pick a meeting night different an the ones of your adjacent troops.

Thanks qwazse!

[hemispheres]

You are starting out miles ahead of where I started.  2-3 boys, no gear but a good CO.  After 4 years we are up to a small handful of boys, a bit of equipment (all hand-me-downs) and yet the boys are doing well.  We make it to camp every year and it only costs the boys $50 each, the rest is raised with popcorn and other fundraqisers.

 

I started out with nothing more than a "section" of town that "needed" a scout troop.  We are surrounded by 5 other troops, all stretching into the section.  It is a economically depressed area of town.

 

We've been at it for 5+ years now.  (The in years is because the first year or so we ran the program without being a registered troop because we didn't have 5 boys to form the troop.

 

The hardest part is when my boys go to a district/council/summer camp event, they see the trailers, the new equipment, the matching tents, the fancy this and that, it's quite a bummer for them, but they soldier on anyway. 

 

The other 5 troops still tend to raid any feeder packs that could offer more boys that they have traditionally fed from and it's hard to recruit boys to a new troop verses an Eagle Mill, well entrenched program that tend to be generally adult run.  We pick up most of our boys from the neighborhood that haven't had a Cub experience.  Even the boys from the pack of our CO don't often join because they get lured away with the razzle dazzle of and easier scouting experience.  It is difficult not having older boys in the troop.

 

So even though I, too, started a new troop, the dynamics are far different than what you are starting with.

 

Best of luck with your new troop!

Thanks for the info, Stosh!

[mashmaster]

Welcome to the forum.

 

I recently did exactly what you are doing in January.  It took us 2 months from the start.  Feel free to PM me if you'd like to discuss specifics about the whole process.  It was very successful for us but there issues that you will have to deal with.  

[sst3rd]

hemispheres,

 

    One thing I'll say about how "not" to start a new troop: don't become inactive during the summer. Continue to meet every week. A small local troop I helped resurrect several years ago, got all new adult leaders this past winter, as well as 10 AOL graduates. I got things going for the COR (a friend of mine) with a defined time limit. All was well and this past winter these new leaders showed up from the Pack. All very enthusiastic. My COR friend said they got their training, and there was an Eagle Scout among them. The new SM was retired military and knew everything about scouts, etc.. And she was going to ride herd on them. I was to turn over the troop's camping equipment when they were ready for their first camping trip (which I encouraged to be as soon as possible). Summer is almost gone. I've attended a few meetings to move gear to them. No camping trips lined up yet. They've spent the summer piggy backing on the Cub Scout meetings which happen just before the troop's meetings. The SM would still be working with the Cubs (he's the CM, I don't know why) well into the troop's meetings. His leaders have not been trained to execute their program, etc.. All I can do is stand by. My COR and now troop CC friend, thinks everything is great! In June, they decided to go to a modified meeting schedule for the summer. They decided to meet the second and fourth Monday of each month. I told them it was a bad idea, but the Cubs were going to that meeting schedule, and since there were a lot of brothers and parents with boys in both units...........................................it made sense to them. Now August, the next meeting will have been three weeks from the last meeting in July. This is a deal breaker for me. They might as well start completely over, as the scouts have completely forgotten about boy scout meetings??????? When?????? I don't want to go, I'm bored.

 

I feel much better now. Thank you.

 

sst3rd

[hemispheres]

hemispheres,

 

    One thing I'll say about how "not" to start a new troop: don't become inactive during the summer. Continue to meet every week. A small local troop I helped resurrect several years ago, got all new adult leaders this past winter, as well as 10 AOL graduates. I got things going for the COR (a friend of mine) with a defined time limit. All was well and this past winter these new leaders showed up from the Pack. All very enthusiastic. My COR friend said they got their training, and there was an Eagle Scout among them. The new SM was retired military and knew everything about scouts, etc.. And she was going to ride herd on them. I was to turn over the troop's camping equipment when they were ready for their first camping trip (which I encouraged to be as soon as possible). Summer is almost gone. I've attended a few meetings to move gear to them. No camping trips lined up yet. They've spent the summer piggy backing on the Cub Scout meetings which happen just before the troop's meetings. The SM would still be working with the Cubs (he's the CM, I don't know why) well into the troop's meetings. His leaders have not been trained to execute their program, etc.. All I can do is stand by. My COR and now troop CC friend, thinks everything is great! In June, they decided to go to a modified meeting schedule for the summer. They decided to meet the second and fourth Monday of each month. I told them it was a bad idea, but the Cubs were going to that meeting schedule, and since there were a lot of brothers and parents with boys in both units...........................................it made sense to them. Now August, the next meeting will have been three weeks from the last meeting in July. This is a deal breaker for me. They might as well start completely over, as the scouts have completely forgotten about boy scout meetings??????? When?????? I don't want to go, I'm bored.

 

I feel much better now. Thank you.

 

sst3rd

Thanks for the info, sst3rd!  We have a verbal from the COR.  Starting the paperwork process now.  Our goal is to have our 1st troop meeting on 9/18!  First campout shortly thereafter.  Fingers crossed!

[mashmaster]

Thanks for the info, sst3rd!  We have a verbal from the COR.  Starting the paperwork process now.  Our goal is to have our 1st troop meeting on 9/18!  First campout shortly thereafter.  Fingers crossed!

Good luck!!!!

[hemispheres]

Good luck!!!!

thanks Mash!