Webelos Patrol Leaders - YES !
PDefiner (PDefiner@AOL.COM)
Fri, 31 Oct 1997 12:53:39 EST
At the risk of getting "flamed"... We started using Webelos Patrol Leaders
last year. It works great & it's fun. It may be semantics - because our Web.
PL's are filling the roles of the Denner & Asst Denner, but w/ some added
responsibility. Our District Exec. even says this is ok. Remember everybody,
scouting is a flexible program.
We started this because our Troop that the Webs. cross over into has a very
agressive camping program [campout every month, with 3/4 very challenging
campouts such as canoe trips, backpacking, etc], and everything at the Troop
level is thoroughly scout-run. Having been the Webs. DL for 4 yrs., & the Asst
Sm [for New Scout Patrols], I saw a need after my first group crossed over 2
years ago to provide a better foundation for the new scouts both w/ camping
skills & patrol method.
We have 17 Webs. currently, & our program is over 2 years but about 18 months
of actual meetings/campouts/activities [during the summer, just monthly Pack
acitvities & web. resident camp]. I make sure everyone gets a turn as PL,
though the process is left up to the Webs. scouts themselves.
So the Webs.form their own patrols & elect their own PL's for every campout
{we do about 3/year}. They also form their own patrols & elect their own PL's
for our meetings about every 3/4 months. Our Den Chief is the SPL. The PL's
jobs are simple: they help conduct the opening/closing ceremonies of the
meeting; they get their scouts lined up by Patrol when we need everyone's
attention for an activity; they lead their patrols in a line to the different
"round-robin" activities [we usually have 3 "stations" for the scouts when
they are working on activity pins]; and any other similar jobs that we see are
needed to be done during a meeting or campout.
The boys enjoy it, & it is providing them with some training, experience, &
background on what will be expected of them when they join the Troop in the
spring. And hey - if it works & it's fun, then that's what this whole thing is
about !
If anyone wants more details for their Web. Den, please feel free to e/m me
directly.
YIS
Jeff Bloom
WL - Pack 100
Asst SM - Troop 100
Indian Waters Council
Columbia, SC
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
