Scoutmaster Courtesy

[Eagledad]

I rarely called the other scoutmaster nor do I remember one calling me when scouts changed troops. You are right that it would be a courteous, I just don't remember feeling one was needed from either troop. I did talk to scouts to find out why they left or joined our troop, just never occurred to me to call the other SM. I once warned a SM of an adult who left our troop for his. He made the same call a year later to the next SM that the adult eventually transfered into.

 

Barry

[OneHour]

Let's see ... I have 7 new scouts who dropped off from the face of the Earth. I called to follow up. I emailed. I left messages. The only way that I found out that they decided not to continue with scouting is through my current scouts. "Oh, Johnny decided that he doesn't want to do scouting any more." I guess that the courteous thing to do is to let the inquiring mind knows what happened ... why the scout quits. I, personally, would like to change the program if it is the cause.

 

Back to Eagle732 question, "is it customary for one SM to give the other SM a call..." I wouldn't. That could set off misunderstandings. Should SMs talk to each other to find a right home for a scout? You bet ya!

 

Should a SM talk about the problems that the scout has to another SM? This is a grey area. It depends. If it is a medical issue, working in a healthcare environment, I would classify this as PHI issue (patient health information). If the parents feel that it will help the scout if the SM knows, then they are the ones to tell and not an outsider. On the flip side, if I were the receiving SM, I'd like to know so that I can prepare myself to help the scout. I just don't like medical surprises in the middle of nowhere!

 

1Hour

[GKlose]

I'm the one that used the term "poaching", by which I meant actively recruiting from other troops. I don't do that, and I don't do anything that resembles it.

 

I keep running into kids I know that have moved on to other scout troops. Given the circumstances, I'll say hello to them and their parents, but I wouldn't say something like "if you decide you don't like the troop you're in, then why don't you stop by one of our meetings?" To me, that would be an attempt at poaching.

 

If one of them would ask about our troop, depending upon the circumstances, I'd tell them about the other troops in town too. It is always more important to find the right fit for a scout.

 

Guy