hotdesk

While I was an Jr. Assistant Scoutmaster the Assistant Senior Patrol Leader worked with the Senior Patrol Leader and Scoutmaster to create criteria that would describe if the youth leaders were not fulfilling their position. The Patrol Leader Council voted on and passed these requirements. It included attendance requirements (for Quartermaster, Troop Guide, Patrol Leaders, ASPL, and SPL) and other requirements. It also included a written evaluation form that would be completed monthly by the Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (for the Quartermaster, Librian, Scribe, and Historian) and the Senior Patrol Leader (for the Patrol Leaders and Troop Guide). This way it could be discussed and documented if a scout ever needed to be removed from his office.

I understand that scouting is not suppose to be free and that scouts are to earn their own way. HOWEVER, as an Eagle Scout I see scouting as a very important program that can mold youth into quality adults. Therefore, as Chartered Organization Rep. I find it very important that any young person who wants to participate in scouting, be given that opportunity. In 2010 our chartered organization will pay the registration fees for the youth in our program that cannot afford scouting. The Cubmaster will recruit at least one volunteer who is responsible for securing uniforms and make sure that all scouts have a uniform that fits. And all activity fees and equipment expenses will be paid for through fundraisers.

The Committee Chairman is responsible for interrupting the guidelines, by-laws, regulations, etc. of the Chartered Organization and Boy Scouts of America. If he determines that a certain activity (ie: laser tag, paint balling, etc.) were to be against these guidelines he would bring these concerns up to the Committee when they discuss the program.

As a Committee Chairman for a Boy Scout Troop and Cub Scout Pack I consider myself a "Volunteer and Resource Manager". I am responsible for recruiting additional volunteers, supporting and guideing these volunteers, and managing the resources of the units, from everything records to money to equipment.

First, I strongly disagree that there is nothing a Unit Leader can do is this type of situation. Each rank has a requirement: "Demonstrate scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life.". It doesn't seem that these scouts were living the Scout Oath and Law in their everyday life. Therefore a Unit Leader has the OBLIGATION to at least have a conversation with the scouts. He needs to find out what happend, discuss appropriate ways of handling emotions, and let me know that he is very disappointed. As a Committee Chairman I had an incident a few months back where a few Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts in the units I served harassed a younger Cub Scout at school. It was to that point that it could have been construed as sexual harrasment. One of the scouts involved was our Senior Patrol Leader. I had a conversation, along with our Unit Leader, with each scout individually. At the end of the conversation I had each of our Boy Scouts write an essay about the points of the scout law that were broken and how they will remember it the next time a similar situation occurs.

As Committee Chairman I make it very clear to parents that they should voice their concerns to: Scoutmaster: Activities, Meetings, Campouts, and Behavior of other Scouts Activities Coordinator: Summer Camp Advancement Coordinator: Advancement and Advancement Requirements Treasurer: Scout Accounts and Fundraising If these people can't answer this concerns then call me. If I can't answer your concerns I'll get you the answer. My chain of command would be to the Chartered Organization Rep. If they can't find the answer I would then as the Unit Commish.

1) New Pack Flag 2) New American Flag 3) Updated PackMaster Software 4) Printer for pack documents 5) Craft Tools and Supplises 6) Ceremonial Equipment 7) Scout Uniforms for those that can't afford them 8) Supplises for your Next Fundraiser 9) Handbooks for your scouts 10) Cub Scout Leader Book for each committee member and Den Leader 11) Cub Scout Songbook for each Den Leader 12) Den Meeting in a Box for each den 13) Emergency First Aide Pocket Guide for each 5th Grade Webelos Leader for use on Campouts 14) Cub Scout Leader How To Book for each Den Leader 15) It Happened to Me Youth Protection DVD What I would really do is email your Den Leaders and Cubmaster tonight and ask them to email you the 1 thing that would most help their program.

The first thing that I could look at would be creating camperships for Cub Scout Day Camp. I'm sure you could come up with a good presentation about why Cub Scout Day Camp would benefit your scouts and I'm also sure that the parents, especially in this economic situation, would appreciate a discount on Day Camp.

I would recommend that this Cubmaster read the Cub Scout Leader Handbook. It is a good guide considering recommendations from BSA to Cub Scout Packs. I would also recommend that this leader take online Cub Scout Committee Fast Start and online Cubmaster Fast Start training. These are two courses that she could probably knock out in an hour.

In the troops that I have been associated with it is expected that the SPL and ASPL float around during meal prep to make sure everything is going okay and offer a helping hand if necessary. Therefore, we have usually allowed the SPL and ASPL to eat with the adults so that this can be accomendated. As far as sleeping usually the SPL and ASPL were friends and were able to share a tent. They would usually just pick a spot that they felt comfortable with and set up their tent.

Is there an active Committee for your Cub Scout Pack? If so then I would take this issue to that Committee. Your unit should be charging dues and conducting fundraisers that will cover the costs of your scouting program INCLUDING the Pinewood Derby and Advancement Materials. One of the things that I would be careful about is nickle and diming these families to death. I would be even more so concerned during this economy. Perhaps a conversation with your Committee Chairman and/or Cubmaster about fundraising and dues should be the next step?

The tricky thing to calculate will be how many people show up at the door to eat. The units I have been involved with have put flyers up throughout town and do other forms of publicity. I usually plan for 225 people. I have done three spaghetti dinners and the first two reached this number. My last one did not, but it was in December and the roads were really icy. Good luck!

In June I joined a Cub Scout Pack that I helped reorganize. The Pack had started to fade, but the Chartered Organization Rep. knew that it was a needed program for the neighborhood it served. I joined the Pack as Committee Chairman, at the age of 21, to help bring the thing that the Pack was really missing, a connection to Scouting and Community Resources. After this point I worked at recruiting volunteers. The first volunteer I recruited was responsible for working with our Tiger Cub program. After a few meetings I noticed that the two Tigers I had weren't coming to meetings on time anymore. At this point I made a point to observe the Tiger Cub meetings. I realized that, for many reasons, it was the adult leader who was causing these scouts to lose interest in our scouting program. After I realized this, and going forward with the idea that the Tiger Cub program was perhaps the most important program in a pack, I decided that a change was necessary. The hardest part about this change was the the person was a co-worker. For this reason I spent about a week talking to different people to get the advice I needed on how to construct the conversation. From this experience here's what I learnt: 1) Have a meeting to make sure that both groups know why the situation isn't working. Make sure that the Committee Chairman, Cubmaster, and/or Chartered Organization Rep. are involved in this meeting and make sure that they are the ones doing most of the talking. 2) Be honest with the volunteer, but do not be harsh. Chances are that you'll see this person from time to time in scouting and other community situations. 3) Have an idea of the things that you want to say before the meeting starts. Write it down. Make sure that you have specific examples of the things that you plan on discussing. 4) Make sure that you thank the volunteer for the time that they put into the program. I'm sure that they still did things that benefited the scouts of your unit and the unit itself. 5) If you know that the family will be staying in scouts provide them with a list of units in the area. You can probably find this on your District's website.

I completely agree with a Boy Lead troop. HOWEVER, I feel that Membership is an administrative issue. It should be directed by an adult. When I served as Membership Coordinator for a local troop I involved the Troop Guide and a boy who served in the position of Recruiter in establishing our recruiting program. They chose the activities that the troop was going to participate in, they contacted the Webelos leaders, but in the end I was the one that was responsible for boys not joining our troop.

To start with many people remember different information different ways. One person might need to hear it. Another might need to see it. Again another might need to be the person passing on the information. It is because of this that I feel it's important to use many methods of communication. Use a newsletter, use a website, make announcements, send an email. The newsletter and website can be the responsiblity of the Secretary. The announcements the responsibility of Committee Chairman, Cubmaster, and/or Den Leaders. The email the responsibility of Committee Chairman or Cubmaster. HOWEVER, make sure that any information you have in front of your leaders is accurate. A website that is not updated as of the information "passed" at your last Pack Leader's Meeting/Committee Meeting will do more harm than good. It will provide inaccurate information that some will surely relay on. To get prepared for your job read the Cub Scout Leader's Book. There is a lot of information in the book. I'm not sure what your exact timeline is for assuming this position, but there are additional things that should/can be done. Present yourself to the Executive Officer. Become a friend of the Cubmaster...your partner in scouting. Continue attending Roundtable to get information from your district. Be willing to continue learning. I liked the idea of job descriptions. I also liked the idea of having people write their own. However, something that I did for this charter year was write job descriptions based on the Scouting Material and I went over them with each of the Pack's volunteers. I made sure that they were comfortable taking on each responsiblity. I know that the district can be controlled by a few large troops. BSA has it set up that COR's get a vote in District matters. However, I also know that there are COR's who are not involved. Who know little about their unit and even less about the district. I work with a COR who is active with our unit, but not active with the district. I live in a district where many of the VCs are not Chartered Org. Reps.

Kyle, I am a Committee Chairman for Boy Scout Pack 134 in McHenry, IL. Our Pack is prodominatly latino. It appears that our Council might have encouraged ticket items regarding diversity. I am working with a Pack from Woodstock, IL and we are working to hold an activity between our Cub Scout Packs. If you want to I would be willing to meet with you and discuss the differences between recruiting latino youth and working with their parents. There are some strong contrasts that need to be understood in order to be successful.

Okay... 1) The Chartered Organization is responsible for providing a meeting location...so I don't know if a unit needs to own its own building. 2) The individual unit is not an actual entity. It would be very hard, if not impossible, for it to own anything in its own name. Usually things like this, if they happen, would have to be done through the Chartered Organization. Therefore if a unit is interested in owning its own building I would suggest: approach your Executive Officer. I would ask him if the unit provided the funding if the Chartered Organization would purchase the building and also provide insurance. I would make sure that it is understood that the building is for use by the unit and that the Chartered Organization can have access as long as the unit does not need to use it.

Nicely written, and couldn't agree more! I am 21. When I was 15 my dad joined the troop as Scoutmaster. While we didn't spend a lot of time scouting together, we spent a lot of time scouting. I was pushed to excel and I will admit I felt a lot of pressure. HOWEVER, it was the best experience I have had. Two months after my ECOH my dad died expectly. Having time to reflect on what the scouting experience taught me I have learned 1) Putting others above self 2) Teaching is Learning and that I had many experiences with my dad (sunrises, sunsets, canoeing, etc.) that I wouldn't have had with him if scouting hadn't been part of our lives.

First, I would ask him what his interests are. Make sure that what the pack wants him to do is what he wants to do. He may simply want to work with his cousin in Cub Scouts. Perhaps he as truly enjoyed the program so much that he wants to share it with him. Second, I would use an adult under the age of 21 for whatever the Pack Committee Chairman and Cubmaster and the adult feel comfortable doing. This would include anything from conducting fundraisers to working with the kids.

In my mind it should be the Committee Chairman with the support of the CO. The Committee Chairman is the one who usually deals with the "adult side" of scouting in a unit!

Yes, that may be true. However, if a Committee Chairman knows what is expected from him/her by his supervisor (Chartered Organization) and by those "below him/her on the ladder" he/she may be able to do a better job and know what areas should be their primary concerns. Since this is a volunteer program, those not happy with the Committee Chairman are more likely to cause a stir, start using "politics" in scouting where it simply is not needed, and stray from their primary job responsiblity of supporting the unit program. As a Committee Chairman I think it is entirely appropriate to know what those who you serve expect from you and that they know what you expect from them.

I would add that they need to be willing to handle this situation with a sense of urgency, but with class as well!

If you search the archieves of these forums you will find that one of the most commonly posed question is the removal of a Committee Chairman. Therefore, what I want to know are the things that you expect from a Committee Chairman. Please chose somewhere between 3 and 5 different aspects, characteristics, and what not that a Committe Chairman must either have or show to keep you satisifed. My things that a Committee Chairman must be able to do are: 1) Network with Parents, members of the Chartered Organization, and the Community at Large to indentify program resources, future leaders, and administrative support for the unit 2) Be able to keep a Committee Meeting to an agenda and keep the meeting at a pace that allows business to end within an hour and a half of starting 3) Maintain a positive relationship with the Unit Leader and Chartered Organization Rep. 4) Be a positive role model for the kids in a unit 5) Understand the Program that they are working with

I don't believe that a Tour Permit would need to be filled out, this isn't an activity. The Pack already had the Money Making Application filled out.

We had our ATPC a couple of weeks ago. At that time the Patrol Leader's Council decided that it would propose to the troop committee that the we let scouts transfer on their own basis, but that we would purchase the new green shoulder tabs for all the current scouts.