Troop Administration on ScoutmasterCG Archive

The Family Scheduler

Sat, 08 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Parents (especially mothers in my experience) are the family scheduler; keeper of the family calendar and maker of schedules. We need a direct, accessible and detailed line of communication with parents (again, in my experience, especially mothers) if we expect to have Scouts attending outings and meetings.

Shouldn’t the Scouts themselves be responsible for this?

Shouldn’t they know their own schedule and make plans accordingly? In the best of all possible worlds I would like to see that happen but it’s not likely the way that most of the families we serve conduct business. An informal survey of my Scouts revealed that they really have no idea what’s on their family calendar let alone what they will be doing next week.

Scouting and Money

Tue, 04 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0000

A reader asks: I would really like to hear how various troops handle money.

While I am certain there is no “one” right way to handle Scouting and money, I feel we can learn from sharing each other’s methods. How is the money collected, who collects it and when is it collected? How much is an average weekend camping trip, how are these fees determined, and does fundraising cover these expenses? Do Scouters pay the same as Scouts for camping trips? What about annual dues? How much are they, when are they paid, and how are they used? How are fundraiser proceeds allocated; to the troop, or to individual Scouts? What kind of fundraisers do you do?

The Most Important Vote in Scouting

Sun, 20 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Is it the Senior Patrol Leader Election, the Order of the Arrow election or the Eagle Board of review? All important to be sure but none more important than the sound of footsteps.

Scouts vote with their feet.

Scouts will stampede towards a terrific program presented by an active Troop with strong youth leadership.

Likewise they will shuffle away in defeat if a Troop does not provide what they are looking for. An alert Scoutmaster listens for either sound.

Troop Based High Adventure Programs | Part 2

Sun, 20 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Where to go and what to do for your high adventure program? The simple answer is just about anywhere and just about anything. It may be a week of backpacking, canoeing, touring, cycling, boating or the adventure of your choice. You don’t need to travel very far, look at nearby state and national parks, talk to your Scouting colleagues, check out council-based programs at local summer camps. Once you have an idea of a destination making the trip a reality requires four things: Vision and Leadership Someone has to say “let’s go!” and show others that it is actually possible. This can be more challenging than you may think, especially with the first Troop based trip.

Choosing a Troop

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

A recent email :

My son and I are blessed to live in an area with a good deal of quality Troops nearby. We visited seven Troops, two of them twice for a total of nine visits. This was an invaluable experience and really allowed my son and I to get a great insight into the Units in our area and decide what we wanted in a Troop and how we would fit in and be a blessing to the Troop, as well. We finally found what we feel is the best Unit in the county, one that, in our minds, is head and shoulders above the rest. This Unit has very strong leadership – two of the dozens of registered adults have over 45 years of experience at this Unit Additionally, they have a large wooded property with a Scout Hut, a campground, a shooting range, a very nice fire ring theater, trailers full of equipment, a fleet of canoes, and free use of a privately-owned reservation with amenities. The Unit has also graduated 63 Eagle Scouts since forming in 1963 with six earning rank in one recent year.

Resources for a New Scoutmaster

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

A new Scoutmaster needs to be trained but that training needs to be supplemented by your own reading and study. Most of the time when Scouting goes awry it’s because adults are ignorant of the program. You’ll learn how the program works fairly quickly and spend as many years as you like perfecting your skills. It’s like a game of golf – moments to learn, a lifetime to master. You need to know confidently what is and what is not good Scouting.

Webelos Transition Issues

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

Spring is just around the corner and Webelos dens are on the prowl looking for Scout Troops to join. We all do a fair amount of hand wringing trying to attract, sign-up and retain Webelos – a tricky transition. By the way- A boy in a Webelos Den is a Webelos- not a Webelo. Any reference to Webelos is always Webelos and never Webelo.

Remember that Webelos = ‘ WE ‘ll B E LO yal S couts. “Webelo” is not a singular form of “Webelos”. Here’s a couple of earlier posts that may help; Webelos Retention –>

Differences or Dysfunction?

Wed, 11 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Scout units,like families, have their traditions.

Visit ten different homes at Christmastime – each one will have some interesting family tradition peculiar to themselves yet, most likely, there will be several common threads. Like making coffee the exact method is not as important as the result – whether prepared by perking, dripping, steeping in a French press the result was a cup of coffee.

Packs, Troops and Crews all play by the same rules and use the same program but each has a unique character.

Scout Troop Manuals, By-Laws and the Like

Fri, 06 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

What would your Scout Troop look like without a manual, by-laws or a reasonable facsimile thereof?

Would anybody notice? B.S.A. literature, to my knowledge, does not mention such documents so one wonders where they came from? In my case as a young Scoutmaster I encountered the usual litany of problems and disappointments.

I hit upon the idea of legislating – I’d just write down the rules and things would be clear, my Scouts, their parents and my fellow leaders would all fall in line once they read my pronunciations. Once I had legislated a complex code into existence I then had to appoint myself to the judiciary in order to interpret and apply the law. For some reason my Scouts were underwhelmed with my impression of the Magna Carta. They responded by paying very little attention to it. The sole satisfaction of having created the rules was referring to them whenever a problem arose. Soon after a problem arose so did compelling reasons why the rules, as I had written them, should not apply.

A New Scoutmaster Makes Changes

Wed, 04 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

At some point a new Scoutmaster be trained, and will have studied the resources. Once that’s happened a new Scoutmaster will be reasonably confident that some changes need to be made.

These may just be changes of style or they may be fairly systemic. Bear in mind that all change can be challenging, Scouts and adults are typically resistant to it and it can be an unpleasant process if not handled properly. It will be up to you to win hearts and minds when it comes to change; to shepherd your herd of cats through the process. You need vast reserves of patience and equanimity to bring change to any organization. To my lights there’s three steps to making changes – educating yourself (training, independent study), observation and implementation. I’ve discussed the first, training and study, in previous posts.

10 Point Scout Troop Checkup

Tue, 17 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Active, aware, Scouters all ask themselves how well they are delivering the Scouting program.

There are any number of ways to measure metrics, the Journey to Excellence being the most familiar and widely used tool.

I am going to suggest ten questions a Scout troop can ask of itself that do not have metric answers.

Hopefully the answers would help shape a long range view, and give some idea of what’s working;

Boy Scout Attendance Policies

Tue, 14 Oct 2014 00:00:00 +0000

In answer to a remark that Troops should maintain attendance standards Andy at Ask Andy replies: Scouting isn’t school, or sports, or church, or a team, or anything else but Scouting.

Other organizations, groups, teams, programs, etc. might have their own rules for attendance and participation, and that in no way has an influence on what a troop, pack, crew, post, or ship does. The best part of Scouting is that it’s Scouting. Here are Scouting’s three attendance “rules”: 1) The youth in the troop are the true volunteers and the only reason they have for showing up is that they enjoy the program; 2) “Program Produces Participants”; 3) Scouts vote with their feet. Our sons and daughters attend school because they’re told they must or they won’t graduate; they show up for team practice because they’re told that if they don’t they’re either off the team or they’ll be benched; they go to church and Sunday School because…well, you get the idea here, right?

Scout Accounts

Sat, 18 Jan 2014 00:00:00 +0000

If your Troop, Pack, or Crew assigns proceeds from fundraising to individual Scout accounts you may have been taken aback by this statement in the Fiscal Policies And Procedures For BSA Units FAQ I shared last week Can my unit credit amounts from fundraising to an individual toward their expenses? No. The IRS has stated that crediting fundraising amounts constitutes private benefit.

However, the unit could use the funds (all or a percentage) raised to reduce or eliminate dues and various registration fees, purchase uniforms and Scouting books, and purchase camping equipment. The unit could also use its funds to provide assistance to individual Scouts in cases of financial hardship.

Webelos to Scouts

Thu, 14 Nov 2013 00:00:00 +0000

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.

Troop Bank

Sat, 12 Oct 2013 00:00:00 +0000

When a Scout arrives at summer camp with our troop he deposits all of his money in the troop bank. He’s been told to bring his money in one dollar bills to keep things simple. The troop scribe collects all the money and records deposits in a small notebook. The cash and the notebook go into a metal strongbox that is locked with a padlock and placed in an inconspicuous place (usually under a tent platform) and the padlock key, on a lanyard, is placed in another inconspicuous spot.

Breakthrough Scouting and Numbers

Sun, 01 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Organizations that do nothing but measure the numbers rarely create breakthroughs.

Merely better numbers. Seth Godin via Seth’s Blog: Colors or numbers? One responsibility of every Scouter is keeping track of numbers. We track advancement, participation, membership, and fundraising numbers at the individual, unit, district, council, regional, and national levels because these numbers are indicators of successful program delivery. But, make no mistake, numbers are only indicators. When we observe numbers they can tell us things. If we chase numbers we get in trouble. Good people with the best of intentions can make big mistakes when they chase numbers.

Troop Policy Manuals

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Early on in my tenure as a Scoutmaster I wrote a Troop Policy Manual.

Truth be told I wrote it out of frustration with some perennial discipline, attendance and logistical problems. As it turns out establishing written policies did not solve any of these ‘problems’.

Ultimately I realized that the problems I was trying to solve were actually the price of doing business as a Scoutmaster; as soon as a hard and fast set of rules was written there were many compelling reasons to modify or ignore them. A brief review of about twenty different Troop Policy Manuals or similar documents reveals that my fellow Scouters are wrestling with the same issues, and occasionally trying to reinvent Scouting. Some manuals were mercifully brief, others were 20 plus pages of boilerplate (the winner was 70-some pages long!). The three most prevalent and often the most lengthy sections of these manuals deal with youth leadership, attendance and discipline. YOUTH LEADERSHIP Many troops have instituted a contract or similar document to be signed by the youth leader accepting a position of leadership.

Four Steps to Scout Advancement - A Scout is Recognized

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +0000

The board of review date— not that of a subsequent court of honor—becomes the rank’s effective date.

Guide to Advancement 2011 [8.0.1.5 After the Review] When a Scout advances, he should be recognized as soon as possible–preferably at the next unit meeting. He is recognized a second time at a public ceremony called a court of honor. The main purposes of the court of honor are to furnish formal recognition for achievement and to provide incentive for other Scouts to advance.

Courts of Honor - Some Thoughts

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Courts of Honor are crucial elements of a good Troop program.

Understanding the intention behind them and shaping the presentation to refelct these intentions is crucial to their success. Here are some posts from Scoutmaster on the subject; Andy at “Ask Andy” writes in the post More Eagle Scout Thoughts ; On “coronations”… A Court of Honor recognizes advancements that Scouts have earned since the last court.

Courts of Honor, in my opinion, need to remain this way.

Webelos Bridge Crossing Ceremony

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +0000

A good discussion of most common questions about Webelos to Scouts transition at Ask Andy: The Webelos bridge crossing ceremony is to publicly show the transition, or crossing over, from a Cub Scout pack to a Boy Scout troop. At one side of the bridge is the pack he’s leaving. On the other side are the representatives of the troop he’s chosen to join (always the Scoutmaster and most often the troop’s Senior Patrol Leader—the highest-ranking youth leader of the troop—too). They usually present the new Boy Scout with his new troop’s neckerchief and slide, and often his BOY SCOUT HANDBOOK, too. The paperwork’s already been done, and the new bond is sealed with the Boy Scout handshake. Then, at his very first troop meeting, this new Boy Scout (and, hopefully, his entire den of friends as well) are recognized in an investiture ceremony and shake hands with every Scout in their new troop. A new adventure has begun! Link; “ A bridge to Nowhere ” at Ask Andy A couple of my own thoughts and hints on the logistics of a Bridge Crossing Ceremony; For Cubmasters There is no official ceremony that must be used- the content of the ceremony is at the discretion of the pack. A real bridge is nice, but not terribly important – any representation of a bridge is just fine. The ceremony should be meaningful but not excessive (general notes on this here and ) Don’t leave the arrangements till the last minute – make sure that the Troop participating understands their part and the Webelos understand theirs.

First Class Rank in the First Year?

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Twenty years ago (or more) the B.S.A. concluded that Scouts ought to earn First Class rank in the first year based on a statistical ‘leading indicator’, a connection between when Scouts become First Class and how long they stay in Scouting.

Statistics can be a little ham-handed, they only reflect phenomena leaving us to interpret what’s really happening.

Accepting the premise that Scouts ought to earn First Class rank in the first year may drive a couple of different attitudes; Establishing a plan to get Scouts to First Class as quickly as possible, stepping them through requirements and moving them along because, well, Scouts ought to do this because that’s what we are told.

Troop Problems

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Time and again I read of difficulties within Scout Troops on web discussions. The most serious difficulties involve a Scoutmaster or other adult leader who is perceived as being dysfunctional or wrongheaded. The complaint often comes from a fellow leader who is frustrated with the way the Troop operates or the experience their child is having.

Sometimes they are the only one who sees a problem.

I have to ask myself when I am a ‘voice in the wilderness’ if perhaps my isolation isn’t self-imposed.

Troubleshooting the Patrol Method

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000

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.

Capital Assests; Canoes, Trailers, Buses and the like

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Julus Pahl writes: Clarke I am wondering how to go about getting canoes for a troop? The troop I am working with only camps and the current SM is training me to take over. In the past the boys pretty much only camped and this has taken a toll on the older Scouts! They want something more…something different! My troop growing up tended to canoe and backpack so I am eager to introduce the boys to both.

Finances and Scouting

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Raising and spending money is, perhaps, more of a concern for a Troop Committee than a Scoutmaster but financial decisions and practices are an important part of the work.

Budget Every Troop should set a budget that sets monthly allocations for program, gear, awards and other costs based on projected revenue.

Sources for revenue are fund raising, dues and fees Fundraising Fund raising activities must be approved by the Troop’s chartered partner and Scout Council. Fund raising should always reflect value for money.

The Troop Annual Plan

Sat, 11 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0000

I have a calendar that running in my head, geared to the school year calendar that I can’t seem to get rid of.

Decades of programming for young people will do that to you. Last night I was watching our Scouts, talking to our Scoutmaster and I heard myself say, “oh, and by the way. Is the senior patrol leader ready to present the annual calendar to the troop committee at their meeting the first week in August? Has the patrol leaders council planned the August Court of Honor for all of the awards the guys earned this summer? Has the patrol leaders council planned how and when they are going to have elections for senior patrol leader and patrol leader ? Do the guys have a patrol leaders council meeting set up to plan the August program and campout?…” Anyway, after this torrent of questions had escaped from my mouth I turned and looked at our Scoutmaster and he was just staring at me. Oops!

Meeting and Outing Attendance Survey Results 2

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000

This is second in a series of three posts about the Meetings and Outings Attendance Survey. Part one is here and part three will be published tomorrow. We know that there are complimentary activities that can conflict with our Scout’s attendance at meetings and outings. here’s what survey respondents reported about what keeps Scouts away and what draws them in – let’s look at meetings first: The results for outings stated similar things but the power to influence was different; It’s no big surprise that sports and school are reported as the biggest things that Scouts cite as reasons they don’t make meetings or outings; nor that the program has the greatest influence on their active attendance. The aims of Scouting are not in conflict with other activities; we want Scouts involved in them – Scouting and these other activities are complimentary.

Meeting and Outing Attendance Survey Results

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Here’s the results from the Outings and Meetings Attendance Survey. 48 different troops responded to the survey, most have between 20-40 Scouts: The vast majority meet weekly: Most see 50-75% at unit meetings Most troops conduct monthly outings or events 25-50% of Scouts attend these outings or events Of troops that use permission slips the majority distribute them from one to four weeks before the outing or event. What attracts Scouts to meetings and outings? What keeps them away? We’ll take a look at those questions and more tomorrow.

Do your Scouts like Camporees?

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

We attend a District or Council Camporee every three or four years because it takes that long for our Scouts to forget what the last Camporee was like. At every annual planning conference I suggest to my patrol leader’s council that we include whatever Camporee or district event is planned for the next few months: ”What are we going to do at the Camporee?” they ask “I don’t really know exactly, they haven’t published a program as of yet.”

Looking Ahead

Sun, 24 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Scouting programs falter and sometimes fold because they don’t answer these questions:

What is the minimum annual number of new members (youth and adult) to maintain our unit?
Who are our key unit leaders for the next five years?
How will we reach and or maintain financial stability?
Do we meet key indicators of effectively presenting our program? The tenure of most adult leaders in Scouting lasts as long as their children’s participation. A relatively few continue on when their children age out of the program.

Trouble in the Troop (or Pack or Crew)

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Here’s an email that I get fairly regularly: “My son’s (Pack, Troop, Crew) is having real difficulties with our (Scoutmaster, Cubmaster, Advisor, Committee Chair) and our program is (poor, indifferent, terrible). I’m only a (Den Leader, Assistant Scoutmaster, Committee Member, parent) but I want to try and fix this situation to benefit the (Cubs, Scouts, Venturers). What’s your advice?”

I reply: Find another (Pack, Troop, Crew) that better matches the way you think Scouting ought to be as soon as possible. Don’t send out any nasty emails, don’t throw any snide comments over your shoulder as you leave, just move on; make a break, draw a line. Few people want to hear this advice. They want me to map out how they can bravely forge ahead and convince the Scout leaders who have been doing things one way to do them the other way.

Looking Ahead - Financial Stability

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Fourth in a series of thoughts about looking ahead . How will we reach and or maintain financial stability?

Great Scouting is not dependent on a lavish budget; just ask your Council Executive.

Every Troop, Pack and Crew I know of raises money to support its program.

I am not concerned here with the specifics of how money is raised and the rules of fund raising so much as the broad concepts involved. The Unit Money Earning Application (PDF file) explains the official guidelines for unit fund raising.

Recruiting Scouts

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

We recruit Scouts from two general populations

Webelos
Everybody else

Webelos recruitment is simple to understand although it requires a fair amount of effort. Much has been written on Webelos transitions so I will not retrench the subject here. Here’s discussions of the mechanics of the process , retaining the Webelos you recruit and some notes on transitioning Webelos leaders . By way of review - Find all the Webelos Dens in your community within reasonable driving distance of your Troop.

Looking Ahead - Program Health

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Fifth and final entry in a series of thoughts about looking ahead: Do we meet key indicators of effectively presenting our program?

Generally accepted standards for assessing unit programs do give some indications of the health of the program but we should take a closer look.

Metrics report adult leader training, youth recruitment and retention, parent participation, youth advancement, outdoor program participation, program planning.

Meeting these indicators is somewhat like having a pulse – the unit is alive and kicking.

Looking Ahead - Recruiting and Membership.

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Second in a series of thoughts about looking ahead. What’s your recruiting goal, the minimum annual number of new members (youth and adult) to maintain your unit? Our Troop has hovered around thirty to thirty five Scouts for many years now. We maintain an active contingent of five or six uniformed adult leaders (ones that we usually see at a Troop meeting) and four or five core committee members. We need to recruit about five to ten new Scouts every year to maintain the Troop over time. “Five to stay alive” is our watchword.

Scouting's First Responders

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Dial 911 anywhere in the United States and a call center answers ready to send help in the event of an emergency. Who are Scouting’s first responders when there is a problem?

Scouting has problems? Yes it does.

Hopefully they are small and infrequent, but when a real difficulty arises where does one look for help?

Serious cases like evidence of illegal conduct on the part of a Scouting Volunteer or evidence of child abuse that occurred inside or outside of Scouting demand immediate action. Both should be referred to the Council Executive. Why?