Advancement goals for new scouts

[Buffalo Skipper]

I have been talking to some local scout friends (not with my troop) about new scout advancement. We have 6 new scouts in our troop this year. As SM, I would like to see these scouts complete their Tenderfoot before we go off to summer camp at the end of June.

 

I am not advancement focused, and I genuinely do not push advancement. Most of these scouts already have half their Tenderfoot reqs signed off, and the PLCs theme for next month is First Aid, so I see this as being very attainable.

 

What is the best way to "inspire" these scouts to finish their Tenderfoot before camp? I do not want to sit down and encourage these scouts to all set this as a personal goal; that seems too heavy handed to me. Their patrol leader is very motivated, and I am thinking this may be the best way to reach out to them.

 

What are your thougths on this?

[GKlose]

I don't have any thoughts one way or the other, but I can relate a personal experience.

 

My oldest son crossed over a year ago...first meeting, he had a SM conference where the SM encouraged him to read his handbook and get to work on Tenderfoot requirements. He also described the advancement process the troop uses (PL signs front section of book, SPL/ASM signs back half of book, etc). The SM called me over to make sure that we went over the personal safety booklet.

 

My son then worked on a few 2C requirements at summer camp, and finished them shortly afterwards, for an October Court of Honor. Now it's 6 months later (a year total), and he's finishing up 1C requirements, mostly because a "high adventure" trip the troop is doing this summer is open to 1C and above.

 

So he's kind of on the "first class in a year" plan, and the SM really hasn't driven it, other than at the first SM conference.

 

A new batch of crossovers started two weeks ago, first meeting, the SM pulled them aside for their first conference. The cycle repeats...

 

Guy

[Beavah]

Are the six new scouts friends?

 

I think yeh find one or two good "marks" and see that older boys encourage them, eh? Like as not, when one lad starts showing off his book, the others will compare, and some natural competition will be in play.

 

Then yeh just need to reach out a bit to the one or two quieter, shyer lads who aren't motivated by competition.

 

Really, the game is for your TGs or PLs and ASMs to get to know each boy and what makes him tick. That will lead you to what motivates him, or in some cases whether gettin' to TF by summer camp is even a good idea.

 

Beavah