ChuckSt8er

Ever start with a a pretty small, manageable idea and have somebody take it places you never imagined?

Wow. Many, many thanks from a Fox just startin' to work his ticket. I'll keep you all informed on where this goes.

Short version: Am in the process of writing my ticket for Woodbadge with one of the five items to be written on Diversity. I am a second-year Cubmaster with a thriving, thriving pack (doubled in size, sold 5X more popcorn this year than last, 80+% retention, etc.), but before I move on to my next post, I want to make sure I'm putting the right infrastructure in place to support real, sustainable growth.

We have a moderately large (10-15) population of Indian/Pakistani/Middle Eastern families in our Pack. OK, who can guess the next part of this story?

My ticket item here has to do with understanding the cultural, social, developmental needs of these communities (realizing that there may be a variety of culturally-based motivations), and seeing what we as a Pack can do better to meet these needs.

MY QUESTION FOR THE GROUP: I'm looking for prior threads, big ideas, hypotheses, guidance of any sort, anecdotes, how you've solved the problem/challenge, etc.

I'm all ears and a big open mind, folks. Illuminatio mea.

Praise be to the One who watches over us all - - from the youngest Tigers to the most seasoned veterans.

Give thanks to all the teams of searchers, leaders, parents, community and scouters the world over who held their collective breaths and now can let it go...

My original approach to this situation was to take the long-term view. My boys, separated by two years, would mean I would spentd roughly 7 years in the Cubmaster's role. I am now in my second year and fully intend to make next year my last as Cubmaster. Why the change of heart? Easy:

- I have responsibilities to be a Dad as well as a Cubmaster. Unfortunately, being Cubmaster often takes me away from being there for my son, particularly at Pack events. When my younger son enters Tiger Cubs next year, I'll have two reasons to be in the audience rather than at the podium.

- I've come to believe that a Pack (or any Scouting unit) should foster a Culture of Leadership within its adult ranks. This means that positions are regularly rotated within the organization in order to (1) bring in new talent with fresh perspectives (2) Allow for new approaches and traditions to emerge from a broader leadership pool.

- If people see an individual occupying a particular position in a Unit for a long, long time, there are three common (mis)perceptions that can arise: (1) 'S/he has it covered and doesn't need my help' (2) 'S/he must have a great deal of experience/training, and I could never hope to live up to that level of expertise'

- I believe that we, as Scouters, have a moral obligation to bring out the best in the boys and adults with whom we travel this road. This means letting others rise to the call and challenge of leadership, letting others mature and grow based on these experiences, and letting others develop their own leadership styles.

- And candidly, there are other things I want to do in Scouting. I want to be the camping coordinator, the Pinewood coordinator, recruitment chair, the Unit Commissioner or more. I'm getting broad experience as a Cubmaster, but due to the nature of the position, it's not necessarily deep.

I also recognize that there may be a day somewhere down the road where there is nobody who is willing to step up as ACM or CM, despite all attempts to find someone [cut to visual of parents staring around the room, looking at their shoes, noticing fingernails need a trim, but not raising their hands]. The good news is that, should that day come, I could step in if needed. I'd love to think that a Pack could have one or even two Cubmaster emeritus (emeriti?) to fall back on should this situation arise.

And if none of this makes sense, think of it this way: What manager of an MLB baseball team would ever, ever, ever rely on the same pitcher game after game, night after night? Not only would that athlete wear down/lose his edge, but in time, his approach to the game would become predictable.

I wish you luck on your journey and nothing but success, no matter which road you choose.(This message has been edited by ChuckSt8er)

So here's my deal. I'm a Wolf Scout dad with another one starting Tiger Cubs next year (so I have about 5 1/2 years left with this Pack). I became Cubmaster last year (yes, in my first year) due to a leadership shakeup. Along with a very supportive Committee Chair and decent core of parents, we've doubled the size of the pack from 36 to 75 boys in one year. We've quadrupled our fundraising results, and overall, parent/scout satisfaction with the program is very, very high.

So it's time for me to move on and find a replacement.

By moving on, I mean finding a new ACM (or two, or three) who will learn the ropes from me next year, and then take over the year after. I'll transition into whatever "plug and play" role the Pack has for me (recruiting, Pinewood, Outings Coordinator, etc.)

QUESTION: So how do you all go through the process of choosing new CMs or CCs? What kind of things do you consider when thinking about potential candidates? Whose advice do you seek on potential candidates?

Perhaps most importantly, when approaching the prospective replacement, do you first use tranquilizer darts to sedate him/her, or do you just hold them down and then put on the radio transmitter collar?

Cubmaster here. One of the things that I initiated last year when we did annual planning was a "visioning" session in which we set out what kind of program we wanted to be in the future. This was an open forum for leaders and parents (though pretty much it was just leaders). I feel that going through this exercise helped unite us, set a clear and common direction, and took the weight off of one or two individuals.

We experienced some real pack growth recently (see my "help!" post in this forum); to help deal with this, I asked an experienced Scouter what advice he had for me in managing growth. His answer: you need to develop a culture of leadership within the pack, one where you are actively getting parents to sign up to be uniformed leaders, to share committee shifts and activity leadership. He also suggested that the tenure of each position should be relatively short - - one year to learn a position, and another year to teach it to the person who will follow you. I am giving this advice serious thought and figuring out how we can make this into part of our new vision for the Pack.

It sounds like you started with the right kind of vision: Developing a program that would attract more boys into Scouting. Build your leadership ranks with people who share a common vision for the program and you'll soon find yourself with a solid, solid program of 40 or 50 boys. This kind of success tends to snowball if you manage it properly.

Good luck from another Scouter walking a similar path.

Great feedback, and much advice that I'd hadn't previously considered. Many, many thanks.

Any more input from other Scouters?

We doubled the size of our pack within the past 2-3 weeks due to some active recruiting. We're now at 70+ boys when previously we were at 35-40 (and the new registrations keep coming!)

I seek any and all advice for growing from a medium pack size to a large pack. Advice can be on the programming or the committee/leadership side. The good news is that we're having luck getting new leaders to step up and our dens, while mushrooming, are still relatively manageable (7-8 boys on average).

I expect a little chaos and pandemonium as we settle into a new routine, but want to make sure we don't lose parents/scouts in this interim phase. Any suggestions/advice to combat "growing pains"?

No, no, no, no, no. You've all been misled.

One hour a week is the amount of SLEEP you get. Sorry for the confusion. You may now return to your daily scouting activities.

OK, now for some fun.

Later this month, I (& a parent leader) take a group of 6 boys to their first overnight adventure camp. 5 are recently-crossed wolves, 1 is a recently-crossed bear.

I've never done this before for such a long period of time. Any survival tips to make the time more fun for leaders & boys?

Sidebar: Your collective comments in this form are all great - - there's a lot of scouting 'good' here. Thanks for the insights already shared, and those yet to come.

OK, I certainly got my well, duh moment.

I also got a bit of enlightenment. When they say "convoy", what they mean is cars literally traveling in a group, as a unit. If one stops, then all must stop.

This doesn't apply to the informal "let's all meet at the church and drive to point X together" - where all drivers know where they're going, there's a good phone tree in place in case of trouble, etc. Because these cars can be a little bit more autonomous in their starting and stopping, technically they're not a convoy in the defined sense.

Thanks, all.

OK, I'm sure there's a really simple explanation to this and my response will be "Well, DUH" but I'll ask anyway.

GSS says we're not supposed to travel in convoys, and refers to the "Leadership Requirements for Trips & Outings, Point #2" for reference. Point #2 simply says that you need two deep leadership or one adult and two or more scouts to be "safe"

So I get the two deep leadership (or no one on one confined space encounters) thang, but what in the name of pete does this have to do with a convoy? Sorry, don't get it.

Guidance, anyone?

...and don't suggest squirt guns. We've beaten that topic into the ground (silly rabbits...)

Am looking for a good range of gifts for leaders who have been cubbing for years one through five. What do you all do that's meaningful doesn't raise fiscal eyebrows?

It's an interesting thought, and that might help clarify the behavior that BSA wanted to see, if that was indeed their intent.

I guess my disconnect comes from the fact that the rule, when interpreted literally, means one set of things. When placed through the filter of opinion and conjecture, it comes out sounding like something quite different.

Thanks everyone for the comments - - they're all articulate and appreciated. I'm all done with tilting at this windmill for now.

I've enjoyed the debate here.

I guess what I find most troubling is that there is so much opinion, conventional wisdom and conjecture about the rule that we've forgotten to go back and read the rule ourselves. Once I got past the hyperbole, I re-read it, and I am 100% convinced:

Squirt guns are 100% OK under the rules.

Laser tag (so long as it only involves infrared devices) are also allowed. However, true lasers of any sort (as a gun sight, pointing tool or otherwise) are not. If this is NOT what the drafters of the rule intended, then they need to be more explicit in what they've written. "Paintball" is clear. "Lasers" may not be.

OK Beavah, now you've opened Pandora's box. I'm here to tear off the lid (said with a smile and a wink, rather than a sneer, just so we're all on the same page).

I'm here to assert that the G2SS does NOT technically prohibit laser tag, because the game does not use lasers! The game, if I understand the websites correctly, uses Infrared beams, which are not harmful to the eye, AS OPPOSED TO REAL LASERS which can permanently damage sight and therefore ARE prohibited by G2SS. There are SOME systems which do use true lasers, but these are mostly confined to commercial/technical/military systems, and are generally not available to the public.

This is my theory and assertion. Comments?

Guide to Safe Scouting, Sweet 16 of Safety:

"Pointing any type of firearm (including paintball, dye, or lasers) at any individual is unauthorized."

So, the operative word here is:

- Firearm: Waterguns are not a firearm.

Can anyone find a reference that would specifically prohibit squirt guns or super soakers?

BTW, good point on water balloons. We will have one serious cleanup on our hands if we're serious about leave no trace.

OK, I see the lively discussion on Paintball.

I also see the policy umbrella which, depending on which way the wind is blowing, could include or exclude squirt guns/water pistols/super soakers, etc.

I also have read the widespread postings on 'personal' scouting and council websites promoting events/activities where squirt guns are used as part of the activity. (Guiding a projectile at a live target.)

I am having our Committee Chair (also another Pack's Unit Commissioner) ask the District Executive whether squirt guns are in or out. However, I'm curious to know whether you all have a clear understanding of whether these are OK or not. Surprise, surprise, G2SS does not make this clear.

Guidance?

For the record, I firmly believe that, when conducted with common sense, this is a totally safe and fun activity for the boys. I've also seen a variety of non-squirt-gun-oriented water fun that could be done in addition to/instead of a squirt gun fight. But my question revolves around this one item/activity in particular.

Leaders - - looking for clarification/advice:

We have a number of Tigers who need to do "make-up" activities and earn their beads towards their Tiger badge. I was asked by a parent if the Den activities necessarily needed to be completed with other Den members who needed to do similar "make-up" sessions, OR whether these Den Activities could be done on a family by family basis (e.g. Parents could do a scapbook on their own, rather than with other Den members as stated in the handbook, etc.)

Any advice/perspective to share?