Annual Planning Conference question

[RainShine 41]

The Scouts BSA literature says the annual planning conference is attended by the youth leadership (PLC).

Quote

Step 3: Hold the Troop Program Planning Conference The troop’s planning conference is an opportunity for members of the patrol leaders’ council to map out the troop’s activities for the year and for the troop’s adult leaders to offer guidance and support.

But we have elections twice a year. So the youth leaders that comprise the PLC when the conference occurs create the annual program, but then months later another election happens and now a new PLC executes the plan.

Seems best that the PLC that creates the program execute the entire thing. Then if it stinks its their fault (eating their own dog food, as the saying goes). If the next PLC executes it, they may disagree w it and undermine the plan, or perhaps be overwhelmed by the plan and resent the prior PLC for putting them on the spot.

Perhaps this is a good reason to have elections only once a year. But then we cut in half the opportunities for patrol leadership. Or we could have semi-annual planning conferences.

What to do?

Edited September 12, 2019 by RainShine

[Treflienne 270]

@Eagledad has some good advice:

https://www.scouter.com/topic/31448-new-unit-what-to-consider-first/?tab=comments#comment-502458

[fred8033 1591]

There is no perfect answer.  

IMHO, make the annual planning conference the best it can be.  Get PLC commitment.  Get troop member buy-in.  Beyond that, there is no way to properly time elections and the annual planning conferences.   Maybe don't ask the SPL to run it the week after he gets elected.  Give him a bit of time to get ready.  

Edited September 12, 2019 by fred8033

[mds3d 90]

We used to do ours the week after elections and both sets of PLC members attended (incoming and outgoing).  The outgoing group served as advisors to their incoming counterparts (assuming every position changed).  That ensured that every group of PLC members participated in the conference in one way or the other. 

We also did a mini version on the other election date (both groups in the room) that served as a review and update of the plan.  

[Chisos 118]

We let the PLC that is elected 6-months-in review the plan and make changes if needed.  Nearly every time *something* has come up that's going to require a change anyway.

[Rock Doc 37]

Our annual planning focuses on blocking out dates and general themes, allowing the PLC du jour to flesh out the details closer to the time.