Empowering boys to be leaders is at the core of Scouting and is as Lord Baden-Powell planned the program to be. Scouts learn by doing, and some of what they do in Scouting is lead their Patrols and the Troop. Troop 412 is a small democracy. The Scouts are formed into Patrols, the basic unit of the Troop, and we operate by the “Patrol Method”. Troop 412 relies upon Scouts serving in positions of responsibility to plan and manage the Troop's activities. The Scouts themselves develop the Troop’s program, and then take responsibility for figuring out how they will achieve their goals.
An important part of the leadership experience is to handle adversity with resolve and persistence. For that reason, it is important that the Troop provide the Scouts the “opportunity to fail” with the protection of a safety net. This one of the most challenging aspects of serving as an adult leader to a Troop. There is nothing more difficult than watching a group of Scouts argue over the right direction to go, the proper way to start a fire or the correct way to prepare dinner, knowing that the outcome of the discussion will be less than an optimal result.
Within the boundaries of safety, however, it is absolutely essential that the leaders permit the adverse results to occur and assist the Scouts in learning the lessons that come from such experiences. Thus, it is not unlikely that your Scout may come home from an outdoor activity cold, wet or hungry on occasion. It is the Troop’s task to be sure that your Scout is safe and learns a positive lesson from experience rather abandoning the whole program. It is the sopping wet campout and the black pancakes of which Boy Scout legends are made.
As proven through the years, the Scouts will also learn something about preparation, responsibility and accountability along the way.
|
