The Answer: Youth-Run

1
The Answer Youth-Run Adult-Guided Troop

• University of Scouting 2007

2
The answer
42
3
What was the question?
Q What is the Patrol Method and Patrol Spirit?
A The boy-run, adult-guided troop
4
Your presenter
Dave Byrne Troop 1333 New Scout
ASM Dave.Byrne_at_anadarko.com www.bsatroop1333.org
5
Three types of troops

1. Patrol Method troop
2. Troop Method troop
3. Webelos III troop

6
Three types of troops
Patrols
Patrol Method
Troop Method
Focus
Webelos III
Boys
Adults
Boys
Leadership Decision-Making
7
Aims of Boy Scouting

• Character Development
• Citizenship Training
• Physical Mental Fitness

8
Methods of Boy Scouting

1. The Ideals
2. The Patrol Method
3. The Outdoors
4. Advancement
5. Association with Adults
6. Personal Growth
7. Leadership Development
8. The Uniform

9
Scouting is
A game for boys under the leadership of boys
with the wise guidance and counsel of a grown-up
who still has the enthusiasm of youth in him. A
purposeful game, but a game just the same, a game
that develops character by practice, that trains
for citizenship through experience in the
out-of-doors.
-- William Green Bar Bill Hartcourt
10
What is a Patrol?
What do we know about boys?

• Boys want to be with their friends
• Boys want fun and adventure
• Boys need a reason to be where they are

11
Patrols

• Who decides in which patrol a new scout is
  assigned?
• How large should a patrol be?
• How long should a patrol be together?
• What about virtual patrols?

12
Who chooses who is in each patrol?

• Let the boys choose
• He should want to be in his patrol
• Boy must believe he is choosing his destiny

Q How should you handle influx of many boys vs.
small number of new Scouts?
13
Are patrols permanent?
Mixing of patrols
Step backward in patrol unity
Patrols should stay together as much and as long
as possible!
14
Virtual patrols good or bad?
TWO IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES OF PATROLS
1.
A troop is a group of patrols, NOT a group of
boys.
2.
Patrols must be real entities with their own
identity.
15
Building Patrol Identity

• Patrol Name
• Patrol Symbol
• Patrol Flag
• Patrol Yell
• Patrol Meeting Place
• Patrol stuff

16
Scouting is
A game for boys under the leadership of boys
The only way to develop leadership in a boy is
to give him a chance to practice it.
-- William Green Bar Bill Hartcourt
17
How are leaders selected?

• Elected and appointed by BOYS
• SM should NOT appoint Scouts to POR, nor should
  they force the vote to get their way
• Guide let the boys make their own decisions --
  for better or worse

18
Patrol positions of responsibility
Elected Patrol Leader
Appointed Assistant Patrol Leader Scribe Quart
ermaster Grubmaster Cheermaster
19
Troop positions of responsibility
Elected Senior Patrol Leader
Appointed Assistant SPL Scribe Quartermaster Hist
orian OA Representative
Librarian Chaplain Aide Instructor Troop
Guide Den Chief
JASM
20
Some friendly competition

• Use friendly, well-spirited competition between
  leaders
• Great for PL, Troop Guides, Instructors, QMs, and
  Grubmasters!
• Use to encourage desired behavior and promote
  teamwork

21
Leaders need jobs to do!
To learn to lead, Patrols need tasks that are

• Regularly occurring
• Complex
• Meaningful
• Challenging

For example
22
Its about communication
Have you asked your Patrol Leader?
Senior Patrol Leader
Patrol member
Patrol Leader
Troop POR
23
Its about communication
Patrol member
Senior Patrol Leader
Weekly!
Patrol Leader
PLC
24
The PLC The Patrol Method

• Boy planned, run, and executed
• Lets hear it for the SPL!
• Where are the adults? Close but separate

25
Will it always work?
?
Two steps forward, one step back
?
The most common problem
?
If you only give partial responsibility you will
only get partial results.
?
Remember the goal Boys working together as
patrols under leaders they selected.
26
Scouting is
A game for boys under the leadership of boys
with the wise guidance and counsel
of a grown-up
-- William Green Bar Bill Hartcourt
27
Are you crazy?!

• Boy-led doesnt mean Boys left alone

28
OUR job
?
Create opportunities for safe fun and new
adventures.
AND in the process...
Learn practical citizenship Experience new levels
of teamwork Develop leadership skills Achieve the
aims of Scouting
29
One simple goal
Train em, trust em, let them lead!
A Scoutmaster trains boys to be leaders, makes
available to them the resources and guidance they
need to lead well, and then steps in the
background and lets them do their jobs.
30
Training the boy leaders
Just as every Scout deserves a trained adult
leader, every adult leader deserves a trained
Scout!
Green Bar Campout
TLT
JLT
Transition period
Regular POR reviews
31
Four critical questions
The boys should be asking

1. How are we doing?
2. What do we need to start doing?
3. What do we need to stop doing?
4. What do we need to change?

32
Q Whos in charge of the troop?
Patrol is like a state Troop is like the United
States PL is like a state governor SPL is like
the President Troop officers are SPLs cabinet
A The SPL -- his job is to coordinate the
efforts of each patrol for the good of the troop.
33
What about the adults?
SHOULD
SHOULD NOT

• Advise
• Enable
• Empower
• Voice of experience
• Sound judgment
• Bring ideas to PLC

• Veto arbitrarily
• Plan activities
• Do a Scouts job for him
• Ignore Scouts wishes

34
Simple ways to promote the PM
Communicating with the troop

• Relay all information via PL SPL put them out
  in front of boys
• Provide guidance ahead of time provide success
  strategies
• Step out of view

35
Simple ways to promote the PM
Communicating with a Scout

• Always ask him Have you asked you Patrol
  Leader?
• Lead him to the answer with questions, guide him,
  dont grieve him.

36
Simple ways to promote the PM
Whose idea is best?

• Boys should evaluate activities
• When the boys get an idea just get in mind that
  it might work
• Remember Boys choose, adults support
• Have a plan A? Make a plan B, too.
• Enable more, interfere less!

37
Simple ways to promote the PM
Dealing with behavior issues

• Go to his Patrol Leader (or SPL)
• Provide suggestions, then step away
• Dont yell or get mad, get disappointed
• Direct your disappointment to PL or SPL

38
Simple ways to promote the PM
Encourage patrol spirit!

• SPL should frequently talk with PL about his
  patrols spirit.
• Recognize great PATROLS more often than
  individual Scouts.
• Praise boys whenever they are displaying great
  patrol teamwork.

39
The bottom line
If a boy can do it, adults dont!
40
What about traditions?
Is it a boy-run or an adult-run tradition? Or
is it a rut?
Are you afraid of change?
Traditions worth keeping are the ones that define
the troop!
41
Boy Scoutings tradition
Applying the Patrol Method to campingthis ones
a no brainer
Each patrol at its own site Set up camp without
adult help or input Patrol spirit during the
campout Cook clean by patrol!
42
The training sign-off question
The options

• Scoutmasters
• Instructor Scouts
• Troop Guides
• First Class Scouts

43
Boy-run training
Adults Verify, counsel, stand back, observe
The goal Boys train boys
Troop Guide
ASM
New Scout Patrol
via SPL
ASPL
Instructor
44
Boys sign-off on requirements
Two suggestions
Instructor Scout
ASM
Instructor Scout
1st Class Scout
45
Ten key truths

1. Boys want to be with their friends
2. Boys want fun and adventure
3. Boys need a reason to be where they are
4. Boys learn by doing
5. Boys must be allowed to struggle and fail
6. Boys only learn leadership responsibility if
   they have a chance to practice it

46
Ten key truths

1. Boys need real, meaningful tasks and projects to
   perform
2. If a boy can do it, adults dont!
3. Boys need encouragement and praise
4. Boy leaders run the troop adults enable and keep
   the program aligned toward the vision and purpose.

47
Baden-Powell on the Patrol Method
The strength of the Boy Scout program is its
ability to satisfy the boys own wants and at the
same time direct those wants into social
channels. But the reason for our using the
Patrol Method in Scouting is not alone because it
fits in with the boys nature and his desires.
The remarkable thing is that it fits equally well
with the adult leaders aims and purposes.
48
Youre using the PM if
WORKSHEET Characteristics of a troop using the
Patrol Method
2, 5, 6, 8, 14, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26,
28, 30