New Scout Patrol & Leaders

[GopherJudy]

My son & his Webelos II den crossed over to Boy Scouts on March 20th & had their 1st troop meeting on March 22nd. They are a NSP & they elected one of the boys to be PL & he picked his APL. Now, my question is, do the new PL & APL have a training book to read? Does the SM go over the training with them? How long does the position last? Are there any guidelines for them? I'm asking this as a general question & not because of who was elected PL. I like the boy who was elected PL & I'm sure he'll do a great job but I was just wondering since they're new, is there any info that is available to guide them as a PL & the other boys who will have a turn as a PL. Thanks!

 

Judy

[mdutch]

Let me start by saying that the New Scout Patrol (NSP)meathod is done differently by different troops. what I discuss below is how my troop does it, which is similar to how many other troops use the New Scout Patrol. However, these questions might better be answered by your SM.

 

The New Scout Patrol is comprised of scouts who have just joined the troop. There is a troop guide (an older scout) and an ASM who is assigned to work with the patrol. The patrol will stay together for a year or until they reach first class.

 

There exists a Patrol Leaders Handbook, however that is written mainly for leaders of "regular" patrols. I, personally, do not think it will be very usefull to the NSP PL to read it. The Troop Guide should be the giving on the job training to the PL. He will help the PL run the Patrol Meetings, and will go with him to the PLC meetings. The Troop Guide should be the main resource for when they need help

 

In general, scouts in a NSP serve for one month as APL, followed by one month as PL.

[orennoah]

These are the sorts of issues that I encountered when my son and his Webelos class crossed over and formed a new Scout patrol. The troop was new and really didn't have a good handle on how to do this. Not that they did wrong, just that things didn't work out as well as they had hoped.

 

Now that I'm the SM, we just had ten new Webelos cross over, doubling our troop. We decided to integrate the new Scouts into the two existing patrols. So far, it's been GREAT. The older scouts have been wonderful, taking great pride in teaching the new Scouts the Oath, Law and knots. The new Scouts are swelling with pride at their new-found skills and their new-found friends, MANY OF WHOM ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL.

 

It's so easy for us "grown ups" to forget how awesome a high school student appears to a 6th grader. And to earn the respect of one, is tremendous.

 

All that said, I know that some troops have great success with the new Scout patrol method and some troops have dissasters with putting new Scouts into existing patrols.(This message has been edited by orennoah)

[GopherJudy]

My son said there was a Troop Guide there & showing the boys things. I'm glad that there will be someone working with the boys & the PL & APL to guide them. A month is a good "term of office" for the new boys, gives everyone a chance.

 

That's so true of the younger boys & the high school boys! Mark said that 1 of the boys is so cool! This was since our troop visit in January! Sometimes you have to think like a child again, which at times is very easy for me to do!

 

Mark has his 2nd troop meeting this Tuesday & then on the weekend he has his 1st Boy Scout overnight campout! He's excited!

 

Thanks meamemg & orennoah!

 

Judy

[Snake Eater]

meamemg,

 

A year seems like a long time for the boys to be in a NSP. The longest I'd heard of before now was six months and I thought that was too long. I think that it's good to state the purpose of a thing so that all stays in perspective. In troops local to my area the purpose of NSP is to quickly teach the new boys what they need to know to function without embarrassment on their first few campouts with the troop. They learn how to light a stove, find things in the troop trailer, put up/take down/store a troop tent, ask your PL first, don't play in the fire, get from one place to another in an organized way, etc.

Leadership for the NSP are boys who have been scouts for at least a year, preferably boys who have previously held leadership positions.

 

I hope you don't take offense but, It almost sounds like your troop has created a Webelos III program by note fully including the boys in their first year.

 

 

[SemperParatus]

Hi! Do you actually eat snakes?

[Bob White]

Snake Eater,

You have an incorrect perception of the purpose and operation of the NSP. As you enter the Boy Scout level you will find it explained in the Boy Scout Leader handbook and the SAcoutmaster Leaders Specific Training program.

 

[EagleInKY]

Snake Eater -

 

You'll find lots of debate on this forum regarding the New Scout Patrol and the associated "First Class/First Year" program. The reason the NSP usually lasts a year is because that is the approximate time it takes for the majority of new scouts to reach the First Class rank. Yes, some take less and a few take more, but I would guess that around 80% or more make it to First Class within 12 months.

 

The NSP allows you to orient a program tailored for first year scouts and around the advancement program. It still fits within the overall troop annual plan. But it carves out specific pieces for the new scouts. We're just embarking on our first year of using it "by the book" and I hope it works as planned!

[Eagledad]

>>We're just embarking on our first year of using it "by the book" and I hope it works as planned!

[TheScout]

In our troop, the NSP Patrol Leader is elected for a one month term and he appoints his APL. He can not run again until every scout who wishes to serve has had an opportunity. This gives everyone a chance to experience leadership. A older scout is appointed as Troop Guide to assist the patrol and mentors the PL.

 

This arrangement usually lasts, a little less than a year. Eventually the PLC with advice from the Scoutmaster "elevates" the patrol en masse to a regular patrol when they deem the boys are ready. The scouts can then choose to continue on as a patrol, or they may join other patrols if they wish.

[taamland]

My troop has just seemed to really begin to utilize the new scout program. In the past there was a troop guide and a group of 1st year scouts but that was about it they began to function just as a regular patrol and they usually stayed together. But this year with our five brand new crossovers, a bang up Troop guide, and an experienced ASM to oversee the whole thing it seems to be going in the right direction. Granted it's only been a few weeks but they seem to have gotten off on the right foot. I do have a problem if the program becomes too classroom-like, the scout just sit and listen and then get signed off. In that i see the possiblity of it becomming a Webelos III program. What have other troops expirenced (pros/cons) with this program

 

taamland

[Snake Eater]

SemperParatus,

 

I have eaten snakes and they are quite tasty if done right.

 

Bob White,

 

Maybe so, I'm still in Cub Scouting now but have lately been looking at what my boys will be getting into next year. I've spoken with Boy Scouters in my area and they sing the praises of an NSP but they all only use it for a few months just to bring the boys up to speed. You may be right about what the book says but it doesn't seem right to segregate the new boys for an entire year. But keeping them together as a patrol after they are no longer a NSP just seems all wrong to me. It goes against my experience as a Boy Scout. In my day the new cubs coming up were spread amongst the patrols and it was part of the experience to be mentored by the older boys.

 

[Bob White]

Snake Eater

 

Its likely they will stay together much longer than a year and by their own choice. Why does staying together for a year to complete a goal seem unusual? The social needs and abilities of an 11 year old is not that much different than a 10 year old, or a 9 year old. The skill ability is greater so we increase the difficulty of the skill but reduce the amount of adult supervision. After a year the scouts have sufficient skills and understanding of patrol and troop operations to operate independently.

 

The fact that leaders you know do not follow the way the program is designed does not make them correct or the BSA wrong. You need to take the time to learn the Boy Scout Methods and procedures before you determine which way is best.

 

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[DugNevius]

Snake-eater, i agree with you. Our troop maintains the NSP for only a few months (from march to june) until our next re-election when they are assimulated into the other patrols.

[Snake Eater]

Bob White,

 

You may be right. You have more experience with and knowledge of the current program than I do and I respect that.

 

But it seems to me that what is really happening if you do this by the book is that you are continueing the Cub Scout program within the organization of a Boy Scout Troop. It might be better this way but it doesn't seem right to me. I would discourage my son from joining a Troop that operated this way.(This message has been edited by Snake Eater)