Leaders Who Refuse To Take Training

[ScoutingStokes]

What do you do with Leaders in key positions, like Committee Chair, who REFUSE to take ANY training, even YP, yet attend Troop meetings and campouts?

Our Committee Chair even refuses to purchase or wear a uniform.

[LSR]

What do you do with Leaders in key positions, like Committee Chair, who REFUSE to take ANY training, even YP, yet attend Troop meetings and campouts?

Our Committee Chair even refuses to purchase or wear a uniform.

Underlying attitude problems aside, they are a liability risk for the BSA and the Chartering Org.

[FrankJ]

YPT is required for registered leaders with direct contact with the scouts. If you are registered & attend camp outs YPT is not an option.

The CC & SM set the tone for the troop. If they refuse training, it is hard to expect anybody else to be trained. Not an easy problem to fix. Might be better to find a different troop.

[FieldSports]

Whats your relationship with the Chartering organization? Is there someone there that this person respects? Talk to them about encouraging training for leaders. It is their responsibility to provide leaders who set good examples.

I know of one "trick" that worked for us. We asked what size shirt he wore. Next meeting we gave him a uniform. Still wears it too.

Keep training and wearing, and asking. Sometimes it just takes a little time.

[evmori]

Tell them get trained or you are out! Then don't recharter them!

[wagionvigil]

Tell them get trained or you are out! Then don't recharter them!

Amen Brother!

[milominderbinder2]

Talk with your Charter Organization Representative, Unit Commissioner, and District Executive in that order.

Print this forum and give it to them.

- Craig

[VenturingL]

We put it in the most recent revision of our Crew's bylaws - Adult Committee members must have YP and Venturing Leadership specific training BEFORE they can go with the crew on a campout. We felt, especially since we are co-ed, that everyone needed to know the rules such as line of death, the fact that Veturing is youth led, etc. If they want to only serve on committee, but not go with us, they don't have to get the training.

[OldGreyBear]

Ask this of an adult who refuses to take training

How can you deliver the promise if you don't know what it is?

[ASM-142]

You need to get the COR involved. Bottom line is if no training then they should not be part of the troop.

[mt_goodrich]

Ask this of an adult who refuses to take training

How can you deliver the promise if you don't know what it is?

I need to use that in the future. You are so right on.

[ScoutingStokes]

He says he doesn't need training - he WAS a Boy Scout. I did some research though, and our Council makes FS, NLE and Committee Challenge MANDATORY. As well as National's YP, of course. That may well be the way to fix our problem!

Might be better to find a different troop.

Not really an option for us, unfortunately. The Troop has only had its Charter for just over a year, and apart from our SM and 1 ASM, my husband and I are the only two with Scouting LEADER experience. Our oldest son is one of the only two boys with rank above Tenderfoot. If we pull out, I'm afraid the Troop would go under, and I hate the thought of doing that to the other boys!

they are a liability risk for the BSA and the Chartering Org

You need to get the COR involved. Bottom line is if no training then they should not be part of the troop.

AMEN, but when the SM doesn't see it that way....Fortunately, our COR supports us and is trying to help. We'll see...

[milominderbinder2]

Ask your charter organization rep if they want their own people to be trained.

I bet they do.

The primary liability is on the charter, the BSA is secondary. Does your charter have enough liability insurance to not train their people?

- Craig

[evmori]

Ask your charter organization rep if they want their own people to be trained.

I bet they do.

The primary liability is on the charter, the BSA is secondary. Does your charter have enough liability insurance to not train their people?

- Craig

Bingo!

Someone who refuse to attend training is clearly in this for the wrong reasons. They will not do your unit any good. They need to comply or leave.

[jr56]

True, if they don't want to learn how to properly run the program, why are they involved?

[lifescoutforlife]

True, if they don't want to learn how to properly run the program, why are they involved?

This is something that I don't quite understand myself. I think that some leaders think they just do it the right way and no one is going to change that. I help teach SM training and after being out of scouts for 20 years I went to the training and ALOT of things have really changed. Our council does give free rank advancement badges to troops that have over 50% of it's leaders trained but we are only 1 of 2 troops that get this.

[pipestone1991]

For the most part I believe most training (i.e. the so-called "adult leader essentials") should be optional. YP is a different story. As a youth doing pipestone every week I have to have YPT myself. Every leader should have it.

[wagionvigil]

Sorry Pipestone Got to really disagree. Leaders must understand the BSA program and the safe and proper ways of doing things. Training is essential to this as is attending Monthly Roundtable meetings for continuing education. SOme of the worst leaders are former scouts that feel they know it all and do not need training. Having served on camp staff for most of my adult life in some position or another plus supervising the scout programs at Laurel Cavenrs I could tell you horror stories. Leaders have no idea that they are doing things wrong and in many cases dangerous. Just like in every other job you need constant updates. I never attended a training of any sort that I did not learn something new. BSA will eventully make training mandatory. I hope it is before something drastic happens. If you look at the new tour permit you must now have someone that has the weather training. This is a reaction to a couple fatal incidents.

[Chief J]

Have to agree with Wagionvigil. The training is there to reinforce the aims and methods of Scouting. I speak from experience, I have a pretty high speed military background, and I think quite a bit of common sense. When I attended various leader trainings, I saw how what I knew fit in, what was not needed or acceptable by the program and even learned a thing or two.

I have sat through some very good training sessions, and I have sat through some very bad training sessions, but if it is recomended, I will try and attend and I have learned something from every session I attend.

Many of the incidents that occur could be avoided, (not all of them), if the leaders are trained how to recognize them before they happen.

If the leader refuses to take training, they need to be minimized by the Chartered Organization, or the chartered Organization will have to deal with the outcomes.

Chief J

[Mrw]

For the most part I believe most training (i.e. the so-called "adult leader essentials") should be optional. YP is a different story. As a youth doing pipestone every week I have to have YPT myself. Every leader should have it.

While I may disagree with having all leaders attend trainings such as Woodbadge, there is no excuse for leaders that do not take the basic new leader courses. These explain the basics of the program and how it is supposed to work. You cannot hope to run a decent troop program without this. And yes, I have done all the basics, some more than once.