Re: Leadership Participation
Judy Yeager (jscout@HOTMAIL.COM)
Wed, 30 Dec 1998 09:39:51 -0800 (PST)
Barry Runnels had some really good thoughts on this subject:
"Young Scouts lead the only way they know how." Exactly!
Unfortunately, the "way they know how" is by watching the leaders ahead
of them and emulating their style. It all comes back to training--if
you don't utilize JLT, how are they supposed to know how to be a good
leader?
"Part of the problem with many Troops is the adults don't really allow
Scouts to lead their program." How True! And I would add that in many
Troops the adults don't WANT the Scouts to lead.
"Scouts know when they really have control and when they don't." You
bet they know and many of them also know how things "should" be, but are
also wise enough to know that, in many Troops, it never will be.
"I believe if you want a Troop that promotes good leadership, then
you have to build a program where the success of the Scouts program is
dependent on their good leadership." Isn't this what this program
should be about?
"Adults have to figure out where they want to go with the Scouts." I
would take exception to this thought somewhat. What the adults need to
figure out is not what they want, but where the program says they should
be going.
"I read where one leader is going to make a couple of Scouts help the
ASM plan the campout or they won't go. Why is the ASM in charge in the
first place. Shouldn't the Scouts be planning the campout with the ASM
giving guidance." Here again, the adults are clueless about what their
role in the program is. The PLC should be doing all the planning,
whether it be campouts, meetings, activities, or whatever. The role of
the ASM or other adult is to review the plans to be sure they are
workable and that health and safety issues have been addressed. If not,
these issues are pointed out to the PLC and they, not the adult, make
the necessary adjustments.
"His answer was because the adults don't know what there doing yet. That
says it all." That statement speaks volumes. Just like the boys, the
adults learn from watching their peers. Sounds like all the adults in
this unit need to get to training, go with open minds and vow to
implement what they learn.
". . .we have to stay in the background and then reflect with the group
after the activity. Wood Badge teaches this wonderfully. . .Our program
really changed when the adults figured out that our job is to let the
boys run the Troop and learn from the mistakes. . .it's the adults who
have to develop first, or you will never get there from here."
Training, training, training.
"When you do allow the Scouts to really lead the Troop, you will find
the rewords are wonderful." Unfortunately, this is something that many
adults in this program will never experience!
I don't mean to have a defeatist attitude, but it is very frustrating to
work with Troops where the adults have no idea what "boy run program"
means! Training certainly is the key, but even training won't work
unless the trainees come with an open mind and go back to their units
and implement what they learn. In far too many cases, these adults go
back to adult run Troops and either won't or can't rock the boat. This
is what a friend of mine calls "Scouting run amuk."
In the meantime, we just keep training and talking and sharing and hope
that it takes. Once we get the adults on the right track, the program
for the boys can only benefit.
Stepping off soapbox.
YIS,
Judy Yeager
SFT District Training Chair
Mother of two Scouts who never heard of JLT
. . .and a good ole' Bobwhite, too. . .
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