New girls in Scouting

[Setonfan]

National as of today has registered another 7,000 girls this week, taking the total to 32,000+.  Maybe the surveys were more accurate than some have speculated.  Seems they have called the market accurately.  

[skeptic]

Good early report, but far too early to make any real judgments on the results.  On the other hand, this does not surprise me personally, as I was one of those that had heard a chorus of why not my daughter or sister for years.  Maybe I just have a better ear, or maybe it will fade out with time.  But, locally, we are having a lot of early discussion about the next group next year, and it is mostly positive for the moment, other than those for whom change is simply not acceptable.. 

[sst3rd]

I would expect good fall numbers for girls joining Packs from our school night recruitment programs.

My concern is if a bunch of girls join our pack that become AOL scouts and then expect to join the associated troop next winter/spring/summer. There is currently a boy Scout, BSA troop. As I've been mentoring/training the new SM, we can barely staff the adult positions. If the church wishes to have girls in the scout troop, I'll explain the new BSA program offering. Unless the church can find all new leadership for the new girl Scout, BSA troop, it ain't going to happen. The current pack/troop adult leadership are the parents who are there to support their sons. Once I've explained the separate girls Scout, BSA troop, they understood. They get to keep their pack/troop just for their boys. If, however, the church demands a program for girls, there's going to be a problem. 

There are no other troops nearby. Sounds like fun?????

sst3rd

[Eagle1993]

9 hours ago, sst3rd said:

 

My concern is if a bunch of girls join our pack that become AOL scouts and then expect to join the associated troop next winter/spring/summer. 

Will the Church Troop committee be willing to have a linked Troop if the girls Troop can find their leadership?  That could help.

If you have girls join I would explain the situation and encourage their parents to help be founders of a girls Troop.  Perhaps you and the SM could give some guidance.  If there are <5 AOL girls then they would need to recruit more (AOL or older) to form the Troop.  You may have a parent or two really energetic about this.  Regardless, I would definitely let them know about the Troop situation before registering as Cub Scouts.

 

 

Edited September 22, 2018 by Eagle1993
Spelling

[qwazse]

10 hours ago, sst3rd said:

... My concern is if a bunch of girls join our pack that become AOL scouts and then expect to join the associated troop ... Unless the church can find all new leadership for the new girl Scout, BSA troop, it ain't going to happen. .... Sounds like fun????? ...

I can assure you that top on the list of unpleasant crew advisor experiences is telling a half-dozen gun-ho girls that we lack the requisite female adults for them to join our expedition. These girls rightly trusted the male adult leaders, so the sense of the YPT rule was completely lost on them.

On the other hand, they found (strong-armed) a female leader for the next weekend. I was quite proud of them for the rebound.

I can only imagine this being replayed for clusters of girls throughout the country. If you've got a dozen like that, put it on them -- not church, nor troop committee -- to find the woman (and possibly a second) of integrity and dedication who will train as their SM/ASM.

It's old school (with just a little more paperwork): form your patrol first, find your leaders second.

[sst3rd]

Those are good thoughts, thanks both Eagle1993 and qwazse. 

We should be having our "school night for scouting" (cub scouts only) in the next week or two, so decisions need to be made soon.

This new scoutmaster is doing a great job, but she was under the mistaken impression that co-ed boy scout troops started this fall. I showed her the program for separate troops and she understood. She and the parents want to keep a boys scout troop. I told them that they can, but what to do with upcoming girls from the pack??????  I would not recommend "linked" troops as this group is already stretched too thin. We're working on recruiting more adult leaders for both the pack and troop.

 

thanks again,

 

sst3rd

[FireStone]

We had a good turnout at our recruitment night, but still a lot of siblings in attendance who aren't joining. I spoke to a family of 4 kids, all scouting age, and only the 1 boy was joining, his 3 older sisters were not. 

One of our Den Leaders with a daughter told me she doesn't want to join. 

We did have a lot of interest among girls for the Lions program, and a few Tigers. But it doesn't look like families who already had boys in the Pack are getting their daughters to sign up so easily. 

So while I'm encouraged by the overall numbers, I suspect it's still a lot of mixed reactions and interest levels on a local basis.

[NJCubScouter]

On 9/22/2018 at 3:17 PM, sst3rd said:

I would not recommend "linked" troops as this group is already stretched too thin. We're working on recruiting more adult leaders for both the pack and troop.

This whole thing, at the Boy-Scout-age level, is not going to  work unless and until the parents and other relatives of the girls who want to join, including mothers and other female relatives, step up to plate to become SM's and ASM's for the girl troops.  That is true regardless of whether it is a linked or standalone girls troop.  (I have said that I would be happy to be on a "linked committee" and to serve as Advancement Chair for both troops.  But I would not want our SM or ASM's to be involved with the other troop, beyond maybe one person to service as liaison between the "uniformed leaders" of each unit, because their Scouting time should be undivided.)  And I think the BSA knows that this is only going to work with a substantial number of new leaders dedicated to the girls troops.  My council is running a new training program this fall specifically for new SM's and ASM's who have never been involved in Scouting before.  That can't be a coincidence.

[Eagledad]

32 minutes ago, NJCubScouter said:

This whole thing, at the Boy-Scout-age level, is not going to  work unless and until the parents and other relatives of the girls who want to join, including mothers and other female relatives, step up to plate to become SM's and ASM's for the girl troops.  That is true regardless of whether it is a linked or standalone girls troop.  (I have said that I would be happy to be on a "linked committee" and to serve as Advancement Chair for both troops.  But I would not want our SM or ASM's to be involved with the other troop, beyond maybe one person to service as liaison between the "uniformed leaders" of each unit, because their Scouting time should be undivided.)  And I think the BSA knows that this is only going to work with a substantial number of new leaders dedicated to the girls troops.  My council is running a new training program this fall specifically for new SM's and ASM's who have never been involved in Scouting before.  That can't be a coincidence.

Yep, and it supports my deepest concerns of inexperienced adults leading the program. I can't see it going any direction other than Advancement based Eagle Mill camping programs. 

Barry

[Hawkwin]

2 hours ago, Eagledad said:

Yep, and it supports my deepest concerns of inexperienced adults leading the program. I can't see it going any direction other than Advancement based Eagle Mill camping programs. 

Barry

As I have come to learn, "experienced" scouters can come with their own bad habits and baggage.

While you can see it only going one way, I have the utmost hope, and even expectation, that this is a golden opportunity to train the biggest generation of new scouters we have ever seen. Even if there is some failure in that process, some of the greatest scouters we have ever had will be joining our ranks in the next 24 months. I can't see it going any other way.

[Eagledad]

12 minutes ago, Hawkwin said:

As I have come to learn, "experienced" scouters can come with their own bad habits and baggage.

While you can see it only going one way, I have the utmost hope, and even expectation, that this is a golden opportunity to train the biggest generation of new scouters we have ever seen. Even if there is some failure in that process, some of the greatest scouters we have ever had will be joining our ranks in the next 24 months. I can't see it going any other way.

I know, but I'm basing my concern completely from the observation of bringing in female troop leaders. If one doesn't know, how can one get there? Observations show that one doesn't get there.

I guess this is considered pessimism in your business. We call it planning a head in mine business. 

Barry

[Cambridgeskip]

3 hours ago, Eagledad said:

Yep, and it supports my deepest concerns of inexperienced adults leading the program. I can't see it going any direction other than Advancement based Eagle Mill camping programs. 

Barry

Barry

I hope you don't mind, but a question for you. I've seen you make this point numerous times and something I'm not sure of is, how is BSA ever meant to expand if fresh blood, who by their nature are likely to be inexperienced in terms of scouting, doesn't come into the organisation? While we disagree on coed scouting I have broadly been able to follow and indeed respect many of your arguments, it's just this one pont that leaves me a bit confused!

[NJCubScouter]

3 hours ago, Eagledad said:

Yep, and it supports my deepest concerns of inexperienced adults leading the program.

It at least shows that they (at least in my council) recognize the issue and are trying to do something about it.  Most likely it is not enough, but it is something.

3 hours ago, Eagledad said:

I can't see it going any direction other than Advancement based Eagle Mill camping programs. 

It depends on the content and quality of the training.

[MattR]

2 hours ago, NJCubScouter said:

It depends on the content and quality of the training.

Unfortunately, the Polaris system has not been applied to that yet.

[Treflienne]

8 hours ago, Eagledad said:

Yep, and it supports my deepest concerns of inexperienced adults leading the program. I can't see it going any direction other than Advancement based Eagle Mill camping programs. 

 

5 hours ago, Eagledad said:

If one doesn't know, how can one get there? Observations show that one doesn't get there.

 

5 hours ago, Eagledad said:

I guess this is considered pessimism in your business. We call it planning a head in mine business. 

I have read a lot of really thoughtful, helpful, insightful posts that you have written on various topics.   You obviously have a lot of valuable experience.   

And since "A Scout is cheerful" and "A Scout is helpful",  I'm hoping you can put aside the gloom long enough to consider a question: What do you think is most important for the new-to-BSA volunteers to learn?   How would you recommend they learn it?  I'm asking because I will in all likelihood be one of those new-to-BSA volunteers with a new Scouts BSA troop for girls (but only if we get enough girls and enough volunteers to get a troop going).

Actually,  I'd appreciate input from all y'all, not just Barry.