For Successful Troop Operation Copyright 1998, Boy Scouts of America, ISBN 0-8395-4505-3 |
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| SCOUTMASTER |
| A key function of your troop committee is assisting in the selection of the best possible person to be your Scoutmaster. Your Scoutmaster will be a role model for the boys and will reflect the character of the chartered organization. The Scoutmaster must be the kind of person you would want your own sons to be influenced by and whose judgment will always be in their best interest. |
| To find the right person, it is strongly recommended that you use the following steps. |
| STEP 1 |
| The head of the chartered organization, or the chartered organization representative should be briefed by a representative from the local council who can provide recruiting techniques, videos, and other support materials such as the brochure Selecting Quality Leaders. |
| STEP 2 |
| Meet with the other troop committee members to develop a prospect list, and follow these steps: |
| a. Review part one of the videotape Selecting Quality Leaders. |
| b. Develop a list of prospects who closely fit the descriptions you heard in the videotape. Be prepared by obtaining lists of the chartered organization membership and parent rosters. Choose prospects who live up to the values of the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. Do not make assumptions about whether or not prospects will accept or have the time to do the job. Give them the opportunity to make their own decision. |
| What are the personal characteristics of a successful Scoutmaster? These ten characteristics have been found: |
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| c. Rank the prospects. The committee should agree on and rank the top three prospects, in preferential order. |
| d. Clear the list of prospects with the head of the chartered organization before making any contact. |
| e. Preview part two of the videotape Selecting Quality Leaders. It explains the vision of Scouting to the prospective Scoutmaster. You should preview it to become familiar with the points it makes. |
| f. Select at least three people from the committee to call on the number one prospect. These persons should know the prospect quite well and have influence in the prospect's decision. |
| STEP 3 |
| Make an appointment with the number one prospect. This should be done by the person who knows the prospect best and has this person's respect. It can usually be done on the phone. Set a date and time to meet, preferably at the prospect's home. You will want to involve this person's spouse since it will affect the prospect's time at home. If the prospect questions the purpose of the meeting, frankly state that it is to discuss a matter important to the youth of the community. Confirm the date and time with the other members who will be making the visit. |
| STEP 4 |
| Call on the prospect as a group. Gather at a convenient place and arrive at the prospect's home as a group. Review the steps that have been taken, explain how the qualifications were reviewed, and let the prospect know that he or she was considered by all to be the number one prospect to do the job. |
| Give the prospect a true and realistic picture of the job: time demands, adult leadership support, special problems the troop is facing, and other relevant information. After all questions have been answered, a member of the committee extends the invitation to serve the organization as its Scoutmaster (subject to approval) and pledges the organization's full support. |
| If for some reason the prospect is unable to accept the position, you should repeat the process with the number two prospect (who now becomes number one). |
| STEP 5 |
| Have the prospect complete an application to join the Boy Scouts of America. It is the responsibility of the committee to review and screen the application. Individuals who have lived in the community for three or more years and are known to members of the committee well enough for them to serve as a reference should require little additional screening. |
| Conduct a reference check on those who are new to the community as well as those who may be new to volunteer Scouting. References should be checked in a discrete, nonthreatening manner, and previous Scouting experience should be confirmed. |
| Upon approval, the application is signed by the chartered organization head or the chartered organization representative, and is submitted to the local council. All leaders registered with the Boy Scouts of America must meet its standards for leadership. |
| STEP 6 |
| Once the prospect has accepted the position and has been approved as a leader, the head of the chartered organization should personally welcome the new leader. An announcement should be placed in the local newspaper and the chartered organization's publication, if applicable. A formal induction ceremony should take place as soon as possible at a meeting of the charterd organization. |
| STEP 7 |
| A representative from the local council will contact the new leader to schedule Fast Start training using the video and accompanying booklet. Attendance at the next roundtable is encouraged as well as participation in the next Scoutmastership Fundamentals or Varsity Scout Leader Fundamentals, and BSA Youth Protection training. |
| ASSISTANT SCOUTMASTERS |
| The same standards used to determine the best prospect for Scoutmaster should also be used to qualify Assistant Scoutmasters. The majority of successful troops have three or more Assistant Scoutmasters. This is not an unrealistic goal. The guide Selecting Quality Leaders can help you through the selection process. The video presentation Selecting Quality Leaders is also a useful tool. |
| RECRUITING COMMITTEE MEMBERS |
| Experience has shown that troops with committees of seven or more members work more effectively and provide better troop program support. The minimum number of committee members required is three adults ages 21 or older. If the committee is well run and active, you should have little difficulty getting others to join. But again, be sure that each member has a meaningful responsibility and is kept actively involved. |
| As with securing a Scoutmaster, to get qualified adults involved with your troop, you must first identify good people, select and rank the top prospects, and then use all available influence to recruit them. |
| Where do you find new committee members? The best source is parents of troop members. Parents have a natural interest in their sons having a successful Scouting experience. They are also an excellent resource for troop program assistance. The Troop Resource Survey should be completed by every troop member's parents. This task is the responsibility of the assistant Scoutmaster of the new-Scout patrol. |
| The survey will inform the committee what professions, special interests, skills, and resources are available to your troop. For example, a parent who works at a printing shop could help the troop scribe produce a first-rate troop newsletter. Another parent might be a banker. Obviously, this person would likely be considered for the position of committee treasurer. But their hobbies may be cycling and fishing. If asked, they may well be more than willing to work with the boys in either of these activities. |
| The troop committee secretary should have a copy of every troop resource survey conducted by the assistant Scoutmaster for new Scouts or by other committee members. At the monthly committee meeting, the Scoutmaster should be consulted as to what adult help and talents are needed for the coming month's program. A careful review of the collected resource surveys should begin the committee's search. |
| Not every parent will be able to serve on the troop committee or make a similar long-term commitment, but every parent should have the responsibility to perform a short-term task sometime during the year. Baking cookies for a bake sale, providing transportation to campouts, giving skill demonstrations at troop meetings, and accompanying the troop on a hike are all examples of help that is expected of troop members' parents. Let the parents know that the troop will call on them occasionally for help. Keep parents involved! |
| Troop committee members should also use the troop resource survey with interested members of the chartered organization, personal friends, Eagle Scouts, and Scouting supporters in your community. Once your resources are identified, don't hesitate to use them. |
| Troop Resource Survey - Page 1 |
| Troop Resource Survey - Page 2 |
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| Last revised 9/9/02/TD> |
| John D. McCarthy |