Tips for Advancement Chair?

[Hunt]

I've just assumed the advancement duties for my son's troop, and would appreciate some tips for how to do it right. Here are some particular questions: (1) What's the best way of keeping records? We currently have a combination of paper records (not in great shape) and Troopmaster files. (2) Is it OK or a good idea to ask each boy to sit down with me to verify his records and to talk about his advancement plans--or does that encroach on the SM's role? (3) What's a good format for a non-Eagle Court of Honor? Historically they've been pretty casual in the troop. (4) Anything else? Thanks!

 

[KoreaScouter]

Hunt;

 

Not knowing what your Scouting background is, I may tell you some things that you already know; if so, sorry.

 

First, find out all you can about your responsibilities. It's unlikely that your District/Council has BLT scheduled this weekend, but whenever it is, make sure you're there. In the meantime, ask your CC if you can borrow his copy of the Troop Committee Guidebook, and read through the whole thing, not just your portion. It'll tell you what everyone else is supposed to be doing so you can keep the lanes straight in your mind.

 

If they haven't done it lately, also ask the CC if you can do the Troop Committee Challenge in the very near future. It brings the Troop Committee Guidebook to life if all the members show for it, and they have the right attitudes.

 

Get your own copy of the Boy Scout Handbook, either spiral bound or take it to Kinko's and have them do it for you. You'll be referring to it, and while you can always borrow, that gets increasingly inconvenient.

 

Read the Scoutmaster's Handbook, too, especially the portions that cover Advancement. Talk to the Scoutmaster about how how he does SM conferences prior to BORs, how he handles completed MB blue cards, who signs off advancement, and how he'd like to "partner" with you to eliminate seams between program delivery and program support.

 

Go to some meetings and activities too, so you can see the Scouts and the adults in action.

 

Go to your District Roundtables, seek out other Troop advancement chairs, and ask them for tips/pointers, too. If they aren't at your Roundtables, call your District and ask for the names/phone numbers of the other Troop advancement chairs; they'll either give them to you or take your information and ask them to call you.

 

Talk to your District Advancement Chair and registrar. Will they accept electronic advancement reports? Do they want everything ScoutNet compatible? How much lead time before a COH do they want before they can turn advancements? Tell them you're new, you want to do this right, and you really appreciate what they're doing for your units They probably hear this so infrequently, after they get over the shock, they'll want to take you to lunch. And, you'll know what they need in order to support you properly.

 

Best way to keep records? Whatever way results in the most accuracy. TroopMaster's great, with a few caveats. If one person's running your TM, things can bog down while you're waiting for data to turn. The Master/Satellite system is faster, but a little more risky. TM for the Web is fastest, but depends on everybody with write access having on-demand web access and not being afraid to use it. No matter what TM arrangement you're using, unless everybody who inputs has notebook computers with wireless internet/email access surgically attached to them all the time, you and the other adults will still have to maintain some semblance of paper records until you can input the data into TM. We use Troop Record Books.

 

I'd let the SM discuss records/advancement plans with Scouts, or an ASM as he delegates. If necessary, he can have a Scout who isn't advancing meet a BOR to find out what's going on -- that's your opportunity.

 

For COH format, I've seen it different ways, and there's no fixed format. The committee puts it together, so I'd check with the other members, find out what's been customary and what you'd like to change, and try it with the next one. In my last Troop, we did the formal part first, with more ceremonial candles and whatnot, then light refreshments afterward. In my current Troop, potluck dinners and lots of food seem to be a universal custom no matter why you're gathering, so we eat first, then do the formal portion afterward. My current CC is more shoot-from-the-hip than my last one, so it's a little more impromptu. And, because we always do them outside here, and it's usually windy, candles and props don't fare well. Try a google search, and you'll find many possible methods -- cut/paste and adapt so it suits your unit.

 

Hope this helps...

 

KS

[NWScouter]

One of the simplest record keeping tips concerns control of the units copy of the advancement report. Make sure you get everyone of them, even if you didnt turn it in. Three-hole punch it and put in a binder with the most recent one in front. This is your control; it backs up any software program that may be used. With those forms you can rebuild any other system. It may not be user friendly to create reports but it will save your bacon if something goes wrong. If you don't have copies from before you tenure, you should be able to go the scout office and make copies of the ones in your file there. You only need to go back to the earlist one with the longest serving present scout in the troop.

[EagleInKY]

We print out the advancement summary from Troopmaster about 3-4 times a year (typically about a month before a COH), and give it to the scouts. It's up to them to review and question anything they see as incorrect.

 

About once a year - typically around recharter time - we'll get the printout from council and validate it against our records. It's a good checks and balances system to make sure we're all in synch.

[mk9750]

Hunt,

 

Welcome to the best job in Scouting, at least in my opinion!

 

KS hit most every nail right on the head. Just a few additional comments:

 

Troopmaster really is a great program. His comment about the pros and cons are accurate, but, at least in my Troop in my Council, the slightly slower time to get records updated doesn't seem to bother us. I use Troopmaster, and we only have one input (me). If info needed to be more "real time", the alternative of giving other people access would work with the proper discipline. Whatever you do, back up electronic records EVERY TIME, and even if you file advancements electronically, as NW says, print a hard copy and file away safely. Data entry to get Troopmaster usable takes hours upon hours up front. Don't do it twice.

 

I like KS' comment about discussing with the SM how to cover all the advancement bases without stepping on either's toes. Our SM was relieved to hear that I wanted to sit with each boy and get his most up to date advancment info, and an idea as to each Scout's goals. I personally think that the Advancement Chair should be involved in this conversation, whether or not the SM wants to be or not, but I would make sure the SM had the option to participate, rather than schedule them unilaterally. After all, for even the best of SMs, they could find out something about a Scout or two that they didn't know before.

 

I have always made it known I was available to attend the PLC's annual planning conference if invited. Most of the time, they invite me, but a couple of times not. My role has always been only as a resource to help the PLC plan a calender that considers advancement issues. If we have a significant number of boys who missed a campout designed to teach axe and knife skills, then they can consider making that topic a focal point of a campout they are considering. On the same line, campouts they've always planned to do, say swimming requirements, could be altered if everyone has those requirements signed off. I've never offered anything without being asked, but I do get asked a lot.

 

The suggestion to read the SM handbook is good, but I'd add reading much of the Scout handbook, too. And having your own copy is a luxury you'll appreciate quickly.

 

Our Courts of Honor are done a little differently than KS'. Rather than the committee planning them, our guys do. That causes the tone to vary greatly from one to the next. They're all fun, most are funny, a few are too long. But we have little format established, except what the current Scout who is responsible for planning it remebers he likes from the last few.

 

Congratualtions. There has been no more enjoyable thing I have done than sit on a Life Scout's BOR, remembering the timid, shy, growing Tenderfoot with the same name from 3 - 5 years ago. A few times, I've had to try to keep moms on the Board from crying, even though I've fought a tear or two myself. Gosh this is great!

 

Mark

[kasane]

Welcome to a very interesting and challenging position. I was Troop Advancement Chair for three years and had to start from scratch as well.

 

Hints:

1) Electronic Data keeping - whatever software program you use, make sure it is Scoutnet compatible. It simplifies your record keeping and ensures that the data you give to the scout office is the same that gets into their database.

 

2) Re #1. Irregardless whether you give the scout office paper or electronic copies of the scouts records, once or twice a year do an audit of your files versus the scout offices. Get a printout from them and compare to your records. Additionally, each scout should receive a copy of their advancement progress at least every couple of months (if you do it electronically, it can be done once a month). This encourages them to progress, their parents can see what's going on and helps you get feedback if there are any errors.

 

We also collected their handbooks a couple times year and reviewed the signature sections, to ensure that our records matched with the boys handbooks and vice versa.

 

We also kept a binder with copies of the boys' blue cards and any other material related to merit badge achievement.

 

We also (continously) harped to the parents and boys that their blue cards and merit badge cards had to go into a binder at home (like a card collection) as this will be needed for their Eagle board. We had parents check that the copies of blue cards they had, matched what we had (and sometimes they didn't as some cards went through the laundry with the shirts).

 

The scoutmasters should also get a summary copy every month, so they can measure the progress of the boys and assist in their program planning.

 

3) Advancement board - it may be a bit passez (sp!) but this is also a great help. It is a great visual as it shows progress in the troop and a great conversation starter with parents and boys. Most kids and parents aren't going to look at a sheet of paper (even thought you give them to them all the time). But a glance at the advancement board is one way of bringing up attendence, participation and advancement in a non-confrontational manner. I made sure it was at all troop meetings - and there was always a cluster around it. We even had the boys, once they were signed off on an item, to go and place the sticky dot in the relevent spot on the chart.

 

4) Board of review meetings - It will depend on your troop, how much time you have, and the schedules of everyone else, but we set up boards of review for 4 times a year. If needed, we ran additional BoR. By scheduling these ahead of time, I was able to obtain members for the board without running around like crazy if a board was needed the next day.

 

I had a rotating board - I generally had one other member from the Troop committee and a variety of parents sit on the board. I always tried to have one new person each time, so they were familiar with the process. I had others who had sat numerous times, so I had some variety in experience and not the same persons every time.

 

We followed the (minimal) guidelines from the Advancement Committee handbook. Our questions varied with the level the boy was at. We tried to have the boys answer questions on how they would use the skills they learned in scouts in life (not just in scouting) - eg. We would ask - you learned the scout oath and law (please recite it). Please give us an example of how you used the law this week at school or at home.

 

5) A handy dandy Advancement tool chest - get a good fishing tackle box with lots of slots. With all the merit badge cards, pins, blue cards, badges, neckerchiefs, woggles, epaulets, handbooks,etc I ended up having to tote around, this was the best way to organize it. When I headed off to a troop meeting, I had everything available in one spot - so if they need something I had it with me.

 

I would end up with spare stuff in there, which always came in handy at a meeting or Court of honor. It became a mini-scout shop sometimes - but considering our nearest shop was 30 miles away - it was very handy.

 

The basic skill/job requirement of an advancement chair is to be a fanatical record keeper. Once you get your files started and in good form, the job becomes much easier (you have to train your scoutmasters to ensure they keep up their end of the paperwork too).

 

Have fun.