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Here’s an easy way to introduce visiting parents or new adult volunteers to the concept of youth leadership – a Scout leader business card that explains things simply, politely yet directly.
THANK YOU FOR LENDING A HAND
Our Scouts are on the field playing a game.
Head Coach = Scoutmaster
Team Captains = Youth Leadership
Team Members = Scouts
- Head coach manages communication with team captains.
- No coaches or spectators allowed on the field of play.
- Please do not directly instruct, advise or otherwise interfere with Scouts without first talking to the Scoutmaster.
- Adults may stop unsafe or inappropriate activity immediately.
When your son is participating in Scouts he is under the direction of youth leaders – not his parent. If he comes to you with a question or concern please tell him to ask his patrol leader or youth leader in charge. If he can’t get an answer speak to the Scoutmaster.
Here’s a PDF file so you can print your own.
This is good because it puts something that’s somewhat foreign to the thinking of most people – Scouting and the patrol method – in the terms of something relatively familiar – organized sports. (This familiarity may be one reason why parents feel more comfortable putting their kids into sports programs rather than Scouting.)
It’s what we try to explain to all of our new parents. They can step in when they see imminent danger, but leave the dealings with the youth up to the Scoutmaster and youth leaders when they are engaged in Scouting.
Particularly pertinent is the part about sending your son to his patrol leader when he comes to you for help. Our natural instinct is to help our children, and it’s very hard to keep ourselves from doing so.
I like the “Jungle Safari ride” analogy too – You stay in the vehicle with your tour guide as it drives by and you watch what’s going on out there but you don’t jump off the bus and go play with the “animals” yourself.
I always have my scout “business card” handy to give out with my contact information. Communication errors or breakdowns are the main cause for problems in scouting. I highly recommend keeping some on hand. If nothing else, it gives leaders I work with (new leaders in training and unit leaders I’m responsible for) the confidence that someone is there to help out if needed.
I made something similar to this to hand out at our Commissioner College. It emphasized the principals of a youth led troop and included when leaders should step in.