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Adult Leadership
The Boy Scout troop is run by the boys. Nevertheless, adults are needed for logistics, such as driving to campouts or paying for a safe meeting location, signing off or approving advancement requirements, supervision, and guidance. Adults should give the boys a chance to lead and not jump in immediately, unless safety is involved. The boy's association with positive role models is one of the key methods of scouting.
The chartering organization provides adult leaders and encourages adult leadership training. Often these leaders volunteer on their own, but in many cases, they are volunteered (or assigned) to a position. Local scout leaders are not financially compensated,Footnote but scouting shouldn't be a financial burden either — so the unit or its boys should help pay for their activities, equipment, and travel. (Information about finances is on page [Dues Fees Finances].)
Some chartering organizations may have different processes for volunteers. For example, in LDS chartered units, the local church leadership asks members from their congregation to serve in roles for their troop. Their terms usually last for 18 months to four years, but the length is undefined. Generally in LDS units, adults do not actively seek out or cannot request these positions; nevertheless, parents can still volunteer to participate in their troop committee or as adult chaperones or merit badge counselors.
Standard adult leadership positions include commissioners, local unit committee members, the Scoutmaster, and Assistant Scoutmaster(s). Many other volunteer opportunities are available too. The minimum age for adult leaders is 21 years old, except Assistant Scoutmasters who must be at least 18 years old. Approved adult scout members are known as Scouters.
The geographic area is organized into a large council which may include numerous units. The Boy Scouts of America has over 300 councils and over 150,000 units. The council usually provides a scout store, adult training opportunities, and organization for its local units — often led by professional scouters and non-paid volunteers. The council handles unit registrations, local marketing, and merit badge counselor registrations. Councils are often divided up into smaller districts. Districts provide localized training and assistance. (This book doesn't introduce the higher level national, regional, and area organizations.)
The webpage at http://www.scouting.org/localcouncillocator.aspxmay be used to find your local council. The local council may also have a website that can be searched for the council's districts map, contact information, and calendar. (Note that your local unit may not meet in your district's boundaries, due to the address of registration or former meeting places.) You can also use the Wikipedia website (http://www.wikipedia.org/) to find councils by state and their districts. Also check your local phone books for Boy Scouts of America.
Commissioners
Commissioners are often knowlegdable area leaders who help local units by providing coaching and consulting for the unit's adult leaders. The Unit Commissioner is the representative for a unit (but not from the unit) and works with the chartering organization to assist with unit organization, yearly renewals, and sharing information.
Troop Committee
The committee members are parents and other adults who help with the troop, including rechartering (annual re-registration of the unit, leaders, and youth) and running Board of Reviews to evaluate the boys' advancement. These adults are also officially registered every year. It is often recommended that a representative from each scout's family participate on the committee.
Troops normally have committee meetings monthly which may last from one to two hours. They are led by a committee chairman. The typical agenda is covering upcoming events, planning (with focus on boys leading the troop with adults only providing counsel), money earning projects, logistics (drivers and chaperones for events), recruiting Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmasters, discussing scouting policies, meeting facilities, etc.
Commonly, the committee members may have assigned responsibilities and they share status reports. Committee positions include chairman, secretary, treasurer, advancements, outdoor activities, health and safety, service projects, enrollments, physical facilities, Board of Reviews, Order of the Arrow, patrol advisor, equipment, and other duties as needed. Or the committee may be informal and not have many or any positions. It is important that the adults do not do the boy's responsibilities, but provide guidance or assistance as needed. (For example, the committee member over equipment may assist the Quartermaster.)
Committees may have agendas available before the meetings and minutes provided later after the meeting. (Email may be used for committee discussions.) Some troops provide yearly plans (developed by the youth-led Patrol Leader Council) that the committee should review.
Note that some chartering organizations may have multiple committees, such as separate committees for the Cub Scout program and the Venturing program.
A troop needs a strong committee to thrive. In addition, some units have a separate parents' auxiliary or ladies' auxiliary which provides different or similar support roles.
Scoutmaster
The Scoutmaster is the head adult supervisor of the troop's boys. He is at least 21 years old. He is the role model and lead teacher for the youth. He okays projects, approves activities, and guides advancements. The Scoutmaster is a cross between an athletic coach and a school guidance counselor. He doesn't run the youth meetings, but provides assistance and guidance as needed for the youth leaders. The Scoutmaster usually stays in the background; his corrections and criticism can generally be done after meetings.
He also runs Scoutmaster Conferences to individually meet with boys to discuss goals, advancement, and likes and dislikes of their participation. He may meet in the family's home with the parents and boy to help explain the scouting program and about any concerns they may have. He also assigns boys to merit badge counselors. The Scoutmaster is defined as the ``Unit Leader'' on various paperwork and forms.
Parents and boys should find out the Scoutmaster's preferred method of communication, such as phone, text messaging, email, or in-person. They may encourage most communication to be handled by Patrol Leaders and the Senior Patrol Leader.
Assistant Scoutmaster(s)
One or more adult supervisors are also assigned as Assistant Scoutmasters (ASM) for specific duties or tasks, such as a Patrol Advisor. A common example is supervising the New Scout Patrol or as the 11-year-old Scout Leader (in LDS troops) for counseling and guiding the youngest, beginning scouts. The Assistant Scoutmaster must be at least 18 years old. The Assistant Scoutmaster is commonly recruited by the troop committee (except in LDS units).
It is important to note that scout troops are run by the boys and the lessons are taught by the boys. Boy Scouting teaches leadership and the youth actually should plan, delegate, organize, and run their activities. For example, the 11-year-old scout meetings are led by a Patrol Leader and the lessons mostly taught by the older scouts (who already learned and participated previously when taught by their older peers) — and the 11-year-old Scout Leader provides counsel and assistance with these meetings and instruction. Every patrol does not need an adult advisor.
- ...Footnote
- The BSA may have local offices, stores, and camps with paid staffs. These are professional scouters.
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