Patrol Planning & Operations on ScoutmasterCG Archive

Plan-Do-Review

Sun, 12 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Scouts Canada has created a clear, uncluttered, engaging process in the “Plan-Do-Review” component of the Canadian Path .

Scouting is made up of intuitive principles that are intended to be taken at face value.

Simplicity can be elusive; we tend to prefer complications. At first blush there’s nothing groundbreaking or new about this approach. It’s so intuitive and simple I think most of us would pass it over with a “sure, I get that” and start looking for a ‘Plan-Do-Review” training syllabus or PowerPoint presentation, but you won’t find one – it’s just that simple! Plan-Do-Review is useful in a Tiger Den, a Venturing Crew, and every age division in between. The process remains the same while the contribution of adults is scalable in response to their Scout’s capabilities. Plan Scouts are involved in the planning process—brainstorming, making suggestions and providing input about the program Areas they are interested in. Then, with guidance from the Scouters, Scouts make the choices about what activities they will pursue.

Troop Based High Adventure Programs | Part 6

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Detailed preparation is the key to any successful high adventure program.

Place State, provincial or national parks are the most likely destinations. Each will have it’s own particular rules and procedures.

Information gleaned from the web is a good start.

Online trip reports and reviews can be quite informative. I’d suggest that once you have the information you think you need pick up the phone and call someone at your destination and confirm that the information you have is correct.

Build Your Own High Adventure

Sat, 19 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

High Adventure trips are generally thought of as long-term camping experiences in remote or otherwise remarkable areas for experienced Scouts and Scouters.

There are three heavily promoted National High Adventure Bases – Florida Sea Base, Northern Tier (Minnesota), and Philmont Scout Ranch (New Mexico). In addition many Councils have established High Adventure Programs. The other option is developing and leading your own high adventure trips.

Inspired by other ‘home brewed’ high adventure trips our Troop is planning it’s fifth annual trip this summer. We will take eighteen Scouts and Leaders on an eight day canoe trip to Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada.

Patrol Outings

Sat, 11 Oct 2014 00:00:00 +0000

I would guess that one Troop in twenty schedules actual, independent Patrol outings. More likely than not the Patrols all go camping at once – AKA a Troop outing (like my Troop).

I haven’t pursued independent Patrol outings for a couple of reasons; Logistics – Planning, supplying and launching three or four separate outings is more difficult than planning one Troop outing.

Leadership – Maintaining prescribed levels of adult leadership would be a problem. Two adults with six or eight Scouts makes adult interference with Scout leadership almost inevitable Our next outing will be a hybrid Troop/Patrol outing at our Scout Camp.

Patrol Log Book

Fri, 03 Oct 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Printed edition cover.

I set up this logbook for my Scouts How to keep records of meetings, camping trips plans, adventures and memorable moments. They use the information to help their patrol understand what they should start doing, keep on doing or, perhaps, stop doing. By reflecting on things that worked well and things that don’t go as planned they can avoid past mistakes and make better plans in the future. By recording their thoughts they also create a memorable record of their Scouting adventures. The logbook is divided into these sections: Patrol Roster Patrol members and other important contacts.

What a Patrol Leader Does When Things Go Wrong.

Tue, 02 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000

What can go wrong: 1. No one shows up to a Patrol Meeting or planned event. As a Patrol Leader one goal I set for myself was regular, separate Patrol Meetings. It was pretty challenging at first.

There were times I couldn’t reach some of my Scouts on the phone or they didn’t have a way to get to the meeting, or I couldn’t find a time and date where everyone wasn’t busy. It was really discouraging if I planned a meeting and everyone said they would make it but only one Scout showed up. Has this happened to you? Are you afraid of it happening? Good communication, planning, plenty of reminders, and sharing what you’re going to be doing like the awesome new games you’ve planned helps get things moving in the right direction. If you do a good job of these things Scouts are less likely to forget the meeting and, if you build their expectations they won’t want to miss it! If only one or two Scouts show up, don’t be discouraged.

High Adventure Canoe Trip 1 - Overview

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000

For the last nine years every summer our Scouts pile into a van and drive north to Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park for a week-long high adventure canoe trip. Our crews typically cover 40-50 miles of paddling and portaging during our stay. Two years ago we started alternating these canoe trips with a trip to Kandersteg International Scout Center every third year. Here’s the background information on how we make this happen. In this first of three articles we’ll discuss the logistic concerns and planning. The Park Algonquin Provincial Park covers 4700 square miles in east-central Ontario accessed by 1200 miles of canoe routes. This magnificent wilderness is one of the premier canoe destinations in the world. Our trips are in the back country with canoe-in campsites and require reservations. Our routes are planned and reserved several months ahead of the trip.

The Patrol Leader's Council and Planning

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +0000

When we think about a patrol leader’s council we form a picture of Scouts sitting around a table talking and making plans but what’s really going on? The Senior patrol leader is in charge, the patrol leaders are assembled , the scribe is ready, the Scoutmaster is on hand to advise… what happens next? More importantly what’s happened before they all get to the table? Here’s how you can show your senior patrol leader the planning part of his job – four steps and fifteen minutes of advising: To make things happen for the troop you need to build four components – structure, content, planning and preparation.

Patrol Hikes

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

From The Patrol System Published by Scouts Canada in 1960. Not a new idea, but a good one none-the-less. What would happen if you put this information in the hands of your patrol leaders? You want your gang to become a real Patrol—and only a hiking Patrol is a real one. We can break Patrol hikes generally into two classes. One—where you don’t want to be tied down by fire making and cooking. This may be because you have other specific training to do such as signaling, tracking, nature lore or pioneering and want to use every minute of your time for that purpose or maybe your hike will take you through territory where fire building isn’t permitted. Or you may have another good reason for making short work of the eating business.

Program - Canned or Fresh?

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Canned programs for Scouts are attractive because they are easy. They are also poor excuses for a Scout activity.

Canned experiences require little preparation, skill development or leadership. In our part of the world there are whitewater rafting trips, ski weekends, museum lock-ins and similar activities that only require Scouts show up and be led by the hand through an activity or presentation.

Scoutmasters should be adamant that activities are aimed at fulfilling the promises of Scouting and not simply entertainment.

Keeping a Scoutmaster's Log

Tue, 09 May 2006 00:00:00 +0000

A couple of years ago on a Venture Canoe trip one of my fellow leaders kept a detailed log of the outing.

Every evening he recorded each participant’s most memorable moment of the day, notes on gear, conditions and possible improvements to our preparations, and a running commentary of the trip. At first I thought this was a little overblown, but it soon became something the crew honestly looked forward to and thought about. His log became a valuable record of our trip and a very important resource for future trips.