Youth Leadership

Youth Leadership

BSA's youth leadership expectations are here.   In addition, the troop has some additional expectations relative to specific positions.

Each and Every Youth Leader:   Is required to inform the Senior Patrol Leader if they are unable to attend a troop meeting or activity. This allows the SPL to find an replacement.

Requirements to be Senior Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader. Patrol Leader, Instructors, Troop Guides.   

• Must be 1st Class or higher

• Must be able to attend Troop Leadership Training at the beginning of the term even if you have attended it in the past.

• Should be able to attend all Troop meetings, PLC meetings, outings, and service projects for the 6-month term – arranging for APL backup as needed

Senior Patrol Leader (SPL)

• Lead the Patrol Leader Council (PLC) in the planning of PLC meetings, troop meeting, troop outdoor activities, and troop service opportunities.

  • Work with adult leadership on any related program needs or assistance

  • Ensure ASPL or other designate is able to fully cover and lead planned program activities in the event the SPL cannot be present

• Provide an update at each Troop Committee Meeting covering:

  • a review since last troop committee meeting

  • overview of activities in upcoming month,

  • any help needed from the adult leadership, and

  • any feedback on troop operations.

• Site Cleanup:  It is the SPL or acting SPL's responsibility to ensure the Service Patrol returns any facility used by Troop 280 to the condition it was when the troop started using it.  This includes but is not limited to the Parish Hall Pavillon, Parrish Hall (including kitchen and bathrooms), any campsites.

Additional Requirements to be SPL:

• Must have previously been ASPL or PL

• Should have completed or aspire to attend National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) within the term

Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (ASPL)

• Coordinate with and support the program set forth by the SPL

• Be familiar with the program planning so that they can step in should the SPL be unavailable

• Responsible for training and mentoring scouts in these leadership roles: Quartermaster, Scribe, Historian, Instructor, OA Representative, Librarian, and Chaplain Aide.

Patrol Leaders (PL):

• Expected to report to the SPL in each PLC regarding new members and patrol advancement progress

• Required to read the Patrol Leaders Handbook in the first 30-days of their term so that they can be successful with their patrol

• Required to be aware of Patrol Responsibilities assignments

• Required to review and approve campout meal plans and duty roster using the Campout Planning tool

• Required to be prepared for Troop meetings based on PLC planning

Quartermaster:   This is a very important role for the Troop. Working with Scoutmaster updates duty roster template and patrol inventory as needed. Quartermasters will be expected to ensure the Troop is prepared for each outing. They will call on the Service Patrol to assist with packing equipment in troop trailer or troop shed.

Historian: Take pictures at troop activities during their term.   Prepare a slide presentation to be played during the courts of honor during and immediately following their term.

Scribe: Publish minutes of PLC before the next troop meeting covering activities for the upcoming month.  Send to the entire troop: parents, youth, adult leaders.

Chaplain's Aide: Leads prayer at troop meetings, campouts, and other activities.

Instructor: Should aid in all advancement related training.  Should lead skill specific training at campouts and troop meetings.

OA Representative: In February or March, with District OA representative help coordinates troop OA elections.

Junior Assistance Scoutmaster (JASM): Must be 16 years old and not older than 18 years old. There can be multiple scouts in this role. This role will help to support leadership in the outdoor program and can specifically help to coordinate training and mentoring activities of scouts in the Troop Guide role. Once these scouts reach 18 years old they will be eligible to become an Assistant Scoutmaster.

Troop Guide: These are scouts historically in the Silverbacks patrol. Scouts in this role are assigned to support a specific Patrol Leader. They will help to focus on mentoring new scouts in the patrol to advance to First Class and will help their assigned Patrol Leader by teaching basic scout skills.

Youth-Led Planning through the Patrol Leaders Council

Patrol Leaders Council (PLC) Terms:   Two PLCs are elected each year:  

• in mid February for an term from approximately March to August and.  The Spring/Summer PLC.

• in mid August for a term from approximately September to February.  The Fall/Winter PLC>

Each PLC:

• Holds an youth leadership training (Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops) 

• With the guidance of adult leaders including the scoutmaster and outdoor coordinator, at the beginning of its term updates the rolling 18 months of troop activities, making adjustments to the plans of previus PLCs.

• Holds monthly PLC meetings to plan campouts and troop meetings that occur before the next PLC meeting.

• Planning for events to build relationships with local cub scout packs.

• On-boarding any Arrow of Light (AOL) scouts that transition during their terms.   AOLs transition any time between January and April so it can happen during either PLC term.

In addition, the two PLCs have some unique responsibilities.

Fall/Winter PLC

This PLC is responsible for:

• • In December or January, With the aid of the summer camp coordinator helping select the summer camp for the next summer.

  • Leading an exemplary scouting experience for an AOL invitational.

  • Prepare for the scouts to be competitive at camporee held in April.  This will mean honing the scouts scouting skills for the competitions that occur then.

Spring/Summer PLC

This PLC is responsible for:

• • Planning community outreach and fundraising at Founders Day   In addition, they will coordinate booth and trash pickup responsibilities during the day.

  • Leading the scouts through summer camp.

Transitions Between the Two PLC Sessions

Responsibility for Activities in Last Month of Leadership:  The previous PLC is responsible for completing activities in the month following the last PLC meeting they held.  This avoids having the new PLC from need to step into leadership of activities they did not plan.

Overlap of Leadership Responsibility:   Because of the above, the previous PLC leaders and the new ones may have overlapping terms of responsibility depending on if it is a newly planned or legacy activity.   They will work together to coordinate with the guidance of the scoutmaster.

Transition and Swearing In:  The scoutmaster decides the time for the official swearing in happens and that is when the new PLC begins their term.  As per above there may be some overlap.

Relationship with Courts of Honor:  Although transition times occur near courts of honor, the swearing in and transition doesn't have to happen then although the scoutmaster may chose to do so.

Youth Leadership Training and NYLT

We are a very youth-lead troop and this is a great thing for our scouts. This provides our scouts with many leadership opportunities. We are one of the few troops in the council where scouts:

• Are responsible for nearly all scout sign-off through first class and

• Scouts plan all troop meetings and campouts

There are several level of leadership training.

• Scoutmaster/ASM to SPL/ASPL mentorship.

• Scout to scout mentorship including but not limited to patrol leader to the scouts in the patrol or troop guides to less experienced patrol leaders.

• Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops (ILST) AKA Troop Leader Training in our troop. This is a day long event shortly after the elections where the scout leadership facilitates training the next batch of scout leadership

National Youth Leadership Training

This is a council level course where each unit is allowed to send two scouts per unit per training. The training typically occurs 4 sessions per year. Troop 280 prioritizes invitations to active scouts on the following criteria by rank and then by age. We then check on availability of each scout in the for the program. If the scout can attend, the scoutmaster enables that scout to register and attend the program.

The troop will reimburse via credit to the scouts account half of the course fees upon successful completion.