The Boy-Let Troop

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The Boy-Led Troop
David Mitchko Mercer Area District Commissioner
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Why is it Important?

• Empowers boys to be leaders
• Boys plan and participate in the activities that
  they want to do
• Keeps the older boys interested in the program
• Integrates 5 of the 7 methods of the BSA Patrol
  Method, Association with Adults, Advancement,
  Personal Growth and Leadership
• Support Scoutings Mission To prepare young
  people to make ethical choices over their
  lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the
  Scout Oath and Law
• The more choices you allow a boy to make, in
  scoutings safe environment, the more he will
  learn how to make the right ones.

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Signs that your Troop is Boy-Led

• Youth Leaders and NO ADULTS telling other boys
  what to do
• Meetings and Activities planned and run by the
  SPL
• Youth leaders know who is in what position of
  responsibility
• Scoutmaster or his assistants giving advice and
  direction to the Youth Leaders only no other
  adults giving directions.
• Boys are fast-start trained by their Scoutmaster
  when they first receive their position of
  responsibility
• New Youth Leaders receive timely TLT from their
  SM
• Every boy has access to a written description for
  each position
• Troop has monthly PLC meetings run by the SPL
• All activities on the troop calendar are decided
  by the PLC

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The Scoutmasters Role

• Training the Youth Leaders a never ending job
• What their job is
• What is expected of them
• What type of leaders the BSA expects them to be
• Evaluate the skills, abilities and morale level
  of the PLC members
• Provide a level of direction, coaching and
  support based on this evaluation, mainly with the
  SPL/ASPL
• On-the-job training the teachable moment
• Provide positive reinforcement of leadership
  behavior
• Encourage the PLC to hold Reflections
• What went well?
• What can we improve on?
• Hold non-advancement Scoutmasters Conferences
  with Youth Leaders as needed to discuss their
  performance as leaders

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Scoutmasters Pitfalls

• Taking over when things are not going well
• Not training the Youth Leaders
• Not providing direction, coaching nor support
• Not letting the boys know that they are in
  charge
• Not communicating with the scout in charge
• Not allowing the Youth Leaders to fail and see
  the consequences of their failure
• Being too emotionally involved with the program
• Not understanding why the scouting program exists
• Measuring success by how organized his troop is

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What Can the Other Adults Do?

• The Troop Committee Supports the Program
• Conduct Boards of Review and Courts of Honor
• Process advancement paperwork and keep records
• Make reservations for campsites and other
  activities
• Organize fundraisers
• Purchase troop equipment and supplies
• Parents provide drivers, support for activities,
  adult supervision at campouts, etc.
• Adults can do skills instruction, make
  announcements or lead an activity in a Boy-Led
  Troop.
• The Scoutmaster sometimes has to run interference
  to keep the other adults from doing the boys job.

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How Boy-Led Can Go Wrong

• Scouts elect an SPL or Patrol Leader who does not
  perform, even after much training, coaching and
  direction from the Scoutmaster
• An SPL gives a boy a position of responsibility
  which he does not what or cannot do.
• The PLC picks an activity and date which none of
  them intends to participate in.
• The PLC makes plans for a meeting and the boys
  assigned to run the activities dont attend or
  show up unprepared
• If the youth leaders poor performance if
  affecting the program, the Scoutmaster must take
  action not by taking over for the boys, but by
  working with them.

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Failure is an Option

• A Scoutmasters biggest challenge is to learn to
  deal with the failure of the youth leaders
• Always insist that the boys have a backup plan
  and that they should always be prepared to switch
  to it
• The backup plan does not have to be perfect
• The Youth Leaders will learn how to manage risk
  and who they can rely on
• The Scoutmaster must strike a careful balance
  between allowing the youth leaders to learn from
  their failures and running a good program.
• Steer the scouts away from the big mistakes that
  can spoil the fun