Position Specific Training

[5thGenTexan]

I am the CC for two Troops.  Recently I have been checking on our leadership training and found that a few Committee Members and the SM have not completed their Position Specific Training, SM after a year hasn't even attempted.  

So, the I guess guideline is that this training is supposed to be completed within 30 days of the application being accepted or something to that effect.

 

I am going to bring this up in the next Committee Meeting and strongly suggest everyone gets caught up on the required training for their position.  I am even going to give 30 days get it done.  What do we, the Committee do if these leaders blow it off and laugh while saying they just aren't gonna do it?

 

[qwazse]

Our council kindly plays bad cop for us. They won't let us keep anybody on the charter who is not trained fro their position.

[InquisitiveScouter]

38 minutes ago, 5thGenTexan said:

I am the CC for two Troops.  Recently I have been checking on our leadership training and found that a few Committee Members and the SM have not completed their Position Specific Training, SM after a year hasn't even attempted.  

So, the I guess guideline is that this training is supposed to be completed within 30 days of the application being accepted or something to that effect.

 

I am going to bring this up in the next Committee Meeting and strongly suggest everyone gets caught up on the required training for their position.  I am even going to give 30 days get it done.  What do we, the Committee do if these leaders blow it off and laugh while saying they just aren't gonna do it?

 

Why bother with the training?  Because it will help you deliver the best program for your Scouts.  Try to appeal to them that way.  Threats and ultimata in a volunteer organization will never accomplish your ends...

What will you do?  That depends... do you have someone to replace them who is willing to take the training??  (You do not have to be in a position to accomplish the training... if you have someone who wants the position, ask them to complete the training first to show their commitment, then put them in the position.  If only the world was that simple, right?) 

"Enforcement" varies council to council.  Ours says they are like @qwazse's but they have never enforced it.  Honestly, they cannot afford to.  Many units are barely hanging on with the minimum leaders on the charter.  (Scouting according to BSA policies is a complex undertaking.)

The council (and possibly your unit) is better off with an untrained leader, than with no leader in the position at all.  Choose wisely, and best of luck.

 

[malraux]

For clarification, for the SM are we talking the online portion or IOLS? I won't defend it, but it can be hard to attend an IOLS depending on when your council runs it. I had to go out of council to complete mine.

For recalcitrant CM, you can do the in person training over time. Just show the videos one or two at a time and complete it that way.

Edit:
One good motivation for at least the SM getting IOLS training is insurance/lawsuit defense. IE if something happens then being able to say that you are following all the recommended BSA rules and made the best judgements possible in a given situation based on BSA training can help. One local troop had a death on a campout (tree fell on a tent) and being able to reference the BSA outdoor training helped protect the leaders.

Edited February 27, 2023 by malraux
forgot a point.

[Eagle94-A1]

Yes, the ITOLS cause can take some time to complete as that is a physical, weekend long class. In one council I was in, it was offered 2 times a year. Another council I was in, each district offered it once per year.

And I would double check your records. None of my committee members are "trained," yet all of them have been to WB and have years of experience in various Scouting roles.

[5thGenTexan]

SM took IOLS and Cub Specific Training in 2016.  Absolutely nothing since then other than YPT.  Same SM that has not had a real PLC since he started a year ago.  Also lets us know when and where campouts will be, sometimes two days before the event.  He NEEDS the training.

Committee members just havent done it and they dont have years and years of experience.  Some are the same that suggested to me and another leader we just plan the meetings for the Scouts because kids cant pay that much attention and they want to play.

[malraux]

To be fair, the online training is pretty awful. As the cc, one thing to do might be short trainings to cover the concepts as a group in committee meetings. 

[Tron]

Doing the online training is easy. You can cut it up into roughly 15min chunks and get it done in your downtime in 3 weeks(ish). SMs have a different problem; as I understand the policy a ScoutMaster must have IOLS to hold the position in a trained status; I've heard various things over the years from councils not rechartering units with untrained SMs, I have even heard that the BSA umbrella policy doesn't cover units with SMs that do not have IOLS. 

[DannyG]

I have seen it offered as classroom training.  Does anybody know what it takes to become a trainer?  I'd like to offer training to the unit at a committee meeting.

[malraux]

6 minutes ago, DannyG said:

I have seen it offered as classroom training.  Does anybody know what it takes to become a trainer?  I'd like to offer training to the unit at a committee meeting.

I don’t think there’s a required training, though fundamentals of training is the obvious one to get. 
 

that said the classroom training for this is to just watch the videos as a group. 

[InquisitiveScouter]

9 minutes ago, DannyG said:

I have seen it offered as classroom training.  Does anybody know what it takes to become a trainer?  I'd like to offer training to the unit at a committee meeting.

Talk with your Council Training Committee Chair, or your Staff Advisor for Training (a paid professional with that additional duty)

It depends on your background.  I'll elaborate if you wish.

Plus, IOLS is a fairly trainer-intensive program.  It takes several instructors and a course director with support managing things to get through the syllabus well.

Train-the-Trainer (Fundamentals) D70

Trainer's EDGE H96

...are two courses your council may wish you to take to designate you as a Trainer.

[DannyG]

1 hour ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

Train-the-Trainer (Fundamentals) D70

Trainer's EDGE H96

...are two courses your council may wish you to take to designate you as a Trainer.

This is what I was looking for.

Thinking of Committee and COR training... Positions held by older folks who don't have access to the technology as easily.  Try to find some way to offer YPT and position specific training in a low-tech way. Otherwise, I'll just set up a computer lab and help them click through all the online modules.

IOLS/BALOO is offered by district twice a year in fall/spring. So those folks just have to wait until it comes around again.

[InquisitiveScouter]

15 minutes ago, DannyG said:

This is what I was looking for.

Thinking of Committee and COR training... Positions held by older folks who don't have access to the technology as easily.  Try to find some way to offer YPT and position specific training in a low-tech way. Otherwise, I'll just set up a computer lab and help them click through all the online modules.

IOLS/BALOO is offered by district twice a year in fall/spring. So those folks just have to wait until it comes around again.

Your council should have a DVD or thumb drive with YPT on it, as there are many who do not have a computer at home to use for the training.  You can borrow this from them to do your training in-house.  If your Key 3 grants you Training Manager functional rights in my.scouting.org, you can enter the training courses for your unit without having to file paperwork with the registrar!!!  The only restriction is that you cannot enter training for yourself.

Other avenues you can pursue to be a trainer that will be helpful for your unit:

- You can do in-person Merit Badge Counselor Training

- If you have  a STEM background, you could do NOVA and SuperNOVA Training

- Get certified as a First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor and teach classes to your unit

- Get certified as a Swimming and Water Rescue Instructor and teach Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, and Swim and Water Rescue  https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/Outdoor Program/Aquatics/pdf/430-505.pdf

- Take the Leave No Trace Master Educator Course and teach all kinds of LNT curricula

- Take the TREAD Lightly Master Educator Course and teach those skills also

etc, etc, etc

 

22 minutes ago, DannyG said:

IOLS/BALOO

These are also offered sometimes at Summer Camp or Resident Cub Camp.  YMMV.

[Double Eagle]

Don't overlook your commissioners help with this.  Commissioners have access to training records that say what course(s) each person is missing.  Recently I reviewed a district's training with only 44% position-specific trained.  That means 56% of unit/MB leaders are going with only their experience with programs, and most of them are Pack Leaders.

When all else fails, a council nasty-gram to the chartered organization rep may help to energize those leaders.  Although some may be repetitive and boring, the on-line training is easy.  Hard to tell Scouts there are requirements when the adults don't follow their requirements.  

 

[InquisitiveScouter]

1 minute ago, Double Eagle said:

Don't overlook your commissioners help with this.  Commissioners have access to training records that say what course(s) each person is missing. 

Key 3 and Training Manager (functional position designated by Key 3) can also see exactly what courses everyone needs in your unit.  Post if you want a tutorial...