How Big A Role Does The District /Council Play In Your Program

[Eamonn]

This all started in another thread!!

The word program can have many meanings. However to my way of thinking the Real Program is what the Scouts get from their home troop.

I like to think when this is good everything else falls into place.

Scouts want their pals to join.

Membership increases.

Parents and the local community see the value of the program and are willing to support Scouting.

FOS Campaigns bring in more money.

The District and the Council provide training for the leaders.

But what role does the District anf the Council play in the delivery of the program to the Scouts in your troop?

Eamonn

[Fuzzy Bear]

Since this post is most likely in response to my post (that you and BW disagree with), let me start.

 

Let me first define program as Doing Something.

 

The Council- offers Summer Camp- It is only the biggest program offering of the year that most of the units and most boys experience. By the way, this is the basis of unit program development which you might not even suspect.

 

The Council- offers The Scout Fun Fair- It is the biggest and most enjoyable program that most Scouts have every year and they learn about more PROGRAM in a single day than from any other place.

*Don't miss this one as a source of PROGRAM, it is huge.

 

The Council has Committees that plan and support every Committee in every District and every unit in the Council. That support boils down to helping Individual Scouts to do something. Example: Selling Expensive Popcorn- It is first a fund raiser but it is invaluable to Scouts in learning how to Sell, meet total strangers, they can also learn to put forth their best efforts as a Scout-WHY- because Scouts want to Do Something-Program.

 

The Council Commissioner has meetings with every District Commissioner to support every single District that in turn supports every single unit in establishing Quality assurance that in turn helps the unit establish Quality Program for every single Scout.

 

The District has two Camporees per year. These two events can be well planned, well staffed, and well supported and can be a rich source of Program enrichment and Set a Great Example for Units that are planning their own programs. *By the way, Units are made up of individual Scouts.

 

The District has a Merit Badge Midway. This can be another rich source of assistance that Scouts can learn from, such as, learning about Merit Badges, or how an event is put together or they might meet people that could help with some of their own unit program-Doing Something.

 

The District has Committees plan and support every Committee that every Unit in the Council should have. The information that they give out, should help the Unit Committees plan and support their own units, which in turn helps every single Scout.

 

The District Commissioner has meetings with every Unit Commissioner to support every single Unit in establishing Quality assurance that in turn helps the unit establish Quality Program. This should affect every single Scout or one would think it would.

 

Now all of that said about Council and District without even talking about how Training, Effective Training, is vital for a unit to be able to know how to have quality Program. I won't even throw in how Setting the Example is essential for Scouts to SEE and DO for quality program in their own units. Gee, I won't even mention the resources that may be available to them at their own Council Camps or from all of the volunteers that they meet on the Council and District levels during the year for resource(ing) their own individual Programs.

 

Now let me add up the ways: Council events=1 big Summer Camp + One Fun Fair + Popcorn

District events= Merit Badge Midway + 2 Camporees. Add this together and the unit only has to plan maybe half of their own yearly program. One would venture a guess that a Unit could come up with Quality Program with all of that help, but then maybe not.

 

Well, enough raving about the trees; I am sure there is a forest in there somewhere.

 

FB

 

[Eamonn]

52 Weekends in a year.

Take 2 out for Summer camp.

Take 2 out for the Camporees.

Take 1 out for the Merit Badge Midway.

Take 1 out for the Fun Fair.

Take 1 out for pop corn pick up and delivery.

Take 1 out for Christmas.

Take 1 out for Easter.

Take 1 out for Thanksgiving.

Take 1 out for Mothers Day.

Take 2 out for Family Vacations.

Doesn't leave a lot of time for troop activities.

Boys join a Troop not a district. Most Council or District activities do not run as patrol activities.

Troop meetings are where the Scouts learn the skills that they can put to use at troop events.

Troop meetings and Troop events are where the methods of Scouting are put to good use. If our program is based on District and Council events why bother with PLC meetings?

In fact why bother having Troops? We can just pack these kids off to district and council events and be done with.

The Troop is where the relationship between the individual Scout and the adults are made. The troop is where goals are set and plans are made and then these are carried out.

Eamonn.

 

[mk9750]

Fuzz,

 

This isn't a disagreement with you, as much as it is another prespective.

 

In our Troop, we participate in only one Council / District event each year - Klondike. And even at that, except for following the trail set up and participating in the stations, this is still "our" program. WE teach winter camping. WE teach skills to be used in the competetive events. WE cook our own meals instead of eating the mess hall meals.

 

We spend summer camp at a primitive Scout reserve in Canada every other year, where ALL of the program is whatever our guys develop. In alternate years, we spend summer camp in another Council. Except for the mess hall meals and merit badge oportunities, the "program" is what our boys develop. The other 10 months are filled with as many as 25 activities WE develop to make up our "program".

 

We do sell popcorn, and we do participate, and staff, training oportunities. But these I see as a support function for our program, not program done for us.

 

I see nothing wrong for those Troops who want or need to use Council services to maintain their program. Some very good Troops in our area do so, as do Troops who need such help because of where they are on the up and down cycle. But it isn't a requirment, in my mind, that a Troop MUST use the Council "program".

 

Mark

[eisely]

There are two primary interfaces with our council/district at the unit level. One is adult and youth training. The second is camporee. Our council operates a summer camp, but we go out of council. The other major event that used to take place was scout-o-rama. That fell by the wayside because of lack of participation. There some other events such as merit badge weekends, but our troop typically does not participate in those. The bulk of our program is decided by the boys and involves up to twenty activities or outings a year.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Mark,

 

"But it isn't a requirement, in my mind, that a Troop MUST use the Council "program"."

 

Your quote has nothing to do with what I said. I also agree that my view is one person's perspective.

 

Eamonn,

 

There are 12 months in the year with 11 possible for Troop events. Scouts can decide on any activity they can get support and approval to do on any or all.

 

I failed to mention that Council, District or National won't miss them if they don't show. It is an invitation not a mandate.

 

"The Troop is where the relationship between the individual Scout and the adults are made. "

 

As a Boy Scout, I made friendships on ALL levels of Scouting and I am proud to have met those individuals. Even after 30 some odd years, I know those are the people that enriched my life. I will always be grateful for all of their efforts to show me a better way.

 

FB

 

 

 

 

[ozemu]

The original question.

 

Not much. Our District is not very organised and the activities are a bit weak and even dangerous. They are going through a down time and have been for some time.

 

We attend some but this depends on adults being available and whether the PLC wants to go. Given the present situation I will not allow the Patrols to go without one of our adult leaders. I have allowed this in the past but not now. Maybe when things tidy up at District.

 

I am thinking that I might help at District level once I am through with the Troop. But that seems a long way off.

 

We also have some trouble fitting the District activities in due to their events being untimely. Our program is pretty full.

 

So in short for 2004 - twice (camps each time - District doesn't run day activities).

[Eamonn]

Ozemu,

Not sure how they do things in the Land Down Under? Back in the UK, the District was a very important part of the Scouting operation.

Not having the Chartered Organization or paid professionals, tended to make the District Commissioner the top guy in the area. He had the power to approve or disapprove membership and had the final word on many things. While there were County Commissioners, we didn't see too much of them.

When I was Scouting over there I think that the National Staff was about the same size as the staff we have now to run our Council. There was an annual membership fee paid to national. I remember that we used to participate in Bob-A-Job week in order to raise the money to pay it.

Eamonn

[Bob White]

 

The Council/district has no effect on our weekly meetings or monthly activities. They succeed or fail based on the work we do as the unit leaders.

 

The Council/district provides training for the adults which, depending on the individual leader, can have a significant effect on how the program is delivered. But ONLY if the individual accepts and uses the methods of Scouting.

 

The Council/district provide supplementary activities to enhance unit programs but it does not replace unit program and should not be the mainstay of the unit program.

 

The council provides administrative services to support the unit committee functions but they rely on the unit having a functioning committee in order for the support to be effective.

 

So everything comes back to the unit program, the committment of its leaders to follow and deliver the program, and the efforts of the unit committee to select responsible adults to deliver the program.

 

[Fuzzy Bear]

Some would say that it is a pyramid with the Boys at the top with all of the levels below emphasizing and supporting the youth above.

 

It always appeared to me like a circle. I realized even as a Scout that without everyone's efforts that Scouting wouldn't exist. As I read the history of our Founders, a good case could be made exactly for that conclusion.

 

FB

 

[Eamonn]

When I look at the very early days of Scouting. I read about young Lads reading a book and forming Patrols. These youngsters were the nominating committee. They asked Teachers and Preachers to come on board and become Scoutmasters.Baden Powell didn't get around to appointing Commissioners till a good while after.

Eamonn

[Fuzzy Bear]

We have reached a mutually agreeable end when things of little value are exchanged.

 

You may take a parting shot across my bow. My flag stands at half mast.

 

FB