Stimulating Meetings II

[kirshcor]

Hello all,

 

Thanks to the two gentlemen who responded to my earlier posting. I appreciate you taking the time.

 

I wasn't clear in my intentions. I know from training that it's the scouts who run the troop; the adults provide, among other functions, guidance to the scouts and oversight to ensure that BSA policies and procedures are not broken. So I have not taken the task of developing the program - that's for the scouts.

 

What I'm looking for are specific activities, ideas, or programs that other scouts have used with success. Neither I nor the other adults plan to implement any such activities, ideas or programs nor provide exhaustive details. Rather, we would offer up some general ideas to the SPL and let him decide what to do. If necessary, I might offer up leading questions to help guide the planning process. Eventually, the SPL and his PL's and other scouts would come up with their "own" plan inspired by the ideas, programs, or activities undertaken by their peers. The issue is that our SPL and the other boys in our troop are struggling with coming up with new ideas and asked me for suggestions. I too have drawn a blank.

 

Anyway, thanks for whatever ideas any of you can provide.

 

Best regards,

 

Cord Kirshner

 

[mk9750]

Cord,

 

Welcome to the forum! Sorry your first question seemed to have gotten so little response, but I think most of us would have told you the same thing.

 

However, it seems what you really are looking for is a list of activities other Troops do. I'll offer up ours:

 

*Winter Klondike in January

*Cabin Campout where Webelos are invited in Feb. the middle age Scouts mentor the youngest Scouts to teach basic skills to the Webelos. they then run a competetive event in the afternoon (except woods tools). We have a tremendous diner and then a Court of Honor in the evening, to which we invite all the families to come. We make a big deal out of awarding prizes to the Webelos "Patrols".

*Started basic kayaking skills training in local college pool in Feb.

*Pioneering Campout in March

*Continued kayaking sessions in pool in March

*Seperate Patrol events, including generic campout out, a hiking campout to cover 2nd class 5 mile hike, and the older guys went to the outdoors show, then just hung out together overnight in April.

*Basic River Kayaking in conjuction with the American Red Cross in April.

*New Scout Campout, where middle and young Scouts mentor the newly crossed new Scouts in camping skills in May.

*White Water I kayaking weekend in conjuction with the ARC in May.

*Troop Junior Leader Training in June.

*Council JLT in June, with usually 2 - 3 of our guys on staff, and 5 - 8 in attendence.

*Hike between 60 and 115 miles on the Appalacian Trial for @ 12 guys.

*Rest of guys do a campout to teach first aid skills in June.

*Help with Church Festival in July.

*Summer camp in PA (odd years) or Canada (even years) in late July or early August

*Rifle campout out in month we don't do the summer camp. Campout is preceeded by three 1:45 hour safety classes, then campout is designed to allow all to shoot. Some pursue Rifle MB.

*Troop rafting trip, with experienced kayakers escorting family and others in raft down river in Sept.

*Rock Climbing and rapelling campout over 4 day weekend in Oct. This is proceeded by 3 weeks of meetings to teach skills.

*No set activity is November. Usually used by patrols to plan their own event.

*Cabin campout with emphisis on orienteering in Dec.

*Sevice project to VA Hospital in Dec.

 

In addition, each of our three patrols plan campouts on their own a couple of time a year, and often get together as a group to do tuff like bowling, ball games, etc.

 

During our planning meeting, the boys review each activity from last year and make sure it still fits with our goals. We've done the same basic schedule for a few years now.

 

Mark

[Bob58]

Goood Morning!

 

Picking up on your comment that your leaders wouldn't "implement any such activities, ideas or programs nor provide exhaustive details. Rather, we would offer up some general ideas to the SPL and let him decide what to do. If necessary, I might offer up leading questions to help guide the planning process..." You've got it! Start with the Program Helps in this months "Scouting" magazine and punch it up with material from the "Scoutmaster Handbook". Trailhead 5 is troop meetings and is a good introduction for new troops but Trailhead 6 is Program features with a months worth of sample meeting agendas & an outdoor activity for hiking, citizenship, first aid, and camping. I realize that this might seem to be for "new troops" but if our Junior Leaders are new share this resource with them. From his post I think that Mark's new leaders have a pretty good idea of what to expect and what is expected of them. (This doesn't mean that we or he is doing anything wrong just that a annual plan like that can really help the boys lead. The boys can draw on the past and (with leaders guidance) put their own stamp on each year.

 

Lots of new ideas, anticipation, excitement and meetings that lead to outdoor experiences. Keep the boys involved in the planning.

 

(Good luck, I struggle w/ a Committe Chair who doesn't understand boy leadership. He wants to let the JLC pick the destinations and then HE plans to the nth degree to make sure that the boys have a good time. Sometimes we even do things that the boys want to do!

Sorry mini-vent!)

[Bob White]

Consider using the outdoor event of the month as a springboard for troop meeting planning.

 

Lets say the PLC wants to go canoeing in June, We ask them to think about what needs to be done before then. They should consider, safe swim defense, swim tests, safety afloat, packing for a canoe trip, basic canoe strokes, parts of the canoe, classification of currents, reading the current, basic water rescue, First aid for likely injuries (sunburn, blisters, heatstroke, hypothermia).

 

As you can see selecting the activity and then using troop meetings to prepare for them generates a slew of program ideas and easily fills up a months worth of meetings. It also provides a ton of advancement opportunities for younger scouts, introduces several merit badge topics for the older scouts, gives the older scouts opportunities to share their knowledge and creates opportunities to bring in community experts to train on topics.

 

This method can be reaped for any scout-like activity the scouts are interested in.

 

Hope this helps,

Bob White