Webelos to Scouts

Successfully transitioning Webelos into a Scout Troop is a perennial process that merits some discussion. This transition is one of the more administratively overwrought subjects in Scouting – lots of heat and little light. Our success in bringing Webelos into our Troop is based on some simple concepts; The transition is the responsibility of the Troop in general and the Scoutmaster in particular.

Maintain an ongoing relationship with Scout Packs and Webelos Dens; Providing Den Chiefs, supporting outdoor events and inviting Webelos to one or two Troop Outings over the course of the year.

Regular communication with Pack and Den Leaders Actively promoting visits of Webelos and their Parents to Troop meetings.

Keeping groups of Webelos together once they join the Troop. The most decisive moment is the Troop meeting visit. We conduct several of these this time of year.

I speak with parents in another room while the Webelos, led by one of my senior youth leaders, join in with the program. My presentation to parents is a reasonably informal talk about how our Troop operates, how it differs from Cub Scouts, and answering questions.

I have several of my senior Scouts drop in on this presentation to talk about their experience in the Troop, something that parents appreciate and says more about our program than any presentation from me.

During the Patrol meeting period of our Troop meeting the Scout leading the Webelos shows them the Troop neckerchief, shoulder loops, and number insignia they will receive upon joining. He also reviews the requirements for Scout Rank and shows them the patch and award certificate they will receive – making the point that they will earn their Scout Rank within the first couple of weeks they are in the Troop.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we emphasize our welcoming and accommodating attitude. We are perfectly willing to work with the Den or Pack’s schedule for transition, we are always prepared to help and we attach no requirements to joining other than the boy is the proper age (other local Troops have a laundry list of requirements for parent’s participation, attendance etc). Nor do we have quotas, limitations or any other unnecessary impediments to membership. Once they have joined we keep groups of Webelos together.

Sometimes a Den forms a new patrol with their Den chief as Patrol leader, sometimes they join an existing patrol, but usually as a group, not in ones or twos.

Sometimes a Den leader or parent will suggest that a couple of the boys would be better off separated and we typically take that advice. The rationale here is that the boys have been together in their Webelos den (and sometimes for several years before that) and will feel more secure if they stay together.

Although some Troops have them the ‘New Scout Patrol’ scheme has never really appealed to me. It seems that the Scouts do better in a ‘real’ Patrol, not some artificial subspeices of a Patrol. It takes a Patrol Leader several months to find his feet and a few more to really do the job well. The idea of rotating new Scouts through the Patrol Leader job a month or two at a time sounds ineffective.

Naturally we do not allow any hazing or bullying and actively promote the attitude that our older Scouts are there to serve and lead the younger Scouts.

I squelch any attitude that new Scouts are in any way a burden to our older Scouts. If they complain about having to work with ‘little kids’ I commiserate by saying; “I have been working with little kids like you for longer then you have been alive; it is a challenge but I never get tired of it.” We consistently recruit and retain Webelos at a healthy rate even with the normal attrition of one or two of ten over the next year.