Troubleshooting the Patrol Method

in The Patrol System This is a self assessment tool to help gauge how well a troop applies the patrol method. It may be a good idea to have several adults and youth troop members complete the assessment and discuss the results. This is not very scientific but it will at least give you an idea of where you are. Here’s PDF version you can download.

Chose only one option for each pair of statements PATROL SYSTEM ALWAYS MOST TIMES SOME TIMES ALWAYS NO PATROL SYSTEM PATROL STRUCTURE Patrol membership is stable +10 +5 -5 -10 Patrol membership is reshuffled Patrol Leaders are elected by patrol members +10 +5 -5 -10 Patrol Leaders are not elected by patrol members Patrols participate as a ‘natural’ patrol +10 +5 -5 -10 Patrols often formed provisionally or combined Patrol has APL, Scribe, Quartermaster +10 +5 -5 -10 Patrols do not have APL, Scribe, Quartermaster Patrols have eight to ten members +10 +5 -5 -10 Patrols have less than eight members PATROL LEADER’S COUNCIL PLC meets with Scoutmaster observing +10 +5 -5 -10 Adults actively participate in PLC meetings PLC plans meeting/outings +10 +5 -5 -10 Adults plan meetings/outings Senior Patrol Leader is elected by Scouts +10 +5 -5 -10 Senior Patrol Leader is appointed by Adults Youth leaders trained in on-going process +10 +5 -5 -10 Youth leaders trained only at training events Patrol Leader’s Council meets regularly +10 +5 -5 -10 Patrol Leader’s Council meets sporadically. PROGRAM Lots of time for Patrols at Troop meeting. +10 +5 -5 -10 Little time is for Patrols at Troop meeting.

Regular inter/Patrol games and competitions +10 +5 -5 -10 No inter/Patrol games and competitions Patrols plan, purchase and prepare their meals. +10 +5 -5 -10 Patrols don’t plan, purchase and prepare meals.

Patrols camp in their own campsite/area +10 +5 -5 -10 Patrols don’t camp in their own campsite/area Patrols have independent meetings/activities +10 +5 -5 -10 No independent Patrol meetings/activities ADULT INVOLVEMENT Scouts are mostly instructed by other Scouts +10 +5 -5 -10 Scouts are mostly instructed by adults Adults rarely direct Scouts +10 +5 -5 -10 Adults often direct Scouts Adults rarely involved at Troop meetings +10 +5 -5 -10 Adults often involved in Troop meetings Adults rarely ‘veto’ or alter Scout’s plans +10 +5 -5 -10 Adults often ‘veto’ or alter Scout’s plans Adults are trained +10 +5 -5 -10 Adults are untrained TOTALS (add all the positive numbers and subtract the negative total from them) PATROL STRUCTURE + + - - PATROL LEADER”S COUNCIL + + - - PROGRAM + + - - ADULT INVOLVEMENT + + - - SUBTOTALS OVERALL SCORE 150 -200 - GOOD GOING! 100 – 150 - KEEP GOING! 100 OR LESS - GET GOING!