Monthly Campout Critiques

[CLC848]

I was asked to pull together a "Lessons Learned" topic looking back on several years of campouts for our Annual Planning Conference.  The Troop Committee records have a few high level comments but are mostly logistical issues.  SPL is present but generally gives an "it was fine" response; probably somewhat intimidated by adult presence + didn't do any feedback solicitation from the Scouts.  Scouts are supposed to do a critique at their meeting(s) following each campout and Scribe is to document but execution seems to be spotty and no one could find anything written.  

Looking for ideas that work for others to better capture the Scouts' input in a "Scout-friendly" environment.  Thanks!

Edited January 24 by CLC848

[RememberSchiff]

@CLC848 welcome to scouter.com

[yknot]

7 hours ago, CLC848 said:

I was asked to pull together a "Lessons Learned" topic looking back on several years of campouts for our Annual Planning Conference.  The Troop Committee records have a few high level comments but are mostly logistical issues.  SPL is present but generally gives an "it was fine" response; probably somewhat intimidated by adult presence + didn't do any feedback solicitation from the Scouts.  Scouts are supposed to do a critique at their meeting(s) following each campout and Scribe is to document but execution seems to be spotty and no one could find anything written.  

Looking for ideas that work for others to better capture the Scouts' input in a "Scout-friendly" environment.  Thanks!

Our campout critiques were always delivered in the form of roses and thorns at the meeting following the campout. I think the idea that everyone thinks of both a positive comment as well as something that could be improved was helpful to getting useful feedback. 

[CLC848]

Thank you.  How were you able to capture the comments and save them for future use?

[yknot]

1 hour ago, CLC848 said:

Thank you.  How were you able to capture the comments and save them for future use?

Anything notable was discussed at the subsequent committee meeting and became part of the minutes. 

[fred8033]

Our critiques were done at the annual planning event.  Key to that was to keep the other adults out of it ... ideally well away.  ... Scouts will shut down giving way to adults.  ... IMHO ... it's not just an issue during critiques.  It's for how the whole troop runs.  The scouts need confidence that they own and run the troop; with friendly safe guidance by their SM.  Scouts that don't speak up is often a reflection of other issues.  

Best thing to do is only have the scoutmaster involved during the planning and reviews.  The challenge is getting the other adults to trust the SM and stay out of it.

 

[Jameson76]

We try to listen to feedback and conversation on the way back from outings.  For planning our unit has a list of outings by month for the last 25 or so years.  Helps see where and when.  Scouts do the annual planning and then outdoor chair review.  Typically we can make most happen.  Main things are sometimes time to drive someplace and costs.  

Sometimes I have been surprised on what they selected.  In most cases that has turned out well.  Leaders work with the Scouts on specific activities during the trip.  We were camping near a city with large historic downtown.  We split them into patrols and did a photo scavenger hunt, things like that.  Also we get feedback during BOR.  During planning many years ago they asked if we had to attend the district camporee, we advised their choice, so we have not done that lately.  Mostly they found it (and I quote) lame.

Try to focus on activities and adventure.  Last year, 2023, we did Trip to beach and national seashore island, backpacking in mountain, wide game, putt putt tourney, lock-in, summer camp, trip to State Park and gorge and waterfalls, boating and tubing, kayaking, fishing weekend at mt lake, hiking and exploring mountains with AOL visit.  All requested and run by Scouts

 

[InquisitiveScouter]

@CLC848, welcome!

 

On 1/24/2024 at 10:26 AM, CLC848 said:

Scouts are supposed to do a critique at their meeting(s) following each campout and Scribe is to document but execution seems to be spotty and no one could find anything written.

This is an extremely common malady in any organization.  And this malady is compounded by the not-yet-formed prefrontal cortexes of the people you are dealing with.

Here's a good read to set the stage: https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/what-is-executive-function-and-how-does-it-relate-to-child-development/

On 1/24/2024 at 10:26 AM, CLC848 said:

Looking for ideas that work for others to better capture the Scouts' input in a "Scout-friendly" environment.

Here are some observations along with ideas to "better capture" and hopefully create a culture to introduce corrections.  

1.  People often think they are being "negative" when they point out things that need correction.  This is why "roses, thorns, and buds", aka "Start, Stop, Continue" (SSC) offers a better mindset to ID trends in an organization.  Use this methodology to have Scouts say something positive and something of a vision for future success, along with identifying something that went wrong.  And, from a cognitive perspective, if you put the "something" that went wrong in the middle, it makes a bitter pill easier to swallow.  That is, when identifying issues, never start with, and never end with the thing that went wrong.  Also, challenge Scouts to come up with all three BEFORE they start talking.  You have to model this behavior a few times to get it going:  "Start:  Scouts, we should start checking our Troop/Patrol First Aid Kit regularly, preferably before a camping trip.  When we needed some items this weekend, they had not been replenished in the kit.   Stop:  Something on this trip that must stop is for Scouts to not bring their Scout Essentials.  Being prepared for the weather is very important.  When it rained, a high percentage of our Scouts did not have rain gear and got wet.  Because we had some lower temperatures, some Scouts started to get chilly, and we had to stop our activity to prevent them getting hypothermia.  Continue: Scouts, a great thing I saw on this camping trip was the great teamwork of the Panther Patrol.  They were always working together to get their tasks done, like cooking, cleaning, and breaking camp.  Good job, Panthers!"

- The idea here is simply to identify trends... not to pose solutions or create tasks to solve the issues.  That is done later at a PLC...

2.  Don't let SSC turn into a gripe session.  And don't make it so long that Scouts do not want to participate.  You do not need input from every single person who was on the trip.  A good way to get input is by Patrol.  Tell the patrols to work together to come up with an SSC input.  Then, one person from the Patrol will present their input during the SSC session.  It is important to do this at the end of the trip.  We usually do this after our Scouts' Own, and just before we load up the vehicles to travel home.  We have tried it before Scouts' Own, and after we return to the our meeting place, and both times seemed to detract from the session.  Finally, as far as capturing... ask the Patrols to text their SSC to the Troop Scribe.  If you try to have a Troop Scribe scrambling to capture ideas during the session, somethings things get lost in translation/transcription. (Also, do not have adults give input during the SSC.  This is the quickest way to shut Scouts down.  Get input from adults later, privately.  Yes, an adult should model the behavior to get it going, but once the Scouts "get it", let them go with it.  This creates a sense of ownership in their minds.  And yes, you will see things they will not... resist the temptation to pontificate.  It is not YOUR TROOP! )

3.  Have the SPL ask the Patrols to think about the SSC items on the way home, and propose ideas, solutions, or ways to continue a practice in the culture of the Troop.  The Patrol Leader then brings these solution ideas to the next PLC to address.  We do not have a Troop Meeting the week after a camping trip.  That next meeting night is always a PLC, and one of the agenda items is to address the SSC from the trip.  The PLC can then identify and task potential solutions or ways to cement specific habits into the Troop.  Tasks must be assigned to an individual or a Patrol.  For example the PLC may say, "The Quartermaster must check the Troop first aid kit the meeting before an outing to ensure we have all the items in the Patrol/Troop First Aid Kit checklist on page 109 in the Scout Handbook.  The QM will report to the ASPL when this is complete.  QM is responsible to do, and ASPL is responsible to follow up and check that it was done."  (Notice how this is kind of a SMART Goal?)

4.  The most difficult part of this process is the "follow-through" or the evaluation.  As an adult leader, you have the role of teaching and mentoring Scouts in how to create a "culture of continuous process improvement."  After the PLC, our youth do not follow-up very well to track that tasks are done.  Reading the Minutes from the last PLC helps.  (Notice, this means you have to have Minutes 😜 )  As SM, I would remind the SPL of tasks their PLC have identified, and challenge the SPL to follow through to make sure tasks are completed.  This is often a short conversation before a Troop Meeting starts.  You mentor, and the SPL is on the hook to make sure his Troop gets things done.  As SM, I would also ask ASMs to mentor the PL on the same... if a Patrol had a task identified, a brief conversation to remind between the ASM and PL is all that is necessary.  Help the PL understand that one of his youth leaders will be checking on his completion of that task. 

5.  Finally, as an adult, hold your tongue unless it is an item related to health and safety for your Scouts.

Hope this helps you turn "Lessons Repeated" into "Lessons Learned"...

 

 

Edited January 26 by InquisitiveScouter

[fred8033]

1 hour ago, Jameson76 said:

...  During planning many years ago they asked if we had to attend the district camporee, we advised their choice, so we have not done that lately.  Mostly they found it (and I quote) lame.

Yep.  Almost always lame.  Good maybe for 1st year troop scouts.  Otherwise only good is getting together and seeing other scouts / adults.  The actual event itself is almost always has zero or often less than zero value.

1 hour ago, Jameson76 said:

Try to focus on activities and adventure.  Last year, 2023, we did Trip to beach and national seashore island, backpacking in mountain, wide game, putt putt tourney, lock-in, summer camp, trip to State Park and gorge and waterfalls, boating and tubing, kayaking, fishing weekend at mt lake, hiking and exploring mountains with AOL visit.  All requested and run by Scouts

Love that answer.  IMHO, adventure makes scouting fun and valuable.

 

  

[Eagledad]

On 1/25/2024 at 1:48 PM, Jameson76 said:

Try to focus on activities and adventure.  Last year, 2023, we did Trip to beach and national seashore island, backpacking in mountain, wide game, putt putt tourney, lock-in, summer camp, trip to State Park and gorge and waterfalls, boating and tubing, kayaking, fishing weekend at mt lake, hiking and exploring mountains with AOL visit.  All requested and run by Scouts

 

Yep, we grew from 15 scouts to 100 in five years and I'm convinced it was because of our adventure program. 

Barry