Have no Idea???

[JenBurnette]

hi i'm new to scouting and to the forum.. and now i'm a bear den leader to boot. any pointers

[Trevorum]

Welcome Jen! You're going to have a lot of fun in Scouting! I'm sure you'll find lots of advice and pointers on these forums (sometimes spiced with opinions). My first suggestion would be to make sure you get trained. Ask your Cubmaster about the next training session offered for Den Leaders. These are usually given by District people. Also, read the Bear book and make sure you have a good (ie, FUN!) program prepared for each den meeting.

[ScoutNut]

Welcome Jen !

 

Bears are a great group. Poised between Cubs & Webelos they are starting to grow up a bit and are usually eager to learn, & do, as much as scouting stuff as possible.

 

Trev is correct, the best thing you can do is take training ASAP. Your council might not have much training going on right now because they are focused on Summer Camps & other summer activities. Come Aug or Sept, they will probably start offering New Leader Essentials & Cub Leader Specific trainings. Keep an eye on your council's website for all sorts of info from training to camping to council/district events. If your district or council has an e-newsletter, sign up for it.

 

For info on who your council is, online training (Fast Start & Youth Protection - VERY IMPORTANT!), & lot of other helpful stuff for new Cub Leaders, visit the BSA National website :

 

http://www.scouting.org/

 

The Adult Leaders section of Cub Scouts has a wealth of info for you!

 

Along with the Bear Handbook, 2006-2007 Cub Scout Program Helps, & the Cub Scout Leader Book are both a big help.

 

Have fun!!

 

[funscout]

After you've read through the Bear book, and looked at the Program Helps, you should decide which Achievements and Electives you can do as a den. I always let my parents know which ones we would cover at den meetings, so they'd know which ones they would need to do at home.

 

If you know of anyone who is good at knots or any other topic in the Bear book, by all means, invite them to help you run a den meeting on that topic. Check with the parents in your den and you might find people who are willing to help out from time to time, but just didn't want to be the one in charge.

 

Ask LOTS of questions of the more experienced leaders in your Pack. You could even go watch one of their den meetings, if you'd like. That doesn't mean you have to run your meetings like they do, but it's nice to get some ideas.

 

At my trainings, they always stressed: KISMIF - Keep it simple, Make it Fun!

 

Good Luck and have fun!

 

[JenBurnette]

thanks for the tips. i've already done the fast start bear leader and youth protection training online and have those certificates.. i also went to one of the boy scout stores and got the cub scout leader book and academics and sports program guide. my aunt in law has the month by month programs guide through august i think..and i've received the scouting magazine for may/june which has some for the new year in it also. i've skimmed through the bear book which i've bought for my son also.

 

we're having to redo our pack due to poor leadership. and we have lots to straighten out and we're trying to get some of the previous scouts back. i'll find out more this coming up monday when we have our next meeting.

 

again thanks for your input

JenBurnette

[Lynda J]

I have four words.

 

TRAINING, TRAINING, TRAINING, AND MORE TRAINING.

 

And it isn't just the training. It is getting with other Den leaders. Hearing how others do things.