no "team" in our troop!

[LauraT7]

Our troop just came back from camp - this year we actually went to 2 camps - 5 boys went to a new camp and 15 went to the traditional camp we've gone to for years. (2 of those went to both camps)

 

One thing became painfully clear at both camps - our troop no longer works as a team. there are a few strong individualists in the troop, who seem to have an individual agenda - and they either walk over the boys that want to work as a group, or try to sway the younger boys to teasing cliques and meaness.

 

For example - the smaller group at camp had an opportunity to earn the Baden Powell Camping award - but 2 of the 5 made the others think it was "dumb" - mostly becasue they were already first class and part of getting the award involved getting their "CAPS" ( a program at that camp that involves doing something at each activity unit - and co-incidentally- covers alot of Tenderfoot, 2nd and 1st class requirements they already had)and because for the award we would have had to do a troop service project at camp. Because THEY didn't participate - the TROOP could not get the award.

 

One of these boys went to the other camp, also. there he teamed up with another, older boy, who had previously lost the election for SPL. The two of them deliberatly undermined the direction of the elected SPL, played tricks on him and others and by friday had our SPL in tears and ready to quit the troop.

 

( WE really, REALLY don't want to loose this SPL - he's one of the most awsome kids i have ever worked with - but he's also a sensitive kid - one of the things that makes him so good a leader for the younger boys, but vulnerable to these kind of things)

 

My question is - what can we do to make these boys see that they HAVE to be a team? this is NOT an individual competition?

 

Our troop has other problems that we are dealing with - but this could break the camels back.

 

Any ideas?

[insanescouter]

I have a few ideas that may help.

 

The biggest thing I know of you can do to help keep the "team" together is make sure every thing follow the Patrol method and that they work together to achieve their goal. I know this is harder then it sounds.

 

Another great method I use which seems to work, are "Team Challeges" also known as Team Games. These type of games force Scouts to work togther, develope communcation and problem solving skills. For an exxaple of these challgens check out www.insanescouter.com/t276/files/g-team.html

 

You may also want to use "Reflections" where you and the Scouts discuss how something went, and how it could have gone better. When doing refelections remember everyone including you are on the same level, only one person talks at a time, there are no right or wrong answers and that no one is forced, but rather encouraged to speak.

 

Most Junior Leader Trainigs include special exercies to help build team work, etc as well. Some JLTC ideas can be found at www.insanescouter.com/t276/JLTC/

 

Anyway I hope this helped.

 

InsaneScouter

http://insanescouter.com Webmaster

webmaster@insanescouter.org

[smaster101]

Sounds like a big problem.

My suggestion is that your troop needs some adult intervention. Make sure that the SM and other adults demonstrate 100% support of the SPL. Get visibly and vocally behind every decision he makes and let the rest of the troop know that the adult leaders have full and complete confidence that he's doing the right thing. The stronger scouts might be able to bully the SPL, but probably not the adults. I'll bet that they will want to be on the same said as their SM, especially if they also get something out of it. It will also help the SPL deal with the pressure if he knows that his SM and other adults are behind him.

[james_clegg]

I would ask the boys who are not supporting the SPL what parts of thier scout oath and the scout law they are breaking.

If you want to be scouts you have to live up to your promise or at least make a real effort to live up to it.

A scout is friendly -> is teasing the SPL friendly

A scout is courtious -> is begin disrespectful to other scouts courtious

A scout is kind.......

when you joined scouting you promised or your honor you would obey the scout law. If this is an example of your honor....

The kids need to know that honor is real. If you never call them on it they will never gain it.

 

James