How to measure success in a troop...

[Buffalo Skipper 13]

Here's a new topic. What single element is the best way to measure success in a Boy Scout troop? This may be a bit of a lively discussion, so let me make one request of the group. I am really looking for single item. Not that everyone will agree on the same thing, but please conclude your posts with one thing that stands out to you.

[GernBlansten 10]

High percent of active and engaged youth over 14 years old.

[gwd-scouter 11]

High percentage of active and engaged youth - regardless of their age.

[Beavah 205]

Behavior (includin' choices, skills) of da oldest boys in the troop when on their own / when adults aren't watchin'.

 

B

 

[Eagle92 110]

By the number of adults sitting around their campfire, drinking coffee, and keeping out of the SPL and Pl's ways

[kraut-60 10]

The SM has his hands in his pockets, his mouth shut, eyes and ears open...the SPL and PLs are running things,... an absence of hover parents...and they look and act like Scouts.

[adamsdwa 10]

retention

 

does the boy led troop have a program good enough to keep the Scouts you've got - if so - you'll get more

[Buffalo Skipper 13]

All great answers. Thank you for what you have posted, and keep it coming.

 

This whole thing started over an email conversation I was having about ways I do not measure success, and it got me thinking.

 

I do not measure success by the number of First Year--First Class scouts. I do not measure success by the number of Eagles. I do not measure success by the number of boys in a troop, or the distance we travel to summer camp or the number of times we camp throughout the year. And I could add dozens of things here, which would certainly spark more discussion.

 

The past week or 10 days, I have held SM conferences with several Webelos who are crossing to the troop. I asked them all what they expect from the boy scouts. Without exception (my own son included), they replied that they wanted to have fun. By the 5th conference, I was expecting to hear this and was not disappointed. Certainly there are many ways to clarify "having fun," but I can think of few measuring sticks which would stand against "having fun."

[Stosh 3452]

If the boys look forward to coming to scouts every week and complain to their parents when they can't be there, you have a successful unit.

 

Stosh

[John-in-KC 311]

I'm with Beavah!

[Eamonn 61]

Not sure how to go about numbering my selections?

But near the top if not number one would be how well the adults get along together and work as a team. (As long as they are delivering the program!)

Eamonn.

[GernBlansten 10]

The reason I phrased my response the way I did is that it doesn't matter how big or small your unit is, how many new recruits you can get, but if you can keep a large percent of the guys active (in a real sense, not the BSA definition) after they turn 14, you are doing something right. What is that percent? Probably over 50% of your total scouts.

[Mr. Boyce 13]

GernBlansten: I agreed immediately with your definition. If you can keep them more than a passing year or two, that says something good. Also, of course, older boys have different interests than younger ones, so it also suggests that the troop is delivering well on program.

[Lisabob 13]

I like Beavah's, provided we're talking about several older boys and not just the one or two who might be especially well-behaved whether they had joined scouting or not.

[gwd-scouter 11]

Gern, I agree wholeheartedly with your comment about older Scouts. Mine was meant to convey no matter the size of your troop (because bigger isn't always better) if all the boys are active and engaged, you must be doing something right. In other words, keeping the new Scouts so that they one day become the active and engaged 14+ year olds.

 

Great responses from the group so far.