Do Den Chiefs.....

[FScouter 24]

From the Cub Scout Leader Book, chapter 10: Tiger Cub dens dont have den chiefs.

 

Den Chiefs are selected and assigned with the input and agreement of the Senior Patrol Leader, Scoutmaster, Cubmaster, Pack Committee, and Den Leader. Den Chief is a Boy Scout position of responsibility that meets the leadership requirement for Star, Life, or Eagle ranks. One of his responsibilities is to attend Den Chief Training.

 

The Scoutmaster Handbook, the Boy Scout Handbook, the Scoutmaster Junior Leader Training Kit, and the Cub Scout Leader Book spell out the details.

 

By the way, a girl member of a Venturing crew may now be a den chief.

[mdutch 10]

"By the way, a girl member of a Venturing crew may now be a den chief. "

 

Really!!! Where was that announced/written? (I'm just suprised, not doubting that it is true)

[FScouter 24]

I heard that from a very reliable council source. But I don't have anything in writing and am not sure it's even been announced. So I'll have to say that until it is written in a BSA publication accessible to all, it's not official.

[Oak Tree 15]

FScouter,

 

The current Den Chief Handbook says "This is a job that will make you a leader for Tiger Cubs, Wolf and Bear Cub Scouts, or Webelos Scouts" (p. 1, ©2004 edition, 33211B)

 

My 2001 Cub Scout Leader Book does have the quote that you give, about Tiger dens not having Den Chiefs, but I think I'll go with the Den Chief Handbook. Those dens wouldn't be the first den that I'd assign Den Chiefs to, but if I have boys who want to be the Den Chief for a Tiger den, and the Den Leader wants to have a Den Chief, well, I don't think I'll object.

 

Oak Tree

[FScouter 24]

Not a day goes by I don't learn something new. Thanks for the update.

[Lynda J 10]

Kevin started his Den Chief job with the WebII from our pack Sunday. He is 12 and working on his LIfe. He loves it. The funny thing was that the DL called me Sunday evening and said she just had to tell me about a phone call from one of the mothers. Seems this mother wanted to know who Kevin was and what he was doing with the den. Pam told her that he was their Den Chief from the troop. The mother said that her son came home and hadn't stopped about Kevin for two hours. Kevin was going to show them how to do this and teach them that and she just wondered who Kevin was. I was more than a little proud.

[msnowman 10]

Well both boys completed Den Chief training this past Saturday. During their training they were told that while Tigers don't normally have or need a DC, they can have one if the interest is there.

 

My own Scout has taken his training to heart...the first thing he asked for was a Wolf book because "we were told that we should have a handbook for the den we are working with".

 

Thanks all

Michelle

 

[Troop185 44]

Lynda, thanks for the great story about your son. I really enjoyed it and you should be proud of him.

 

Back when I was younger and not too bright, I was a Webelos leader for two dens. My son was a life scout at the time and our Den Chief for both dens. We meet with the Webelos II on Wed. at my house or my assistant's, and the Webelos 1 came on Thursday. There were 9 Webelos in the first group, and 5 in the second.

Of course, my assistant who was the scoutmaster at the time, and I were both doing Boy Scouts on Tuesday!

 

Yes, my son made Eagle and he is a emergency medicine doctor now with two children. It has been my experience that most good Den Chief go on and get their Eagle!

[rpushies 10]

Hi FScouter & meamemg

 

FScouter wrote, "I heard that from a very reliable council source. But I don't have anything in writing and am not sure it's even been announced. So I'll have to say that until it is written in a BSA publication accessible to all, it's not official."

 

Just an FYI, this is official. I communicated with Bill Steele, Associate Director Cub Scout Div. on this topic a while back. He made it very clear that girl members of Venturing Crews can in fact be den chiefs. There was a lot of confusion on this topic because the definition of Webelos Den Chief on the Language of Scouting web pages had an error that said only male Venturers could be den chiefs. That error has now been fixed and the definition reads:

 

"Webelos den chief

A Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, or Venturer who has been appointed to help direct the activities of a Webelos den."

 

You will notice that there is no longer a reference to the Venturer being only a male.

 

If anyone knows of how well female Venturers are working out as den chiefs, it would be interesting to hear about the successes.

 

Yours Truly in Scouting,

Rick Pushies