Advancement in Troops

Transcription

1 Advancement in Troops L.E.A.D BOY 4221 Mark Fenske Assistant Scoutmaster Troop 234 Moraga, CA Ranks Seven ranks on the trail to Eagle Scout Tenderfoot Second Class First Class Star Life Eagle Merit Badges 137 Merit Badges and coun:ng 21 required for Eagle rank 1

2 Boy Scout Requirements Note- Con:nuously updated. Always recheck online. The Aims of ScouGng Every Scou:ng ac:vity moves boys toward the basic aims of: Character Development Ci:zenship Training Mental and Physical Fitness Why Advancement? Advancement is one of the eight methods used by Scout leaders to help boys fulfill the aims of the BSA. ~ Guide to Advancement 2

3 A method Not an end in itself Advancement is A process based on experien:al learning Designed to educate and expand horizons A means for personal growth Age- appropriate, surmountable hurdles Building skills, confidence and esteem The Four Steps of Advancement Learn Test Review Recognize Step 1: The Scout Learns A Scout learns by doing, he grows, and then teaches - Boy Scout Handbook The EDGE method is a four step teaching method: Explain Demonstrate Guide Enable 3

4 Step 2: The Scout is Tested The unit leader authorizes those who may test Might include Scout Leaders or Adult Leaders Merit badge counselors test the requirements for merit badges Must be registered with BSA Once it s earned, it s earned Step 3: The Scout is Reviewed AYer comple:ng all requirements for a rank (including a Scoutmaster Conference), the Scout meets with a Board of Review Tenderfoot through Life ranks: the Board of Review is comprised of members of the troop commi\ee Eagle rank: Local council advancement commi\ee determines the level (i.e., Council, District or Unit) at which Boards of Review are held Step 4: The Scout is Recognized Recogni:on builds confidence and leads to addi:onal advancement Reward Mo:va:on Example Recogni:on should be immediate and repe::ve 4

5 Mechanics of Advancement All ranks must be earned sequen:ally regardless of age at joining All requirements must be passed exactly as wri\en If a requirement uses words like show, demonstrate or discuss, that that is what Scouts must do No more, no less All rank advancements completed by age 18 unless special needs or circumstances apply Mechanics of Advancement Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class rank requirements can be fulfilled at any :me ayer joining Ranks may be worked on simultaneously......but must be earned in sequence Star, Life, and Eagle rank requirements must be fulfilled ayer the successful comple:on of a board of review for the previous rank Mechanics of Advancement Both Scouts and registered adult leaders may sign off on Boy Scout rank requirements Parents should be involved at home encouraging, mentoring, and suppor:ng, but they do not sign for rank advancement requirements unless they serve as uniformed leaders Once it s done, it s done Once a Scout has a requirement signed off, he cannot be required to complete it again Units cannot add any requirements or standards to rank advancement 5

6 Advancement: Lower Ranks Advancement at this level is subtle It is not about mastering a skill or memorizing a subject It s about learning new things through experience Skills will improve and knowledge will be retained through future repe::on and instruc:on in the troop secng Advancement: Upper Ranks Focus is on ac:ve par:cipa:on and leadership A Scout is required to: be ac:ve in his troop and patrol teach younger scouts par:cipate in community service projects Serve ac:vely in a posi:on of responsibility for troop or patrol Ac:ve par:cipa:on Ac:ve = the Scout s level of ac:vity, whether high or minimal, has exhibited Scou:ng values while having a sufficiently posi:ve influence in the troop A purposely flexible standard to accommodate varying levels of par:cipa:on 6

7 Ac:ve par:cipa:on Three- pronged test to evaluate ac:ve par:cipa:on: 1) The scout is registered in the unit 2) The scout is in good standing (i.e., not dismissed for disciplinary reasons) 3a) The scout has met the troop s reasonable, pre- established expecta:ons re level of ac:vity OR ALTERNATIVELY 3b) The scout was involved in other posi:ve endeavors outside of the troop that contributed to his growth, which prevented his greater par:cipa:on in the troop Posi:on of Responsibility Posi:on of Responsibility ( POR ) must be chosen from among those listed in the Scout Handbook Troops cannot require a specific POR for a rank Dis:nc:on between responsibility and leadership Time requirement may be aggregated from mul:ple PORs, and need not be con:nuous service Scout fulfills the POR requirement if he fulfills the troop s reasonable, pre- established expecta:ons/du:es Posi:on of Responsibility Mee:ng Expecta:ons If there are no established expecta:ons or posi:on descrip:ons, then unit leader and Scout should work out the responsibili:es to fulfill If no expecta:ons are given to the scout and he makes a reasonable effort to perform what he determines should be done, then he fulfills this requirement If the scout is not mee:ng expecta:ons, this should be communicated by the unit leadership early on and the scout should be given an opportunity to improve 7

8 Posi:on of Responsibility Mee:ng Expecta:ons It is a disservice to the Scout and to the unit to reward work that has not been done.... Some degree of responsibility must be prac:ced, taken or accepted Have wri\en posi:on descrip:ons with direc:ons Provide coaching and support On the other hand, only in rare cases if ever should troop leaders inform a Scout that :me, once served, will not count It is unfair to the Scout to withhold credit if the scout was not informed what was expected of him The Scoutmaster Conference Should be performed by the Scoutmaster Required for each rank Not limited to just one per rank Not a test to be passed or a retest of requirements A scout cannot be denied a SMC; if denied, scout can request BOR anyway Does not have to be the last step before BOR Discuss Scout Spirit living the Scout Oath and Scout Law Discuss Duty to God The Board of Review Occurs ayer scout has completed rank requirements Purpose is to determine the quality of his experience and to decide if he has fulfilled the requirements Should be scheduled promptly as scouts are ready, or on a regular basis to assure scouts are not delayed in working on next rank Board must consist of 3-6 persons < age 21; Commi\ee members; not SM, ASM, parent/guardian* It s preferred the scout be in Class A, but Board should not reject candidates solely based on failure to be in uniform 8

9 The Board of Review An opportunity to learn what scout has accomplished and how troop is doing Not a retest, challenge or exam The Board must unanimously agree to advance the scout If not approved, the Scout should be told what he can do to improve and properly complete requirements in order to have a further BOR as soon as possible The SM should be promptly informed of the BOR s decision Merit Badges Merit badge counselors must be registered with the BSA and have current YPT Merit badge counselors must be approved by the local council The council or district furnishes the merit badge counselor lists to the units The unit advancement coordinator maintains a current and accurate counselor list for Scouts PSA: Please send your lists to District MBC chair annually! Make sure scouts are using the buddy system when mee:ng with MB counselors Other Opportuni:es for Recogni:on Awards and recogni:ons can supplement advancement and lead to increased Scout reten:on There are more than 100 other awards and recogni:ons for both youth and adults Some are earned, while others are presented in honor of service rendered 9

10 1/15/18 Other Awards & RecogniGons Commonly Earned Other Awards & RecogniGons Outdoor AcGvity & Progressive Awards Other Awards & RecogniGons Less Commonly Earned 10

11 Other Awards & RecogniGons Unit & Event Awards Consider crea:ng your own Troop or event awards & recogni:ons to promote ac:vi:es: Other Opportuni:es for Recogni:on A separate publica:on, the Guide to Awards and Insignia, is a central source for building a deeper understanding of the opportuni:es available. It can be found at h\p:// Unit Advancement ResponsibiliGes Support the unit advancement program Maximize rank achievement Facilitate a smooth advancement process We adult volunteers need to stop thinking of ourselves as gatekeepers and start remembering that we re here to be gate-openers! ~ Mike LoVecchio, BSA Advancement Specialist 11

12 Unit Advancement Coordinator Supports unit leader s vision for advancement Educates Scouts, parents and unit leaders to s:mulate and encourage advancement within the troop Helps arrange and facilitate regularly scheduled Boards of Review and Courts of Honor Obtains necessary badges and cer:ficates Unit Advancement Coordinator Keeps advancement records and submits advancement reports to the unit commi\ee Keeps a current copy of the district or council provided merit badge counselor list With youth leadership, helps maintain a library of advancement literature Learns about and promotes other BSA awards and recogni:ons Unit Advancement Responsibili:es: Repor:ng Units must report all advancement to the local council Advancement should be reported regularly MDSC now requires use of Internet Advancement portal All advancement for a calendar year must be recorded during that year to count for Journey to Excellence 12

13 In Summary, Advancement Encourages Scouts to learn new skills and explore new subject areas Provides Scouts tangible rewards for hard work Builds Scouts confidence & self- esteem Facilitates Scouts personal growth Provides a method to further the aims of Scou:ng Available Resources PublicaGons Guide to Advancement, No Boy Scout Requirements, No Boy Scout Handbook, No Merit Badge Counselor InformaBon, No Advancement News e- newsle\er Bryan on ScouBng: Ask the Expert h\ps://blog.scou:ngmagazine.org/ category/ask- the- expert/ BSA Online Advancement Help AdvancementandAwards.aspx 13

14 1/15/18 BSA Advancement Resources AdvancementandAwards/resources.aspx Advancement News Archive AdvancementandAwards/advancement_news.aspx Advancement AdvancementNews News October 2014 Vol. 4, No. 6 Previous issues are available at Opportunities for Advancement Administrators Conference on Education for Advancement Administrators Florida Sea Base, January The Conference on Education for Advancement Administrators, or CEAA for short, has established a well-deserved reputation for being a premier learning experience and workshop for council and district advancement-oriented volunteers and professionals. The CEAA will be held at the Florida Sea Base this winter, and there is still time to sign up. Here is a sample of what you will experience during your week in the sunny Florida Keys, January First, you will have an opportunity to assist the National Advancement Committee in the development of educational materials and other resources that will be used across the country. Many of the PowerPoint education tools posted at are the result of previous CEAA conferences. This year s conference participants will view and discuss these existing materials and will be given the opportunity to make recommendations for additional tools to be developed for the future. Several members of the National Advancement Committee and its advisory panel will be on hand, along with representatives of the National Disabilities Awareness committee, to hear your ideas. Continued on page 2 In This Issue Opportunities for Advancement Administrators: Conference on Education for Advancement Administrators (CEAA), Florida Sea Base, January On Increasing Advancement: Scout Advancement through First Class: Not Just a Matter of 1-2-3, Boy Scout Competition Announced From the Guide To Advancement: Scoutmaster Conferences: Busting a Few Persistent Myths Cub Scout Angle: Webelos Scouts to Boy Scouts: When Should the Transition Start? Merit Badges-Enhancing Our Youth s Competitive Edge: On the Horizon October 2014 Advancement News Eagle Issues: Boards of Review: Negative Reference Responses The Venturing Perspective: The Summit Award: Venturing s Capstone Achievement From the Archives: Helpful Hints on Special Needs Advancement Flexibility (May, 2012) The Survey Says: Positions of Responsibility Survey, March 2014 Observations & Commentary A Peek Ahead: Topics Planned for November Helpful Links: Advancement Resources Page 1 Other Unofficial Online Resources Ask Andy h\p://netcommissioner.com/askandy/ Scoutmaster CG h\p://scoutmastercg.com/category/advancement/ USSSP: Scoutmaster.org h\p://usscouts.org/advancementtoc.asp#boy 14