District Training Teams

[Eamonn 61]

This thread was spun from another thread.Not wanting to hijack Marks thread.

Bob I am thinking about your idea. As you may know sometimes things take a while to sink in.

I can see the merit in having a Training Team that is selected on their presentation and communication skills. In fact I like the idea a lot.

Still I can't help remembering that the first time when I was asked to present something at the old Cub Scout Basic course. This was the first time that I really read the Cub Scout Leader Book and started me on my way to the Cub Scout Trainer Wood Badge. Sad thing as I read what I just wrote I see "Me - My and I". Of course the training is for the participants and we ought to be doing our best to ensure that they get the best training possible. Not enlighten the trainers. That is a bonus.

As I say I will definitely give this a lot of thought. Many Thanks for the idea.

Eamonn

[Fuzzy Bear 12]

If I understand correctly, what you might be considering is a mentoring program. People that have years of experience and knowledge of the program, assisting in the background and pointing out ways to be successful. The same people can subtly assist in recruitment and specific needs for agenda setting. When a program needs support, these same people or person can help a new individual by using step by step instruction on development procedures or give general information.

 

Their job is to stay in the background, out of the way and not necessarily be at any of the meetings. They can assist from a distance using evaluation information or consultation as requested. As the program/individual becomes stronger, then the mentor backs out to other assignments.

 

I have assisted in this process by way of new committee mentoring and assisting new program directors. There is not a patch for doing this but it is an exciting venture to help develop quality programs in a quiet way. It can really be one of those part-time jobs we always talk about in Scouting.

 

FB

(This message has been edited by Fuzzy Bear)

[Bob White 20]

I'm not sure what part of Eamonn's or my posts lead you down that path FB. What you described sounds more like commissioning (or what commissioning should be).

 

We are talking about rather than having a Boy Scout Training team or a Cub Scout Training Team, that you have a District Training Team. One in which its members are selected by their ability to follow and communicate any of the basic training continuum's syllabi.

 

In short gathering and developing people who know how to train, rather than people who want to train. It is the same as selecting good leaders. You do not stand up and say "we need somebody to do this job". Instead you identify the skills needed for the job, identify people with those skills and then go to them individually with a personal invitation to become involved.

 

[Eamonn 61]

Bob

While I do like the idea, in fact I like it a lot. How do you deal with the questions that might come up? Do you have at least one person with hands on knowledge of the program?

Eamonn

[Bob White 20]

Better than that, we have the training syllabus and the resources of the program to draw from.

Remember we are trying to communicate two very important things in the training curriculuum. One is the information that is in the course syllabus and two that the answers to most program questions can be found in the scouting resources, here is what they look like.

 

If a program or unit administrative question cannot be answered by the resources available at the course then the trainer will go back and find the answer and call the leader who needed it.

 

Basic training should not be about the trainer sharing what they know or believe. It should be about giving all leaders the same sturdy, consistant foundation for them to build their knowledge on. Just like the boys, these leaders do not need to know, after only one or two training sessions, everything the trainer knows. They need to know what is in the course syllabus so that they can get started.

 

Too much information at this stage will overwhelm the trainee not prepare them better.(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[Eamonn 61]

I did discuss this at our key3 meeting today. It went over well.

I hope to be meeting with the new council training chair for an adult beverage, we are close friends and this will be a non-Scouting get together. I will see how he feels.

We do have some very good Presenters in the council. Still I think that he may get hung up on excluding the people who want to train and will say that it is up to people like him and I to make them better. Still we will see what he comes up with.

Eamonn.

[Bob White 20]

Good Luck Eamonn, I think you will find this to be effective and give you more flexibility scheduling trainers. you will no longer have to worry about who can do what. If you have a session to present you have your entire training pool to draw from.

 

Take a close look at the folks who want to train. if it is because they have good communication skills and want to share the real program then keep them training. If it's because (and this is the case sometimes, just ask Mark) they want to tell leaders how to do it their way and they like having people who have to listen to them, either thank them for their help and let them have the freedom to try other aspects of scouting, or pair them with better trainers and try to develop their skills.

 

Once again Good Luck and let me know how it works.

Bob(This message has been edited by Bob White)