starting up a scout troop

[swellmomma]

I got an interesting email today. Last year I was a leader with the beaver scouts in the neighboring town while my boys did scouts and cubs. (Canadian of course so names are different than what you all are used to). Today the scoutmaster for that group, who also happens to be the area commisioner, asked me if I would be willing to start up a new group in my current town and be the scoutmaster to oversee all the sections within it! :001_huh: Now next year my 4 kids were all going to be involved and I had a TON of ideas and planning on the go so I know I would have no issue with that. But I only completed 1 year as a leader and am still fairly new to this. That said I did spend 9 years in girl guiding as a kid, and 1 year in venturers as a teen (it is the level after scouts in Canada), so I am not new to the program just to leading.

 

I told him I would be very happy to as long as I got help getting started since I have no clue about any of it.

 

Have any of you undertaken anything like this? Have you ever started up your own troop to make sure it was offered in your city/town? What did you find the work load to be like? Tell me I am not crazy taking this on, or at least even if I am bat-sh*t crazy that you think I could do a good job with it.

[Plucky]

I was a part of a start up scout troop. It was very hard to do. As a hsing mom I wouldn't have done it myself. It took at least 12 very active families to start it and it was still very, very hard.

[swellmomma]

I was a part of a start up scout troop. It was very hard to do. As a hsing mom I wouldn't have done it myself. It took at least 12 very active families to start it and it was still very, very hard.

 

Thanks for your experience. What specifically made it hard to start up? Did you have a larger group helping you get going? Right now there is just the troop in the neighboring town so everyone comes from surrounding towns to participate. It is a small group, with all 3 sections combined (so ages 5-14) we only had 21 boys. I expect that this first year in our town will be a very small group, my town only has a population of 750 people so I expect we will have a combined section group of less than 15, 4 of which will be my kids, 1 friend of their's would join as he was going to join us in the neighboring town, so that is 1/3 of the group already.

 

I mentioned the email to my mother because I was so pleased the scoutmaster had faith in me getting this going and running it and she totally crushed me telling me essentially I was too stupid and incompetent to actually run a group and I should stick to just being a beaver leader (to the 5-7 yr olds) because I could not possibly handle the rest.

 

It may prove to be too difficult to do but I want to give it a shot, I am far from stupid and incompetant, but my family doesn't have a high standing in our community. I am actually hoping that maybe if the group goes well it will help the way people perceive us here in town. It is a bit of a selfish purpose, but if it benefits the community, and more kids can get involved (there is only 2 extracurrics through the fall/winter here in town-TKD on Sunday nights and 4H once a month), then that would be a great benefit for my own family.

 

Anyway back to my first question to you, what specifically made it hard to get started? What were your biggest struggles getting it going?

[Plucky]

There are a lot of roles that need to be played. We needed a Scoutsmaster, Committee Chair, Treasurer, Advancements chair, and merit badge counselors. It also became a responsibility that took a lot of time. I don't know what your scouts is like there. Maybe there are less people or requirements needed? Scouts took on a life of its own and I sometimes regretted it, but my youngest ds is still in it and my oldest Eagled/aged out. Lots of hard work, but then I think most kids get more out of it when their parents are involved and in leadership - then the boys become leaders as well.

[swellmomma]

There are a lot of roles that need to be played. We needed a Scoutsmaster, Committee Chair, Treasurer, Advancements chair, and merit badge counselors. It also became a responsibility that took a lot of time. I don't know what your scouts is like there. Maybe there are less people or requirements needed? Scouts took on a life of its own and I sometimes regretted it, but my youngest ds is still in it and my oldest Eagled/aged out. Lots of hard work, but then I think most kids get more out of it when their parents are involved and in leadership - then the boys become leaders as well.

 

Ahh that makes sense then. Yeah we need way less people. Our current troop has the main scoutmaster (which is what I will be with the new group), myself, 1 other main leader and a husband/wife team that are technically leaders but really just serve as helpers to my beaver group. They usually don't attend events/camps. So that means there is just the 3 of us that run our current group for the most part. The scoutmaster is the treasurer, there is no such thing as a committee chair, advancements chair and we don't do merit badges the way you guys do as I learned earlier this week (in Canada the boys complete badge requirements, present to the group and if all the boxes are checked the leader awards the badge, no special hoops to jump through etc).

 

Out here as long as I had 1 other parent sign on as a leader I should be within ratio to run the group though having 2 or more would be better.

[Plucky]

Ahh that makes sense then. Yeah we need way less people. Our current troop has the main scoutmaster (which is what I will be with the new group), myself, 1 other main leader and a husband/wife team that are technically leaders but really just serve as helpers to my beaver group. They usually don't attend events/camps. So that means there is just the 3 of us that run our current group for the most part. The scoutmaster is the treasurer, there is no such thing as a committee chair, advancements chair and we don't do merit badges the way you guys do as I learned earlier this week (in Canada the boys complete badge requirements, present to the group and if all the boxes are checked the leader awards the badge, no special hoops to jump through etc).

 

Out here as long as I had 1 other parent sign on as a leader I should be within ratio to run the group though having 2 or more would be better.

 

Oh, then it is really a whole different beast. Can you get involved and if it is too much for your family bow out?

[swellmomma]

Oh, then it is really a whole different beast. Can you get involved and if it is too much for your family bow out?

 

I think that if I undertake this this year we are commited for the whole year, but I can certainly train any other volunteers to step into that role as scoutmaster for the subsequent years and focus on just 1 group. Or I can keep being the scoutmaster and hand the other groups off to other volunteers, ultimately I would still be in charge of all the troops but only working with the 1 age group and letting other volunteers lead their own sections. Which is what it was in the other troop. I suspect this first year though I will be doing everything while we get off the ground.

[Plucky]

I think that if I undertake this this year we are commited for the whole year, but I can certainly train any other volunteers to step into that role as scoutmaster for the subsequent years and focus on just 1 group. Or I can keep being the scoutmaster and hand the other groups off to other volunteers, ultimately I would still be in charge of all the troops but only working with the 1 age group and letting other volunteers lead their own sections. Which is what it was in the other troop. I suspect this first year though I will be doing everything while we get off the ground.

 

Really think hard about this. You have 4 kids and this may take over your lives. Good luck. :grouphug:

[swellmomma]

We went through the process up until the very last needed signature. It looked like we were going to have to leave our present troop due to some unpleasant parents and lots of accusation flying, but managed to ease out the troublemakers and now have a strong, solid troop. Anyway, in the US, we needed a SM and two other registered adult leaders. We needed 5 boys to start a new troop (we were going to have way more than that). And we needed a Chartering Organization, which was going to be our church in town. Merit badge counselors are district positions, not troop, though many troops have their own for Eagle required badges.

 

One thing that BSA does really well is training; what is available to you there? Do you have Chartering Organizations there or is it like GSUSA here that each unit is autonomous? What funding will you have? Make sure there is adequate supervision of all funds. Will you have individual Scout accounts to help with camp expenses? Do you have enough leaders to go camping? Does your district (or whatever you call it) have a residential camp? Will you go? Is there day camp? High Adventure? Can't keep those older kids without HA! Is there something like US's Order of the Arrow? WIll you support it? Best to get some of those questions out of the way. Will your committee work by voting or consensus? Will you have bylaws? Code of Conduct? What will your CO do for you (if you have one)? Pay for camp? Pay recharter? Totally ignore you?

 

I don't think you're crazy, but it's going to be a big job. If you approach it as a family thing, it could be really great!

 

 

thanks for all of this.

 

There is no order of the arrow here, or residential camps or high adventure etc. Each group is essentially autonomous though we have to get approval from provincial council before camps and big activities, so paperwork but otherwise no one else overseeing us. There is a Canada wide Code of Conduct the boys (and families) must comply with and sign when they register. When we have camps either the money will come from troop funds or paid by parents. There is locations nearby that we can rent for camps (next town over has a provincial park with camp ground) we frequent often for example, and there is scout owned lands a few hours from here we can use for camps.

 

Funding, registeration and popcorn money is put into scout account, I will have to create an account for the whole unit, a set amount gets paid to council for insurance etc the remainder would be for the group. For this first year I don't think we will have very much for programming, but everything I already had in mind for next year even if we stayed with the old troop was either free or the parents had to pay for it as it was too much even for that troop to cover full costs.

 

We will still be on good terms with the other troop as he is thinking it would be good to have a troop in this town not because we are breaking away out of issues kwim. So we could still do joint activities etc.

 

As for leaders to go camping etc I don't know yet. Until registrations are done in Sept there is no real set answer to that. Last year for winter camp they had the 2 main men, the 2 part time leaders and the beaver parents. Spring camp was all 3 of us main leaders, and the beaver parents. From what I understood last year we need 3 leaders for camps, and since it is a co-ed troop 1 always has to be a female (aka me)

[swellmomma]

You have awesome questions. Wood badge yes we have that. I have my wood badge I done and am likely signing up for woodbadge II this summer if I can swing it. I have also done the extra training that scouts canada introduced this summer (youth protection,and interviewing/screening potential volunteers), and the specific training to my old section (beavers) and half of the training for cubs. I was working through the cubs and scouts training this summer anyway before this email from him.

 

I am not sure about monthly meetings with the regional council. Canada Jamboree happens to be in my province next summer so any scouts going will need to fundraise through the year as it costs $650 per participant. I think for that we will do individual accounts to be sure those that work hard have it covered and encourage those wanting to go to work hard. I am thinking that a deposit per family plus the fundraising with the families understand that they would have to pay the balance that is not raised. That was something I was going to brinig forward in teh other group anyway as we had already planned to bring a group to CJ'13.

 

Chief scout is what my kids are working towards right now. The vast majority of it is done at troop level just like the badges. Once the requirements are met I would submit their names to the unit commissioner (which is the scoutmaster of the troop we were with) and he does the next stage before it goes to provincial office. There is no inbetween tester or anything.

 

Scouts Canada as a whole seems to have a good structure, as a leader I found it easy to gets supports/training/program planners etc. I just have never started something up like this before. I am excited by the prospect because the other scoutmaster works too much for a lot of activities/camps outside of the weekly meeting, which he was often late to and he seemed very scatter brained all the time. I have a vision of what I want for my kids, and was bringing that to my beaver group and apparently he felt it was a good indication of what I could do with a whole troop.

 

At the same time I am so scared to bite off more than I can chew and failing all the participants. My kids started telling kids in town today that we were starting up a troop and from the sounds of it we will have a good size to get started based on the interest of the kids in town. They are eager to grab hold of an activity here in town.

 

The only thing I wish is that there was more on the national website for resources for starting up a troop. Lots as a leader of the different sections but nothing specific to what is takes to start up and over see a whole unit. I am sure that is because it doesn't happen too often and I am sure they have lots of info to offer, just not on the website.

[swellmomma]

I think it is so cool that you're doing this!

 

Yeah well I woke up this morning with the "wth was I thinking" feeling going on. I am excited but now the weight of it is starting to settle in. Pie in the sky thoughts easy, but feet to the ground getting it done whole other issue. Time to be the little engine.

[Suzannah]

You've already had quite a bit of feedback so I almost didn't post. But I have been very involved with my son's Cub and Boy Scout Troops as well as my daughter's American Heritage Girls (AHG) troop. Last year I was asked to help start a new AHG troop in the same area as our old troop because there were so many new girls they were running out of space to accomodate them. So, while it's not exactly the same thing, I am in the midst of a similar process right now.

 

All last year, since we knew we were beginning the new troop, the other leader and I had informal fun days with girls who were interested in the new troop but for whatever reason couldn't participate in the current troop (scheduling conflicts mostly). That allowed for some bonding opportunities and since they weren't official scout activities, just get-togethers (like at a park or working on a service project together) we didn't have to worry about going through the official channels of insurance, getting permission, etc.

 

We also spent the year looking for people willing to join us in leadership roles, both from the old troop, the new chartering organization, word of mouth and people who were directed to us from the National organization.

 

The chartering process was VERY paperwork-intensive. I don't know whether it would be the same for you, but becoming a leader in an established troop is not the same as becoming the Coordinator (like a Scoutmaster) in a brand new troop. We had to get letters of recommendation, background checks and do some basic training as well as fill a minimum number of leadership roles just to charter.

 

At this point, we are officially chartered, have all of our leadership positions filled and most of our new leaders have undergone the necessary training or will within the next month or so (First Aid/CPR is on the calendar).

 

So, all of that to say, it is a big job, but doable. I think seeking out other parent leaders is first and foremost the most important part of establishing a troop. I don't know whether you need to go so far as to REQUIRE parental involvement, but just starting out, you would do well to have some sort of commitment from other parents to help with various aspects or you will be utterly overwhelmed.

 

Out of curiosity, as you pointed out, the names are different. What age group would this troop be? I'm not sure whether you are talking about Cubs/Webelos (6-8, 9-10) or Boy Scouts (10-18).

 

Blessings!

[swellmomma]

Out of curiosity, as you pointed out, the names are different. What age group would this troop be? I'm not sure whether you are talking about Cubs/Webelos (6-8, 9-10) or Boy Scouts (10-18).

 

Blessings!

 

It will be for beavers (5-7), cubs (8-10) and scouts (11-16; technically scouts is done at 14 but in rural locations there is seldom venturers groups so scouts canada allows the boys to stay in scouts until 16 so they don't drop out before being old enough to become leaders).

 

Just to become a leader I had to have recommendations, background check, police record check etc, so that is all done already.

 

The vast majority of those that would join would likely be cubs, any experience I have ever had with scouting in any city we have been in cubs groups were always much bigger than beavers and scouts)

 

I heard back from the commissioner/scoutmaster and he is starting the paperwork on his end. I have been told to find a sponsor as my first step. So thinking on that for now and getting ready to compose a letter.

 

Those that have had to find a sponsor first for a group like this, did you only approach 1 group/company or a few and hope 1 agreed? How exactly did you ask?

 

I have asked the SM to let me know exactly will be required of the sponsor so that I know exactly what I am asking for. This town does not have much business for anything, and so I am not sure how difficult this will be. He said it needs to be a business, association or parent group to sponsor it.

[Suzannah]

My friend and I were specifically broached with the idea of chartering at the church we both attended so for us that wasn't much of an issue. I know of troops who meet at YMCA/YWCA, schools and churches. I don't know what other options there may be, but I would suggest if you have any sort of a connection with an organization like that, you start there.

[swellmomma]

Update on the process: I had a meeting last week with a couple of head honchos for our area. I am officially the new Group Commissioner for the group in my town. We are going to start off affiliated with my old group in order to skip a few of the steps typically necessary, so that we can get teh group rolling faster. We will work towards getting those steps done as we progress through the year.

 

I have a combination of fun things to plan (troop colours for our neckers, name, night of meeting, programming) and a couple of not as much fun but necessary things, like finding a sponsor, having a group committee meeting, setting up a bank account etc.

 

I have pretty much planned out the full year for scouts and cubs. I decided that since I have a vision for what I want of this group, my oldest 3 are cubs/scouts with particular goals in mind and the leadership will all be brand new it would be better to plan everything out for this first year and make life easier for teh new leaders that just have to implement the plans I developed (of course if they are feeling confident they can alter them). For the beaver level it will be a bit easier because it is not tied to specific badges/awards like the big kids so I will just utilize the meeting jump starts offered to leaders and hand those to the new leaders.

 

I may post some of our programming plans on here for feedback if you would allow your boy scouts to participate in those things.

 

I have contacted 1 person at the ELKS club to see who I write to to request a meeting to ask for sponsorship. Just waiting to hear back. I have sent a blurb to the newspaper, and the town office has offered to include a write up about our troop in every newsletter (they go out with the utility bill) and keep a section of the town website for us to post pictures etc all for free.

 

And the most fun will be the "shopping trip" I get to do. A troop shut down that had been run by a military man and I get first dibs of all the stuff left behind including a canoe, camping gear, flags etc.

 

This week is blitz week #1, peppering the town with flyers, brochures and word of mouth that scouting is coming to town. I am hoping to run an information session (to get people thinking about joining, hopefully fill some leadership positions etc) in the next few weeks.

Edited July 16, 2012 by swellmomma