Follow
What does ‘active in Scouting’ mean? Scouting, unlike many other activities, is not designed to monopolize our Scout’s available time. Beyond that Scouting considers Scouts being involved and engaged in their communities, families and schools as goal of the program.
Most of the other activities our Scouts involve themselves with do not reciprocate. Teams, bands, choirs, choruses, clubs, youth groups and many ot the other positive thing s a Scout can do outside of his troop may demand his attendance – they may have all or nothing at all policies. While I may think this is shortsighted on their part I can understand what a coach or director may feel this way – I have coached teams and directed plays too.
If you are having difficulties with your Scout’s level of participation read this excerpt from the Guide to Advancement 2011:
….it is appropriate for units to set reasonable expectations for attendance and participation. Then it is simple: Those who meet them are “active.” But those who do not must be given the opportunity to qualify under the third-test alternative above. To do so, they must first offer an acceptable explanation. Certainly, there are medical, educational, family, and other issues that for practical purposes prevent higher levels of participation. These must be considered. Would the Scout have been more active if he could have been? If so, for purposes of advancement, he is deemed “active.”
We must also recognize the many worthwhile opportunities beyond Scouting. Taking advantage of these opportunities and participating in them may be used to explain why unit participation falls short. Examples might include involvement in religious activities, school, sports, or clubs that also develop character, citizenship, or personal fitness. The additional learning and growth experiences these provide can reinforce the lessons of Scouting and also give young men the opportunity to put them into practice in a different setting.
It is reasonable to accept that competition for a Scout’s time will become intense, especially as he grows older and wants to take advantage of positive “outside” opportunities. This can make full-time dedication to his unit difficult to balance. A fair leader therefore, will seek ways to empower a young man to plan his growth opportunities both within and outside Scouting, and consider them part of the overall positive life experience for which the Boy Scouts of America is a driving force. ( 4.2.3.1 Active Participation)
This is smart and, more than that, it’s what Scouting is all about.
Am I frustrated sometimes when my Scout’s commitments conflict with our schedule? Well, of course I am. But I have evolved into a much happier, less frustrated Scoutmaster with the realization that what we are doing goes beyond the troop meeting, the patrol meeting, and the camping trip into the rest of the Scouts life.
Critically busy or sloppy and lazy. Sometimes obvious and sometimes not.
Typically a critically busy Scout is also the Scout who takes things responsibly and though he may not be at every single event or meeting, he will make sure that things happen.
The sloppy or lazy Scout will use other things as an excuse to evade responsibility.
A Larry axiom:
WE ARE NOT VERY GOOD AT DETERMINING THE TRUTH OF THE STATEMENT ABOVE!
Scouts are laser like in their ability to determine the truth of the statement above.
Put them in control and they will ferret out the leadership problems. They may ask you for advice with questions like “Can we …?” Left alone and given the authority they will figure it out and act.
“Pretend effort, counted for pretend accomplishment, is a reflection on B.S.A., not the Scout or the unit. ” This I don’t get. If the Scout earns the rank he earns the rank. The requirements are pretty clear. He can either tie a bowline or he can’t. It doesn’t depend on his attendance. The requirement DOES NOT say, “If the Scout has attended the last 6 Troop meetings and the last two campouts AND can successfully tie a bowline.”
Also, generally it’s not up to us as to whether a Scout’s leadership was successful or not. Was the Scout successfully elected to his position or appointed to his position by the Scouts in the Troop? Did the Scout successfully serve his required tenure at the dispositon of the Scouts in the Troop? If so, then he passes the leadership requirement. Once again, it’s pretty simple.
Now it’s perfectly acceptable to ask a Scout during his Star, Life and Eagle board about how successful HE feels his tenure as a leader was. His answer will often be enlightening and a good teaching/learning moment. His tenure has already been validated by his fellow Scouts so has completed the requirements for the rank.
“Scouting does not begin and end at the threshold of the troop meeting room or campsite.”
Love that!
Advancement is a method, not an objective. It is to encourage participation and accomplishment, not driving up “Youth Served” metrics.
A Scout who is inactive, for the very best of reasons, is still inactive. Pretend effort, counted for pretend accomplishment, is a reflection on B.S.A., not the Scout or the unit.
The corporate “logic” would extend to “would the Scout have earned the Merit Badge if he had the time to do so?” That is the “logic” of the Merit Badge mills at council Summer Camps, where there is “just not time” for individual testing.
This is not a lesson that prepares the Scout for college or private sector employment.
We will comply, but we will not approve.
I understand your frustration but you have totally missed the point.
This is not about ‘pretend accomplishment’ and not based in ‘corporate logic’ – I kind of resent the tone. (Your argument, by the way is an informal logical fallacy commonly called ‘the slippery slope’)
This is actual accomplishment although every minute may not be directly under the auspices of a troop.
Scouting does not begin and end at the threshold of the troop meeting room or campsite. We want our Scouts actively involved in the community, not just the Scout troop. To encourage that involvement we recognise it as a part of the Scout’s active expression of what it is to be a Scout.
Our mission, by the way, is not simply to “prepare the Scout for college or private sector employment”. Our mission is “…to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.”
So how should the activity expectations adjust when the Scout is the SPL, ASPL or a Patrol Leader?
I’ve had a high expectation of my son’s participation. It’s easy to do with a full program of activities. It can quickly take over most weekends if you have an active Troop. I’m learning that from a dad perspective I need to give him more space so he doesn’t turn negative. He’s now a high school freshman and there are all sorts of other options to fill his time and take his attention. It’s a hard lesson for a very involved Scouter.
With an active, youth led troop it’s going to be unrealistic to require all youth leaders to be there every time you open the door. That’s kind of step one – you’ve got to accept ant Scout with leadership talent and initiative will have many demands on his time.
If they have real responsibility and we work with them to define the scope of their commitment things go at least semi-smoothly.
You ask “So how should the activity expectations adjust when the Scout is the SPL, ASPL or a Patrol Leader?” and I would turn that question directly on those Scouts holding the positions. What are their expectations? If we begin with what they expect of themselves instead of what we expect of them we’ll arrive at a much more reasonable expectation.
As a dad with a an active, involved Scout I found that there was a point where ‘our’ involvement morphed into ‘my’ and ‘his’ involvement. This hit around age 14 or maybe a bit earlier. In our house Scouting was not really an option (that was mom’s decision) but we incrementally ceded our expectations to his. Some of this was a little trying and frustrating, but those frustrations were minor to what our fellow parents were dealing with with boys who weren’t involved in Scouting.
Good post and policy information to know. Many times there is an all or none attendance attitude in the Unit. SMJ