Roundtables

[stevejb68]

Do you attend the monthly roundtable meetings?
Do you even know what they are?
Does your roundtable staff conduct good meetings?
Are they worthwhile attending?

I am not sure why, but lately I have been thinking about the monthly roundtable meetings. In fact, my last three entries to "A Scoutmaster's Blog" are about this subject. I invite you to read them and see if we share similar thoughts.

http://melrosetroop68.org/blog.html

Roundtables: My First Years
Roundtables: On Staff
Roundtables: Keep It Fun

[FrankJ]

I am on staff in a minor way, so I might not be the right one to answer.

Our monthly round table averages around 30-40. It meets 7:30, 2nd Thurs Roswell Street Baptist Church. Come if you happen to be in the area.

Yes our staff conducts good meetings. (See above )

Why come? We cover upcoming events, provide education, discussion, information on different topics so the meeting is never the same. Meet other concerned scouters who attend round table (Generally a great group of people).

[riverwalk]

Yes, except where my Shift schedule interferes, I attend and promote Roundtables. I'm involved in more than one District, and see different ways of conducting Roundtable. It's safe to say, these activities are what people make of them. If they lack pizazz and value, then attendance will reflect this. They can get some of the information through other methods if they miss Roundtable.

Make 'em want to be there, and then impart the information and clear up any misinformation. You may also identify good prospects for District operations.

Right now I'm recruiting more for District Committee. We're facing another District split, and we will need to duplicate positions soon, yikes.

[jr56]

Yes, I attend my local roundtable. I am a unit commissioner, so I push them with my units also. You are right, they have to be interesting or scouters won't come.

[vpalango]

Do you attend the monthly roundtable meetings?
Yes, either I or one of our ASMs attend the meetings

Do you even know what they are?
Yup, I used to help out at the cub scout roundtable, and ran the unit committee breakout

Does your roundtable staff conduct good meetings?
Yes, our roundtable staff does a great job. We always have good content available, and its highly participatory. Ours has both Cub & Scout units together for the first half, and then break the meeting into program specific sessions for the second. One of my favorite parts in the Scouting section is where a unit presents, each month, one of thier favorite trips that they did.

Are they worthwhile attending?
Absolutely. However, I could see it being otherwise if not well run. (this is one of the places that gets hurt the worst when we don't foster our volunteers well enough.)

YIS,

[Chief J]

Do you attend the monthly roundtable meetings?

Yes I do attend them on a regular basis.

Do you even know what they are?
Yes

Does your roundtable staff conduct good meetings?

Cub Scouts, Venturing, and Boy Scouts all begin the meeting together. After an opening by the District OA Chapter we have announcements and then break into our respective groups. Cub Scout Commissioners seem to do a good job of planning and executing meetings. The OA Chapter has alot of fun and information, but the Boy Scout side is horrible. No planning, no real information, etc.

Are they worthwhile attending?

As a unit leader, if you want the information, you need to be there. Our District generally does not do a good job distributing information outside of this forum. For me personally on the Boy Scout side after the announcements, the meeting is a disaster.

Chief J

[MDEagle]

I was more directly involved as a leader in Cubs, although I am gaining more leadership experience in Scouts.

Haven't been to a Roundtable in years. While a Den Leader, I went to several of them, and frankly, there was no value added. My performance as Den Leader was not enhanced in the least. With everything on our plates (as family members and as BSA Volunteers), it had better be worthwhile to drive 45 minutes each way to attend a meeting at night. And frankly, it wasn't.

They generally revolved around Popcorn and Friends of Scouting. Every now and then a disorganized discussion about something else, led by people who (while well-meaning) tended to not know the answers to relevant questions.

Our Cubmaster (and now Scoutmaster) went and still does, and he passes along anything worthwhile to the Committee and to the Scouts. The rest of the adult volunteers are welcome, but generally avoid it.

[Mrw]

I have never been to a Roundtable. I put in enough time with scouting to have it cause some discord at home to add more evenings away from home.

I know the SM puts in at least an occasional appearance and passes along anything we need to know.

A few years ago, you pretty much had to have a rep at Roundtable to get a cabin reservation for Klondike and some other things. (Bribery works!) That doesn't seem to be the case so much anymore.

[ccjj]

Do I attend roundtable? No. My troop was formed 5 years ago with 2 Scouts from one troop and 3 new crossovers. Because of this, I am treated like scum from someone on roundtable staff. I have better things to do with my time than be treated like that.
Do I know where they are? Sure
Do the staff conduct good meetings? Most of the time
Are they worthwhile attending? Most of the time. I encourage others to go, even if I don't.
I would really like to attend roundtable again, and maybe one day I will again.
It is a good source of information.

ccjj

[RMM]

CCJJ

I am sorry your experience at roundtable has been less than satisfactory. This has happened with other Scouters. I suggest continuing to go to roundtable and networking. I have found other troops we are able to work well with view the troops that have an attitude are missing out on a great working relationship with our troop and boys.

[optimist]

Actually, RMM brings up one of the most important aspects of the Roundtable -- networking. Way back when I was Roundtable Commissioner, I encouraged Scouters to stay after and network and often couldn't close up the building till at least 30-40 minutes after the meeting was over.

[cballman]

well I have never been to a Boy scout roundtable except to just drop in. Now when I was on roundtable staff for Cubs. we had so many new people that just keep asking questions. they were amazed at how much work goes into a cub scout pack and deen meetings. we tried to give them the info they needed to help the pack grow. I think when you get knowledgable people to help out then it makes it much better. I still get calls and emails from people who have problems or questions about scouting. seems like I had to stay around for quite a while after every one because someone neede help, advice or guidence.