Custom Unit Policies

[Loki 10]

Sorry if this has been hashed out previously. Tried to search through past topics. Ok, now for some background: A year ago our family moved and transferred into a new unit within the same Council and District. On the surface, this troop seemed to be extremely well organized and my wife and I were familiar with a few of the volunteers from our District roles. The troop is what I term a mega unit with 60 or more scouts registered. A waiting list exists to join the troop and there is no interest in breaking into smaller units. "Recruitment" was from a sole feeder pack, also a mega unit. They are also "Self Chartered". Through the years, a number of custom unit policies have been created that create additional requirements and actions for youth advancement. Also, functions such as outing planning are "assigned" to adult volunteers to coordinate and report back to the parent's committee. With the exception of menu selection and food purchase the youth are not part of the planning process.

 

Our first response was to question who had been to training. Of the sixty plus registered adults there was one stressesed out leader who attended Woodbadge/21st and one who had been to SM Specific/OLT. The balance only had Youth Protection. One or two had taken Supplemental Backpack Leader Training but there is no interest in promoting adult leadership training. In fact, raising the question was taken as an insult to some.

 

Secondly, I openly questioned why the youth were not activily planning their events. The response was "They are not capable" which raised my blood pressure up several points. The committee insists on having constant reporting and a close out report, all on spreadsheets.

 

Third I asked how many adults had been to Roundtable and was told the unit only sends one representative. "Nobody else needs to go".

 

So, I am looking for input/ideas on how to increase the committee's awareness of BSA policy versus their custom version. Or, tell me I am over reacting. Before anyone suggests contacting the unit commissioner I tried that. Unfortunately no commissioner is assigned currently.

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

[FScouter 24]

It's very difficult to change a camping club into a Boy Scout troop. You could try asking a few questions at the troop committee meeting like "what's the plan for the annual planning conference, or "does the SPL have a copy of the SPL handbook", or "how many boys shall we send to NLYT".

[Beavah 205]

Yah, Loki, what F said, eh?

 

What you're saying is that there's a troop with 60+ happy boys and families that enjoy what they're doing and are doin' it successfully enough that they have no problem recruitin' and retaining kids - so much so that they have a waitin' list.

 

You even joined it because it felt so nicely organized to you.

 

Now as da new guy, you want to tell 60+ families that they're all wrong and you know better and they should do it different and be less organized.

 

Good luck with that, eh? I figure "tarred and feathered" is da likely outcome.

 

Yeh got what you were lookin' for. If you've decided you want something different, don't expect them to change. Just ain't polite or courteous.

 

You're the one who has to make a move. Or be willing to settle in quiet dignity for "less than perfect" if your son(s) are getting something worthwhile out of it. If you opt for da latter, yeh might through your own polite and generous volunteer contributions be able to bring about very gradual change.

 

Beavah

 

[sst3rd 129]

Loki,

 

 

Take as is, or find another Troop. They won't change.

 

Talk with your son and see how he feels about this type of modified not BSA program.

 

sst3rd

[Loki 10]

Thank you for your comments. Beavah's response reflects my own personal thoughts. A couple of the nagging concerns I have though is when the custom policies go beyond what National requires of the youth, potential for items outside of the Guide to Safe Scouting or changes to the purpose of a Scout run troop.

 

Mahalo

[eolesen 10]

I feel your pain. I have seen units where the boys are treated like Webelos 3 thru 6 instead of Boy Scouts...

 

I would look for a smaller unit that is more in line with what boy led really means.

 

Another option is to perhaps volunteer to be a unit commissioner, with the understanding that your DC or ADC would be able to assign someone to take a look at this unit. The lack of oversight is a big part of the problem.

 

If their policies are indeed adding requirements to advancement, you might also want to chat with a DE, especially if you know one personally. That is more likely to cause alarm than it would by not allowing the boys to run their own program.(This message has been edited by eolesen)

[Kudu 186]

Loki, what are the Troop elections like?

[Hunt 11]

Does anyone really think the DE (or anybody else in authority) will interfere with the policies of a troop with 60 Scouts and a waiting list? I agree with those who say your only options are to find another unit or to work for gradual change.

[scoutingagain 20]

"Of the sixty plus registered adults " who seem to like it the way it is, versus you.

 

If your thinking of "gradual change" think in terms of geologic time.

 

SA

[BrentAllen 10]

Been there, done that. Started a new Troop.

 

Those parents and that Troop are so far off the reservation, they couldn't find it with a GPS!

 

Bottom line is - what type of Scouting experience do you want for your son, and what are you willing to do to get it.

[Slouchhat 10]

That's the way I see it, too.

The way the troop is set up and operating, it is not going to change anytime soon.

 

best regards,

Volker

[eisely 13]

I have to concur with the other posts. This troop is probably widely perceived as successful to the extent that anybody further up thinks about the troop at all, and nobody is going to disturb a success. I have seen similar situations and they will not change unless something goes drastically wrong on an outing or there is a scandal over advancement or some such.

 

It does come back to what experience your own son wants out of scouting. You should talk to him before you talk to anyone else.

 

I would be concerned about the lack of training among the adults. How qualified are these people really?