Be careful what you wish for-new Scouts joining our Troop

[gwd-scouter]

As a reminder, we are a small Troop currently with 11 Scouts. For the past few years we've been working toward changing our Troop culture to boy-led rather than adult-led. Been having very good progress on that. The biggest challenge we've been facing though is recruiting. We usually get one or two new Scouts each year at different times during the year. It has only been in this last year that our Troop has been noticed and visited by Webelos Dens from a couple of Packs in our District, so things are looking up. Just had a visit from a group that anticipates crossing over to our Troop next year, so we hope to add about five new Scouts then.

 

Got a call last night from a Mom in another Troop asking if she, her son, and FIVE other Scouts could transfer to our Troop. Oh my! My head was spinning after talking with her. Six Scouts joining this month, maybe five more this time next year?

 

Yep, I've often said my hope for the Troop was to build it to somewhere around 20 or so Scouts.

[John-in-KC]

START PLANNING THOSE EQUIPMENT FUNDRAISERS!!!

 

You're doing great!! Keep up the good work!

 

John

[Lisabob]

Congrats to you gwd! I'm glad to hear your scouts are getting noticed for the quality of program that the troop provides. Now that it looks like you'll be getting an infusion of several new scouts all at once, it might be a good idea to talk with your current scout leadership (and adults too) about how to make that integration as painless as possible. In particular if you are getting established boy scouts who are used to doing scouting in some other way, you'll need to do some re-education of the scouts (and their parents!). A lot of larger troops do a formal orientation event - I don't know if you need this or not, but it might be worth considering. We do one and it is really more about the parents than the scouts (paperwork, uniforming, troop culture stuff, how our scout accounts work, etc.). And of course, since you're getting transfers, be prepared to hear a litany of complaints about how awful their "old" troop was! Depending on circumstances surrounding their transfer it might be good to establish up front that you know and respect their former troop leaders and you don't entertain trash talk.

[gwd-scouter]

John-in-KC: Fortunately for our troop, we have a very large trailer filled with patrol boxes, tents, stoves, tarps, etc. etc. We probably have enough gear to outfit a Troop at least 3 times our current size, possibly even more.

 

LisaBob: Yep, already contacted the PLC and our adult leaders to let them know what's up. I've known the Mom that called last night for many years through Scouting. We've always been in different units, both during Cubs and Scouts, but have worked together many times on District events. She said they stayed in their current Troop mostly out of loyalty, but it just isn't working any more and it's time for a move. The Scouts considering transferring know many of the guys in our Troop so that will certainly be helpful.

 

We're setting up a time this week to get together with all the transferring Scouts and parents so that they have a chance to ask questions about our Troop and find out how we do things. Not trying to disparage anyone, but I know that they way we do things is very different from what they've been used to.

 

It will no doubt be difficult to get these older Scouts (and their parents) on board with the idea that they will not be spoon-fed advancement any longer and that the Scouts will be expected to contribute rather than simply go along for the ride, but we've managed to get our current Scouts working that way.

 

The one thing I've been thinking about since last night's call is helping to integrate these guys so that we don't wind up with an us vs. them kind of situation. Being such a small Troop we've not had separate patrols. We do many times have different activities going on at meetings - one for the new and younger Scouts, another for the older Scouts (actually, our PLC). I've heard the arguments for age-based patrols and mixed-age patrols and both have merit. Just something else for us to figure out as we go forward.

[GernBlansten]

I'd certainly like to have a private talk with each of the adults that are transfering to find out why they are transfering. See if your unit has the same issues and if you should address them or at least set realistic expections of the transfering parent.

[John-in-KC]

gwd,

 

Glad you have more than enough gear. That takes one point of stress off the table.

 

I like what both Lisa and Gern suggested. Beyond that, I think I'd also schedule an "adults-only" feedback session about 90 days after all the joinings happen. Listening to the transfers (especially) comments will help you decide to stay your course or to aim-off a tad.

 

One serious question: Can your Scout Camp accommodate a significant change upwards in numbers? That's a potential challenge come this summer.

[Gold Winger]

"I'd certainly like to have a private talk with each of the adults that are transfering to find out why they are transfering. See if your unit has the same issues and if you should address them or at least set realistic expections of the transfering parent."

 

Shouldn't this conversation be with the Scouts and not the parents. After all, this is Boy Scouts of America, not Parent Scouts of America.

[gwd-scouter]

I actually know the biggest reason they are transferring. Their Troop has not gone on an outing since our District's Fall Camporee (October) and before that was summer camp (June). So that won't be an issue with our Troop. One reason I was told last night for these boys wanting to join our Troop is all the activities we've done over the past few years.

 

Something said during the phone call with Mom last night concerns me though. She said a couple of times, "these guys have come so far and I want to see them finish...make Eagle." I did explain that we don't 'make' Eagle Scouts in our Troop and that while opportunities are there for advancement, we are not advancement driven - you know, that is but one of the methods of Scouting. She seemed to understand that, but we'll have to see. I am looking forward to talking with the parents and Scouts and finding out what they are looking for and if our Troop would be the right fit for them. We do have other Troops in the District and depending on our discussion, another Troop may work out better.

 

Sure I want to see our Troop grow, but it would be regrettable to throw our well-running Troop into chaos because of a group of new Scouts and parents with expectations that do not fit with our Troop's program.

 

As far as summer camp, the campsite we use each year has room for more Scouts, so that won't be a problem this year. Of course, if we get more Scouts next year it could be.

[BrentAllen]

I'd have a conference with the Scout, and a separate one with the parents. Get several angles on the story. Let the Scout and parents know the expectations of the new troop they are joining. Find out early if they are going to have objections or issues with the way the troop is run. As we have read in many posts here, a lot of the problems are with the parents, not with the boys.

[GernBlansten]

The SPL needs to talk to the scouts, the SM and CC to the parents. If these families are moving from one unit to another, it isn't the scouts doing the transferring, its the parents. Disgruntled scouts don't transfer, they just quit. Its the parents who try to keep them in by transferring.

[Beavah]

Yah, gwd, first a well deserved pat on the back and "good job."

 

Now, a moment to pause. Transfer scouts can be a real challenge sometimes. There's no way to avoid the fact that they're gonna come in having been "inculturated" into scouting in a different unit, eh? Even if there's very good reasons for the transfer (which is a 50-50 shot often), you're gonna have some "storming" time, from both parents and kids. I always encourage yeh to talk to their current SM/CC at some point just to be informed.

 

Because transfers are older scouts, they're also gonna have a bigger impact on your troop and the kids in it. Are yeh ready for 6 new guys to demand/push for leadership roles? Twelve new MC/parents to try to take things in a different direction? Take some time to think things through and put a few firewalls in place. The bigger yeh get, the less like a small friendly "family" it is, and the more yeh have to think on an "organization" scale.

 

For incoming new guys, you're getting near that magical size where you've got to consider your longer-term patrol structure. Are you gonna welcome them into existing patrols, keeping your experienced guys as patrol leaders and PLC members so as to preserve your culture and bring the younger ones up by example? Or are yeh gonna task out their training to an ASM/TG in the NSP model and move toward a more age-based approach as you grow? How will the transfers fit in to that if they come? As their own patrol? Do you see patrol competition, formal or informal, as one of your techniques or not?

 

Choosin' patrol structure is probably one of the biggest and most important choices for you and your PLC to make. Flip through the old threads on the choices.

 

And finally, give up on the 20 - or - so thing, eh? I reckon you're going to move fairly quickly to double that in the next few years. Keep us posted on your progress, eh?!

 

Beavah

 

[gwd-scouter]

Got a call last night from our JASM. He and my son (ASPL) go to the same school and know many of the guys from the other Troop that are considering transferring. JASM mentioned he thought it would be a good idea to get the PLC together to talk about restructuring the Troop to accommodate these transfers - yep, gotta think about patrols now and the best way to organize them. His concern is that if the transferred guys are kept together as a patrol they will not really integrate into the Troop and it will be an us vs. them kind of situation. I thought about that myself. I have not yet spoken to the rest of the PLC, but JASM and my son have both told me that they are proud of the direction our Troop has taken and hope this new influx of, as Beavah says, 'inculturated' Scouts will not cause too much strife.

 

JASM and my son also mentioned that they are excited about the prospect of forming real patrols and building patrol spirit and having competitions. In essence, achieving one more goal we've been working toward.

 

I did find out last night more information about these transferring Scouts. The number considering transfer has grown from five or six to eight or nine - the whole Troop basically. I feel awful about this. I know that Troop has had problems for a couple of years. The biggest problem was outings being canceled because of lack of adult leadership. We have offered to have joint campouts with the Troop, but they (the SM) have always declined. Perhaps he was afraid if his boys saw all the fun and adventure we were having, they'd want to transfer and his Troop would fold. Sadly, that is exactly what may happen now.

[John-in-KC]

gwd,

 

That's a good-news/bad news report, especially the latter part. The former part is good news/good news!

 

As those boys transfer in, I think SM/CC parent discussions are definitely in order. I think you said the old Troop is dying for want of adult support to outdoor program events. You as the Program Officer and your CC as the Support Manager need a sensing of how much two-deep leadership support and driving support you're going to gain. Your existing core Scouters do not need to be set up for failure by way of activity support burnout...

 

All that said, it's so wonderful to read this ongoing success story

[gwd-scouter]

Hey John, I most certainly have thought of that. If the other Troop is dying due to lack of adult support, it seems to follow that those adults wanting to transfer their Scouts to our Troop will not offer support either. We just got a couple of new ASMs who are very eager, but it wouldn't hurt if we could get a couple more to help support this sudden growth. If we do get all these Scouts and looking ahead to the possibility of five more next year crossing from Webelos, we will definitely have to make plans to deal with some infrastructure problems.

[GernBlansten]

Beware, if these scouts are transferring because the old unit didn't have enough adult support, don't expect any support from these parents. I sense a group of disgruntled parents who demanded that someone entertain their sons but wouldn't step up to help the unit.

 

Edited:Timing is everthing, seems great minds think alike. (This message has been edited by GernBlansten)