What’s your Scouter Mission Statement? Mission statements are a reference point, an expression of intentions and goals, they are useful reminders to stay the course. Here’s a starting point; Scouter Mission Statement As a Scouter I will; Create and nurture an environment for learning leadership and developing a sense of direction. Value the decisions and autonomy of the scouts and maintain the proper balance of advice and control between youth and adult leadership....
When I served as a camp director I got some complaints about our dining hall steward’s attitude towards Scouts setting or clearing the tables. Scouts rotate the responsibility of serving as a waiter at our camp. They go early to set the table, serve the food during the meal and clear up afterwords. At any given meal there are Scouts who are new to the experience and they make mistakes. My dining hall steward was growing increasingly frustrated with their inexperience and yelled at them making them even more jumpy....
Haze \Haze, v. t. To harass by exacting unnecessary, disagreeable, or difficult work. To harass or annoy by playing abusive or shameful tricks upon; to humiliate by practical jokes; — used esp. of college students; as, the sophomores hazed a freshman A Scoutmaster will do no greater service to his troop than to drive out every vestige of hazing. This includes initiations, teasing, compelling Scouts to humiliate themselves in any way....
I have known a troop who has a sign posted in their meeting place that reads “make good or make way”. They send letters to scouts who don’t attend regularly threatening them with removal from the troop. Part of Scouting is dealing with our prodigal Scouts who disappear from time to time without any explanation. When they reappear we do best to follow the model of the father in the parable and recieve them with open arms and kill the fatted calf, not drawing attention to their shortcomings in a letter....
A good friend in scouting who served as a scoutmaster and camp director for almost thirty years once pointed out to me that Scouting was inclusive, not exclusive. His point was that if 100 boys showed up on your doorstep wanting to join Scouts in the spirit of inclusive Scouting one welcomes them and then figures out how to work with them, period. Their membership is not based on their finances, on their parent’s participation or anything other than showing up....
Scouting is something young people do naturally, it will always remain relevant. Scouting happens instinctively. Look at any group of young people anywhere in the world, anytime in history, and observe how they organize themselves. They form groups, adopt uniforms, establish standards, develop a credo, and create initiatory challenges. Classrooms often got to battle with these instincts but we find a way to give them a means of positive expression....