Ticket item

[babybear4747]

I've been working on developing my ticket items. I've come up with a couple so far but i am struggling on one that deals with diversity. Anyone have any suggestions?

[orennoah]

Sure. We're FULL of suggestions.

 

However, the important part is that you go through the process of developing a ticket item, rather than adopting someone else's idea for "what to do."

 

Take a look at our unit. (Den/Pack/Troop/Crew/Ship/District/Council, etc.) Is it as diverse as it should be? Does it value or appreciate diversity? What can you do to improve things? What obtacles to diversity exist?

 

After you have evaluated the situation and determined how you want it to change, then we can assist with some of the details of the "what to do."

 

 

[Lisabob]

I had a friend from WB who did a presentation to parents in a cub pack on the various ways that packs could, and perhaps should, be diverse (race was not the main focus because the area was overwhelmingly white - but think of economic, social, religious, educational, etc.) I was there to help him evaluate the presentation. He mentioned, as part of his talk, that his son's pack included several boys with learning disabilities and - to my great shock - a bunch of parents made comments about how they didn't want any "retards" in their sons' packs. He then went on to include statistics (with proper citations) about the percentage of children with various disabilities in the school population today, and how likely it was that their own sons' friends - and perhaps their own sons - were part of that population. It was a good teaching moment. Lesson: think of diversity in more ways than just the most obvious, particularly if you don't live in a racially diverse area.

[Eamonn]

Hi babybear4747

We don't know what your Vision or Mission is.

Cookie cutter Ticket items are not what the Ticket is all about.

The Diversity Ticket item does seem to be the one that participants have the most problems with.

You might want to take some time to think what diversity means to you?

Please don't tell anyone but when I first seen that the BSA had included a Diversity requirement to the Ticket I thought it was all about being political correctness. I was of course wrong.

The Lady who covered the Diversity Presentation at a Course I was staffing gave everyone a penny. Of course all the pennies were different, some old, some new, some well worn and just to make life interesting she had a couple of Wheat Pennies in the mix.

Everyone was asked to look at their penny and look at other pennies.

She then brought up the fact that when we bring all these pennies together we can make things happen.

The first thing you might want to think about and maybe brain storm on your own is what makes people different?

Sure we can all come up with color, race and creed. But you can go deeper than that.

A friend of mine who is CM for a very rural pack organized with an inner-city pack that they would have joint pack meeting in each others meeting place. What made these two packs different was geographical location.

I was a SM for a Troop in London, which was only 40% white, the other 60% were from all over the world. We had black Scouts from the West Indies and from different parts of Africa. Indian and Pakistani Scouts with different religions. Many had very strict diet requirements because of their religion. Food is a great way of bridging the gap when it comes to cultural differences. Everyone has to eat!!

While I'm a skinny little fellow, who works with diets, lately I feel that it seems we as a nation are picking on and giving heavy people a hard time. Not everyone who is fat sits at home all day doing nothing but eat junk food. Just because they are heavy doesn't mean that they are dirty or lazy. (My latest pet peeve!!)

Which in a way brings up the next thing once you have a long list of different groups.

You might want to ask what makes them so different?

Getting all this on paper as a goal. Can be tough.

I love music and like just about everything. I have a fair sized collection of CD's with music from all over the world. When I first heard rap music, I didn't really give it a chance and dismissed it all as being terrible!! It took a little time but the Scouts in the Ship worked on me and while some of it is really terrible, some of it is very good. I like to think that even though at times they complain about the stuff I might play when we are driving, I'm opening their minds to a more diverse taste in music.

I feel sure if you put your thinking cap on you will see that it's a big diverse world out there and coming up with one goal isn't that hard.

Eamonn.

 

[babybear4747]

Thanks for the suggestions. Between these and a long talk with my troop guide this evening I think i'm headed in the right direction.

[eagle-pete]

I was about to suggest that you may want to seek the advise of your Troop Guide. You beat me to it.

 

Eamonn's suggestions are excellent... I could not have put it better.

 

I do have a few comments I'd like to add...

 

One of the many purposes of the Ticket development process is self-reflection. All of the ticket items, including the diversity focused ticket item, should be developed from your own experiences and certainly from your own understanding of how each item relates to, and is effected by, the Scouting Program. The problem with someone offering you their ideas for a ticket items is simply that they didn't come from you -which is a vital component to this process.

 

If you speak with your Troop Guide about this, I would be willing to wager that she/he will try to draw this out of you. The TG, if she/he is worth their salt, should guide you in the process of ascertaining your own concept of diversity, and then to apply that concept to the Scouting Program in a way which is Significant, Measurable, Appropriate, Realistic, and Timely (S.M.A.R.T).

 

Some resources available on the internet pertaining to this subject are:

http://www.woodbadge.org/BoyScout/wbtickt.htm

 

and

http://www.woodbadge.org/BoyScout/wblsskill.htm

 

Admittedly, the content of these are presented during your Wood Badge course, but it may be helpful to read through these links.

 

Eagle Pete