Camporee Chairman Issues

[EagleScout121900 10]

I am currently serving on a District Committee. We have a chairman selected for our Fall Camporee coming up in October. He has good ideas but is severely misdirected in Camporee operation. I am looking for a way to direct him without discouraging him. Any Suggestions?

 

Thanks

[Eamonn 61]

While it may sound a little bit to easy, the best way to get the job done, is to tell the person what you want.

I'm thinking that this camporee chair. Has never chaired a camporee before?

If that is the case it is up to "His Boss" to tell him. This might be best done at a committee meeting. Maybe the District Activities Chair. could call a meeting and go over the plans, at the same time offering wise words from the wise.

A lot will depend on what was asked of this chap. He may well be doing exactly what was asked of him?

We have much the same problem, only worse!!

Our Fall camporee is in the hands of a Venture Crew. Kind of - Sort of my idea.

Some of the stuff that they think that we are going to do is a little too far off the wall.

My hope is that when they meet with the SPL's at our next roundtable, the SPL's will sort them out. If not. We ask anyone who is organizing a district event to attend the district meeting. At that time we have the final word.

[dsteele 20]

While I don't have the proper names in front of me at the moment, I suggest you give your newly appointed camporee chairman all the proper BSA resources for Camporees. There are backdating schedules, a pamphlet about the District Activities committe (which contains great philosophy) and, I believe, an even older resource that refers specifically to camporees. Ask an old (tenure) professional in your Scout office. If they can't come up with something, contact me privately offline and I'll see what I can dig up.

 

DS

[SharonNC 10]

You can contact me, also, I have those books (old and new) and a lot of things that may help already typed into folders on my desktop. Being the activities chair for my district for several years and now the council activities and civic service chairman, I saved everything I could for the last ten years or so.

 

The job can be daunting, but getting good help and experience is the first step. Help him look for resources, by emailing him this website as a beginning.

[EagleScout121900 10]

A few clarifications to my original post. The chairman is a relatively new leader in Scouting who became involved with our last camporee, which was not the best executed camporee. He sort of volunteered to chair this camporee and started making plans before the committee approved him. He would not have been near the top of the committee's list; however, to avoid hurting his feelings the committee approved him. I also wanted to mention that I am serving as his vice-chair.

 

EC

[matuawarrior 10]

I personally feel that your district committee dropped the ball on this one. If he was not the best qualified to run the camporee then they should have gone with the best choice. With that said let's move forward.

 

Now is Camporee Chairman the same as Camp Director or are the positions different? Need clarification here.

 

You would need to tell him what his job actually entails. There is so much more than having good ideas. There's logistics, program planning, awards, permits, underlying camp fees or insurance, there's marketing, camp staff, and much more. If you're starting to plan this now, then he's behind the power curve and needs more help then he thinks. October is only two months away.

 

Since he's knew and this is his first time running a camporee. Keep it simple but challenging, keep it smart and not dull, keep it safe and fun. Delegate the OA to take care of campfire.

 

I'm the camp director for my district's fall camporee this year, also to be held in October. Like Eamonn, we allow Venturing Crew's (Officers) to host the camporees with the Camp Directors having the final say. The crew officers, who become camp staff, go through YP, Safe Swim, amd Safety Afloat. I train them in planning, implementation, and coordination of their program. I'm also their liason between them and the district committee. My district's last three camporees were all venture planned. Two by my Venturing Crew, this October's Camporee will be thier third.

 

Matua(This message has been edited by matuawarrior)

[EagleScout121900 10]

Good News! I had a conversation with our chairman (or director) last night and things have been straightened out. He is very concerned with this being his first camporee, however he is very receptive to my experienced advice. I think this event will turn out very well. Please feel free to send any helpful information you may have.

EC