Troop Guide - Special Needs

[thriftyscout]

Our Troop offers a First Class in the first year type program to our New Scout Patrol. The NSP has a Troop Guide and an ASM assigned to help them. Most of our Scouts earn FCFY or are pretty close.

 

I have suggested to our SPL that he assign a Scout to assist our Special Needs Scouts with continuing towards FC. Would/could this be considered a Troop Guide or should it be a SM assigned leadership project?

 

Thanks in advance for you input,

 

Chuck

[dg98adams]

Don't see a reason why it couldn't be either...

[Stosh]

thrifty, welcome to the forum!

 

Why would this have to be a POR? Couldn't it be just one scout helping another?

 

With the FC in one year and POR considerations on special situations, the troop program sounds a wee bit advancement oriented for my liking. (But that's just me.) I would simply put the boy in a patrol that has a PL that wants to take on a leader challenge and advance his skills beyond the others. A good APL could do a lot to help this boy, but of course it's a POR that gets no credit for it. But having a POR isn't always true leadership. I have a special needs scout that gets no special treatment and is treated just like one of the rest.

 

I'm thinking one would get a lot more traction in this process if he just has a concerned buddy that helps him out rather than some smoke and mirror patch on someone assigned to help advance him to FC. True leaders don't always get the credit and recognition reflective of their efforts.

 

Stosh

[Oak Tree]

I'd go with Troop Guide.

[Eagledad]

Depends really on your scouts needs and program I think. We have had many special needs scouts and like Stosh, we encourage the Patrol members take care of each other.

 

We have also had a couple special scouts that required a more specific effort of assistance for the scouts safety. That assistance can be very very demanding.

 

We have never used a TG or SM assigned POR for scouts who assist a special scouts, but I certainly wouldnt have trouble with considering the idea, it just never came up for our situations.

 

I dont agree with the smoke and mirror patch comment. There are several ways to accomplish the same task with equal performance. A choice of ideas are what forums are good for.

 

Barry

 

 

[Stosh]

Smoke and Mirror Patches for those those scouts who wear the patch and get credit for minimal or no work so that they can advance. If a boy wears a patch and does the work, then it's a real POR patch.

 

If a scout truly wanted to assist with a special needs scout he wouldn't need a patch or special leadership project assigned to it. Heaven forbid he only helps the special needs scout because he needs the advancement credit.

 

Deep down, Barry, I don't think we really disagree all that much.

 

Stosh

[thriftyscout]

Thanks for the input.

 

The idea to make this a POR has more to do with the "typical" Scout then those with special needs. I have been very proud of the boys willingness to help and am confident they would do so with or without it counting as a POR. As our Troop has grown we have more Scouts than "traditional" PORs so this seemed like a good way to expand the number of positions in a meaningful way.

 

It appears to me to be a meaningful leadership role but I see the point of it also being a good turn.

[Stosh]

Thrifty,

 

Don't get me wrong. If a boy wishes to step up and really wants to work with these boys in a continuous leadership role for them, then by all means, the credit should be given to him. But for the most part, each boy that comes into contact with them needs to step up their servant leadership and buddy up with them whenever possible.

 

Stosh