The role of JLTC

[captnkirk]

There was a question posed in another thread (JLTC, SPL, & dealing with older Scouts) as to the value of JLTC. Specificly, "So how does a SPL go to JLTC and then come back to deal with this real world?"

 

SMs, ASMs, CMs and any adult volunteer should have a real understanding of what is learned at JLTC for several reasons. The first is to understand just what it is that the Scout has learned, and the second is to continue to help him learn it. JLTC does not end after one week. It doesn't end after the participant completes his LGA (Leadership Growth Agreement, similiar to the Woodbadge Ticket). I took the course in 1998, served on staff for three years, and I am still learning and refining my skills.

 

The core of JLTC is the eleven leadership skills, which are then reinforced by activities, games, and tasks where the participants can begin to apply their new skills and begin to understand how to use them in the "real world". I could rewrite the entire manual for you here, but it's a lot easier to talk to your Council Training Chair or your Scouts' JLTC Course Director.

 

Another reason to know what goes on before you send anyone is to prepare your Scouts for what they're in for. I've seen a lot of Scouts show up expecting a second week of summer camp, and end up very disappointed and wanting to go home on Day Three. It's a lot of hard work, sitting in what is basicly a classroom half the day, and then trying to lead a patrol of Scouts who you met yesterday, at least one of whom thinks they could run the patrol better than you.

 

But back to dealing with the "real world," if you know the program, you can help your SPL by pointing out that he has the skills to deal with whatever situation he is facing. In the case of a group of older Scouts who do not want to teach a group of Tenderfoots how to tie knots, remind him that he needs to "Understand the Needs and Characteristics" of the older Scouts, and that if he properly "Represents the Group" in his "Planning" for the meeting, he won't have to worry about half his troop walking out the door to play football (unless of course that's his program.)

 

We had a saying on our course. "If you don't take what you learned here and use it in your own troops, then you weren't here." The real learning for a leader doesn't happen at JLTC, it happens when he gets home, and the adults troop leaders need to be the teachers there.

[Eamonn]

You are not going to get any argument from me.

I am looking forward to reading the new syllabus for the new course.

Still no matter what the course or the syllabus is I think that it is a crying shame that Scouts attend only to return to their home troop with a "Training High", only to hear "We don't do it that way".

Why bother sending them?

Eamonn.

[anarchist]

hi guys!

 

one of the best things we did as a troop years ago was purchase the JLTC package from BSA supply. No not only do we send scouts we do an 'in house' at the start of every year for every boy in the troop who has a POR AND any boy who the SM/ASM corp sees as a 'potential' leader. We cycle 30% of the troop through each year...Part of the 'coolness' of this approach is not only 'training' boys (an ASM and I, a lowly CM, started this several years ago) but allowing a few adult leaders to 'ride along' and in the process retrain them or start most of them re-thinking (at least) what the real program is all about! We now have an entire corp of trained/retrained ASM's....

can't wait to get a copy of the new stuff!

 

(not bad for an anarchist!)

[Eagledad]

Hi All

 

>>but allowing a few adult leaders to 'ride along' and in the process retrain them or start most of them re-thinking (at least) what the real program is all about!

[EagleInKY]

Great post, Barry (as usual). Our process is similar to Anarchist. We run JLTC once a year (early Fall, after elections). All Green Bars are expected to attend, other Troop leaders who have not attended JLT in the past are expected to attend. After that, scouts who have not taken JLT are encouraged to attend, including all first years. We cap it at about 12 or so, because it's not effective if you get much larger than that.

 

I also try to get at least one adult who hasn't attended before to attend. Getting them to see it from a boys point of view helps them understand the whole boy-leadership stuff a lot better. I tell them that they are "just one of the boys" for the day. They have to resist the urge to take charge.

 

While I agree that most of what they learn is through the normal participating in activities, I find that JLTC helps define the roles better for them and gives them a model to work from. I have seen marked improvement in the leadership skills and the boys' ability to take charge of an activity. Especially with the younger ones.

 

(For the record, my POV is from a young troop. I imagine that after a culture is established and you have several 15-16-17 year old youth leaders demonstrating the way, JLTC probably has less of an impact.)

[Eagledad]

>>I imagine that after a culture is established and you have several 15-16-17 year old youth leaders demonstrating the way, JLTC probably has less of an impact

[EagleInKY]

I like the idea of two levels of JLTC. I can see a need for that in our troop the next couple of years.

 

I did change the sylabus of JLT this year. It was the second time for us, and about 1/2 of the boys attending it had been through it the previous year. Much of the core material was the same, but I added some different games and actitivies. I also used less of the video. I tailored it to some of their specific needs. It was funny, at lunch, the 2nd year guys thought they knew what was going to happen (the bags with different items in them). Instead, they walked into the room and the only thing there was a box full of stuff. They had to figure out what they had, divide it up and serve it. A little curve ball, but they handled it well. And, they remembered to say grace this time.

 

I'll be looking for some other alternatives when next year's rolls around. I've gotten some good ideas off of a variety of JLT sites. Anyone have any other advice or ideas?

 

Barry - How is the 3 hour version structured?

[Eagledad]

Hi Eagleinky

 

Actually now its two hours followed by a lock in for only the PLC. The first hour is spent giving a quick explanation of the Troop leadership chart staring from the Chartering Representative all the way down to the Patrol positions. The SPL explains and discusses the expectations of each PLC leadership position and finishes with his set of goals for the troop. The SM usually spends just a few minutes talking about Aims and Methods making sure that both the adults and scouts understand that the adults responsibility are the aims, the scouts are responsible for the methods.

 

Each scout spends the second hour with his advisor who is usually an adult but sometimes an older scout. Together they discuss their personal ideas for the position and set goals for the next six months. There is usually some training in that hour to help the scout get started.

 

When our Troop was young, we followed the second hour with a PLC meeting to help the new guys get a feel for the meeting. But our Troop has a PLC meeting every week now and most or our PLC has experience in the meeting.

 

We have always followed that JLT with pizza and PLC Lock in. Believe it or not, the lock in is a great team bonding experience.

 

Some times leaders in the PLC need further training like the Quartermasters, ASPLs and Patrol leaders. So they wouldset up another training time in the future

 

While I was SM, many of the PLC had been to six or seven of these JLTs, so you can understand the importance of a quick two hours that gets to the point. The very experienced scouts only want to hear what they need for their job. Usually they do most of the training in the first hour.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Barry

 

[EagleInKY]

Great ideas. Thanks.

[ps56k]

Happen to run across this thread from the original - makes for great reading....

 

BTW - is there anyway to post a reply into the middle of a thread, or is everything always appended at the end ?

 

Here's another side issue concerning Troop level JLT - maybe a different thread...

 

Who should attend Troop level JLT, and when should it be offered..

 

We have had it offered to anyone that wanted to come, and basically had most of the troop attend. I'm not sure what it really accomplished.

I'm starting to lean toward having it AFTER an election, and then only for the Troop level & Patrol level leadership positions.

What are your thoughts ?

tnx -

 

[EagleInKY]

ps56k - You can't insert in the middle (they are included in time sequence). You could spin-off a new thread, however, which would be appropriate in this case.

 

However, since we're here, I'll go ahead and address your question. We do JLTC once a year after the fall elections (we also have elections in the spring).

1. All green bars are expected to attend. That's set out before they run for office that they will agree, if elected, to participate in JLT.

2. We also strongly encourage any other person who holds a position and has not previously attended JLT to attend.

3. Third, we encourage anyone else who hasn't attended JLT to attend.

4. Anyone else (that would be someone holding a position and has previously attended JTL) is also welcome.

 

We try to limit it to around 10-12 people. Our troop is still small, so that's doable. I also try to get an adult who hasn't seen it before to attend. This helps them get an appreciation of the boy-led program as well.

[SemperParatus]

EagleinKY looking for alternatives,

 

Have you tried the Silver Bullets book series by Karl Rohnke for some of the coolest team-building and initiative games/activities?

[EagleInKY]

Thanks Semper... I did a search on Amazon and it looks like he's got some good stuff. I'll have to take a look at these.

 

I've gotten some ideas from these websites:

http://www.teambuildingusa.com/

http://www.wilderdom.com/games/gamesspecific.html

http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/