The aims of Scouting are character development, citizenship training, personal fitness (both mental and physical), and leadership development. Here are some ideas about how leadership development is incorporated into the Scouting programs offered by BSA.
A reader is involved in a large troop, but due to low participation from scouts it is difficult to have patrol leader elections and a youth led program.
Cubs Who Care is one of the Wolf Cub Scout elective adventures. For the Cubs Who Care adventure, Wolves learn about the challenges faced by people with disabilities.
A Life Scout who is on the path to Eagle must continue to develop his or her leadership skills by serving his or her troop in a position of responsibility. Unlike previous leadership requirements for Star and Life, the Scoutmaster may not assign a special project for this requirement.
The Special Needs feature teaches Scouts to understand and appreciate the unique qualities and abilities of each person. Scouts learn to appreciate the challenges faced by people with special needs.
The Project Planning feature helps youth leaders learn how to accomplish their goals, whether that be a service project or a troop campout or planning other activities together. The troop does a group exercise of planning and carrying out a recycle regatta.
The Junior Assistant Scoutmaster is a youth member of a Scouts BSA Troop who serves in the capacity of an Assistant Scoutmaster except where legal age and maturity are required. He must be at least 16 years old and not yet 18. He is appointed by the Scoutmaster because of his demonstrated leadership ability.
For the Tenderfoot leadership requirements, Scouts get an early start on developing their leadership skills. They use the Teaching Edge method to teach another person how to tie a square knot.
Scouts who are progressing toward the rank of Life must continue to show leadership, either by taking a leadership position in their unit or by doing an approved leadership project.
A reader asks about being youth-led when all of the Scouts have no previous experience. "The girls have tried, but without experienced scouts in leadership positions to model how to plan a scouting year, run troop meetings or plan a trip, and troop trainers to instruct new scouts in camping skills, like established troops have, things have come to a stand still. "
For previous service requirements, a Scout on the path from Life to Eagle only had to participate in service projects. Now the candidate for Eagle Scout must organize and lead a service project, inspiring others to help.
BSA has a Cub Scout pack meeting plan called Heroes in History related to citizenship. The Heroes in History meeting plan features games, group activities, songs, and more to help Cub Scouts learn the value of honest leadership.
A patrol is a small group of Scouts BSA within a troop. They elect a patrol leader and function almost like a family within the troop. They divide up the chores to be done and work together as a group to meet their goals. They develop a patrol spirit and take pride in their accomplishments as a team.
Most Scouts BSA Troops keep a library of merit badge pamphlets and other resources. The Librarian is a youth member of the troop who takes care of this troop literature.
An Order of the Arrow Troop Representative is a youth liaison between the local OA lodge or chapter and his troop. In his troop, he serves the Arrowman as well as adult leaders and Scouts who are not OA members. He encourages Arrowmen to participate in lodge and chapter events. He also works to strengthen the troop's camping program.
While working on the requirements for the Star rank, Scouts must serve in a leadership position for at least four months. Or he or she can do a leadership project approved by the Scoutmaster. This requirement helps their troop and enables them to learn leadership skills.
This weekend our Venturing Crew did the Introduction to Youth Leadership Skills for Crews (ILSC). This course teaches Crew members basic leadership skills. There is a corresponding course for Scouts BSA Troops (ILST).
A reader asks about adults on campouts: "Is this allowed? 9 adults for 19 Scouts? ... I feel uncomfortable that this might turn into an adult hangout." Thanks for the question. I think the answer is ... "it depends".
If you look at the list of positions which can be used to meet the position of responsibility requirement for Star and Life, you will see that assistant patrol leader is not listed there.
The hope is that after a few months, this will provide some consistency so that our youth leaders will do more planning and delegating without as much adult intervention. I think if we provide them with some help and training and they try it, they will see that the patrol method really does provide a way for everyone to share in the duties and makes planning campouts easier.
The ability to teach others is an important leadership skill. Scouts who are on the path to the rank of Life use the EDGE method to teach a skill to younger Scout.
Aware and Care is one of the Webelos/Arrow of Light elective adventures. For the Aware and Care adventure, Webelos learn about the challenges faced by people with disabilities.
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