21!

[AnneinMpls 10]

Scoutnut, I've seen patrols not work well at all in small all-same-grade-level troops. From what you've described regarding your girls earning program aide, silver, and now working on gold all together, can I assume you're working with a all-same-grade-level troop? The patrol system utilizes the varying experiences of older and younger Scouts, so if you don't have that, then, yup, town meeting is about the best you can do to ensure girls' participation in the planning process.

I agree with you, that simply having patrols is no automatic guarantee that a troop is youth-run - whatever form of government still will require a leader who can sit back and let the process happen, and can offer guidance as necessary (and run interference with the other adults around who would want to do it themselves!)

Actually, at this point I'm now beginning to laugh at myself - to think I was worried about whether this new troop had potential to grow or not...last week I had 3 girls show up at my door after I posted a recruiting yardsign, the oldest had wanted to join, but no one ever returned her phone calls! Tonight the 3 girls returned with 4 of their friends to pick up more info - came in asking, "Can we start yet?"! They are chomping at the bit for Thursday night - new member night.

So, we're now potentially at 4+3+4 = 11! before we've even started At the same time, I'm mightily disgusted as I continually meet more and more girls who were turned away because the existing troops didn't want to take in anyone new.

Peace out,

Anne

[Fat Old Guy 11]

"There are many Boy Scout Troops out there who use the patrol method and still are not boy run."

 

If they aren't boy run then the Patrol Method is not being properly implemented.

[LauraT7 13]

I came up through girl Scouts - though I am now a Boy Scout leader - because I have a son and not a daughter.

 

I had 'normal' sized troops through Jr. high - 20 or more girls. My mom lead Jr's - but i went into a troop in another area in Cadettes, and another leader - my mom worked on district stuff while i was in jr. high. In high School, we didn't have enough leaders, lots of girls had dropped out - so my mom AND DAD became co-leaders of our small troop. we had 7 - 9 girls most of the time.

 

for us, because of the leadership we had, this actually worked very well - we got to go more places and were able to plan better with the small group. Of course, we didn't have huge amounts of funds - Girl scouts limited fundraising anyway - even back then. We became skilled at finding trips and things that we could sign up as a group - we often joined another troop, or attended council events as a troop - for activities.

 

One benefit of a small group is that those that DO stay and participate, usually become very close and very dedicated.

 

our Boy scout troop has varied from 14 boys to 24 in the three years we have belonged to it. The larger the number, the lower our attendance is at some events. lack of interest, conflicting schedules, different priorities all contribute to atendance. but when we had a amaller group - in both boy scouts ans Girl scouts - it seemed we had more events in which EVERYONE showed up.