Ship elections - Youth not willing to step up and lead the unit

[CNYScouter]

Thanks to everyones advice about the fundraising issue we were having.

At last nights dinner cleanup almost the whole ship was in attendance.

The no fundraising- no activates must have gotten through.

 

The next issue is that the ship is about to election of youth officers.

It seems that none of the youth members are willing to be the Ships Boatswain (Crew President).

I have a couple of youth members very capable but even after talking with them they just aren't willing to take on this role.

 

Our current Boatswain doesnt want to do it again as he stepped in when our last elected Boatswain quit and no one else would do it.

Up until last week he was our youngest member and felt even though he was doing everything, he got no respect and didnt get much help from the other youth.

 

I have also heard a discussion about selecting co- or even multiple Boatswains.

 

I dont like the idea of co- or multiple Boatswain as this will just turn into me trying to keep track of whats going on and being the Boatswain myself.

I don't like this idea as it's just not part of the Venturing/Sea Scout program.

 

I am considering if they dont elect a Boatswain to let things fall where they may and step back and watch things come to a halt.

 

We just recruited 4 new members (and have more on the way) and dont know if me stepping back completely is the right thing either.

 

Where would you go with this?

 

 

 

 

[John-in-KC]

Time for some quiet visits at the local coffeehouse (or wherever your youth hang out...)

 

There is a WHY out there. The challenge is to find it!

 

My classic example: Son, last year, was really up on staff work at a particular Scout Camp, until his band director locked in the next school years' schedule. The "on-curriculum" (stuff gets graded date) was July 31. That was before 5th session at camp ended. Camp Director told son that he couldn't hire him if he needed to be away from camp a session plus.

 

Son immediately fell into a "I'm not going there anytime soon" funk.

 

Son found a different staff assignment (better pay, better hours, AND flexibility to be at band rehearsals). Son found a Scout camp to attend as a camper. When asked in the Fall why he didn't report to work at the first place, he gave a truthful answer "Better offer elsewhere." When that Scouter came to me and asked for the backstory, he got it.

 

Moral: There's always a backstory. Invest the energy to find out what's going on. Then you can see where you have to adjust program to support the youth members. They, and you, will be the better for it.

[scoutldr]

To use an analogy, this is like volunteering to coach a youth baseball team where the kids don't want to take their turn in the outfield. Explain to them that it takes all 9 positions to field a team. Without it, it just isn't baseball. And since you are volunteering your time to coach "baseball", their desires don't match with how you are willing to spend your free time. Give them a week to make a decision. Don't discount the newbies. Maybe one of them will step up and put the rest to shame. You are doing this for them...if they don't want it, spend your time elsewhere. Life's too short.

[emb021]

To add to scoutldr's comments.

 

Be sure that all the youth clearly understand what the jobs are, what they entail, etc. Too often I think some youth don't want to step up because they have a poor (or incorrect) idea of what the jobs are.

 

Don't assume that you've already done this. You may think you've done this, but in reality they still may not have paid attention, etc.

[Eamonn]

Have to admit to being very disappointed with the lack of Leadership Skills the youth in the Ship seem to have.

Many of them who are or were Boy Scouts, even Eagle Scouts seem to have no idea.

I think mainly because they were never really given a change to really lead.

Over the time I have spent here in the Forum,I think I have used the "Train Them, Trust Them, Let Them Lead" So many times that it really is getting old!!

But until such a time when someone comes up with a better idea? I'll just keep using it.

 

The big question you need to be asking is: "Why they are unwilling?"

I'll bet that a lot of it will come down to the fact that they don't really know what they need to do.

This is where the Training needs to come in.

Not just Quarterdeck Training, but more importantly "On the job training"

You need to look back at your Wood Badge Training and think about using what you took home to pass on to them.

I found that most of our Sea Scouts thought that if they took on a POR they seemed to think they had to do everything. They had no idea how to delegate.

Of course when they did delegate, the person who took on what it was that he or she was doing needed to be trained. That of course at times did mean that person needed help from the Skipper (You!!)

Over time everyone ends up doing something and have received "On the job training", along the way the tasks do get bigger and they take on more responsibility.

Maybe the Ship just isn't ready for a "Full Time" Boatswain?

Maybe having a "Boatswain" for each event or activity is the way to go for a while. At least until such a time as they get used to the idea of what real Leadership is and the dividends that it can have for the Scout and the Ship.

Your role as Skipper isn't that different from the role of a Scoutmaster -You need to be training them all the time.

Once the have "Got it" you can start to step back and Trust Them and Let Them Lead.

Ea.