Camporee Issue...

[Miami_Chief 30]

I'm an OA chapter chief and often work with other district leaders in planning the spring and fall camporees. My issue is with my troop. I can't seem to convince them to attend these as well as other district/council events. I know they would enjoy the activities if they attended. But they seem to ignore what the camporees have to offer. Any advice?

[DugNevius 10]

Why? What are they doing instead? What do your camperees have to offer?

[Miami_Chief 30]

Most of the time they aren't doing anything on the camporee weekends. We do participate in the district klondike derby in the winter but the troop dosen't take the spring and fall camporees into consideration when planning the year. (this is done mainly by adult leaders with some input from scouts) At the camporees there is almost always some sort of competition between the troops. This spring's theme involves pioneering and building useful camp gadgets with knots and lashings. Lashings and pioneering are usually activities the troop does around this time anyway (to prepare for summercamp) although nothing has been scheduled for it yet. They did, however, reschedule a campout to the date of the camporee. The district needs me to help out at the camporee, but the troop thinks i should go to their campout.

[Eamonn 61]

Hi

What position do you hold in the Troop?

Please don't tell anyone I said so, but a lot of the Camporees that I have attended are not that great. In fact the ones that our District were running were far from great, I swore that if I seen another Camporee where there was a string burning competition and a build a stretcher race heads would roll!!

We now have the SPL's from all the Troops in the District invited to the Roundtable, they work with the District Activity Committee and things have got a lot better, which in turn has increased attendance at the Camporees.

It is however worth remembering that you can't please all the people all the time. We have had canoeing Camporees, where some troops have said that they are not into canoeing, while others thought it was great.

Some District Camporees are real big on inter-troop competition. Some Troops just love competing, while others hate it.

You need to find out why the Troop you are involved in doesn't want to attend. Maybe what's wrong can be fixed or maybe it has been fixed already?

While I don't think that District or Council events ought to get in the way of the Troop program. I also don't think that a Troop should keep clear of District and Council events just because they are District and Council events.

These events along with Jamborees do help drive home the fact that Scouting is bigger than just the group that meets in the church hall week after week.

Our District Camporees used to be poorly planned and other than the date there was little or no communication about what was going on fixing that and having input from the SPL's along with having them take responsibility for running part of the Camporee made a big difference in our District.

You might want to tell the Lads in the troop that we don't dwell in a negative history, but we look for a positive future. Even if past Camporees were not great, they now have you on their side planning events that are fun and challenging. Whats more you will guarantee perfect camping weather!! (Don't promise nice weather!!)

Good Luck.

Eamonn.

[BSAChaplain 10]

The troop that I have been a part of for the past year, had never attended a Camporee in the 20 years as a troop. That changed this year.

 

The "old guard" of the troop has been skipping several of the methods, including the patrol method and uniforms. On my first visit to the troop one parent went so far as to mock those troops. (He had no idea of my Scouting background or opinions. Hey he probably doesn't even know there are methods.) Fortunately, a new group has come in that has brought us closer and closer implementing the 8.

 

In my opinion, Camporees will demonstrate how closerly a troop follow the methods, especially Leadership, Patrol Method, Uniform, & The Outdoors.

 

By the way, our boys had a great time and it was our best attended event of the past 12 months, even without some of the "old guard". One patrol took first in 2 of 10 events and 3rd in another, but it also showed some of our weaknesses. A new Eagle Scout didn't know how to tie a bowline and our SPL couldn't tie two-half hitches. But that SPL swears we'll be back next year, he had a great time.

 

So how do we draw them in. I guess that depends on your resources. What if the theme were more of an Extreme Scouting or Fear Factor tone. Perhaps you could have 2 or 3 tracks patrols could choose some more mental, others more physical. Can you use a rifle range or archery range? Do you have a climbing area (or rent one that comes in on a truck?) Is there a moutain biking opportunity to mix with a compass course?

 

But we can't give up the ship, it should still rest on the foundations of Scouting and the methods, spurring them on to come back the next year BEtter PREPARED.

[anarchist 10]

Our SPL and PLC plan the annual troop calendar around four things... fall, winter, and spring District Camporees and Summer camp/high adventure camp...

 

Our SPL is encouraged to take each Camporee seriously and the troop meeting schdule is usually dedicated to camporee preparation for four weeks prior to the camporee...Our scouts train to beready for the theme and troop competions...and take pride in winning as many of these things as they can...(small prizes are usually given to the troops doing well) In the last two years we have won a hand ax, a lantern, a propane stove, two D.O.s, box of lantern mantles, lots of snacks and pennants for the flag staff...and the boys take great pride in doing well at these things...even the seventeen year olds...

 

It is important not to just show up...boys who are asked to compete without the necessary skill sets, feel like they have been fed to the wolves (and I don't mean cub scouts). They do not generally want to be 'camporee meat' next time...but if they win a couple of these things they actually begin to relish the training almost as much as as the skill competitions...and the young scouts really get a charge out of being able to say MY TROOP WON_______!

 

Of course a badly planned Camporee can take the 'starch' out of your best planning and training...but your troop adult leaders should be able to get a good feeling at round tables as to wether or not the district camporee planners have their 'stuff' together...and if the leadership feeling is 'the next Camporee is looking like it is being slapped together'...maybe you bag it, and take the troop fishing...

good scouting!

 

[evmori 11]

We had the same problem awhile ago. We just told the PLC the dates of the annual camporees before they did their annual calendar. The PLC was told the camporees would be attended by the Troop & if they wanted to schedule another camping trip in the same month that was up to them. The Scouts had a great time at the camporees & continue to attend. Sometimes all they need is a push.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[ManyIrons 10]

Miami Chief,

 

From reading your posts, it sounds to me that your problem lies with your adult leaders.

 

the troop dosen't take the spring and fall camporees into consideration when planning the year. (this is done mainly by adult leaders with some input from scouts) [emphasis added by ManyIrons]

 

Is that a fair interpretation? If so, then are you asking how to deal with the adults or are you looking for advice on which event to attend?

 

[Miami_Chief 30]

I think that about hits the nail on the head. What more can I do to get our adults to be a little more open-minded with these events? We did attend a fall camporee 3 years ago and all the scouts and adults who went had an awesome time.

[ManyIrons 10]

A few more questions Miami Chief,

 

What is your role in the troop, I see you're a chapter chief but do you also have a troop POR (PL, OA Rep, JASM, ASM, etc.)?

 

Does your troop use the patrol method?

 

Do you have a PLC which plans each month's activities? And by this I mean the Scouts, not the adults.

 

Have you discussed the camporees with the patrol leaders? What do they want to do?

 

Knowing these answers will help us understand your situation more and better enable us to give you advice.(This message has been edited by ManyIrons)

[Fuzzy Bear 12]

Who decides and who lobbies? This is a Boy-lead program.

 

Information Gap: Do the Boy leaders know about the District events before they plan their yearly calendar?

 

How are decisions corrected? The Boy leaders evaluate what they do.

 

Qualifier: Can the Committee and the adult leaders support what the Scouts plan to do?

 

FB

 

[Miami_Chief 30]

We have been attempting the patrol method for some time now. My troop POH is Troop Guide. There was a time when we had a PLC that met monthly to discuss the operations of the troop. The adult leaders leave it to teh SPL to set up the PLC. Our past few SPL's, however, have set up very few of these meetings. When they do occur, it is a struggle to get the patrol leaders to attend. The adult leaders do not push for these meetings to happen, but do allow the boys to make some decisions. One of the issues is that even if decisions are made by the youth, there is often not enough enforcement of these decisions. The boys are informed of the dates of the camporees, and they are curious as to what the activities will be. But what sometimes happens is that the events and theme of each event is often not finalized until only a few months before. By the time the troop is informed of what the activities will be, the boys (or adults) have already planned another event for that date or another campout that month.

[Miami_Chief 30]

We have been attempting the patrol method for some time now. My troop POH is Troop Guide. There was a time when we had a PLC that met monthly to discuss the operations of the troop. The adult leaders leave it to teh SPL to set up the PLC. Our past few SPL's, however, have set up very few of these meetings. When they do occur, it is a struggle to get the patrol leaders to attend. The adult leaders do not push for these meetings to happen, but do allow the boys to make some decisions. One of the issues is that even if decisions are made by the youth, there is often not enough enforcement of these decisions. The boys are informed of the dates of the camporees, and they are curious as to what the activities will be. But what sometimes happens is that the events and theme of each event is often not finalized until only a few months before. By the time the troop is informed of what the activities will be, the boys (or adults) have already planned another event for that date or another campout that month.

[ManyIrons 10]

Miami,

 

To be honest, I think I already know whats going on in your troop, but to be fair and open-minded, the question needs to be asked: Have you or anyone else ever brought these concerns to the SM, or other adult leaders (assistant SMs, Committee Chair, etc)?

[Miami_Chief 30]

While I have brought the issue up with the adults ("We should try going to the camporees more often, they're a ton of fun." or "Let's go to spring camporee this year."), although I haven't directly confronted it ("Why don't we ever include the camporees in our planning?").