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Scouting is unlike
anything your son has ever experienced before.
Unlike school,
organized sports, or perhaps even in the home setting, in a Boy Scout troop the
youth are the ones who are in charge. THEIR desires become our agenda. THEIR
ideas for adventure, fun, and excitement are what the adults guide them to bring
into reality. In Scouting, THEY speak and the adults listen.
By
practicing representative democracy, they pick their own leaders who form the
"Greenbar" that creates the yearly agenda. Scouts work together on
every issue, from what to eat at camp, deciding who will wash dishes and shop
for food, they learn and PUT INTO PRACTICE communication, public speaking,
teamwork, conflict resolution, and leadership.
By taking advantage of any
of the 130 possible merit badges, they gain exposure to areas of interest
ranging from Rifle Shooting to Chemistry, from Small Boat Sailing to Aviation,
and from Reading to Nuclear Science. Statistically, the Merit Badge program
often leads to life-long hobbies and even career choices. At a minimum, Merit
Badges help a young man try things he may never have had a chance to do if not
for the Scouting experience, such as rifle shooting, archery, sailing, or
camping.
While boys are busy "being Scouts" and having fun, they start
to embody the virtues of Scouting defined in the Scout Oath and Law.
What
is Scouting? It's "fun with a purpose".
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A Boy Scout troop leads
itself. Adults are present to guide and ensure safety & compliance exists,
but it is the YOUTH who make key decisions. The primary role of the Scoutmaster
is to teach the Senior Patrol Leader how to run/lead his troop.
The
Scouting program using The Patrol Method means the
Troop members ELECT their own leaders; individual Patrol Leaders and a Senior
Patrol Leader (SPL) who takes on "ownership" and hold the actual leadership
position within the Troop. The SPL appoints an assistant scout (Assistant
Senior Patrol Leader - ASPL) and various other leadership positions, all of whom
serve at the Scoutmaster's discretion.
While serving as Senior Leaders,
the SPL and ASPL cease to be members of their respective patrols and
function as peers with the adult leadership. The SPL and ASP
execute Program decisions, lead the meetings, plan agendas, pick camping
destinations, and LEAD BY EXAMPLE when executing the agenda that the boys
themselves created and agreed to follow.
Patrol Leaders are responsible
for the well being and actions of their individual patrol and will REPRESENT
their patrol in the Patrol Leaders Council (PLC).
At the PLC meeting
(chaired by the SPL and monitored by the Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster),
Patrol Leaders plan future trips and troop meetings. Through a model of
Representative Government, they CHOOSE the trips and activities THEY
want to do, and appoint other scouts to serve as skill instructors, or lead
games or other activities. Adult leadership keeps them on track with
suggestions and advice, but the decisions are ultimately left to THE
BOYS.
Once the future meetings/camping trips are planned, the SPL and
Scoutmaster present the PLC's plans to the Troop Committee for review. The
agenda is checked for issues such as necessary fund raising, unique
equipment/skills, camp ground reservations, and is given an over-all inspection
to confirm that trips are aligned with the purpose of the Scouting
Program. If the plans are approved, the SPL goes forward with leading the
weekly meetings or delegating others who will lead all/part of the meeting. The
model is "boys leading boys" unless the skill instruction needed is currently
beyond the skill set of the Scouts or relates to merit badge requirements, then
adults will render assistance.
ADULTS are a RESOURCE for
guidance and ensuring that things are done the "BSA way" for safety, youth
development and general direction setting.
"Boy Leadership" really means
the Troop is doing the things the BOYS THEMSELVES want to do, and in doing so,
will develop the leadership, communication, problem resolution, and
organizational skills that underscore why Scouts excel in all other areas of
their lives.
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Boys are Scouts.
Adults are Scouters.
As a Scouter, you can serve in 3 capacities in a
local Scout unit. Other positions exist at the District level, but we're focused
on the Troop on this FAQ.
Scoutmaster (SM) /
Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM)- these Scouters work closest with
the Scouts and ensure the program is running as it should. Their primary focus
is to support the Senior Patrol Leader and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader by
guiding them in leadership of the Troop while delivering the
"Program".
Merit Badge Councilor (MBC) - a MBC works
with Scouts on an individual basis to work on the specific badges (from 1 to
140) that the MBC is registered to teach. A MBC works with the Scouts "on
demand" when he is contacted by the Scouts requesting time to complete badge
work.
Committee Member - the role of the committee is to
provide the Scoutmaster with the support needed to deliver the program that the
Patrol Leader Council chooses as the "Program". The Committee provides the
logistical support (funds/fund raisers, camping equipment, Treasury, camp site
reservations, recording advancement, Boards of Review, registration/recharter,
etc) needed to support the Troop. The Committee also has the responsibility to
ensure that the Scoutmaster and the PLC are delivering a program that is aligned
with the BSA Charter. If not, the Committee can recommend replacements. The
Committee Chair would report to the Charter Organization which has the authority
to hire/fire adult leaders.
The Committee is headed by a Committee
Chairman who functions as the "great organizer" to make sure that sub-committees
are on-task in their roles within the troop, such as ensuring a Treasurer
delivers a Treasurer's report... Outdoor Chair is making campsite
reservations.... Quartermaster is maintaining the camping equipment....
webmaster(s) are updating the website... etc. To avoid "power plays" the
Committee Chair is more of an "organizer" than a "position of authority".
Committee decisions are made via parliamentary procedure and voting. The
Committee Chair does not get to cast a vote unless votes are tied. By design,
the Scoutmaster and assistants are NOT members of the Committee, and therefore
cannot vote on committee decisions.
There are a myriad of positions
needed to staff a strong committee, so most adults in a troop are registered as
Committee Members.
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