Patrol guides

[t487scouter]

What is the most effective way of using a Troop guide? Does the troop guide remain in his original patrol or does he become a member of the new patrol? Does he help the boys of the new patrol at each meeting or just when they require help? Does he camp with the new patrol as well?

 

Thanks,

Todd

[OneHour]

Todd,

 

This is what the Troop Guides in our Troop do. They retain their affiliation with their patrol; however, they are a part of the new scout patrol (or new patrol). They help the entire patrol at each meeting. For the NSP, they help teach the skills and test the skills. They help with the planning of campout to which they include themselves in the menus, because they eat with the NSP. They camp with the new patrol. They are essentially there to help the NSP PL and APL as well as showing the guys the ropes (not just knots) . Once their tenure is up, they either continue on or go back to their patrol. They do, however, function with their patrol whenever their patrol needs them.

 

We are looking at providing 2 Troop Guides for each NSP this year. Before we have a tough time of getting the TG to attend the campouts with the NSP due to conflicts with other school and extra-curricular activities. With two TGs, we probably have a better chance of having at least 1 TG at any campout. Some of our boys will have to pull double duties if this is the case.

 

This is just the way that our Troop Guides behave in our troop.

 

1Hour

[EagleInKY]

We're new at using a Troop Guide. We're just getting going with our new TG and our NSP, so I'm curious as to what input you get.

 

My opinion is that he should NOT be part of the NSP. The SM Handbook says that he should either be part of the senior leadership (w/the SPL & ASPL) or part of an older scout patrol. I do not believe he should be an actual member of the new scout patrol. It's their patrol, he is there to help them.

 

We're leaning toward pulling him out of his patrol and putting him with the senior leaders. The reasons are twofold. One, he will spend most of his time with the NSP. He'll be at their patrol meetings, he'll work with them in troop meetings and on campouts. He will have little to no time to dedicate to his current patrol. So, instead of him being a hindrance to them, make him part of the troop leadership. Second, since this older boy is going to spend an enormous amount of time with the NSP, grouping him with the senior leaders gives him a chance to "decompress" with boys his own age & maturity level. For this reason, I think he will usually camp with the senior leaders, not the patrol.

 

I'm modeling this much after the Woodbadge approach. I see him being an integral part of the group during the early months. But, he is still not a full member of the group. More like a big brother, you might say. Over time (6-9 months), I see him starting to back away, and let the NSP work on their own. By the time next February rolls around, they'll be fully integrated into the troop.

 

Any thoughts to this approach. It's early, so we're still tweaking.

[anarchist]

TROOP GUIDES not patrol guides.

 

They are part of the leadership Green Bars ...answering to the ASPL (in our troop) and assisting the ASM's overseeing the NSP's. For one year these boys are with the NSP's for everything. They act as defacto Patrol leaders for a few weeks then they switch to mentors as the NSP figures out who will be patrol leader and APLs. We use the two guides per patrol system to help avoid no shows at meetings and campouts.

 

This can be very hard on the troop as a whole if you have large groups of new scouts. Three New Scout patrols require the selection of six of your strongest scouts...virtually wiping out a patrol...or taking the 'top' off of three patrols... we are looking at (tweaking the system) this coming year only having one Troop Guide per NSP but having the ASPL in charge of the Troop Guides act as a 'floater' and then selecting one other floater...maybe a partime 'guide in training type position'...still thinking on this one...

 

Keep in mind that no matter what you say about the boy being in his patrol..for a year he is in the NSP hip pocket at everything and 'lost' to his patrol... HIS JOB IS MENTORING THE NSP and making every effort to see that their first year in Boy Scouts is successful...quite a bit to put on a kid! So chose well, it takes a special boy! (boys)

[t487scouter]

Would I be better off without a troop guide? This troop was started a year ago, the most experienced scout is one MB from star, is 15 Y/O, and is my SPL. With the other SP members, this leaves me with only 4 boys in the patrol. I have just recieved 9 boys at cross over for a new patrol. If I started a Troop guide position, this would take the one patrol to 3 boys and the only scout that is interested is only second class. Would I be better off not having a troop guide and just have the SP and occasionaly the ASM help them? What do troops do when a patrol is reduced to just a few scouts through position changes or dropping out? When they only number a few are they moved into another patrol?

[Eagledad]

>>we are looking at (tweaking the system) this coming year only having one Troop Guide per NSP but having the ASPL in charge of the Troop Guides act as a 'floater'