David BrownTroop Committee Chair Troop 577
& Assistant Advisor Crew 577
University of Scouting – January 5, 2008
University of Scouting January 2008 – DBBrown Presentation
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Course OverviewBS-21 Planning the Troop Program
Discuss the elements for planning the troop’s annual program. This session will encourage the timely evaluation of all activities using the weekly and monthly patrol leader’s council meetings.
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IntroductionsDavid Brown
5 years of BSA adult leadership: ASM-Merit badges, SM, TC Chair, and Assistant Advisor Venturing Crew
Tell me about you:NameCurrent adult leadership position in ScoutingLevel of experience with Troop PlanningWhat is the one thing you want to learn today?
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The Patrol Leaders' Council (PLC)The PLC, not the adult leaders, is responsible
for planning and conducting the troop's activities. The PLC is composed of the following voting members: senior patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, patrol leaders, troop guide, Venture crew chief, Varsity team captain.
The troop's activities are selected and planned at the annual program planning conference. The troop's yearly plan is then submitted to the troop committee for approval. The troop committee either approves the plan or makes alternative suggestions for the PLC to consider.
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Five Steps of Annual Troop Program Planning
1. Do your homework2. Get patrol input3. Hold an annual planning meeting4. Consult with the troop committee5. Announce the plan
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Do your homeworkConduct a Troop Resource Survey
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Other Planning Items to Consider
Boards of reviewCourts of honorYear-round
recruiting plan Webelos-to-Scout
transition
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Monthly activities Service/conservation
projectTroop Junior
Leadership TrainingPlanning for Diversity
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Your Primary Planning ToolsThe Scoutmaster HandbookTroop Program FeaturesTroop Program ResourcesCircle Ten Council and District calendarsGet a copy of each school’s calendar and
compareOther calendars (church, charter
organization, etc)
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How to Plan for DiversityAs Troop Leaders we need to recruit and retain
Scouts and other Adult Leaders without consideration for:ReligionRaceAge (up to age 18 for Troop, 21 for Venturing)Sex (Venturing Crews)
A diverse Troop is stronger and able to expose scouts to broader opportunities, ways of thinking and cultural issues that they will face in the world as adults.
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How to Plan for DiversityWhat are some ways you can name that
would make our Scout Troops more diverse or expose them to diversity concepts? Share some examples of activities you have tried or contemplated to encourage diversity.
Your time to participate!
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Outdoor Programs = Retention
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Types of Outdoor ActivitiesWhat are typical Scout outdoor activities? For younger Scouts,
less-rugged activities are more appropriate as they begin to acquire outdoor knowledge and skills. These may include:
Day hikes—Reasonably short hikes (3 to 10 miles) in terrain without a lot of elevation gain or loss.
Service projects—Daylong projects that may be related to conservation, food collection, building shelter, or healthy living activities.
Patrol activities—A Boy Scout patrol or Varsity Scout squad may hike or camp with other patrols or squads in the unit or, with the permission of their Scoutmaster and parents or guardians, may hike or camp on their own. Or go bowling, see a movie, etc as long as it is follows the Guide to Safe Scouting.
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Outdoor Activities – Con’tWeekend overnights—Troops that plan and carry out
outings once a month attract and retain boys at a much higher level than those that have fewer outings during the year.
Camporees—Councils and districts plan camporees and other outings during the year that give Scouts an opportunity to test their knowledge and skills in competitive
events with other troops and patrols. Jamborees—Every four or five years, the Boy Scouts of
America hosts a national Scout jamboree. More than 40,000 Scouts and leaders from across the country participate in this 10-day event filled with the most popular and highest quality outdoor activities Scouts enjoy. To participate, a Scout must certain minimum age and rank requirements.
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Outdoor Activities – Con’tCouncil high adventure—A high-adventure experience
includes at least five nights and six days of trekking in wilderness and other rugged, remote locations. Trekking may include backpacking, canoeing, mountain biking, horse packing, mountain climbing, ski touring, rafting, kayaking, or a host of other outdoor adventures. Minimum age requirements are typical.
Summer camp—Summer camp is what many Scouts enjoy most. Camp programs provide numerous opportunities for Scouts to earn merit badges along their advancement trail. Resident Scout camping includes at least five nights and six days of fun outdoor activities.
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Outdoor Activities – Con’tNational high adventure—The BSA operates national high-
adventure bases and programs. With two locations in the Florida Keys, the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base offers a variety of aquatic and boating programs. The Northern Tier National High Adventure Program, based in northern Minnesota with two satellite bases in Canada, provides a variety of canoe treks and programs. Philmont Scout Ranch and the Double H Ranch in the mountains of New Mexico provide excellent backpacking treks. Minimum age requirements vary, but most programs are rugged and designed for older Scouts.
Unit high adventure—The highest level of challenge for a troop or team is to plan and carry out its own high-adventure experience. These activities for more experienced Scouts are planned and implemented by youth members with coaching from their adult leaders.
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Example Annual Planning MeetingThere are many approaches to preparing an annual
program plan for a troop. This agenda is offered as one method that has worked well. Some troops have this meeting in early January and plan a program for the full calendar year. Other troops follow the National BSA guidelines and have their planning meeting in the fall and follow the school year.
• 8:00 - 11:00 PLC Planning Meeting• 11:00 - 1:00 Scoutmaster Lunch• 1:00 - 3:00 Troop Committee Meeting
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PLC Planning MeetingThe PLC should review with their Patrols in advance:What activities went very well last year? What Scouting Skills does the troop excel at? Which activities had shortcomings? What improvements are
needed? Do any Scouting Skills need special attention in the coming
year? How well are the meetings run? Is it a "Scout led" troop?
What improvements are needed? Are any training needs identified? Report from the Advancement Chairman: Is the troop lacking
certain rank related activities? Are there any specific Eagle required merit badges that a number of Scouts lack?
From a list of activities done over the last three years, which should be repeated?
Any new ideas?
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PLC Planning Meeting (con't)GoalsWhat specific goals does the troop want to accomplish in
the following year?For example: improve open fire cooking skills. Or travel lighter with less use of bulky troop equipment.
Does the PLC want to name a theme for the program year?Such as: backpacking, cycling, or canoeing. Such themes can be used to prepare for the troop high adventure trip the following year.
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PLC Planning Meeting (con't)Troop Calendar - events with known datesWinter camp (December) Scouting for Food (February)Golden Acorn (March) or Troop Junior Leader TrainingScout Show (May)Summer camp (June/July) Council Merit Badge College (summer)Philmont or High Adventure (summer) Council or District Camporee Scout Sunday Order of the Arrow calendar events (Call out, Vigil,
Brotherhood)Troop service projects planned
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PLC Planning Meeting (con't)Troop Calendar - new activities for this yearOutdoor program for the months without an activity
already planned Other troop service projects Court of Honors (after summer camp; after winter/merit
badge camps; third in the fall) Troop elections (every five to six months) What merit badges does the PLC want to focus on at the
meetings this year?
Troop Calendar - future yearsHigh Adventure activity for next year - what preparation
must be done now? High Adventure activity for the year after next - what are
the possibilities?
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Scoutmaster LunchLunch for Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters Any problem areas that need to be discussed among the
uniformed adult leaders? What are the troop's equipment needs? Review of proposed outdoor program and acceptance of
responsibility by at least two adults to act as Tour Leaders for each of the scheduled events. (Reduces the work that the Scoutmaster has to do later in carrying out the troop program.)
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Troop Committee MeetingThe Senior Patrol Leader should present the proposed
Troop Calendar to the Troop Committee for review and approve
Remember the Annual District meeting and dinner and schedule time to identify adult leaders for recognition and/or service awards
Review funds needed for the proposed new equipmentAnnual troop fund-raisers (garage sale, popcorn, wreaths,
other?) Summary of proposed service projects Troop dinners in conjunction with the Court of HonorsAdult leader training, including Roundtable and University
of Scouting
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Communicate!Don’t forget to communicate your Troop’s
approved Annual Plan using the Troop ScribeRemember to send the Plan again
periodically as a reminder and to inform new scouts of upcoming events
Distribution list should include: registered scouts and parents, Chartered Organization representative, District Commissioner, troop alumni and troop webmaster
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Monthly PLCThe PLC generally should be meeting monthly.The main purpose of the monthly PLC meeting is to
operationalize the activities planned for that upcoming monthly (campouts, service project, each week’s main activities, merit badges to be taught, etc)
One of the outputs of the monthly PLC should be a weekly plan of what is happen at each week’s scout meeting.
I recommend that the PLC meeting 15 mins early and stay 15 mins after each and every weekly scout meeting to prepare and debrief how that night’s meeting went and to remind PLC members of upcoming items for the following week.
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Troop 577Summary of Weekly Troop Activities2007-2008
Month Activity / Campout Topic – Merit Badge
December
24th – NO TROOP MEETING27 to 31st - Winter Camp27th – Shelter 31st – NO TROOP MEETING
Sign-up at [email protected]
January 7th – 7:30 Troop Meeting12th to 13th –James Ray Campout14th – 7:30 Troop Meeting21st – 7:30 Troop Meeting27th – 2:30 Roland Salatino Eagle COH
28th – 7:30 Troop Meeting
Plan for CampoutOrienteering MB & Rank Requirements
Ceremony in St Luke ChapelReception in Scout Hut
February
March 3rd – Troop Meeting
28th to 29th - Troop Garage Sale
OA Election – We must have at least 33 scouts (including Venture) in attendance
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Summary Five Steps of Annual Troop Program Planning
1. Do your homework2. Get patrol input3. Hold an annual planning meeting4. Consult with the troop committee5. Announce the plan
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Additional ResourcesBSA Weekly Troop Meeting Plan form:
http://www.scouting.org/forms/34425.pdfBSA Merit Badge Counselor worksheet:
http://www.scouting.org/forms/4439.pdfBSA Campfire Program form:
http://www.scouting.org/forms/33696.pdfBSA Troop resource survery:
http://www.scouting.org/forms/34437.pdfGood examples of an Annual Calendar:
http://www.troop1876.org/TroopWebSite/troop_web_files/forms/Annual_Planning_Worksheet_2007-2008.pdf
Boy Scouts Building Greatness One Man at a Time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsdcqCIwjac
Boy Scouts Outdoor Program: http://www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=ba
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