BRAND NEW TROOP....WHERE TO START!!!!!

[derekspudich]

Hello, I am starting a brand new Troop in a very small community. The council has approved it although right now we only have 3 boys. All three boys mothers are interested in being committee members. My question is, where do I start? I am an Eagle scout and was in scouting my entire childhood, but looking at it at this angle is much different. I couldn't sleep last night thinking of everything that had to be done. I am afraid that the parents think since I am SM that I am going to do everything. I have stated all along thats not the case. Anyone have any ideas? We have NO money and NO supplies. With only three boys, I don't think a fundraiser is going to cut it and I worry that with a brand new troop if I throw fundraisers at them first thing that the interest will fizzle. Also, the three boys in the troop are very young, with the oldest being in 7th grade. Does anyone have any idea where to start!!!!!!!????????

[jr56]

Does your troop have a UC assigned yet, they would be the first person to contact. If not, ask your DE. Also go to the next district roundtable and pick the brains of your fellow leaders. Also get trained ASAP.

[wagionvigil]

you need to Fast Start Train that can be done on line at www.scouting.org
Then you need to take SM fundamentals and the outdoor part of it. Read as much BSA literature as you can. Review the Guide to Safe Scouting and do not waiver from it.

[derekspudich]

I have been in contact with our District Director almost daily...he pushed hard to get this started, and even though i told him I probably would be best suited as an assistant or committee member right now, I got thrown out as Scoutmaster at signup..no big deal. I have done all the online training BSA provides but the next real scoutmaster training isn't until April. I want to get these boys moving so they don't get bored and bring more boys in.

We are Troop 84 in Hardin, IL, Trails West Council.

[wagionvigil]

Use your Knowledge that you acquired when a scout. Depending on what part of the country you are in will set what you can do outside right now.
Hikes, Overnight camping. Remember you just can't camp at farmer Toms Farm It must now be a council approved camping area.
Buolding fires,Cooking hobo meals, Axe And Rope Work,First Aid, CPR Training

[wagionvigil]

Equipment- beg And Borrow from families until you can have a couple fund raisers to get some equipment.
Money-Fund raising Like A CAr Wash, Hoagie sale,pizza sale, ( there is a form that must be approved by council befoer you have a fund raiser.
Get your chartering organization to donate money for camping equipment etc.

[Mrw]

Doing outdoor stuff, especially camping, but day stuff if the overnight supplies are low is a good place to start.

When you get together with the boys, see what they are particularly interested in doing. Somewhere there is an interest survey, but with just the three to start a discussion is probably plenty.

We do the survey once every couple years (in May). One year the top rated outdoor activity interest was a camping trip where they could go sledding. So they worked it into the next winter schedule.

Also see if there are district or council activities where they can participate in larger activites with other patrols - first aid meets, camporees, etc. It is nice for them to see they are a part of something much bigger.

[derekspudich]

Do any of you think that I should have these 3 form into a patrol? I have thought about this, I would need one senior patrol leader, and one patrol leader. Seems pretty useless at the moment. What do you think?

[Mrw]

They should form a patrol with a patrol identity. They would need a patrol leader and the other two boys could pick out what seems to be the positions your new troop needs most - in their view.

There isn't much point to a SPL or PLC at this point, but ina year or two when the troop starts to grow you will add them into the program as you need them.

[riverwalk]

The journey down the yellow brick road, started at the beginning. So start one step at a time. You've seen some good ideas already. Your Troop size, or money, or supplies currently has little to do with doing it right. Much of the World Scouting has less to work with than y'all have now.

Complete training for you and those other leaders. Train also the youth members, as they will be the building block for your program. They know the Troop is starting with little material things. But start some efforts at outings, even day outings, Increase your visibility locally by all the suggested methods and resources. Projects may come your way, or go seek them out. This will get the Troop in front of others while performing community service. This may help with fundraising, and recruitment. Meanwhile, ask other Troops and District Scouters about tagging along with other Units on their outings. Veteran Troops may have ample equipment, and don't see every member attending an outing. This may accomodate your Troop well, and give members a chance to learn from their neighboring Troop.

Money and supplies will come with running a healthy Troop. But they can also be window dressing on some Troops that don't have a good program as their foundation. The right people will get Trained, and follow the tried and true methods of Scouting. And to borrow a line my movie hero used to say, "Lest we forget". Our Scouting has been around nearly a hundred years, so we should realize most of us started when we didn't know about the big picture.

[PPC_NYLT]

All the ideas above are really good places to start. I would ask the chartering organization for help. When my troop first started out 9 or 10 years ago, our chartering org (the elks lodge in town) gave us a very nice dontation. I don't remember the exact number, but i do remember that there were more than two "0"s at the end. Another good thing to try to help get money would be selling trailend popcorn. I know you said you don't want to overload on fundraisers right away, but this is a good place to start (and it tastes good).

[riverwalk]

Very good ideas, about the CO and Popcorn sales. The Chartered partner has agreed to some things, though they sometimes don't realize all of the possible ways to help. And the popcorn sale is one of the few exceptions where the Uniform is permitted, there again helping promote the program locally.

[WVBeaver05]

I agree with almost everything that has been posted previously. You don't need a SPL or PLC, yet. Get some activities going. Get trained. etc.

Don't overlook the suggestion to tag along with an established Troop. We see that very often in our Council. Not just for new Troops. We us it to bring with multiple small units. We have combined with an adjacent Troop for Troop level JLT to get enough boys for the course to work well. We have also combined for some campouts dedicated to some of the requirements (map and compass). We have also had new units attend campouts and summer camp with us so their young boys could see how the older ones functioned together.

Recruiting is something that you will have to work on as well. You really need to increase the numbers to get a viable unit. And, since you don't seem to be associated with a Pack to feed you it will take more work on your part. Take advantage of the Scouts recruiting (it is a First Class requirement for them).

Besides Scouts, you need more adults too. As you say, being an Eagle Scout as a youth doesn't really give you the whole picture of the adult aspect of Troop operations (boy do I know that!). As mentioned, find and talk to your Unit Commissioner. Go seek out some adults to help you. Find some others who are Eagle Scouts. Find some that have been associated with units in the past, but aren't now. Find some from you CO. They don't have to be parents.

Get trained!! (fyi- I have been called a fanatic on this point). Get the other adults trained!!!!! You don't mention the on-line Youth Protection. If you haven't had it, go do it right now! Get the other adults to do it right away, too. Don't wait until next spring. Try one or more of these ideas. Look at the training schedule for nearby Districts and go to one of their training sessions (I recommend that for all leaders all the time anyway -- if anyone wants to know why, just ask). Contact you DE and/or District Training Chair and ask for a special training session. You have enough to fill a New Leader Essentials just with you and your Committee. In any case, DON'T WAIT. Attend Roundtables. If you District doesn't have one, go to another one. (fyi-Roundtables are considered training.)

I am less concerned about fund raising than most people since you don't really need much for as small a group as you have. Borrow what you need until the unit can afford it. Instead, I suggest focusing on the PROGRAM that you will need to hold these Scouts interest and bring in more Scouts. Do make sure you find out about events like Camporees in you District and/or Council. Look at nearby District calendars and maybe go to their Camporees. This is important as it lets your Scouts see a range of other Scout units and the different things they do and the different ways that they do the same things.

Above all, be patient AND HAVE FUN -- not just the Scouts -- YOU HAVE TO ENJOY IT TOO.

Don't forget to use the Scout Oath and Scout Law to guide you.
And, if you have questions ASK. This is a great place to get info and a wide variety of points of view.

YiS

[Chief J]

Talk to your District Director, there is some literature about the first three months in the life of a Scout Troop.

If you can put together some programming for these new youth, both indoor and outdoor, then you have a good chance. As far as outdoor, take it small, if the scouts have their own equipment super, if you have equipment they can use that is great also.

As far as your youth organization, I think a small patrol with patrol identity is your best bet. I also agree at this time you do not need an SPL.

Good Luck and Best Wishes as your Troop develops and grows,
Chief J

[mhjacobson]

1. Forget troop level youth positions at this time. You have the nucleus of a patrol and a patrol you shall have. Have the boys in your patrol elect a patrol leader and start the boys immediately in understanding how a 'boy lead' troop operates. When you get more boys, then you can start a second patrol and then you will need a SPL.

2. As someone has already said, find out what the boys want to do. But at the same time, do not lose sight of the BSA advancement program. This will assist the boys in obtaining the skills that will make them successful scouts, and give the scouts some idea of some of the things that they should be doing at troop meetings and activities (and also give the boys recognition for what they are accomplishing).

3. Work with your Unit Commissioner to find out where trainings are taking place. If not in your district, how about the district next to yours. Take whatever web based trainings you can (YPT, Safety Afloat, Defensive Swim, etc.) to make sure that you are qualified for those activities that the boys will want to do.

4. Meet with the COR and the Sponsoring Organization Executive (on your charter papers) to make sure that they appoint a Committee Chair and have the chair meet with you and the other two adults. One of the agenda items is to find out what committment the Sponsoring Institution is willing to make toward the support of the troop (including recruitment).

5. Periodically remind the boys that they can enhance their fun in the troop if more of their friends become scouts! And recognize those who actually recruit new members for your troop!

6. Make sure that you participate in as many District and Council events that there are. (You may find out that if you desire to attend a District/Council campout, there may be equipment that you can use for these events.) Not only are these organized for the benefits of the scouts, but there will be ample opportunity for you to talk with other leaders and get the benefit of their experiences.

7. HAVE FUN!!