TRAINING TIP

Roundtable Attendance Problems

Piedmont District, Old Hickory Council

We all have this problem from time to time.  Some months have better attendance than others.  In our district, the most well attended Roundtable is our August  “Back to Scouting” Picnic.  Food is always a good incentive to bring folks together, so we provide plenty of hot dogs and hamburgers with all the fixings.   We try to make it as festive as possible with free drawings, games, and lots of handouts.    This provides for a fun-filled evening for everyone.  Each person is given a ticket for the drawings upon entrance to the picnic.  Packets are provided to the leaders filled with the entire Fall Program Planning information, as well as Fall Recruitment information.  Our main focus is to see that each leader is well prepared to begin their year of scouting with the boys.  We combine all areas of scouting for this event; Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturing 

At other roundtables, we bring all areas of scouting together for a short announcement segment and then break off to our prospective scouting areas.  In the Cub Scouting area, we have completed a year trying some new things to encourage leaders to attend on a more regular basis.  So many leaders have the misconception that roundtable is for the Cubmaster, Asst. Cubmaster or Committee Chairman only.  This past year has been an educational period of convincing these leaders that roundtable is a part of their training also.  In addition to the regular training they have received, they need to make roundtables part of their calendar of TO DO each month.   We have been giving them a copy of BALOO information obtained from the BALOO website and most recently we have made CD’s with this information, as well as other tidbits and clipart that they can use for their planning each month.  Other incentives are special nametags that they make from Fun Foam and attach plastic lanyard to hold specific beads.  These beads are given for everything from attendance, participation in RT programs, different training received, leadership roles in scouting, special events attended, bringing new leaders to RT, sharing a craft or program idea, etc   After they have attended 6 roundtables, they are given a leather nametag to stamp and stain how they wish and attach their beads to.   It’s amazing how adults really go after those beads!  This is another message we are getting across as how they use this idea within their dens for incentive purposes also. We also try to share a special craft or neckerchief slide related to that month’s theme, with these leaders that they can do and take back to their pack/ den. Announcements concerning upcoming training opportunities are also vital in maintaining trained leaders in our district. 

Another idea we implemented this year was providing more training in specific areas such as New Leader Essentials (they can then attend their Leader Specific when it comes up in September, January, March or May), Youth Protection, etc.  Our District Training committee provides these special training events for all scouting areas.  Again, these training events are offered at our monthly roundtables.  Our District Training committee has developed a calendar for the year providing these trainings as needed.  We publicize these training events in the Council newsletter as well as emails, and the District website.

TRAINING IS FOR EVERYONE

Circle Ten Council

Every Cub Scout deserves a qualified, trained leader who will provide them with the best program possible, in the way it is intended. A trained leader ensures that the goals of Cub Scouting are met. Every leader should be trained. Training helps leaders understand the aims and purposes of the Scouting program, improves ability to work with other leaders and boys, teaches Cub Scout skills and shows how to plan an effective Cub Scout program for the boys.

Training helps leaders acquire knowledge, develop good attitudes and learn skills, which are necessary to make the contribution to boys worthwhile. It shows how to use the many resources available to provide the best possible program for the boys, and it gives confidence to carry out the program.

The most successful leaders not only attend the basic training courses but also take advantage of continuing training opportunities.

TYPES OF TRAINING

ORIENTATION

A short training session, which may be conducted at School Night for Scouting rallies or parent meetings. It introduces parents and new leaders to the total BSA program, with emphasis on Cub Scouting. It is a foundation for further training.

FAST START

Pamphlets and video (NOW ON CD in the new “New Den Leader’s Kit”) for trainers and experienced leaders to use in coaching new leaders. Or you can watch it alone with the viewer’s guide (on the CD as a .pdf) This training provides a jump start for new leaders until they can receive New Leader Essentials and Position Specific Training. The Fast Start tape should be viewed within a week of volunteering.

NEW LEADER ESSENTIALS

New Leader Essentials is a 90 minute introductory session that highlights the values, aims, history, funding, and methods of Scouting. It addresses how these aims and methods are reached in an age-appropriate style within Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, and Venturing. Videos, discussions, and hands-on reinforcement are presented during the 90-minute training session. Ideally, all unit-based volunteers—Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, and Venturing leaders—take this session at the same time, so they understand that they are all striving for the same results with the youth they serve. Each leader completes New Leader Essentials training only once.

Benefits of New Leader Essentials

1.        Assistance in implementing the full Scouting program with chartered organizations

2.        A better understanding of the advantages of encouraging youth and adult volunteers to move through the traditional program as their youth mature

3.       An awareness of the different aspects of the Scouting program, which may result in leaders taking advantage of those programs for a child in a different age group

LEADER SPECIFIC TRAINING

Once a volunteer has a solid overview of the BSA's values-based program, he or she can begin training for a specific Scouting position through Leader Specific training. This training provides the specialized knowledge a new leader needs to assume a leadership role. Because each course is designed for a specific leadership position, the training time varies from 2 ½ hour up to almost 3 hours. Leader Specific training has been developed for the following Cub Scout positions and their assistants:

*       Tiger Cub den leaders

*       Cub Scout den leaders

*       Webelos den leaders

*       Cubmasters

*       Pack committee members

YOUTH PROTECTION TRAINING

For over three quarters of a century, the Boy Scouts of America has worked to develop the character, citizenship, and personal fitness of America's youth. We realize that the future of our society is vested in each successive generation and the values inherited.

As a major youth-serving organization, the Boy Scouts of America has a unique opportunity to help protect the youth of our nation.  In addition to helping families address the problem of child abuse, the BSA adopted a comprehensive set of policies and procedures designed to ensure that Scouting continues to be safe for all participants.  The BSA is exemplary among youth-serving agencies in recognizing the potential threat that child abuse poses to young people

Because of the great concern the Boy Scouts of America has for the problem of child abuse in our society, the Youth Protection program was developed in 1988 to help safeguard both our youth and adult members. 

Training Now Available Online!  In support of continued efforts to offer training to as many Scouters as possible and to support the requirement of having at least one youth protection-trained adult at every event requiring a Tour Permit, an internet version the youth protection training has been developed.

“Youth Protection Guidelines for Adult Leaders and Parents” training course can be completed at home on your own computer. It must be accessed through the your local BSA council website. This new online training course will help ensure that no activities will need to be cancelled because a youth protection-trained leaders is not available.  A leader may take either the online course (30 to 60 minutes depending on connection and other things) or the regular youth protection course (a 90 minute video with discussion) that councils have been offering.

Upon completion of the online training, registered adult members will receive the following: Certificate of Completion, Letter from the Scout Executive, Local Child Abuse Reporting Requirements and Course Information Handout. 

The training course is offered to schools, churches, or other youth-serving organizations in the Council. People who do not have access to a computer at home can go to a local library to take the course. Those completing the online training who are not registered adult members will receive all of the above except the certificate of completion.

BSA Youth Protection Training is now required for at least one adult present during any event or activity needed a local or national tour permit.  Further, every adult participating in nationally sponsored events and activities must be trained in BSA Youth Protection.

WOOD BADGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Upon completion of Leader Specific Training, an adult is eligible to attend Wood Badge for the 21st Century. As the core leadership skills training course for the BSA, Wood Badge focuses on strengthening every volunteer's ability to work with groups of youth and adults and is less focused on outdoor skills, which are more effectively addressed in other training courses.

The task force that developed Wood Badge for the 21st Century was charged with developing an adult training course that was on the cutting edge of training for the 21st century. They created a highly user-friendly course that would encourage BSA local councils to offer more courses and, ultimately, train more Scouters. The Wood Badge course has made significant accomplishments in both areas.

Incorporating leadership concepts that are used in corporate America, the course teaches participants the basics of listening, communicating, valuing people, team development, situational leadership, problem solving, and managing conflict. Once the skill is learned, each member is given the opportunity to use the skill as a member of a successful working team. At the conclusion of the course, each participant develops a set of personal goals related to his or her Scouting role. Working toward these goals allows each participant to practice and demonstrate new skills.

Nationwide over the past two years, Wood Badge courses have increased more than 30 percent. The course is for all Scouters—Boy Scout leaders, Cub Scout leaders, Venturing leaders, and district and council leaders. This has increased communication to allow for a more seamless connection among all BSA programs.

ROUNDTABLE

A District event held each month (usually on a specific day – e.g. Second Wednesday) to provide continuing training to leaders with emphasis on program ideas on the monthly themes and activity badges, which can be used in den and pack meetings. It is also an informal sharing of ideas and experiences, as well as a training session on how to put on a pack meeting. Each rank has their own session that they breakout into After the general meeting ends there are breakouts for more individualized items.  The breakout sessions are -

ü       Tiger, Wolf, and Bear Den Leaders

ü       Webelos Den Leaders

ü       Pack Administration

ü       Cubmasters

POW WOW

An annual ALL DAY, council wide training extravaganza for Cub Scout leaders, offering training in everything from Crafts to Outdoor cooking to Administration. All leaders are encouraged to attend this exciting, fun filled, informative event. Usually almost all classes are “Hands On” to give the leaders experience in making, building, cooking, shaping, sawing, cutting, pasting, playing …

PHILMONT CONFERENCES

Week long training courses under the direction of the National Volunteer Training Committee. These courses are held during the summer at Philmont Scout Ranch, Cimarron New Mexico. Special programs for family members make it a great family vacation with the added attraction of training. It is an opportunity to get acquainted with and share experiences with Cub Scouters from all around the nation.

I have attended 5 conferences at Philmont and they have all been excellent – Look for the schedule in Scouting magazine and ask your District Exec to recommend you when you see him/her at Roundtable.  Commissioner Dave

A TRAINED LEADER EMBLEM IS PRESENTED TO ALL LEADERS WHO COMPLETE NEW LEADER ESSENTIALS AND THE APPROPRIATE POSITION SPECIFIC TRAINING.