Youth Leadership Training
"Every boy deserves to be trained as a leader.", Rick Pushies
Boy Scout Youth Leadership Training Continuum |
||
Additional Youth Leadership Training Resources
Youth Leaders
"Every boy deserves to be trained as a leader.", Rick Pushies
Leadership is a vital part of the Scouting program. In your positions as youth leaders you have the responsibility to run your patrols and your troop. Youth leaders like you must take care of the many tasks necessary for troop meetings and activities to run smoothly and well. By accepting the responsibilities of troop and patrol leadership, you are preparing to be leaders throughout your lives.
Scouting offers young people a rich and varied arena in which to learn and use leadership skills. Among the challenges encountered by you as a troop's youth leader are:
- Organizing patrols
- Using duty rosters
- Planning menus and figuring out food costs
- Guiding a patrol's involvement in problem solving
- Teaching outdoor skills
- Ensuring patrol safety during outings
- Handling patrol finances
- Helping other Scouts make the most of their own leadership opportunities
The badge of office presented to you upon accepting a position of troop leadership does not automatically make you a good leader. The information posted on these web pages deal with the youth leadership training programs developed by the Boy Scouts of America. The resources listed here should help you be a better leader.
The Youth Leadership Training Continuum
This self study supplemental training session is designed for Scout leaders and parents who want to understand the youth leadership training continuum.
Download a printer-friendly PDF of this module
National Honor Patrol Award
(Formerly called the Baden-Powell Patrol Award)
The BSA established the Baden-Powell Patrol Award at the insistence of
Bill "Green Bar Bill" Hillcourt. Hillcourt wanted a special
award to recognize patrol team building and togetherness. In the
past, Patrols were identified with special banners proclaiming them
as "Honor Patrols" but that really did not mean much to
the members other than yet another thing to carry around on their
Patrol flag or display in their Patrol room. Hillcourt wanted something
meaningful which could be added to the Patrol medallion, to remind
members that they have earned it together as well as to provide a
simple way for the award to be displayed on the field uniform. After
much discussion within the Boy Scout Division, Hillcourt got his
way and the Award, named for the founder of Scouting, was brought
out in the start of the 1986 program year. In 1999, the name of the
Award was changed to National Honor Patrol Award for some reason,
not made clear.
The Award is a small yellow star on a khaki green background. It is designed to be worn in one place: around the Patrol medallion. The location - top, bottom, side - does not matter as long as it is attached to go around the Patrol emblem. In uniforming, you should have your patrol medallion touching the US Flag at the top, with room at the bottom for the star. In home units, the Quality Unit Award then goes below the star. Once earned, as long as the person is a member of that patrol, it is worn continuously. When a member changes Patrols, he removes the Patrol medallion and the Star(s).
The National Honor Patrol Award is given to patrols whose members make an extra effort to have the best patrol possible. Your patrol can earn the award by doing the following over a period of three months.
National
Honor Patrol Award Requirements
|
Have a patrol name, flag, and yell: Put your patrol design on equipment and use your patrol yell. Keep patrol records up to date. |
| Hold two patrol meetings every month. |
| Take part in at least on hike, outdoor activity, or other Scouting event. |
| Complete two good turns or service projects approved by the patrol leader's council. |
| Help two patrol members advance one rank. |
| Wear the full uniform correctly (at leas 75 percent of the patrol's membership). |
| Have a representative attend at least three patrol leader's council meetings. |
| Have eight members in the patrol or increase patrol membership over the previous three months. |
The National Honor Patrol Award is an embroidered star worn beneath the patrol medallion, and will spotlight a patrol as a high-standard group. Help your patrol become a National Honor Patrol.
"Training boy leaders to run their troop is the Scoutmaster's most important job."
"Train Scouts to do a job, then let them do it."
"Never do anything a boy can do."
— Lord Robert Baden-Powell
|
Den Chief Training
Den Chief training is a meeting of den chiefs and prospective den chiefs on a council, district or single-pack basis. It is planned and operated by council or district trainers or adult leaders who are familiar with Cub Scouting. How long and how effectively a den chief will serve depends upon how seriously the position is valued; that opinion will be based largely on how the den chief is treated by the adults in the troop, team, crew and in the pack. If the adults rate the job highly, the den chief will take it more seriously. Den Chief training is intended to build more enthusiasm, to develop higher morale among den chiefs, and to provide the tools a new den chief will need to be successful.The training agenda must be a combined good time and training experience. It is unlikely that den chiefs will participate in training unless it offers an atmosphere of fun and fellowship while teaching how to lead and get along with boys in Cub Scouting.
Rick's News! is not associated with
the Los Padres Council or the Boy Scouts of America. Copyright 2006-2008— Rick's News! A private communication to my valued Scouting friends.
|
 |
|