Developing Youth Leadership

Scouts Canada has created a clear, uncluttered, engaging process in the “Plan-Do-Review” component of the Canadian Path. Scouting is made up of intuitive principles that are intended to be taken at face value. Simplicity can be elusive; we tend to prefer complications. At first blush there’s nothing groundbreaking or new about this approach. It’s so intuitive and simple I think most of us would pass it over with a “sure, I get that” and start looking for a ‘Plan-Do-Review” training syllabus or PowerPoint presentation, but you won’t find one – it’s just that simple!...

Scouts and paperwork can be like oil and water! In this week’s podcast an update on our 2016 trip to Kandersteg, I’ll answer email questions about handling permission slips (get in touch and tell me how you handle paperwork and deadlines), youth leaders, and avoiding homesickness. LINKS Working with Homesick ScoutsHomesickness on podcast 76Helping Homesick Scouts RecoverKandersteg 2016 MUSIC The Cat Came Back – Scott Bruffey Sponsored By ScoutmasterCG.com Backers Podcast: Play in new window | Download...

I taught my step-son to drive from the passenger seat of a beat-up, old, standard transmission Honda Civic. I am pretty sure the best way to learn how to start from a stop with a clutch is sitting behind the wheel, feeling the clutch engage, pressing the gas pedal, and stalling the car a couple of times. “Push the clutch in all the way with your left foot.” “Okay” “Start the car”...

Is it the Council President, commissioner, or Scoutmaster? Nope, listen to find out which volunteers Scouting can’t do without, and to answers to email questions about a new Scoutmaster, Scouts who won’t lead, and new Scout patrols. LINKS Bedwetting and Scouts Kandersteg 2016 MUSIC in this podcast By a Campfire on the Trail Sponsored By ScoutmasterCG.com Backers Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS Get The SCOUTMASTERCG APP Podcast Archive

1. Promote Ownership If youth leadership is actually responsible for the running the program, (meetings, outings, the whole megillah), they must have sense of ownership. Without ownership they will not have a sense of responsibility. 2. Praise publicly, criticize privately Critique and advice are tempered by a sense of care and support and quietly offered. Praise is frequent, always overheard, and shared with others. 3. Supply direction and boundaries. Focus on what Scouting promises Scouts without making demands or issuing orders....

Get a PDF version of this infographic below. I’ve written extensively about developing youth leadership but this article focuses on how our youth leaders are selected. Before we delve into specifics let’s agree that there’s a danger of losing the distinction between suggestions, rules and regulations, and mandated practices. Any “how to” instructions should be built on understanding of the ”‘why” behind the “how”. When it comes to selecting youth leaders most of us perpetuate inherited practices, or draw conclusions based on assumptions....

When a Scout takes on a position of responsibility… … we’ll discuss and agree on a set of shared expectations, and begin what will be an open dialog for their tenure in that position. Reconciling what a Scout did or did not do before a Scoutmaster took on the role is one of the things we’ll discuss in this podcast. We’ll also answer a question about Scoutmaster conferences. What high adventure experience will your Scouts be doing this summer?...

Once you become a Scouter, what’s next? What five things can you do to make the best of your opportunity as a Scouter? Whether you are just starting out, or have been around for awhile, let’s get the new year off on the right foot by thinking about making the best of our opportunities! This podcast also features answers to email questions about the difference between Venturing and other age divisions, addressing parent’s concerns about supervision on camping trips, and youth leader development....

So Far, So Good! Lot’s of catching up to do! It’s nice to be back after a two week hiatus! In this podcast I’ll tell you about my new book, So Far, So Good! and answer email questions about how to keep a vision for all age divisions of Scouting, the program changes coming this year, sorting out how to bring older Scouts and younger Scouts together, and how to keep up with an ambitious senior patrol leader, and a great way for setting up patrols....

What is the context of Scouting, and why does it matter? The game of Scouting has it’s own set of rules, it’s own playing field, or context. I discuss a couple of common questions that are answered by understanding this context. In addition we’ll discuss conflicts of interest for an Eagle board of review, whether one advancementrequirement automatically means you’ve completed similar requirements, when offering advice is interfering with your leadership, patrol selection, and Scouts asking for boards of review....

Campaigning, Conduct, Camping (with Webelos), and Content of troop meetings. Listen to my answer to the question: should we be teaching Scouts conflict resolution? (spoiler- yes and no!) In addition we’ll discuss campaigning for youth leadership elections, what standards apply to Webelos camping with troops, and whether or not merit badge instruction is the right content for troop meetings, and sneak in another aspect of boards of review. Here’s a couple of resources I mentioned; Pack Overnighter Site Approval Form , OWL training, and the post on Constructive Scouting Discipline....

CompelForce or oblige someone to do something. DelegateTo give or commit (duties, powers, etc) to another as agent or representative. Empowered Give someone the authority or power to do something. The authority of youth leadership is not based in compelling young people to do something. The authority in youth leadership is not delegated (One abiding myth of Scouting is that the adults are the source of all authority and delegate responsibility to youth leadership....

Help! Everyone needs help, right? Most Scouters, at one time or another, find ourselves overwhelmed, discouraged and helpless. Don’t worry, you aren’t alone, and there’s a way out! See if the email answer about getting volunteers to help in this podcast helps you. In addition I’ll offer some advice about how a troop handles Eagle courts of honor, how changes are made when a senior patrol leader who is not performing as expected, what to do when it’s time for leadership elections, what qualifies as camping for first class requirements,whether or not a troop can require that Scouts request a board of review(here’s the three “secret weapons” every Scouter ought to have I mentioned in my reply), and how to handle the challenge of a large group of new Scouts....

Podcast Episode (00:43:43): Download MP3 Listen to Scoutmaster Podcast 238 | What, exactly, is the Patrol Method? Why did our founder emphasize the importance of the patrol method over all else in Scouting? In this week’s podcast the fourth of four installments that discusses how basic ideas to practically apply the patrol method. I also answer email questions on how to have Scouts form patrols, how to address bad behavior that happens outside of Scouting, and what positions of responsibility are elected, which are appointed, and if a Scout can hold more than one such position....

Podcast Episode (00:33:20): Download MP3 Listen to Scoutmaster Podcast 237 | What, exactly, is the Patrol Method? Why did our founder emphasize the importance of the patrol method over all else in Scouting? In this week’s podcast the third of four installments that discusses the typical objections raised when the patrol method is applied. Three different email questions on the theme of focusing on the individual Scout, one has an over ambitious parent and an attitude problem, one has special needs, and one is going through tough times....

Podcast Episode (00:26:23): Download MP3 Listen to Scoutmaster Podcast 236 | What, exactly, is the Patrol Method? Why did our founder emphasize the importance of the patrol method over all else in Scouting? In this week’s podcast the second of four installments that describes te adult role in applying the patrol method. I also answer an email from a Cub Den Leader and parent who is concerned with about his son having the same great experience in Scouts he did as a youth and navigating all of the various activities available for children outside of Scouting....

Saw this comment today: “He’s got a bunch of older Scouts who run his troop for him, he’s lucky!” Lucky? Not at all, that’s how Scouting works. “He’s got a bunch of older Scouts…” Yes, we have a bunch of older Scouts, when I think “older” I think about any Scout over thirteen. Younger Scouts are often just as capable, they just need someone to believe in them. “… who run his troop for him …” There’s a couple of problems with that....

Podcast Episode (00:19:49): Download MP3 Listen to Scoutmaster Podcast 235 | Sponsored By ScoutmasterCG.com Backers What, exactly, is the Patrol Method? Why did our founder emphasize the importance of the patrol method over all else in Scouting? In this week’s podcast I’ll begin a series of four installments that establishes the patrol method as the character school for our Scouts and relate a story about how things can go wrong if you don’t understand patrol method principles....

It’s not possible to train leaders in the classic sense by teaching theoretical information in a theoretical environment. We can’t sweep a big crowd of Scouts or Scouters together, put them in one end of the training machine, and have leaders come out the other. Developing actual leadership skill is a complex, individualized, process that only happens in real time in real situations. There’s no way of accurately mapping a step-by-step path to leadership development that everyone follows, but there are familiar landmarks....

Sponsored By ScoutmasterCG.com Backers What kind of an internal standard is the aim of our work? In this podcast I answer email questions about positions of responsibility , leadership and other subjects , plus (of course) your messages in the mailbag! Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS