Leaderboard

I so so like the statement. It's dead on right.

Hello fellow Scouters and thank you for letting me join this forum! I wanted to share something with everyone that I recently created for a group of scoutmasters I met at a University of Scouting event here in the Omaha metro. When my boys bridged over from Webelos the former scoutmaster found out I was an Eagle Scout and military veteran, so he asked if I wanted to take the reins of troop since his sons had made Eagle scout years ago. While I have years of Scouting under my belt and years of experience utilizing my survival skills in Afghanistan, I was very nervous. Hones

Great work! It's clear that a lot of time and effort went into your Troop Book. One thing to consider is that the BSA is constantly changing requirements for ranks, awards, and merit badges, so you might want to consider linking directly to BSA pages such as: https://www.scouting.org/programs/boy-scouts/advancement-and-awards/ https://www.scouting.org/programs/boy-scouts/advancement-and-awards/merit-badges/ https://www.scouting.org/resources/guide-to-advancement/ Unfortunately, the Requirements Book does not always list all of the changes made each year, so I think you are pro

We are veering off the subject at hand: leadership through service. Let's try to steer back on course. Otherwise, I can split off several of these posts into another topic for the Order of the Arrow sub-forum. ********* Each year about this time, I reread selected Klondike stories by Jack London. In reading "In a Far Country" this morning I was moved by a specific passage that I think is a supplement to the initial post outlining key aspects of servant leadership. Describing the hardships of living in the cold North, London says this of an individual: "For the courtesies of ordi

@dkurtenbach The OneNote SOP is what I created for my Troop. I created a standardized version to share online for anyone who wants to use something similar... that way they can take what I have done and create one for their troops. Since the public OneNote version is just a public template... if people want to add to it... they are more than welcome to add to it. If people add in new tabs and pages... I can snag them to incorporate into my Troop's OneNote.

Great work. I always thought a "pocket guide" to troop operations would have been a useful tool when I was Scoutmastering. This comes about as close as anything I've seen. I think the key is going to be how much it actually gets used by the youth and adult leaders and (even if it isn't really intended for them) the parents: The more that people rely on it, the better chance it will have of being updated over the years and integrated into troop practices, rather than becoming an electronic version of those outdated binders in the closet. You may already have some kind of new parent in

Scanned your troop book, but didn't have time to look at the video. Excellent work. I would suggest under activities, you add two forms: Permission slip. If you are using BSA's form, just include the link. Hike/camp plan of where, when, how (e.g. transportation, which adult leaders will be present/driving, who reviewed and approved the plan). This could be another page on your campout planner form, or it could be a separate page that the PLC or a patrol might use, for example, to get their event on the calendar. FWIW, not every SPL will be good with software like this

Spot on. My chapter was dying out because all the chapter did was "work work work." No ceremony teams (an aside, one of the reasons the teams died out was because they went to black robes after doing Philmont's OA Trail Crew. Many in my council considered them "Satanic" and threatened to quit OA and Scouting.), no fun days, didn't even go to conclave or lodge fellowship events because they always corresponded to Cub Scout events the OA ran a fundraiser at. OA was known as "slave labor." It took two years, but we had a 180 degree turn around. While getting the Cub folks to change eve

With Scouts Canada background checks are required every 3 years. Now that all registration etc. is online, an adult's status changes as soon as their record check expires and I think that generates a flurry of automated emails. Record checks are free for adults volunteering with any organization (eg. scouting, sports etc.). All that is required is a letter from said organization to accompany your background check request and the usual fee is waived. It is up to the individual leader to make sure their background check is current and to seek out a new one when required. Scouts Canada,

Have you tried searching on scoutstuff4sale.com? They have thousands of items related to jamborees there. Also, it is good to see another Wa-Hi-Nasa Lodge alum here. That was my original lodge; inducted in 1969, Brotherhood in '70 and Vigil in '72 as a member of Anawaha Chapter, Cogioba District.

Welcome to the forum!

MattR The OA no longer exists. All vestiges of the OA need to be removed and packed away. Scout troops will only prosper if they have dynamic programs planned by the scouts, supported by the adults. Yes, the patrol method. Recruitment for the troops will come from packs that like your program. Word gets out. It always has. Friends of the scouts can be recruited as well. But don't promise them adventure, if all you do is sit through endless advancement classes. As far as service to our camps (like the OA used to provide), have planned and announced work weekends at scout camps maybe t

Symbolism, ceremonies, and shifting societal/cultural values aside, there are two aspects of the OA's successful past that the BSA completely controlled, yet deliberately moved away from: 1. The OA was the society of honor campers (outdoor-minded first and foremost). 2. Inductees were few in number, thus keeping membership exclusive, a true honor to be selected. The first step must be a return to the original criteria--honor campers, few in number.

I had a discussion about this with my SE, who's a friend. He said there is ongoing talk about whether to run rechecks, but no one does it routinely. This came up in a discussion about our diocese requiring a renewed background check every five years. Every five years or so is probably worthwhile, but make no mistake it will be a lot of resources expended for very very little gain. The chances are, if a member of your unit was arrested, let alone convicted, of a sexual offense you would surely know about it through your own resources long before it would show up in a 5 year recheck. B

@Gilwell_1919 welcome to scouter.com

I'm with @skeptic: one law (as referenced in the Oath) with 12 points.