All Activity
- Past hour
-
If you read the comments on the facebook site, the council did offer a boys-only version, but there was not enough interest. If true, then there is no issue here, huh?
- Today
-
Iteration is the number of events occurring of the same type. Normally one reviews what happens and make changes for the next event with an eye toward improving. I think you are creating a strawman. The event doesn't address any of the concerns you bring up. Frankly, it create more friction by identifying girls as special members rather than equal members. If this was something like the Catholic Camporee in that it is hosted by the Catholic Committee on Scouting and the Knights of Columbus are cooking a dinner and a breakfast for the participants, but it is open to all Scouts, then I
-
A Council-sponsored exclusionary event raises red flags. Perhaps those issues were addressed in the Council before announcing this program. Any program in Scouting which explicitly excludes a portion of the membership should be scrutinized (not necessarily barred). There are a few questions which must all be answered "yes" to establish this is consistent with Scouting values 1) "Is the exclusion of a portion of the BSA programs consistent with the Guide to Safe Scouting?" (So, only Cubs, AOLs and Scouts, Cubs and Scouts doing Cub stuff, only Scouts doing Scout-age stuff, only Crews doing
-
That would be entirely logical. The position largely invalidates the perspective.
-
When I go to most camporees and summer camp, the vast majority of scouts are white males. If our scouting organization wants to include other demographics, it may need to have recruiting efforts or events targeted to those demographics. It doesn't mean changing the program or, hopefully, removing standard events. Each year at summer camp, the leaders of the one girls Troop that attends has raised concerns about behavior. Over time, I've seen less girls attending. If BSA wants to remain primarily a program for white males, then don't make any changes. If they want to expand to
-
I certainly don't trust people who make it clear that they don't think I should be where I am to give me advice or support. I am curious about whether that it's girls only scout craft catch-up says something about just how stiff that cultural resistance is in that council. In principle, just make it a scoutcraft basics camporee open to all new units. But why didn't they? The comments that remain make me wonder if the reason is that so many male scouts are opposed to girls that it wouldn't work to help the girls, or that the council had solid reasons to think it would end up there.
-
New Cub Scout requirements are up - denner?
AwakeEnergyScouter replied to Armymutt's topic in Cub Scouts
I agree that the quality of the program is going to fall on the den leaders to make sure they are choosing to do the engaging fun stuff instead of just what is easy for them, but that has always been the case - that's not a change. I'm not sure what you mean by "wiggle room" in what's required where, but in the case of Bear Habitat (which is rank required) there is only one activity suggested for requirement 7, which is the one I posted above. Unless Scoutbook doesn't have requirement 7 as required, which I can't check right now, it would seem that Bears are still required to make animal -
Scouts embrace a Shared History with France - CBS
skeptic replied to RememberSchiff's topic in Scouting History
On of those "what if" things for me. I was an ASM for a troop at Spangdahlem AB in the sixties, predating I believe the Normandy COR. But it would have been on our radar for sure if was there when it happened. As it turned out, I was moved anyway to a remote sight with no scouting, and only seven of us. Later I took a pass to France, but did not get to Normandy, though wish I had now. I did visit the Luxembourg cemetery, and the one at Cambridge in England. The first one, Luxembourg was a real eye opener for me, as I had yet to see Pearl or Arlington. Cambridge is unique in that it has -
Scouts embrace a Shared History with France - CBS
RememberSchiff replied to RememberSchiff's topic in Scouting History
Hmm, CBS link still works for me. Here is same story via youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_8nxlfT0Q4 -
Scouts embrace a Shared History with France - CBS
MattR replied to RememberSchiff's topic in Scouting History
The page is blank. I once camped in a US graveyard in France as a scout. I went to Normandy with my parents but that would have been a great scout trip. -
I'm not clear what you mean by iteration. I sympathize with any struggling unit, but the point is that at least there is a unit for those boys; at least there is a hall to walk across. Girls in a lot of places aren't wanted or welcomed despite the nice words. You can see that in many of the anonymous comments here. People want to go back to the 1960s. No girls. That's what girls and women are encountering, and it's kind of hard to assimilate and find help in environments like that. If a special camporee helps, I support it. The net effect will ultimately mean more people experienced in
- Yesterday
-
This is at least the third or fourth iteration. There are boy troops younger than this and there are no special camporees being offered for them. We're trying to stand up troops in areas devoid of scouting with leaders who have no scouting experience. There are no special camporees for them. There are ample opportunities for training available for both youth and adults. I don't know of too many girl troops that don't have a boy troop in the same CO. I do know of boy troops that have a Tenderfoot for an SPL. Those kids are pretty much left to fend for themselves in a program that was desi
-
My view is that such events have a targeted role in the short term while the organization is laboring -- still somewhat clumsily -- to adjust to the addition of girls. It's not exactly the same as leveling subject area courses for cohorts of kids who missed school opportunities due to things like Covid or disaster displacements, but it's a similar situation and approach. We have camporees for physically challenged scouts or other unique circumstances, so it's not like it's setting any precedents. There have been undeniable challenges for girls and girl units in scouting -- the start did not go
-
How do you figure that only aiming to increasing female membership is acceptable? I also don't see any mention of this as a recruiting event. It's a camporee. Those are for active Scouts, not the general public. Is demographic-based Scouting events where we really want to go? That seems to fly in the face of universal brotherhood and becomes an "othering" type of program.
-
Agreed. That concept should no longer be done. I’m not in support of coed troops, but I am also not in support of girl only camporees or summer camp weeks.
-
Lol. Hmm, in theory? Whose theory? I learned these facts from interviewing hundreds of scouters, parents, and scouts. And, the experiences of scouters in other states verify my results. So, I'm confident with my analysis. The prime reason for the burnout is Tigers. The number of volunteers, including the parents, nearly doubles the desired number of volunteers to manage the whole pack program. If you read the present discussions on the forum, you find that many units are not recruiting even the minimum ideal number of volunteers for their program. So, they don't have a pool of -
Fewer people read a local paper anymore, where news about scouting used to be. Bad experience/ didn't like the unit is why what percentage left scouts? If they had said no time, not interested, etc then it's an issue of other activities crowding out scouts but a negative experience is a big red flag to me. What's worse is the "people don't know they can be in any unit." I read that as whoever asked the questions is blaming the unit leaders. "Don't like the unit? Find another, problem solved." Yes. My experience was being a den leader is the toughest job because neither the scou
-
Ok, makes sense but shouldnt be that way in cubs. In theory each Lion and Tiger den is starting a new Den Leader and soon there after picking up an assistant. When the lead starts to get burned out the assistant and that lead should be able to swap positions. From a committee standpoint at cubs the committee should be rotating to avoid the burnout. Let us not kid ourselves, most of the committee positions are just show up and answer a very narrow range of questions; if you have an experienced CC most of the committee is just breathing oxygen and hopefully learning something in the event that t -
Ok, makes sense but shouldnt be that way in cubs. In theory each Lion and Tiger den is starting a new Den Leader and soon there after picking up an assistant. When the lead starts to get burned out the assistant and that lead should be able to swap positions. From a committee standpoint at cubs the committee should be rotating to avoid the burnout. Let us not kid ourselves, most of the committee positions are just show up and answer a very narrow range of questions; if you have an experienced CC most of the committee is just breathing oxygen and hopefully learning something in the event that t
-
Burnout of managing the program. A volunteer organization gets about 2 good dedicated years from the average volunteer and three years of providing an adequate program. After that, they either leave or just basically show up. The scouts get a boring program each week that they whine about to the parents. The parents will make them stay as long as they can stand the whining. The Cub youth program is 5 long years for the adults. Cutting out the Tiger program completely, and shortening the Webelos program would bring the Cub Scout program to a more manageable 3.5 years, and reduce the adult
-
Some of this is literally set an expectation. Sometimes replacements don't step up because you're not clarifying the unfairness of no one else stepping up. I was wearing multiple hats at a local unit and no longer have kids in it. The COR and I had several succession discussions over the past 7 months or so and I was clear and fair to the unit; I let the COR know that were certain things I was no longer doing; however, I would stay on to help train replacements. It's the CORs primary duty to find adult leaders; it's great to help. I am moving on because I set clear expectations and no one can
-
So my question about the burnout is; burnout directed towards what? Is it overall fatigue? Is it sick of toxic leaders? Is it the 365 cycle of fundraising?
-
Actually they did. During the NAM presentations the repetitive response to this question was basically "No one see's scouting in the community anymore so they think scouting no longer exists." the response to the why they left seemed to be "bad experience/didn't like the unit, and people don't know they can be a member of any unit not just the one next door/at their school/what they were told".
-
You have to be careful with this as the new platform is a choose your own adventure type situation. Many of the things we're discussing are still in the rank but there alternate options. The quality of the program is going to fall on the den leaders to make sure they are choosing to do the engaging fun stuff instead of just what is easy for them. The handbook reads like everything is required; however, when you go look at the website there is a bit of wiggle room. The new ranking scales per "story card" which outline indoor vs outdoor, energy level, resources, and time are going to be interest
-
Is Becoming a MB Counselor Worth the Effort?
Tron replied to swilliams's topic in Open Discussion - Program
I apologize on behalf of the MBC corps as it sounds like a lot of your issue is that your unit does not understand the MBC role and governance. Just push through, it's worth it. Your council is absolutely correct, being an MBC is a council membership requirement. You have the right to choose to be council wide, district wide, or just specific unit(s); however, it's a council at large membership. Because of that council at large membership you do have to fill out a new (no cost if already registered) membership denoting 2nd/dual membership enrollment and someone from your council will have t
-
Posts
-
If you read the comments on the facebook site, the council did offer a boys-only version, but there was not enough interest. If true, then there is no issue here, huh? -
Iteration is the number of events occurring of the same type. Normally one reviews what happens and make changes for the next event with an eye toward improving. I think you are creating a strawman. The event doesn't address any of the concerns you bring up. Frankly, it create more friction by identifying girls as special members rather than equal members. If this was something like the Catholic Camporee in that it is hosted by the Catholic Committee on Scouting and the Knights of Columbus are cooking a dinner and a breakfast for the participants, but it is open to all Scouts, then I would have no issue. If the girl troops want to host a camporee for all the Scouts in the council and staff the stations, cool, but I'm 90% sure that is not what is happening here. -
By BinTharDunThat · Posted
A Council-sponsored exclusionary event raises red flags. Perhaps those issues were addressed in the Council before announcing this program. Any program in Scouting which explicitly excludes a portion of the membership should be scrutinized (not necessarily barred). There are a few questions which must all be answered "yes" to establish this is consistent with Scouting values 1) "Is the exclusion of a portion of the BSA programs consistent with the Guide to Safe Scouting?" (So, only Cubs, AOLs and Scouts, Cubs and Scouts doing Cub stuff, only Scouts doing Scout-age stuff, only Crews doing Crew approved stuff (such as hunting). This seems to meet that criteria. 2) "Does this increase recruiting and/or retention?" Arguably yes, because it provides tighter re-enforcement of retention. It might also provide an avenue for AOL (girls) to attend and observe folks just like them. 3) "Is the Council providing a like program for those being excluded?" Equal programming for all is critical. I'm in favor of a campout for any group so long as other groups can likewise do so (Catholic Campout means campout for any and all other religions as well). Here, I doubt Council is providing a male-only Council-wide Camporee. In light of Item 3, this female-only campout by the Council is a fail for DEI. Alternative - what if one Troop (G) wanted to host a few other Troops (not nearly every other Troop in the Council or in the District) in a patrol competition? (I recognize this rises to a District-level program because of multiple CORs). Then, yes, totally permissible because its a Troop-run activity. -
That would be entirely logical. The position largely invalidates the perspective. -
When I go to most camporees and summer camp, the vast majority of scouts are white males. If our scouting organization wants to include other demographics, it may need to have recruiting efforts or events targeted to those demographics. It doesn't mean changing the program or, hopefully, removing standard events. Each year at summer camp, the leaders of the one girls Troop that attends has raised concerns about behavior. Over time, I've seen less girls attending. If BSA wants to remain primarily a program for white males, then don't make any changes. If they want to expand to other groups, then between the choice of changing the program or implementing some special events, Id support implementation of these special events. Over time, I would expect these special events would fade, but it takes a long time for acceptance of new members by existing organization members and for the general public to see scouting as a program for more than just suburban and rural white males. When my daughter joined our mountain bike team, she was one of 3 girls on a 55 person team. She was called slow by the boys. She was called a boy by them and her non biking friends. She dealt with a lot of crap my son didn't go through. The mountain bike organizer created some special events for girls and that helps her feel appreciated. Now, we have 7 girls out of 60 or so total. Over time, if there are more girls, she won't feel she as isolated as she once did. I would also agree we need to do better with suburban and rural white males as well, but I don't think think we need a dedicated event for them as every event I attend is 90%+ that demographic.
-
-
Who's Online (See full list)
-
Popular Contributors