How many Assistant Scoutmasters can one Troop have?

[robvio]

I was wondering. I have 2 guys willing to assist. Is that allowed? Is it according to the size of the troop?

 

Thanks.

 

-Rob

[rangersteve]

The troop I serve has around 80 registered scouts and around 45 registered leaders.

[Troop185]

Our troop has 13 Assistant Scoutmaster (including me) registered at this time. We have about 60 scouts.

[red feather]

To answer your question..... as many as you can get !

 

If you have a parent willing to go to training and uniform up and put forth the time to be an ASM go for them ! ( one of them may be a future SM )

 

The troop that I serve has had as few as 2 and as many as 15 ASMs. We average around 30 scouts over the 14 years that I have been with the troop.

 

Don't forget those that who may not want to be ASMs can do good service on the committee.

 

yis

[epalmer84]

Yes!

 

Ensure they have jobs. Some of the jobs we use:

 

- Youth leader mentor working with the troop guides, quartermaster, scribe, librarian, etc.

 

- Troop trainer, responsible for maintaining records and pushing training for youth and adults

 

Ed

 

[FScouter]

Assign each a job. It should be understood that assistant Scoutmasters are also expected to wear a complete uniform. They should also have a full complement of basic training including New Leader Essentials, SM/ASM Specific training, Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills, Youth Protection Guidelines. Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, and CPR would be great too.

 

Id avoid assigning duties to an ASM that should be handled by a committee member. Committee positions are important too, and it would be great to have a full committee before a surplus of assistant SMs with little to do.

[anarchist]

robvio,

 

Just looking at our roster, we have 48 registered scouts, 14 registered committee members (10 trained) and 12 assistant scoutmasters of whom, including last weeks district training-10 are now "trained". We assign one ASMs to each patrol (two when possible) They assist the PLs and are the "up front guys" when the patrols have Patrol activities; hikes, campouts, day trips. Many of our "committee members are actually crossed trained as ASMs and are as active camping as our ASMs(or more so!)

 

EXTRA ASMs also keep the SM from going nutz and give him a break from needing to be at every event on our hyper active schedule. (saving his marrage in the process!)

 

Aside from above mentioned "patrol" duty, ASMs can be the adult mentors for your QM, ASPL, Historian, Guides, Instructors, be your Advancement coordinators, New Scout patrol Training mentor, Outdoors coordinator-(this guy helps the Patrols and scouts work through the Tour Permit process), Summer Camp coordinator (helps the scouts select the summer camps and then acts as troop adult contact for the whole process. Find meaningful work even if it is to be a warm body on "just two events per year!" Then get them trained. You never Know what kind of "jewels' you will find...but many of them really sparkle when polished up a bit.

GET OUT THOSE ADULT APPLICATIONS before they "get away"!

 

Anarchist

[jr56]

Get as many assistants as you can.

[EagleInKY]

Ditto the "As many as you can get". We have 5 for 23 scouts Looking at 3 more coming in soon. With people being so busy today, I've found we need to have this many just for coverage at activities and meetings. Sometimes there may be only one of the six of us available for an activity.

[dan]

Many hands make light work.

 

Too many chefs spoil the broth.

 

 

 

[AvidSM]

As many as are needed.

 

And, make sure each one has a job, as mentioned by others.

 

I came up with seven key areas of focus for ASMs: Overall Program, New Scout patrols, High Adventure, Regular scouts patrols, Special activities, Service projects and Camping planning.

 

The bigger the troop, the more it would need separate people to focus on these key areas. A good Scoutmaster should always be able to ask for help when needed.