Re: More background on "Woodbadge uniforming?"
Fogeyman (fogeyman@BIGFOOT.COM)
Fri, 28 Aug 1998 12:07:50 GMT
On Thu, 27 Aug 1998 18:56:34 -0400, you wrote:
=20
>Well, then, your beef is with those who wear the beads and exhibit the =
kind
>of superior smug attitudes that are prevalent amongst the woodbadge =
staff
>here.=20
You're exactly right. As a 4-time staffer, and now counseling a third
patrol through their tickets, I can say that the staff in question
should CERTAINLY have exhibited better judgement.
Here in the Greater St. Louis Area Council, we are now running two
Wood Badge courses with a total of about 100 participants every year.
I can tell you what three Course Directors have told me: NOTHING is
more important in Wood Badge than the success of the PARTICIPANTS.
Wood Badge has a VERY positive reputation in thehis area, and is
pushed heavily by Council. Wood Badgers are in the front lines in
every District and in the Council. In the Sioux District, MOST of our
district-level volunteers are Wood badge trained. Our Course Directors
are people who are not only active in training but EXPERIENCED at the
troop level. Coincidentally, our two Course Directors this year also
both received the Silver Beaver this year.
>=20
>Nobody is to blame for that but the WB staffers. Nobody can do anything
>about that BUT the WB staffers.
Very, very true. EVERYTHING depends on the staff. We like to say here
that the only difference between us and the participants is that we
have the Staff Guide.
At our staff development sessions, it is ground into us that the
course has to be a positive experience FOR THE PARTICPANTS. We
canhave fun, too (and usually do!), but that's secondary. Every
variable is looked at in that light: How will it look ot the
participants? Are we setting the example? Arewe delivering the
promise? We had some every long meetings over the "Representing the
Group" session this year, because in previous years some participants
had negative experiences, and we did not want a repeat. Didn't happen
this year, because of hard work & planning by the presenter and
coach/counselors. We know that if we don't deliver the promise to the
participants, they can;;t deliver it to the boys.
=20
Everyone on our staffs knows it is an HONOR to be asked. I like to
say that if they keep letting me be on staff, I might one day get it
right. I learn something new every course.
>=20
>The bottom line is that here and in other places around the country =
(like
>where Steve Hoar, I believe, is in Ohio), WB has an image problem. The =
ONLY
>group that can cure an image problem is the group that HAS the problem. =
I
>can't do anything to correct the impression they are making on people, =
an
>impression that led to our fall weekend course being canceled (I =
believe)
>because in a council the size of Greater NY they could only get 26 =
learners.
>Why? Because they are doing a horrid job of selling the program, either=
by
>justifying the need for it, or by setting a positive example that will
>encourage people to attend.
>=20
This is really sad. I have understood form talking to some Scouters
that WB had some similar problems in St. Louis at one time, until
people who really understood the program changed things. If people
want to know how a course SHOULD be run, I would refer them to Ray
Adler, the volunteer who is our Council Wood Badge Coordinator, Bob
Soderholm, the course director for C-34-98, or Don Neeley, course
director for C-7-95.
Mike Malone
District Commissioner, Sioux District, GSLAC
I used to be a Bear (NC-537) and a staffer (NC-544, C-7-95, C-15-96,
C-34-98)
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
