Giving Scouts Authority

Actively giving Scouts real authority, inspiring initiative, and program ownership.

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Where is it written that troops are boy-led?
Reader Bill Macfarlane, Scoutmaster of Troop 8 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, writes: I was at Round Table the other day and overheard a rather heated discussion about “boy-led” troops.
The Authority of Youth Leadership.
Compel - Force or oblige someone to do something.
Troop Organization Chart
Scout troops are built on patrols, and patrols are built on the natural way boys for a gang of friends, that small group is where Scouting happens.
Hoop Jumping
Scouts, unlike trained dogs, should not have to jump through hoops.
What Do Scouts Decide?
There’s a lot of discussion about who makes decisions about what activities Scouts put on their schedule.
Five Patrol Method Fundamentals
Patrols are much more than a convenient way to divide a large group of Scouts into smaller, more manageable groups.
How to Inspire Initiative in Scout Youth Leaders
How do we inspire initiative in Scout Youth Leaders? The idea of connecting initiative to authority starts with this post by Dan Rockwell , Ineffective leaders seize and hoard authority; successful leaders give it.
Ask for Authority - Take Responsibility
Frustration in organizations begins with someone saying “If I only had the authority to I’d … (fill in the blank)”.
Adultism in Scouting
‘Adultism’ can be a loaded term but I think it would be useful to consider it in the context of our work in Scouting.
Scouting’s One Essential Feature
At our council camporee in December I walked around the entire camp and saw only two troops that had identifiable patrols.
Model Scout Outing
“Scouting is Outing” and any lively, active Troop has an out-of-doors overnight experience planned every month of the year.