Patrol Activity Guidelines

[ljbohman 10]

Our troop is trying to encourage patrols to plan and do activities separate from the troop. I volunteered to write up some guidelines 1) encouraging them to do it, 2) letting them know the different rules for different activities (when adult supervision is required, etc), and 3) how to get troop permission. Does any one have something similar that I could look at?

 

Thanks

Leonard Bohmann

ASM, Troop 208

Houghton, MI

[Lisabob 13]

Hi Leonard and welcome from the other end of the state.

 

We don't have written guidelines beyond what's in the boyscout handbook but generally speaking patrols must gain approval from the Scoutmaster for an activity, including plans for adult supervision (or lack thereof). Also we have an ASM assigned to each patrol and that ASM is supposed to provide the encouragement and help with any planning questions if asked. I admit most of the time our patrols don't do anything extra though. I don't know if it is because they're just too busy already or if they don't have a clue where/how to start and/or don't want to do the work to plan an activity. Or maybe all of these.

 

I think if you are going with written guidelines you might be well served to do a one-page flyer (they'll probably never read a lengthy document anyway) and provide a few examples of fun things the patrols have done in the past or could do, with relative ease. And then maybe a model for how to plan one such "typical" activity (include a list of questions they ought to have answers to regarding who/what/when/where, gear, cost, transport, etc.), making sure they understand that the model is only that.

 

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

Lisa'bob