From <@tcuavm.is.tcu.edu:owner-scouts-l@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU> Fri Nov 28 14:40:04 1997 Return-Path: <@tcuavm.is.tcu.edu:owner-scouts-l@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU> Received: from tcuavm.is.tcu.edu (TCUAVM.IS.TCU.EDU [138.237.128.148]) by cap1.CapAccess.org (8.6.12/8.6.10) with SMTP id OAA26088; Fri, 28 Nov 1997 14:40:04 -0500 Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU by tcuavm.is.tcu.edu (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with BSMTP id 6702; Fri, 28 Nov 97 12:31:40 CDT Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (NJE origin LISTSERV@TCUBVM) by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 9226; Fri, 28 Nov 1997 12:31:57 -0500 Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LISTSERV release 1.8b) with NJE id 9220 for SCOUTS-L@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU; Fri, 28 Nov 1997 12:31:14 -0500 Received: from TCUBVM (NJE origin SMTP@TCUBVM) by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 9218; Fri, 28 Nov 1997 12:31:12 -0500 Received: from ALPHA.IS.TCU.EDU by tcubvm.is.tcu.edu (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with TCP; Fri, 28 Nov 97 12:31:10 CDT Received: from smtp3.teleport.com (smtp3.teleport.com) by ALPHA.IS.TCU.EDU (PMDF V5.0-5 #20456) id <01IQJKH8DKAO001B7G@ALPHA.IS.TCU.EDU> for scouts-l@ALPHA.IS.TCU.EDU; Fri, 28 Nov 1997 12:30:58 -0500 (CDT) Received: from [206.163.124.17] (ip-pdx09-15.teleport.com [206.163.124.17]) by smtp3.teleport.com (8.8.7/8.7.3) with SMTP id KAA01763 for ; Fri, 28 Nov 1997 10:30:52 -0800 (PST) X-Sender: mossfam@mail.teleport.com MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Message-ID: Date: Fri, 28 Nov 1997 10:31:02 -0800 Reply-To: Berk Moss Sender: Scouts-L Youth Group List From: Berk Moss Subject: Re: SA-New Scout Patrol X-To: scouts-l@tcu.edu To: Multiple recipients of list SCOUTS-L Status: RO X-Status: Yesterday, James D Wellborn 325 795 2010 wrote: > I have been asked to and happily accepted the job as the SA > to the New Scout Patrol (4 AoL crossovers, 1 four weeks into it, and > 2 more floating in the wings maybe for February). > > I tried to do the Scouts-L archives search for related > material.... Reinforced my decission to use a professional accountant > for IRS filing... > > I have a pretty solid idea about what I'm doing, but any > pointers from any "been there, done that"'ss would be welcomed. > > Thanks Well, Jim I've done some of that. My role in our troop was to (1) deal with advancement (field work not records) for Scouts under first class and (2) deal with parents of new scouts. Here are some pointers I'd offer for the ASM of the new boy patrol. * The parents are the audience you should focus on. Your Troop Guide and other boy leaders should focus on the new scouts. * When a boy visits the troop, but him in a patrol for the evening and sit with his parents and explain what is going on. Have them focus on the "boy led" aspect. They might be looking for a higher level Cubmaster and Den leader and think the adult leaders in your troop are not doing their jobs. (I'm afraid my experience is that the deeper the parent is in helping with cubs the harder it is for them to understand "boy led". * Encourage any Cub leader to crossover with their sons (literally cross over the ceremonial bridge if you use one) and transfer them up as adult leaders in your troop. Insist that the get training ASAP. Tell them to give themselves a year to learn all the First Class outdoors skills. * Be available to answer informal questions from parents and hold formal meetings at key points (Just after cross over, just before summer camp) * Answer parent questions. IF the question is really someting the new scout should hav from his patrol leader or TG, then help the boy ask them. Don't do something for a boy he can do for himself. (In this case listen for inforation) I often send the boy to the PL or TG and then shilper the answer to the parent. * Let them know there is a role for them in the troop, but it is working with all the Scouts in the Troop and not just their own son. Often parents and boys of joining age want to camp together. It is important that the boy camps with his patrol and the parent camps with the adults. Very often, after a 6 to 9 months (not related to scouting) the boy will need to exert some independence and not be dominated so much by the parent. If scouts is another place where the parent dominates, he will drop out. I think the role of the parent of an adolescent is to see that he has the right mentors and to mentor the sons of other people. Help parents understand that. * A few boy things. Be sure your Guide teaches the scouts (and you teach the parents) about the right equipment. Here in the Northwest it has to do with rain gear and a warm sleeping bag. I don't know what the keys are for where you are in Florida.( I'd be interested.) Here a person camping who is cold and wet is at best miserable and not going to come back and an worst in danger of hypothermia and in fact a danger to the whole unit. Equipment doesn't have to be expensive and in fact can be borrowed from other scouts if needed. * Support your Guide and the New Scout Patrol leader by advising and counseling them. If you have a new Scout who can't believe he should let himself be led by other youth, talk to the TG or PL about how they are going to deal with this. When they have some ideas about what they will say, ask if they want you to stand next to them as they talk to the new boy. Only intervene in that conversation if the new boy won't listen and then only to point out that this is their leader. Then let the leader talk again. * Be sure to let natural consequences teach. If a new boy won't do his share of the breakfast cooking and the patrol decides not to feed him, don't let the adults feed him. He'll cooperate at lunch or definitely at dinner. Be sympathetic to him. Help him make a plan for how he can make suggestions to the group and how he can help at the next meal. Be sure the Guide is accepting of boys who had to try out a method of non-cooperation and are now ready to work with the patrol. Catch them being scout-like and praise it and point out how it pays off. When they are not, ignore lots and be around to talk about ways of recovering. That said, everyone (Youth Leaders, Adult Leaders, New Boys, New parents) need to know there are some lines we don't cross. Youth protection, Scout Safety, and Safe Haven are not things we bend. Kids don't ride in the back of pickups. Hazing is forbidden, Adults don't go off one-on-one with Scouts. If I've gone on too long, there are twelve key points to your job that I'm sure you will remember. "A scout is. . . " Live those points and help others live them and your New Boy Patrol will be a success. YiS Berk Moss Pioneer District Advancement Committee Assistant Scoutmaster Troop 204 Cascade-Pacific Council Multnomah Village, Portland Oregon O/A Brotherhood e mail: mossfam@teleport.com Bear Patrol Woodbadge WEM 492-1-94