Role of the Assistant Scoutmaster

[swilliams]

I took on the Scoutmaster role in mid-January.   Since then, my focus has been on trying to move our Troop toward some of the direction given by Scouting America that we were not following.  I typed out an example, but deleted it.  Suffice to say we weren't too far off track, but changes definitely needed to be made.

I feel like I still don't have a handle on all of this, but it's been a few months, and I want to sit down with the ASMs to have a discussion about the changes made and where they see themselves in this whole thing.  I've been so focused on the scouts, all the training, and the stuff like working with the quartermaster to get patrol box equipment complete or cleaning out the shed (still traumatized by that, and I think I may have lung damage, lol), that I've not even thought about ASMs beyond asking who can go camping.  To date, there is one ASM who is pretty reliably there for meetings and camping trips.  The others (6 of them) vary in how often they show up.  One ASM whose son transferred from another Troop has offered a lot of suggestions and ideas and is a regular at meetings.  The input I've gotten so far also varies wildly.  It seems like we're all in the 'not quite sure of what we're doing' boat, with the exception of the transfer ASM.

I figured I'd ask what the role/responsibility is for the ASMs in your Troops ahead of our meeting.  Thanks!

 

[InquisitiveScouter]

4 hours ago, swilliams said:

I took on the Scoutmaster role in mid-January.   Since then, my focus has been on trying to move our Troop toward some of the direction given by Scouting America that we were not following.  I typed out an example, but deleted it.  Suffice to say we weren't too far off track, but changes definitely needed to be made.

I feel like I still don't have a handle on all of this, but it's been a few months, and I want to sit down with the ASMs to have a discussion about the changes made and where they see themselves in this whole thing.  I've been so focused on the scouts, all the training, and the stuff like working with the quartermaster to get patrol box equipment complete or cleaning out the shed (still traumatized by that, and I think I may have lung damage, lol), that I've not even thought about ASMs beyond asking who can go camping.  To date, there is one ASM who is pretty reliably there for meetings and camping trips.  The others (6 of them) vary in how often they show up.  One ASM whose son transferred from another Troop has offered a lot of suggestions and ideas and is a regular at meetings.  The input I've gotten so far also varies wildly.  It seems like we're all in the 'not quite sure of what we're doing' boat, with the exception of the transfer ASM.

I figured I'd ask what the role/responsibility is for the ASMs in your Troops ahead of our meeting.  Thanks!

 

Great question, @swilliams!!

1. The first responsibility of ANY AND EVERY ASM (or any Unit Leader) is to complete their training for the position.  If you are listed as the Scoutmaster (on the Troop roster in my.scouting,org ), then you should be able to see the Unit Training report at a glance.  On the Training Landing page, hit the Report button under the Trained Leaders pie chart.  It will list all leaders on the roster with their current state of training.  Here is mine, minus the Personally Identifiable Information.

Assistant Scoutmaster

YES

Yes

COMPLETED: S11, SCO_800, Y01 - 100%

COMPLETED: S24 - 100%

COMPLETED: SCO_471, SCO_472, SCO_473, SCO_474, SCO_475, SCO_476, SCO_477, SCO_478, SCO_479, SCO_480, SCO_481, SCO_482, SCO_484, SCO_485, SCO_530 - 100%

Push training HARD!!!  And lead by example  

If you need help locating this, please DM me.

2.  Next, how you use your ASMs is really up to you, SM!!  Here's how we try to crack the code in our unit:

A.  SM directly mentors the SPL and ASPLs.  The SM helps this leadership team develop the unit program through goal setting and tracking.  (Adult Association)

B.  An ASM is specifically assigned to each Patrol to mentor the PL and APL. 

C.  SM provides SM conferences at their discretion (for us, it is usually the Life to Eagle conference).  All other SM conferences are delegated automatically to the ASM assigned to that patrol.  In our unit, any ASM or the SM may conduct any rank-requirement-SM-conference at any time, and sign it off.

D.  The SM corps is expected to provide PRIMARY adult leadership on an outing.  We call this the "Adult in Charge" on the outing...  We EXPECT all our Committee Members (MC) to attend an outing during the year (but we only get about 25% participation here).   The Adult in Charge makes the final call on all health and safety related decisions on an outing.

E. The SM corps and MCs are also expected to be the adult planner for a trip during the year.  The adult planner is to work with the PLC designated Scout Planner to make all arrangements for an outing, to cover expenditures for an outing on behalf of the Troop, and to reconcile the accounting for a trip after the event concludes.

F.  Once TRAINED, ASMs may sign off any requirements they are comfortable with, with the ideal being that they will help develop youth leaders in the Patrol who are also capable of signing off requirements.  This is a constant work in progress (not everyone is good at lashing or orienteering, for example.)

3.  We have reached the cultural level here where we are all "Scoutmasters" for our respective patrols, but there is a "first among equals" Scoutmaster who is the "frontman" for the Troop, and represents the SM Corps to the Committee.  To further elaborate... since the Patrol Method is the heart of Scouting, each Patrol is encouraged to act like it is its own unit... (including conducting Patrol-only events), and that the Patrols come together to form a Troop. (versus the view that the Troop is made of Patrols...)

Hope this helps  

 

 

Edited 8 hours ago by InquisitiveScouter

[DuctTape]

InquisitiveScouter is absolutely right about training, and how the role of ASMs being up to you. 

 I hesitate to recommend assigning an ASM to each patrol b/c this can very quickly devolve into the ASM becoming the acting PL. This structure works, but it is difficult right off the bat.

Instead I would recommend focusing on the strengths and attributes each ASM brings to the table. Have each ASM be "in charge of" one of the SM main duties. You as SM can oversee and steer the ASM to fulfill your vision. 

This models the Patrol Method with each patrol member having a specific role. It also increases the adult association for scouts as they interact with multiple adults not just the one assigned to their patrol. A breakdown could be:

SM-Leadership & Mentoring of ASMs

ASM-Camping/activity expert: the go to person for PL/APLs to get ideas about locations, recommendations, etc...

ASM-Advancement/skills expert: the go to for the PL to plan patrol trainings & sign-offs

ASM-Food/cooking expert: go to for all food & cooking related help.

ASM-GearHead expert: go to for tools, equipment help.

ASM-Scout Spirit expert: go to for all other "fun" activity ideas (intra/inter-patrol  games, skits, songs, cheers, etc...)

For clarity, I am not knocking Inquisitive's structure. Their's works, and I would bet it took a while to get there. I only hesitate to recommend it to your situation especially b/c it seems like the ASMs are not wholly prepared yet.

[InquisitiveScouter]

4 hours ago, DuctTape said:

InquisitiveScouter is absolutely right about training, and how the role of ASMs being up to you. 

 I hesitate to recommend assigning an ASM to each patrol b/c this can very quickly devolve into the ASM becoming the acting PL. This structure works, but it is difficult right off the bat.

Instead I would recommend focusing on the strengths and attributes each ASM brings to the table. Have each ASM be "in charge of" one of the SM main duties. You as SM can oversee and steer the ASM to fulfill your vision. 

This models the Patrol Method with each patrol member having a specific role. It also increases the adult association for scouts as they interact with multiple adults not just the one assigned to their patrol. A breakdown could be:

SM-Leadership & Mentoring of ASMs

ASM-Camping/activity expert: the go to person for PL/APLs to get ideas about locations, recommendations, etc...

ASM-Advancement/skills expert: the go to for the PL to plan patrol trainings & sign-offs

ASM-Food/cooking expert: go to for all food & cooking related help.

ASM-GearHead expert: go to for tools, equipment help.

ASM-Scout Spirit expert: go to for all other "fun" activity ideas (intra/inter-patrol  games, skits, songs, cheers, etc...)

For clarity, I am not knocking Inquisitive's structure. Their's works, and I would bet it took a while to get there. I only hesitate to recommend it to your situation especially b/c it seems like the ASMs are not wholly prepared yet.

Actually, @DuctTape, we have this dynamic flavored through the Troop as well 😜  Cook, Gearhead, Activities, High Adventure, Advancement (particularly on the Life-to-Eagle process).  I am not the cook or gearhead, but I usually wear one of those other hats... as do the rest of the ASMs.

We do also have ASMs-at-large (as it were).  For example, we have the OA Troop Advisor ASM, and a group of ASMs who support, but cannot commit enough time to mentor PLs effectively.

And you rightly point out the danger here... ASM MUST NOT become the PL.  Circumstances work in our favor on this one, though, as, in many instances, the assigned ASM either cannot attend a meeting, event, or outing.  So, we kind of fill in for each other.  We are also self-policing in that regard... if we notice the adult taking on too much of the leadership role, we pull each other back, when needed.

Our two stock responses to 95% of questions from Scouts are "Ask your Patrol Leader."  and "What does your Scout Handbook say?"  [Our adult "Patrol Yell" is just that... "Ask your Patrol Leader!"]

Edited 28 minutes ago by InquisitiveScouter