Parent Orientation

[Scoutmaster Ron]

What do you or the units you serve do, if anything for the new Webelos parents. Do you use a manual to help parents get used to the new lingo? I would be interested in your success in this area as the troop I serve currently does not do anyting.

[BobM]

Our Troop has a new scout/parent orientation guide that we handout at our new parent orientation meeting that is held a couple of weeks after the new scouts join. One lesson learned from the last meeting was that we spent too much time on general scouting information (that is the history of scouting and our troop, BSA organization starting at the unit level and working up to national, those sort of things) and not enough on the "nuts and bolts" of our unit.

 

Some topics that I think are important to cover:

 

- unit organization (stressing of course boy-led)

- rank advancement process/expectations

- equipment needs

- summer camp

- health and safety/YPT

- volunteer opportunities/needs/requirements

 

Just a few off the top of my head, I don't have our last agenda handy.

[EagleInKY]

We provide a "parent's handbook" for the Webelos parents. We did this while the Webelos were visiting the troop meeting. It allowed the Webelos to participate in the troop setting and kept the parents a little more than arm's length away.

 

Our manual is centered around the aims of scouting, and how we implement it. There are a few "policy" type statements, but it's meant to be more informative/informational.

 

Looking back, I'm glad we did the intitial orientation early. However, I wish we had a second orientation closer to their crossover. They had forgotten most of what we went over.

[AggieScouter]

We have a Troop Manual, which is periodically updated, that contains a lot of info for new parents. We also have a new parent orientation meeting, which takes place shortly before the new scouts do their Arrow of Light. I developed a PowerPoint presentation for this meeting, which covers BSA & Troop history, the Patrol Method, advancement procedures, discipline procedures, Q&A, etc. In attendance are the Scoutmaster, the ASM in charge of the new boy patrol, the Committe Chair, Advancement Chair, Adult Training Chair, Memebership Chair, Committee Treasurer, and the Troop guides. The whole thng takes about 3-3.5 hours, but we do break for snacks & fellowship. We have found it to be very helpful and get a lot of positive feedback from the new parents.

[Shell in WA- USA]

Adding to the list above, we also talk about the adult's new role within the troop. For many Cub Parents, it a hard transition for them as well. We talk about the structure of the troop and why it's important to make it boy led and what that means. Also how the parents can help the boy transend to the boy leadership and where to direct their sons as question arise, etc.

 

We usually have a orientation for new parents in May or when a big "clump" cross over. And we have a troop guideline and handbook they can take with them.

 

The new boys get a "Boy" friendly version also of how the troop works and why it's boy led and the order of ranks they go through for questions or problems, etc.

[OneHour]

Our troop has a troop Policy and Procedure manual that we give to the new scouting family. It explains pretty much everything from the Troop's revenue to the Troop's discipline policy to merit badge process. We also hold a parents' orientation day where we conduct our brief scouting 101 to the new parents as well as introduce the junior leaders and the adult leaders. We also take the opportunity and get all paperworks fill out (Class 1 Health forms, Talent Survey, Merit Badge Counseling, Internet release form, adult health forms and application, etc.). We have different leaders manned the different sign up stations.

 

1Hour