Youth Evaluation of Troop Program

[jsdan]

Does anyone have a template or form for a youth evaluation of the Scout troop's program? We'd like to ask our Scouts what they like about the troop program, what they don't like, and what they would change.

 

Most of all, we'd like the Scouts to rate the troop's camp-out and high adventure programming over the past year and suggest ideas for future events.

 

I realize this could be done in a brainstorming session with the TLC, but I'd like to have this on paper from every Scout in the unit with no names used.

[Pack212Scouter]

Ok...not to really step in it here, but the boys in the Troop should already be planning their camp-outs and programming with guidance from the leaders. Since they should be the one's planning and voting on such things to begin with, I would think that this would be superfluous.

[Eagle92]

If you don't already have the three volume TROOP PROGRAM FEATURES for the PLC to use, then I suggest getting them as they are an aid for the PLC in planning.

 

http://scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/SearchPage.aspx?page=LIST&free_text|=troop%20program%20features&answers_per_page=15

 

Additionally there is Boy Scout Troop Program Resources, with CD and this does have a survey sheet that your scouts can copy from the book or print from the CD.

 

[John-in-KC]

It's called the Board of Review.

 

If every BOR asked the Scouts:

 

"If you were one of us, what is the one thing you would not change about our Troop?"

 

AND

 

"If you were one of us, what is the one thing you would change about our Troop?"

 

Then, over time, you will get a good sensing about where the youth think the Troop should be going.

 

There are some young people who should be called in for non-advancement BORs, to get a sensing of how they think the Troop is doing. Those people are the youth leadership. Ask them what they see. BTW, the best time for some of these sessions: At a campout, at the Friday campfire, over a cup of cocoa and a S'maco (s'mores in the Dutch using a flour tortilla instead of a graham cracker).

 

Don't do paperwork. Paperwork is boring.

[Eagle92]

How could I forget BORS... DDDDDUUUUUHHHHH!!!!!!!!! yep we asked that question at EVERY BOR, and it was usually the last question asked. It is the best way to get an hoest critique of program.

 

Another way of doing it is to have each PL ask their patrol for ideas to for program.

 

Also please note, the book I referenced doesn't have a survey for critiqueing, it is a survey to get ideas for program in from scouts and it has a bunch of stuff. I find the form is good for younger scouts, but have used it with the OA.

[kenk]

I suppose the very same question should be asked in the SM conference too.

 

 

[John-in-KC]

Not necessarily. Remember, one of the purposes of a Committee is to furnish feedback (it's a gift!! ) to the SM.

 

There's an awful lot of ground for a SM to cover in the final SM conference before advancement. Focus on that which matters most ... the youth member himself.

[dg98adams]

On multiple occasions, when the SPL/PL/SM asks Scouts what they want to do for the yearly planning session more often than not, we get the "blank stare".

 

I know the SPL/PL have had better response by listing (on paper) all the outings/activities from the past 2 years, and asking the boys to rate them and add any more they would like to try.

 

The only issue is the younger scouts want to do stuff a 2nd or 3rd time.

 

Takes some nudging from the older Scouts to get them to modify repeated activities....(This message has been edited by dg98adams)

[Buffalo Skipper]

jsdan,

I agree somewhat with what others have posted here, but not entirely. You asked for a resource to allow scouts to rate the program and activities anonymously. I believe that some of your best feedback comes from scoutmaster conferences and boards of review, but neither of these methods is anonymous. I don't know why you want to keep do this without names (if any of these scouts offer good ideas, you want to include them in your future planning) but I am sure you have your reasons

 

You provided all you need in your original post. Make your own form. Obviously your form needs to address you particular program, so you don't want some basic template. Just ask the questions pretty much like you asked us here. If you want to be cleaver about it, put a:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

after each question so they can give them a rating. But ask for an explanation of why they rated it that number. Most important, ask the scouts if it was FUN, and why or why not. If the scouts aren't having fun, something is missing.

 

Good luck, and keep us posted of your progress.

[Eagledad]

I think ane evaluation is another good source of communication. True, there are the reviews and confrences, but we tend to get in a groove or rut (depending how you look at it) that could leave folks out. We once did something like this for the families so both the parents scouts could rate the troop. We found out that while the scouts were happy with the program, the parents had some questions about the way we did some activities. For example, there was some concern that adults weren't allowed to the PLC meetings. But the policy is any adult could attend if they first called and got permission from the SPL. Most parents didn't know that. Simple fact that needed a better explination. So we got more proactive in explaining why we did things the way we did.

 

Truth is the adults and scouts need to learn how to evaluate each other and their program through reflections, so these kinds of evaluations aren't needed very much. But an evaluation one in great whiles can be a pretty good reflection itself.

 

Barry

[Knot Head]

In addition to BOR's I ask questions as we drive home from each campout. What did you like about this one, what didn't you like? What steps can you take to change things? Have you mentioned this to your patrol leader or SPL? Basically get them thinking about what makes a fun campout so they will know what they want for the next year.

 

I can see some benefit from a short survey without names. We've never done a written survey since they usually hash out what they want to do for the next year's calendar first at the patrol level in patrol meetings then discussion and voting as a group during the planning meeting.

 

[jsdan]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Perhaps I should make myself more clear. Yes, we do ask each Scout at a Board of Review and SM Conference what they like about the troop, its programming, what they'd do differently, etc. And yes our older boys go through the troop program planning process each August.

 

What I'd like is some sort of end of the program year quantitative analysis of what was a "hit" and what was a "dud."

 

I've never attended a corporate training session (or Scouting one, for that matter) that I didn't have to fill out an evaluation sheet at the end of the program. This provides valuable information to the presenter in an anonymous manner. Young Scouts may be hesitant to voice their true feelings in face-to-face meetings with adults.

 

Is anyone doing anything like this on paper? Maybe listing 20 to 30 activities and asking all the boys in the troop to rank their top 10 choices? Or listing all camp-out activities from the previous year and asking them to rank them on a 1-10 scale with 10 being "Super!" and 1 being "deadly dull"?

 

Thanks for all the feedback. Hope you all have a great start to your '09-'10 Scouting year!

[John-in-KC]

This is another time I agree with Kudu.

 

The trench level of a Troop is the last place in the world for management by punchcards and chads.

 

This is the kind of question best asked in the glow of a campfire on an autumn's eve, a cup of cocoa in hand, with God's own stars as a roof over your head. Ask two simple questions:

- What isn't broke, so we're not going to fix it?

 

- What needs improvement?

 

Personally, I'd take the PLC out on a PLC retreat camp to ask this. The adults should be Mr SM, an ASM, and Mr CC.

[mdlscouting]

Some people are better at giving feedback off the cuff verbally, some are better at giving feedback when they have a chance to write it out.

 

I'd use as many of the methods here as you can for feedback. Add some more also... Have an idea dropbox form on your Troop's website, that the boys could use to anonymously submit ideas.

 

(At the cub level, I'd get a lot of feedback from parents as well)

 

The more opportunities the scouts have for giving feedback, the better. Even if it involves paper.

[boomerscout]

there is one big problem with asking such questions at a BOR or SM conference. If the Scout has any street wisdom at all, then he is not going to say anything that may throw a wrench into his advancement proceedings.