SPL / Positioning how does your troop?

[Eagle Foot 10]

How does the SPL of your troop position himself with the troop when it comes to camping? Do you include the SPL with the adults or do you expect the SPL to be with the patrol he was detached out of? I know the SPL is not a member of a patrol when he becomes SPL.

[evmori 11]

Depends on the camping trip! Usually, the SPL & ASPL are included with the adults.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[mk9750 11]

We've never moved youth leadership out of their home Patrols. If heard and read what you say about the SPL not being in a Patrol when they serve, but this just doesn't make sense to me. Just because they have extra responsiblity doesn't mean they shouldn't hang with the buddies. I can't speak to whether any edicts were made before I got to the Troop, but we've never adressed the issue. Therefore, I suspect that the SPL has always chosen with whom he camps, and that has always been his Patrol mates.

 

I can see a small amount of benefit by seperating him / them. But in addition to the resposnisblity an SPL has, he should still be having fun.

 

IMVHO.

 

Mark

[EagleInKY 14]

Depends upon the layout of the campsite. He doesn't camp mixed with the patrols. He is either in the center of the patrols, or between the patrols and the adults. I believe either is appropriate given his role in the troop.

[Eagle Foot 10]

Good answers...what I'm trying to see is that in the SPL handbook it says that the SPL is not a member of a patrol. Other than that (I may have overlooked)there is nothing else...where does he go? Does he or should he have additional duty rooster responsibilities? I do as SM, I would think he would also.

 

This has come up because I made the statement that I wanted the SPL to stay with his patrol because the patrol had less than eight members (six). An ASM challanged my ruling told me I coulden't do that...of coarse it was in front of the scouts. Maybe I'm wrong (please advise so) but if I as SM decided the SPL stays with his patrol, camp, eat,sleep & shared in basic duites in addition to SPL duties I could do that. However I would like to start a staff patrol, but the troop isen't big enough. Good idea about SPL & ASPL with the adults, but they still get duty rooster duties. In addition if they are out of the same patrol this really cuts the patrol down in size if it only had 6 members to start with.

 

(edited by Eagle Foot)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KoreaScouter 13]

My SPL, ASPL, and Troop Guide are not members of a patrol during their "term of office". They can leave the patrol patches on if they want, 'cuz in all likelihood that's the patrol they'll return to afterward. During activities, they tent away from the patrol camp sites, and are rolled in on the adult leaders' duty roster, menu plan, etc.

 

I'd never tell a youth, regardless of position, that he can't associate with any of his former patrol mates, or hang out with them at Scout outings or anywhere else. I do believe, however, that it's important to reinforce the authority and position of the youth leader by helping him draw the lines between him and his Scouts as necessary. To an extent, that "arm's-length" relationship helps him communicate that due to his position, he's no longer "one of the boys". That's a difficult enough transition for most of them to make, I don't believe in making it more difficult by leaving them in their original patrols, and tenting/eating with their former patrol members, too. In the eyes of the Scouts, then, all he did was sew a patch on. Plus, the SPL makes decisions that affect all the patrols. Help them avoid any perceptions of favoritism by taking the argument away.

 

ASPL, same rationale. For the Troop Guide, it's awkward for him to stay in his original patrol because so much of his time and energy is dedicated to the NSP. He can't be in the NSP for obvious reasons, so he's a natural "carve out" too.

 

I fully agree that all Scouts should be having fun, even the Green Bars (especially the Green Bars). I believe they'll have more fun if they're succeeding at their jobs -- the choreographed separation helps, in my opinion.

 

KS

[Zahnada 11]

I've always been a part of a large troop and we had enough Junior Leaders to fill a patrol of their own (SPL, ASPL, Troop Guides, JASMS, Instructors, Troop Quartermaster, etc). In this way, the older boys are able to set the example for the younger boys during outings by forming what can be seen as the "model patrol."

 

I think it would be hard on the SPL and the scouts if he was a member of a regular patrol. His job has many responsibilities and he probably would not be able to fulfill his duties as a patrol member. He would constantly be in and out of the patrol. He would be leading the patrol leader at times and be led by the patrol leader at other times. It creates strange control dynamics and group dynamics.

 

I think he should be allowed to focus on his duties as Senior Patrol Leader. This might mean the formation of a Junior leader patrol or his participation with adults.

[Proud Eagle 13]

I would suggest a model similar to the one used for the Jamboree may work.

 

Each Jamboree Troop consists of 40 people. There are four patrols of 8 youth, (32 total), 4 youth leaders, and 4 adult leaders. The method I have seen had the SPL, ASPL, Scribe, and QM being the 4 youth leaders. They were not members of any patrol, but rather had responsibilities to the entire troop. None of the troop leaders, (youth or adult) had assigned duties of the sort given to patrol members. All duties assigned to leaders were related to serving the troop. For camping the youth leaders tented with each other. Our camp site was set up with 22 tents, 5 dining flys, a gateway, and a few other assorted items. Two patrols were set up on each side of the campsite with 4 tents and a fly each. The youth leader tents were set up one on each side of the gateway at the front. The adult leaders each had a tent to themselves set up along the back edge, and a dining fly for troop use was set up by the adult tents. Each of the four patrols prepared food for 10, their 8 members, and one youth and one adult troop leader. The youth and adults were rotated so that they all had a chance to eat with each patrol during the Jamboree. This provided some distance between the patrols and leaders, and yet provided an opportunity for interaction on a regular basis. The leaders could evaluate the performance of the patrol and the condition of the patrol members, and the patrol members could ask question and share concerns with the troop leaders.

 

 

[waupecan4Life 10]

In my troop the SPL chooses who he wants to camp with. And for the record the SPL handbook says that the SPL is not with a patrol during his term.

[LauraT7 13]

in our troop the JASM, SPL, ASPL generally eat with the adults, but camp with the boys. They are still under 18, and Youth Protection applies.

 

they usually choose to eat with the adults, because the adults choose more interesting meals (and we always make extra for the boys who want to try a taste) to encourage the boys to try more interesting or challenging cooking. However, sometimes they will choose to eat and cook with the older boys (venture) patrol.

 

We find that this 'duality' of being included in the adults circle AND the boys circle is helpful on many levels - it creates a bridge in aiding the JASM, SPL, ASPL in bringing to the adults attention any problems that may arise - esp the personality / teasing problems that are sometimes hidden from the adults.

 

[Eagle1984 10]

When I was a scout the SPL and ASPL always ate meals with the other scouts. The patrols did their thing and the adults did theirs.

 

If a unit wishes to include the SPL and ASPL with the adults, then that is their choice and as the senior scout in the troop they themselves might enjoy this experience.

[Twocubdad 665]

What do the SPL and ASPL want to do? As long as they're not undermining the PL in their old patrol, I don't see that it makes a big difference.

 

The SPL in my old troop was considered part of the "troop staff" and camped with the adults. We always had a handful of JASMs also on staff and rarely more than 3-4 adults on a campout, so it was't an issue.

[ozemu 10]

When we have an SPL equivilant they always camp with the adults as I see it as a part of their transition toward adulthood.

 

To this end they get to spend time close up with the adults, get recognition of their maturation from the Scouts in Patrols and the previous comments about impartiality stand in my opinion.