New Scout Patrol

[ScruffyJake]

Since this is the time when many troops are receiving new scouts via crossovers, I'm curious on how you handle new scout patrols on camping.

 

Our new scout patrols are going on their first campout next month, after being with the troop for three weeks. The patrols are entirely made up of new scouts, 5th grade. Each patrol is assigned two olders scouts as guides.

 

Do you assign the guides to act as "patrol leader" for the first campouts? Does the guide help prepare food, dine and clean up with the new scout patrol? Or does the guide stay with his patrol, only offering guidance to the new scouts?

[5yearscouter]

The troop guide becomes a part of the patrol.

At first he sort of acts a patrol leader, showing them how to plan a menu together, how the stoves work, how to set up the tents etc.

They do elect their own patrol leader as soon as there are enough boys to make that choice, their own asst patrol leader and they choose a patrol name, make a flag, cheer, paint their chuck box and put their names on it, the whole works.

 

They stay together until the new guys have a handle on things, know how the troop works, are advancing a bit, not necessarily having to be 1st class. usually after summer camp, at August elections and patrols get a few holes in them as people move around, if they want to go into another patrol they can, if they choose to stay together they can.

 

But the first few meetings it's like the troop guide acts as whatever help they need to make it come off without a problem.

 

Note, we've not done new scout patrols in recent years and are on our first 6 months of trying it after years of only having mixed age patrols. It started up in August last year with a new scoutmaster, after the boys in PLC voted to give it a try.

 

so far it's working to the point of having no new scouts drop out between summer camp and now. We'll see how it goes as they continue. So far the boys have voted to stay together even though some of them do have buds outside of their "new scout patrol" and have earned 1st class.

 

They actually kicked their old troop guide out--well they had gotten tired of him and he had gotten tired of them, since they didn't need him to show them the ropes anymore, so it was mutual. In our troop the troop guides are the ones with primary power to sign books, each patrol with boys below first class is recommended to have a troop guide to help them out, so they pushed one of their own to become their new troop guide at Feb elections--who happens to be a go getter scout who has a handle on scout skills very very well, has his first class after a year in the troop and raring to go. His older brother is ASPL Life scout who watches over the new scout patrols, so it's worked out well.

 

We've been pleasantly surprised watching this patrol, but not sure it will work out with the next set of kids. They all tend to have their own individual dynamic--this set of 10 scouts just meshed together very well for some reason. sometimes new scout patrols totally crash and burn cause the kids butt heads too much.

 

This year's new scout patrol is forming as we speak has 3 scouts in it and 4-8 more coming in the next month from crossovers. The SPL found them a new troop guide to get them started, and the same ASPL will be watching over them as well. Should be interesting to watch.

 

 

[Roadkill Patrol]

As a SM, I too have a question regarding a new scout patrol. We have a small troop with 2 current patrols. Eacb patrol has 5 members registered, although we are likely to see a mix of 3 or 4 from each patrol at a meeting or outing. They like the patrols they are in and want to stay as 2 patrols. Now we had 5 new scout crossovers, with only a mix of 3 showing up at the last 2 meetings.

 

BTW, we have decided to run the troop without a SPL or ASPL until we have our Troop Leadership training session coming up soon. Even then, pulling 2 people from the current patrols would result in reforming the remaining 13 on the roster into 2 patrols. We would still end up with an avg of 4-5 from each patrol showing up at meetings and events. Usually when we have an event like Klondike, the ones that go end up forming into a new patrol for just that event. We have seen other troops do that and it seems to work instead of having 2 patrols of 3 at an outing.

 

Since the new scouts would need guidance, the other patrols would be hard served to sacrifice a member to help the NSP. Since the avg attendance is well below the bare minimum needed to form a new patrol, what is the best way to incorporate them into the existing patrols? Here are a couple of ideas I had:

 

1. Let the existing patrols pick which members they want? Or would this be too much like school yard picking?

 

2. Let the new boys pick which patrol they want to be in?

 

Any other thoughts or ideas that other troops have used for making their small troop work?

[Beavah]

Yah, Roadkill, I would have said that yeh were at a size where yeh were really only a one patrol troop (because your patrols would frequently "collapse" into a single patrol for outings, which is where the patrol method is most important).

 

Now that you're gettin' some more kids in, I'd suggest yeh admit the new boys into the two patrols directly and yeh might then be up to a two-patrol troop. No need for an SPL/ASPL or any of that stuff until yeh get up to 3 or 4 patrols. No need for a new scout patrol; that tends also to be for bigger troops. What yeh can do if yeh want a bit of a NSP experience is to have the two Patrol Leaders run a special "orientation campout" once or twice for just the new fellows.

 

I think boys naturally find some affinities for other boys, and yeh sort of go with that in terms of where to place incoming lads. Let new boys state their preferences, let the PLs discuss and make decisions. The boys are pretty good at this stuff so long as yeh give 'em one or two ground rules. In your case probably something like "the patrols need some balance" and "the new boys should be happy and have a friend or someone they like in their patrol".

 

ScruffyJake, I think there are a bunch of different ways that NSPs are handled in big troops like yours, dependin' on the kinds of outings the troop does and what they want in terms of outcomes for the boys. Generally speakin', though, the Troop Guides need to be members and effective Patrol Leaders of the NSPs at the start, and then gradually step back as the new guys find their feet.

 

If yeh search the forums for "New Scout Patrol" you'll find dozens of other threads on the topic if yeh want to go browse. Otherwise, just keep askin' your questions and you'll see all kinds of responses with a great deal of variety that'll help yeh think about how to make this stuff work in your troop.

 

 

Beavah

(This message has been edited by Beavah)

[Eagledad]

Wow, you guys are asking some good questions that this forum has chewed on many times. Beaverah is right that doing a search will reward you with more discussions than you could possible read in a week.

 

This is one of my favorite subjects, but I will try to keep my initial response short so you can ask questions.

 

I first like to get adult leaders to point their focus on the objectives of a new scout program and not think of it as just another process in the SM Handbook. The BSA doesnt tell you that the main objective of the New Scout Program is getting your new scouts up to speed as quickly as possible so that they feel confident to have fun in the troop.

 

Why, because the BSA looses more boys from scouting in the first six months of joining the troop than any other time or age in scouting. The reason is the young boys of this age go from a world of adults holding their hands and making all their decisions, to a new world of making their own decisions and having to trust other boys for their safety and enjoyment in the troop program. Their first campout is probably the most intimidating (scary) experience these boys will have had so far in their young lives. So you, the adult, need to figure out how to get the young babied boys to confident scouts who can trust other boys to help them have fun in the program.

 

That means you need to keeps adults just close enough so the new scouts are not totally terrified, but far enough away so they develop a relationship and trust to depend on the other scouts. Experience shows that you have about six months to transform mommas boy into a confident excited scout longing to go camping with his patrol. Otherwise you will likely loose him in the second six months.

 

Now that you know the why, there are a lot of us here with experiences to help you figure out the how.

 

I love this scouting stuff.

 

Barry

 

[desertrat77]

Lots of good advice....

 

The only thing I'll add is, whatever process you employ, follow Eagledad's advice and get the new scouts up to speed sooner than later. Confidence is indeed the key.

 

In my experience, the main drawback of the new scout patrol is that it can turn into an extended day care...new scouts get segregated for too long, ala "leper colony", and aside from a guide or two, the older scouts aren't teaching scoutcraft or otherwise influencing the new scouts for the better. This demoralizes the new scouts because they don't really feel like a full fledged member of the troop. And the senior scouts are just shooting the breeze with each other.

 

Take away those training wheels as soon as possible!

[Eagle732]

I don't use the NSP method. I mix 'em in with the existing patrols. Better that they see how several older boys lead and learn from them than one Troop Guide. Works for us.

[Roadkill Patrol]

Eagle792:

 

How do you go about mixing your new scouts into the existing patrols?

[Eagle732]

I just try to balance the overall numbers of the patrols. I ask the new guys which patrol they want to be in and try to work it out so everyone is as happy as possible. I think it's important to let hem have some say in where they go.

 

[fred8033]

Eagle732 wrote: "I just try to balance the overall numbers of the patrols. I ask the new guys which patrol they want to be in and try to work it out so everyone is as happy as possible. I think it's important to let them have some say in where they go."

 

Cool. Very similar to our troop. We do initially put scouts in new scout patrols. They elect a patrol leader at the 1st meeting. Troop Guide helps them with the 1st meeting, 1st PLC, 1st camp out, etc. The Troop Guide knows to slowly wean the new scouts of needing his advice.

 

But if they want, they can join another patrol. Or switch to another patrol at any time. Usually, functioning patrols want to stay together. That's 100% fine ... in my book. Your experience may vary.