Fishing for what scouts are interested in doing

[Buggie]

Okay.  I'm new.  It's a terrible disease that fades away over time. As I wait on the background check to complete (how many weeks does it take? The fostering parent background check took less time than this), I think of things, contemplate them, chew them around, review them, write them down to review much later once I've had the time to figure out what the troop does during the course of the year, and see how valid it is to bring up. 

One of the things that keeps popping up for me is from my son's experience in his troop. (I signed up for a different troop after he aged out and time finally permitted me to volunteer.) One of the issues they had at times was not identifying scouts who got stuck in an idle mode because they weren't sure what to do next, or who were nervous about some aspect and were avoiding it (like the swim check). I was thinking a good way would be for the PLs to meet with their patrol members on a periodic basis either singularly or by two's and ask questions to find out if the scouts want certain types of camping experiences, or if they were interested in a merit badge that could be of interest of others, or whatever have you.  That could highlight areas that the PLC could explore for their unit. And it could also provide some specific niche targeting where applicable to help a scout get started on an interest they weren't sure about how to proceed on.

I think identifying these things through a really small group will allow scouts who can be drowned out at times the chance to be heard more. Larger groups can certainly provide a lot of input once they start feeding on suggestions. 

What are some of the processes that have worked for your troops in identifying things that the scouts wanted to do either as a troop, patrol, or smaller scout group? 

And yes, my newness probably doesn't know if such a thing already exists in some sort of guidelines that I've not heard about yet. But from seeing my son's troop in action over the years, they may not know of it either. 

[MattR]

Hi Buggie. Welcome to the forum.

What you're describing is really the patrol method done right. The patrol leader should be talking to his patrol about what they need and then should make that happen. Should. Reality is often a bit different if the scouts don't know how to talk about what's bugging them, what they need, when's the last time they advanced, etc. So, they likely need some help learning how to do this if they've never done it before.

[ItsBrian]

The SPL should be doing everything you just said you wanted to do. Then the SPL brings the patrols ideas to the committee & SM to be approved and booked.

[Jameson76]

The planning for meetings and what they do at the meeting should be driven by the Scouts.  Typically a Greenbar meeting, plan the next month of meetings

For outings and events same drill but longer window of planning.  They determine what to do, what activities.  Obviously there are parameters such as cost, distance, special training.  Then you set the calendar and go.  Also be flexible and be ready to update and change things as the year progresses

[Buggie]

Thanks for the replies. 

Yah, I'm still watching and learning. With the troop I've recently joined, I've only been with them a few months so I'm looking for things and knowing that I've not been there long enough to see much of anything. Waiting on background check etc before I let them pull me into anything further (they are eager too), because I'm very process oriented for the sake of my sanity. I'm fine with dealing with changing climates as I work in that, but my personal mindset has processes and checklists as a way to keep things organize and to look before I leap. 

Most of my major concerns deal with a previous troop I'm familiar with as a scout parent so I'm using my experience there along with the training/experience now to percolate thoughts. It's night and day comparatively with how those two troops operate. The more I learn, the more I face-palm from what I've seen before. I'm extremely encouraged about what I've seen so far with the troop I'm with.