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(from a
Scout Magazine)
A Patrol in its Den.
Published by
THE SCOUT ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND
April, 1978 Little Scout Book No. 12. CONTENTS l. INTRODUCTION 2. THE SCOUT LAW AND PROMISE 3. THE PATROL AND YOU .
SCOUTING AND YOU
YOU AND YOUR PATROL PATROL SPIRIT PATROL MEETINGS
4. THE TROOP P age I THE PATROL AND THE TROOP PATROL ORGANISATION
PATROL-IN-COUNCIL PATROL LEADER'S COUNCIL 5. LEADERSHIP
LEADERSHIP
ASSISTANT PATROL LEADERS PASSING ON SKILLS SANDFORD COURSE 6. CODE FOR PATROL LEADERS 7. A PATROL LEADER'S CHECK LIST INTRODUCTION
The object of this book is to help you with your job of leading your It is frequently said that a team is only as good as its leader it IS true that Patrol is only as good as its Patrol Leader, lust as a T roop is only as good as its Adult Leaders. When you think abuut it. this imposes quite a on those who are given a position of leadership.
You can never really tell what your influence and example as a Leader will mean to the other Scouts in your Patrol, but there is an effect, either for good or bad, and that effect lasts long after you have departed from the Troop. So, among many other things, you have at least two longterm jobs to do; firstly, to do yoU! job in such a way that the Scouts of your Patrol remember the period of your leadership as a time tha t was challenging, worthwhile and a lot of fun, and, secondly, to leave them keen and eager to carry on their Scouting with your successor.
Your job is one of the best, the most responsible, the most challenging and the most demanding of all the jobs you can take on in Scouting.
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2. THE SCOUT LAW AND PROMISE
Before we look any further, let's start with a few words about the Scout Law and Promise. It is probably true that far too many Scouts forget about the Promise they made when they were invested and far too many make no real effort to keep the Scout Law.
Scouting is based on the Law and Promise. If you think about them for a moment or two, you will realise there are two very important features.
Firstly, the responsibility for keeping the Promise rests entirely with eachScout, and this makes Scouting different to'most other organisations. In sport there are rules, and umpires or referees to make keep them. In other walks of life, teachers, policemen, parents sure rules are kept, but in Scouting we use self-discipline and if formal discipline has to be used, it is brought in only as a last resort. You are trusted and you abuse this trust if you do not take the Law and Promise seriously, or fail to ensure that the other Scouts of your Patrol do likewise.
Secondly, the Scout Law is very positive in what it says; it 'does not tell you what not to do and there are no ' ifs' or ' buts '; it is a very clear statement of the Scout code, and this is what you should do your best to Iiveupto. '
It is not always easy to observe all the seven parts of the Law, but the Law was not intended to be easy to keep. You are expected to make a real effort to keep the Law and by now you may perhaps realise that anything worth trying for, or making an effort to achieve, is worth much more when you do eventually reach that goal.
Do think regularly of the Promise you made and do try to make the Scout Law something that you will keep always in your mind, not only when you are in Scout uniform, but with you at all times. Try to make the Scouts in your Patrol more aware of the meaning, the implications and the worth of the Promise and Law. You will all enjoy life all the more for it.
SCOUTING AND YOU
By now, will probably have been in the Scout Movement enough to realise that there is an infinite variety of boys. Patrol Leaders, Scout Leaders and Troops, as well as Scouting act! viti es
Some Troops, for instance, appear to have a really active time others just drift along.
Some Patrols are lively, independent units with a mind and of their own and others are just a collection of Scouts with little Patrol spirit and existing in name only.
While you, as a Patrol Leader cannot always put things right if are not going as well as they should be, you do have a very considerable influence on the success of the Patrol and also the Troop. Before blaming others, make sure that some of the troubles are not of your own making or within your power to rectify.
Troops can only be good if they have good Leaders who are to put in a fair amount of time to organise both Patrol and Troop so everyone is active, happy, keen and able to have a reasonable say in the type of acti vit ies being undertaken.
While you cannot always have the final say as to who you would like in your Patrol (for Patrols should be reasonably evenly balanced in num bers, age a nd experience) this does not mean that you can't have good Patrol If the Patrol is given the opportunity to exist as a Patrol. to work together, camp together, enjoy activities together, and to meet separatelv the Troop fairly regularly, and if it has both a good P atrol Leader and Assistant Patrol Leader, then it cannot help but become a good Patrol It is sometimes difficult to know whether a Scout should have more pride in belonging to his Patrol or in belonging to his Troop. If he can't decide, then perhaps he has found himself in an ideal situation. If he real pride in being in his Patrol, then you have done your job well, for all things being equal, a Scout should regard himself first as belonging to a Patrol, and secondly as belonging to a Troop.
YOU AND YOUR PATROL
Perhaps one of the greatest challenges in Scouting is that of being a Patrol Leader. You may have been in the Troop for some perhaps have your Advanced Scout Standard and some proficiency badges, and you will have seen other Patrol Leaders come and go. Some of them will have been good and others not so good, but now it's your turn and there's a load of responsibility on your shoulders.
Boys join Scouting for many reasons but they all want much the same; they want fun, adventure, companionship and they want things to be lively, and most will want to make progress and earn their badges.
As a Patrol Leader you have the responsibility for making sure the Scouts in your Patrol get what they want from Scouting and you play important part in ensuring that this does happen.
Patrol Leadership involves not only leading, but also instructing, training, planning, controlling, organising and getting to know the members of your Patrol really well.
To lead your Scouts properly you first need to know something about them; what makes them tick; what their hobbies and interests are; what their Mum and Dad look like; where they live, and so on.
Too many Patrol Leaders just never go out to meet the parents of their Scouts, and knowing the parents helps in so many ways. If the parents know you personally and realise that you are keen to help their son with his Scouting, then it will be the rare parent indeed that will not help when assistance is needed. Perhaps you need a place to hold a Patrol meeting, or parents' help with transport to take the Patrol on a hike trip or to camp. Parents will and do help with these things, and you should waste no time In allowing them to get to know you and to gain confidence in you.
Taking over from the last Patrol Leader is not always easy. especially if he was one of those brilliant fellows that some Patrol Leaders seem to be. Don't despair' The easiest way to win over the Patrol is to help them to do the things they want in the way of activities and to get them out together whenever possible. Work hard to achieve this and they will be quick to follow. Don't just stand about with your hands in your pockets, dishing out orders left, right and centre, and doing nothing yourself or you wi \l deserve the results that are sure to follow. Leadership involves getting to know your Patrol members really well. You have to find the best ways of getting members of your Patrol to jobs which are not pleasant and about the only successful way to do this is for you all to pitch in and tackle things together, as friendly companions, and the job will be done all that more quickly and all that much better.
The P atrol where ALL the Scouts get down to washing-up together, without a grumble, is the one being led by a Patrol Leader who knows how to get things done. These Patrols do exist. You are sure to have them in your own District; you might even have one yourself.
PATROL SPIRIT
There is something that some Patrols have and others don't have, and which is most essential for any successful Patrol, and that is Patrol spirit. It is there wa iting to be tapped for it exists in all Scouts.
Given the opportunity, it will come out when playing a game, taking part in a Patrol activity, setting up camp, or out hiking. It's the good feeling that comes from the fun and fellowship of working doing things together.
But Patrol spirit just won't happen overnight; it takes some effort to establishandyouhavetowork tokeepit.Therearemanywaysofachieving Patrol spirit, and to help you there are such things as Patrol names, Patrol patches, Patrol activities and outings, Patrol funds and equip ment, and so on.
It is the reason why Scouts should not be moved around from one Patrol to another and why the wise Scout Leader will make sure he gives you plenty of Patrol type activities during Troop meetings, why he urges you to have Patrol meetings and why he encourages Patrol c8mping rather than Troop camping.
You, as Patrol Leader, must also try to create opportunities for Patrol games, meetings, activities, stunts and so on, so that the Patrol develops its own identity and in so doing achieves Patrol spirit from working and striving together.
PATROL MEETINGS
A meeting of the Patrol away from the Troop meeting, is most important in helping to develop the Patrol' s identity and independence and in allowing you as Patrol Leader the opportunity of really leading your Scouts.
A Patrol meeting held in the evening at the Scout Hall or some other indoor place should not last more much than l Y2 hours and during that time you should have a mixture of activities much as you do on night with games, learning and applying skills, pIanning activities, another game to finish up with perhaps, or a Patrol-in-Council meeting to discuss a forthcoming Patrol activity, or to discuss something to be takentothePatrolLeaders'Council.Themeetingneeds tobeinteresting, fairly smooth running and well planned.
It is not intended in this book to give you ideas on Patrol activities, or games or projects as these are covered in further booklets entitled 'First Book of Patrol Activities' and 'Second Book of Patrol Activites'. Additional ideas will come from Troop meetings, Sandford Courses and from other Patrol Leaders. There are also various Scout magazines and books and -perhaps your Scout Leader will help you in suggesting s uitable acti vities.
You may, perhaps, be able to hold your Patrol meeting at the home of one of your Scouts if the programme is suitable, and if you are able to do so, then it is desirable to rotate the meetings around the various homes so parents can get to know all the other boys in their son's Patrol. You don't have to have your meetings completely indoors, but you can start or finish a meeting at a Patrol member's home.
Finally, remember that Patrol activities are an extension of Troop meetings and your Scouts should wear full uniform to Patrol meetings unless you have devised activity such as canoeing, horse riding, a night hike or such like where uniform is clearly unsuitable. 4. THE TROOP
THE PATROL AND THE TROOP
It is quite easy for a P atrol to become alittle too independent of the Troop so take care that you don't forget that your Patrol is an integral part of your Troop, and that as a Patrol L eader you also have the job of making sure the Troop operates just as well as Patrol.
The Troop provides the basis for P atrols to have friendly competition, to engage in more ambitious projects and to join in a wider programme of activities, training, expeditions and camps,
PA TROL ORGANISATION
To feel a real part of the Patrol, each member of your Patrol, however young, should be given a job to do, so that his interest in the well-being of the Patrol grows and becomes part of him,
There are various Jobs that can be shared around and these should be changed from time to time so that nobody gets stuck with job for too long,
Some jobs will be of a permanent nature while others will arise from time-to-time, Some of the more permanent jobs are:
The Treasurer: Whose job is to look after the funds of the Patrol. These funds could be obtained by allocation from Troop funds as decided by the Patrol Leaders' Council, from a weekly subscription or from a special work project organised carried out by the Patrol. Patrol funds allow you to get those little extras not always provided by the 'Troop or Group, If you do have funds, make sure that thev are properly accounted for and make it a rule that all expenditure is approved by the Patrol, and not spent without the joint authority of the Patrol L eaderand the Treasurer. If your funds are kept separately from T roop funds, then you should account for these to your Scout L eader at regul ar intervals, and at least once a term , The Patrol Scribe: Whose job is to keep a record of the Patrol's activities, preferably with photographs etc. in the Patrol log. These 10gs are well worth keeping look back on in the years to come, and help older Scout get through one of the tests for his Advanced Scout Standard.
The Quartermaster: Whose job is to look after any equipment owned by the P atrol and to make sure it is kept in good condition.
The Record Keeper: Whose job is to keep the Record Book s howing names, addresses, date of birth, progress, attendance and other details of the Scouts in your P atrol. (An excellent book for this purpose is sold by the Scout Shop.) Such a record book allows you to know the keep a record of books loaned to the Scouts. Remember though, it is not worth appointing a Librarian if he has no books to look after.
Other jobs will arise from time to time, especially when you hiking or camping. One of your Scouts, for instance, could be given the job of catering, another could take care of the transport arrangements. You, of course, don't have to do all the work and planning but do make sure that you the younger or inexperienced Scouts small and less important projects at first. Your Assistant Patrol Leader could be given the more responsible as checking and sure the younger Scouts have tackled the jobs given to them.
The task of obtaining small items of equipment is one that can be shared by the Patrol. Initially yOll will require maps, rope, a box to store it all in, basic first aid material, probably some Scout books and certainly some balls and games equipment, an axe, and so forth , and it's sur how quickly you can build up a worthwhile amount of gear, especially if you get the various Mums and Dads to look out unwanted camping gear or other equipment that may be lying around the house in the garage, or with relations. THE PATROL-IN-COUNCIL
There are tw" very important disc ussion groups in a Scout Troop; first the PATROL LEADERS' COUNCIL, which comprises the Scout Leader, Patrol Leaders and, in some instances, the Assistant Scout Leaders and and the PATROL-IN-COUNCIL, which comall of your Patrol. The first needs to be rather a formal aHail if it is to work successfully, but the second can be much les s and works better if everyone is allowed a fai r amount of free ") their opinions.
Patrol-m',Col\nr) meetings are gatherings of the P atrol which may either Iy planned or, is more often, will arise out of the circt at a particular They are a gathering of the whole Patrol evep' Scout has a chance to state his views, For instanc. you had some in choosing a suitable site for a and a your Patrol-in-Council will almost the problem to the satisfaction of the majority, if not all the Patrol. There are other times,when a Patrol-in-Council needs to be called to get the views of your Patrol on some proposal which might affect the Patrol or the Troop. Organising a Patrol camp for instance, calls for P atrol-in-Council to discuss the choice of s ite, transport, menu, gear, and so on. You may, as another example, have a Patrol Leaders' meeting coming up where you, as the Patrol Leader, are required to put forward ideas for T roop activities and, being a good P atrol Leader, need to seek the views of your Scouts on ideas or proposals or on suggestions being made by otherP atrols.
It doesn't matter where you have these meetings. The important thing is that you do have them and so allow all the members of your Patrol to have a say, not only about the running of your Patrol, but about the activities being planned or organised for the whole Troop.
THE PATROL LEADERS' COUNCIL
The members of the Patrol Leaders' Council are the Patrol Leaders
I I,but in a small Troop it is not unusual to include the Assistant Patrol Leaders also. YourScoutLeaderwillbepresent (as are his Assistants it the Patrol Leaders' Council so desires), but the Council is run by the Patrol Leaders with the Scout Leader being present to keep you up-todate with coming events, to cover the Troop activities that he is involved in, to advise on Group matters and to give advice and help during your discussions. But remember that in the end he is responsible for the Troop and everything that happens, whether at Troop or Patrol
The meetings need with a (the Senior Patrol Leader or the senior of the Patrol Leaders), an agenda and a re cord kept of decisions made. The chairman has to have sufficient control to keep to the matter under discussion, so that time is not wasted. In an active Troop, the Patrol Leaders' Council needs to meet at least once a month and these meetings would normally last from l Y2 to 2 hours.
The Patrol Leaders' Council has three main functions:
1st
To plan activities.
2nd -To maintain Troop standards.
3rd -To ensure the Troop's good reputation.
The planning function involves the consideration of ideas for Patrol or Troop camps, expeditions and evening activities, the coming-up of Cubs, Troop and Patrol finances, and equipment. Your Scout Leader may wish to hear your views on the appointment of a new Patrol Leader or on a Scout who wants to be moved from one Patrol to anothe r, participation of the Troop in District activities or on training courses, and any subject thataffects the programmeoftheTroop.
The maintaining of Troop standards is the concern of the Patrol Leader for, in conjunction with your fellow Patrol Leaders, you have the responsibility of recommending to your Scout Leader, the award of all Scout standard achievement awards. You do this jointly to ensurethere is reasonable uniformity in standards between Patrol Leaders in training, testing and passing Scouts for this badge.
The Patrol Leaders' Council has the job, which in a good Troop involves little time or effort, of creating a pride in Troop and Patrol, of ensuring there is friendly and adequate that the Scouts are well turned out, courteous, loyal, friendly and good pals and where these ideals are not being observed to take steps to improve the s ituation.
In some Troops there comes the time when the occasional Scout steps out of line or plays up to the extent that it is a whether he should be severely disciplined, or asked to leave. A fri endly word may suffice to rectify the matter but sometimes it may be necessary to bring the Scout before the Patrol Leaders' C"uncil to consider the extent of the offence, the Scout's version of the event and to decide on what action to take. The Council is not permitted to go as far as tossing the Scout out of the Troop: (this can only be done by the Scout L eader with the agreement of the Group Leader and the Group Council,) but the Patrol Leaders' Council can decide on a lesser penalty. or recommend dismissal to the Scout Leader.
You will realise that the occasional get-together of the Patrol Leaders after a Troop meeting is hardly sufficient time to deal with the very
15 wide responsibilities of the Patrol Leaders' Council and it is essential
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that you do have regular formal meetings, and preferably at least once month. The business at each meeting should include the following: Reading the record of di scussions made at the previous meeting. Attending to any matters in the record that require further action. Critically reviewing recent Troop and Patrol events. Planning future Troop and Patrol activities.
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Hearing reports from Patrol Leaders on their Patrols Cactivities, I
badges passed, problems, etc.). Receiving a report on Troop finances. ,I
Scout Leader's report.
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I -Consideration and, where merited, recommending Scout Standard awa rds
Attending to any other matters that require discussion or attention ,I: LEADERSHIP In your community you will find many types of leaders. At school there is the Principal and his teachers; in a sports team the captain and coach; in your town or city the Mayor, Councillors, Town Clerk, Engineer
r( etc. In Scouting there is the Scout Leader and his Assistants and in the
Patrol, the Patrol L eader and Assistant Leade r.
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I There are two things that all leaders have in common. First they are responsible to see that the aims of the group they represent are achieved
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inthe best possible way, and second, they need to allocate and supervise
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work to others, that is they have to have the help of others, and to work
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closely with other people.
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There are certain skills a Patrol Leader should have and these 1ninclude:
Getting and giving information. The Patrol Leader is normally the
I: person used by the Scout Leader to pass on information to Patrol members at and in between meetings of the Troop. To pass accurate reaction back to the Scout Leader, you must be able to remember what you were told and pass it on to the members of the Patrol promptly. If yo u don't you are not being a good leader, for your Scouts could get too s hort a notice of things if you don't pass on information If you do delay, the chances are that they will forget part of what you have been asked to I tell them, or get details back to the Scout Leader too late for these to be of any use.
Knowing how to represent your Patrol. This requires you to convey not
only your own ideas, but those of your Patrol, to the Patrol Leaders' Council. To do this requires some effort, but do give the Scouts in you r Patrol a chance to talk and do pay attention to what they say and what they want. They depend on you to pass on their likes and dislikes.
Knowing how to instruct. This is not always easy orstraightforward and some hints to help you will be given later in this book. Knowing how to plan. This involves knowing what vour Patrol wants to do, what gear, supplies and equipment are required, and the different ways of doing the job. Decide with you r Patrol how to do the job, who can best help you, and finally what steps are necessary to take to achieve what yo u have decided to do .
Knowing how to control. As a Patrol Leader you are often in the r position where youhave to control a task to be undertaken by your Patrol, a Troop meeting, at camp or on an outdoor activity. To the extent possible in any particular situation, this requires:
-Supervising the Patrol while they do the task.
-Making sure it is done correctly. Praising when they are on the right track or have done a good job.
-Helping if help is required.
Checking where checking is necessary (particularly important in Pioneering).
Making helpful and kindly comments at the end when the job is done. 17 t i .. t % M 4 ASSISTANT PATROL LEADERS It is not too difficult to understand what a Patrol does,
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this is not quite so in the case of the Assistant Patrol Leader
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fortunately, many Assistant Patrol Leaders nothing to do and this, of course, is not ri ght.
H should be clearly understood that the Patrol should be run as a with the Patrol Leader and Assistant Patrol Leader as the two senior members of that team, The Assistant Patrol Leader is the Patrol Leader's right hand man, sharing the leadersh'ip of the Patrol and able to take over at a moment's notice should the Patrol Leader become ill. is unavailable, or is called away for any reason, The Patrol Leader must allow the Assistant Patrol Leader to plan and
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lead some of the P atrol activities and the wise Scout Leader will generally ensure that some opportunity is created during Troop meetings for
the Assistant Patrol Leader to be given a chance to lead the Patrol while the Patrol Leader is occupied elsewhere. I :l If the Patrol System is working properly there should be no difficulty in the Patrol Leader and the Assistant working together. You will pro
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bably have grown up together as members of the same Patrol and your loyalty to the Patrol should tend to overcome any personal differences f that may arise from time to time, Where this is not the case, the Patrol Leader and Assistant Patrol Leader must make a real effort to work to
gether for the good of the Patrol.
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" PASSING ON SKILLS
Badges are something that all Scouts like to receive and with pride and pleasure if the badges have required some real effort and skill. It is only natural to want to be recognised for learning and passing tests.
The task of instructing and testing your Scouts for the Scout Standard imposes two requirements upon you:
1st
To make s ure you are s ufficiently skilled yourself to be able to instruct your Scouts, and
2nd -To be able to pass on the skills you have learnt.
There are many ways of passing on skills; some very successful and others pretty hopeless. It is important to realise that people learn more by experience and by doing things than by just listening. They use all their senses seeing, hearing, smelling and tasting -in doing things and you should try to appeal to as many of these senses as you can when pas sing on a skill.
Any lecture, even at the best of times, can be rather boring unless you have an expert and skilled lecturer, and with large numbers of people to deal with this may be the only way. But in your Patrol you normally have only a few to train at a time and so you can use actual demonstrations and give much more opportunity for practice than is possible under other circumstances. There are four main s teps in instructing a Scout: Explain you are about to do. Demonstrate the skill, slowly, sl1rely and carefully.
-Allow the Scout to practise the skill until he masters it to your s atisfaction. -Correct errors and give additional guidance if required.
Allow plenty of time for practice. No one can learn anything unless he has the opportunity of practising it properly so don't try to do too 'much at once. Never pass anyone on a test unless you are satisfied they have mastered the skill and understood it.
19 There are simple, basic rules when explaining or demonstrating a skill to a Scout, viz:
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When explaining things: I -Know your subject thoroughly.
-Rehearse beforehand what you are going to say and how you are going to do it.
-Make sure the Scouts can hear and observe you.
-Make sure the Scouts are at ease, are comfortable and are not likelv to be distracted.
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When demonstrating:
-Have all the materials you need readily dnd
Ensure everyone can see what you a re doing.
-Make sure they can see from the correct angle Important with ropework).
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11 ; -Make sure you have allowed enough time to demonstrate fully.
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-Ensure demonstrations can be followed immediately with practice
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before the Scouts have a chance to forget what have heard and seen. Wherever possible use visual aids to help you get across what other
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wise might be difficult to explain in words. Charts, knot boards, first
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aid kit, the actual gear required (e.g. when packing a rucksack), photo graphs, illustrations, slides, films or models or even a blackboard can all help to get a point over.
Flip charts are harder to prepare but the preparation could perhaps be shared by the other Patrol Leaders and Assistant Patrol Leaders.
SANDFORD COURSE
A Sandford Course is a course in leadership, leadership , how it can be used, and it should be your aim to attend Sandford Course
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as soon as possible after your appointment. (Three months leadership is required before you can be accepted for a Course.)
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The Sandford Course gives you the chance to get some ideas and
I thoughts on how to lead the in and Troop ,by. I and the chance to discuss Patrol and Assistant Leaders in
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The'training ofin' your Troop, however, is the
responsibility of supplements this. ' . '..,
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Training is something that will go on all the time you ,are leader. You will learn by experiences, by specific t,raining,an,d by unities given to you to lead. . '." 6. FOR LEADERS I, that book which
._ . a Leader or 'needs concerned with.
Use it a guide see o,ne road becoming an
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e ffective leader.
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AS A OF A
that} can become a better and proficient
Plan and lead frequent, enj.oyable and successful P atrol meetings, activities and outings. - I ' Give all members of my Patrol, as far as possible, a definite job at Patrol meetings and sd that each will feel part ofthe Patrol.
Keep ahead on my ach.ievements awards and proficiency badges soI' that } am able to instruct my Patrol properly in Scoutcraft.
Be fair, thoughtful and impartial to my fellow Patrol members and a friend to them all.
Live the Scout Law and Promise and make this meaningful to my Patrol members.
Be proficient in Scouting skills so as to give my hiking and camping. 21 Wear my Scout uniform proudly, correctly and neatly so as to be a good example to my fellow Scouts.
Make full use of Patrol-in-Council and give every Scout (he chance to state his views at such Councils.
Make the Patrol a lively, independent unit with a mind and a programme of its own while remaining an essential part of the Troop. AS A LEADER IN A TROOP I WILL DO MY BEST TO:
Take an active, helpful and positive role in the Patrol L eaders' Council.
See that my Patral is prepared to take a fu 11 and active, and loyal part in all Troop activities.
Work with my Scout Leader and other Troop Leaders to make Trooponethatiswellrun,successfulandprovidingthe fun and enjoy' that I and my Patrol, my fellow Patrol Leaders and their want from Scouting. '
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, Leadership is not all joy and plain sailing. It takes a lot of mastering and one of the things you will find hard at times to accept is that being a leader in some situations is a lonely and difficult task. This is when you have to assert yourself and take command when the going gets tough and where to be indecisive is the worst thing you can do.
Most of the time, however, you can be a leader and also one of the boys, but it takes judgement as to when you are no longer one of the chaps and are really and truly in command.
That is part of the challenge of being a Patrol Leader. Accept it, you will never be the worse for it. Do have fun; that is what Scouting is meant to be.
22 7. A PATROL LEADER'S CHECK LIST Here is a check list of various things to do with your Patrol and your Troop, which you can use now and again, to see how you are gelling on with your job as a Patrol Leader. Maybe, it may remind you of things that you have overlooked while you were busy with your Patrol, or perhaps. help you to see what things you need to do to get s tarted with the job. But which ever way it is. do have a look at it occasionally.
THINGS TO CHECK ON
There have been Patrol at most Troop meetings.
The Patrol has had at least one Patrol meeting last month.
My Patrol has received trai ni ng in Scoutcraft the last fortnight, either from mvself or other instructors. I.
Everyone in my Patrol has made some further advancement towards a test or badge during the last month.
The Patrol had an outdoor activity last month.
We have our own Patrol Corner in the Troop Den .
We have our own Patrol equipment.
We have our own P atrol funds.
I consider my Patrol has' Patrol Spirit
Everyone in my Patrol would rather belong to their present Patrol than to any other Patrol in the T roop.
My Patrol is always ready on time at flag break.
My Patrol has taken a full part in all Troop and P atrol activities this month.
Our Patrol gear is clean, in good order and ready for use. 23 We have had at least one Patrol-in-Council in the last month.
The jobs are shared out to each member of the Patrol whereve, possible.
All members of my Patrol have worn their uniform, neatly and correctly to Troop and P atrol meetings.
I have set an example in wearing my uniform and wearing it correctly and neatly to all Troop and P atrol meetings.
I have made further progress with my own advancement during last month (learning my job, progress towards a badge, learning a new s kill).
I get on well with my Assistant Patrol Leader.
I work full y with my Assistant Patrol Leader in running the Patrol.
I don't try to do all the jobs myself.
I am diligent in passing on information to my P atrol when asked to do so by my Scout Leader, and in passing back information to my Scout Leader.
I represent the views of my Patrol at the Patrol Leaders' Council.
I have taught at least two members of Patrol a skill during the past month .
I have taken part in some activity in the past month that has required me either to plan or control that activity.
The Troop has had at least one outdoor activity during the last month.
The Troop, the Patrol and myself have all made reasonable progress in Scout work during the last month.
The Patrol CounciI has met at least once in the past month.
I have .had some say in the type of Troop activities held during the last month. If you can give a favourable answer to each of the above remarks then your P atrol is really getting' with it 'and your Troop is running efficiently.
Printed & Published by The Scout Association Of New Zealand, 85 Customhouse Quay, Wellington, 1973.
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Patrol Leadership
LITTLE SCOUT BOOK No 12 60 PATROL LEADERSHIP(from a
Scout Magazine)
A Patrol in its Den.
Published by
THE SCOUT ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND
April, 1978 Little Scout Book No. 12. CONTENTS l. INTRODUCTION 2. THE SCOUT LAW AND PROMISE 3. THE PATROL AND YOU .
SCOUTING AND YOU
YOU AND YOUR PATROL PATROL SPIRIT PATROL MEETINGS
4. THE TROOP P age I THE PATROL AND THE TROOP PATROL ORGANISATION
PATROL-IN-COUNCIL PATROL LEADER'S COUNCIL 5. LEADERSHIP
LEADERSHIP
ASSISTANT PATROL LEADERS PASSING ON SKILLS SANDFORD COURSE 6. CODE FOR PATROL LEADERS 7. A PATROL LEADER'S CHECK LIST INTRODUCTION
The object of this book is to help you with your job of leading your It is frequently said that a team is only as good as its leader it IS true that Patrol is only as good as its Patrol Leader, lust as a T roop is only as good as its Adult Leaders. When you think abuut it. this imposes quite a on those who are given a position of leadership.
You can never really tell what your influence and example as a Leader will mean to the other Scouts in your Patrol, but there is an effect, either for good or bad, and that effect lasts long after you have departed from the Troop. So, among many other things, you have at least two longterm jobs to do; firstly, to do yoU! job in such a way that the Scouts of your Patrol remember the period of your leadership as a time tha t was challenging, worthwhile and a lot of fun, and, secondly, to leave them keen and eager to carry on their Scouting with your successor.
Your job is one of the best, the most responsible, the most challenging and the most demanding of all the jobs you can take on in Scouting.
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2. THE SCOUT LAW AND PROMISE
Before we look any further, let's start with a few words about the Scout Law and Promise. It is probably true that far too many Scouts forget about the Promise they made when they were invested and far too many make no real effort to keep the Scout Law.
Scouting is based on the Law and Promise. If you think about them for a moment or two, you will realise there are two very important features.
Firstly, the responsibility for keeping the Promise rests entirely with eachScout, and this makes Scouting different to'most other organisations. In sport there are rules, and umpires or referees to make keep them. In other walks of life, teachers, policemen, parents sure rules are kept, but in Scouting we use self-discipline and if formal discipline has to be used, it is brought in only as a last resort. You are trusted and you abuse this trust if you do not take the Law and Promise seriously, or fail to ensure that the other Scouts of your Patrol do likewise.
Secondly, the Scout Law is very positive in what it says; it 'does not tell you what not to do and there are no ' ifs' or ' buts '; it is a very clear statement of the Scout code, and this is what you should do your best to Iiveupto. '
It is not always easy to observe all the seven parts of the Law, but the Law was not intended to be easy to keep. You are expected to make a real effort to keep the Law and by now you may perhaps realise that anything worth trying for, or making an effort to achieve, is worth much more when you do eventually reach that goal.
Do think regularly of the Promise you made and do try to make the Scout Law something that you will keep always in your mind, not only when you are in Scout uniform, but with you at all times. Try to make the Scouts in your Patrol more aware of the meaning, the implications and the worth of the Promise and Law. You will all enjoy life all the more for it.
SCOUTING AND YOU
By now, will probably have been in the Scout Movement enough to realise that there is an infinite variety of boys. Patrol Leaders, Scout Leaders and Troops, as well as Scouting act! viti es
Some Troops, for instance, appear to have a really active time others just drift along.
Some Patrols are lively, independent units with a mind and of their own and others are just a collection of Scouts with little Patrol spirit and existing in name only.
While you, as a Patrol Leader cannot always put things right if are not going as well as they should be, you do have a very considerable influence on the success of the Patrol and also the Troop. Before blaming others, make sure that some of the troubles are not of your own making or within your power to rectify.
Troops can only be good if they have good Leaders who are to put in a fair amount of time to organise both Patrol and Troop so everyone is active, happy, keen and able to have a reasonable say in the type of acti vit ies being undertaken.
While you cannot always have the final say as to who you would like in your Patrol (for Patrols should be reasonably evenly balanced in num bers, age a nd experience) this does not mean that you can't have good Patrol If the Patrol is given the opportunity to exist as a Patrol. to work together, camp together, enjoy activities together, and to meet separatelv the Troop fairly regularly, and if it has both a good P atrol Leader and Assistant Patrol Leader, then it cannot help but become a good Patrol It is sometimes difficult to know whether a Scout should have more pride in belonging to his Patrol or in belonging to his Troop. If he can't decide, then perhaps he has found himself in an ideal situation. If he real pride in being in his Patrol, then you have done your job well, for all things being equal, a Scout should regard himself first as belonging to a Patrol, and secondly as belonging to a Troop.
YOU AND YOUR PATROL
Perhaps one of the greatest challenges in Scouting is that of being a Patrol Leader. You may have been in the Troop for some perhaps have your Advanced Scout Standard and some proficiency badges, and you will have seen other Patrol Leaders come and go. Some of them will have been good and others not so good, but now it's your turn and there's a load of responsibility on your shoulders.
Boys join Scouting for many reasons but they all want much the same; they want fun, adventure, companionship and they want things to be lively, and most will want to make progress and earn their badges.
As a Patrol Leader you have the responsibility for making sure the Scouts in your Patrol get what they want from Scouting and you play important part in ensuring that this does happen.
Patrol Leadership involves not only leading, but also instructing, training, planning, controlling, organising and getting to know the members of your Patrol really well.
To lead your Scouts properly you first need to know something about them; what makes them tick; what their hobbies and interests are; what their Mum and Dad look like; where they live, and so on.
Too many Patrol Leaders just never go out to meet the parents of their Scouts, and knowing the parents helps in so many ways. If the parents know you personally and realise that you are keen to help their son with his Scouting, then it will be the rare parent indeed that will not help when assistance is needed. Perhaps you need a place to hold a Patrol meeting, or parents' help with transport to take the Patrol on a hike trip or to camp. Parents will and do help with these things, and you should waste no time In allowing them to get to know you and to gain confidence in you.
Taking over from the last Patrol Leader is not always easy. especially if he was one of those brilliant fellows that some Patrol Leaders seem to be. Don't despair' The easiest way to win over the Patrol is to help them to do the things they want in the way of activities and to get them out together whenever possible. Work hard to achieve this and they will be quick to follow. Don't just stand about with your hands in your pockets, dishing out orders left, right and centre, and doing nothing yourself or you wi \l deserve the results that are sure to follow. Leadership involves getting to know your Patrol members really well. You have to find the best ways of getting members of your Patrol to jobs which are not pleasant and about the only successful way to do this is for you all to pitch in and tackle things together, as friendly companions, and the job will be done all that more quickly and all that much better.
The P atrol where ALL the Scouts get down to washing-up together, without a grumble, is the one being led by a Patrol Leader who knows how to get things done. These Patrols do exist. You are sure to have them in your own District; you might even have one yourself.
PATROL SPIRIT
There is something that some Patrols have and others don't have, and which is most essential for any successful Patrol, and that is Patrol spirit. It is there wa iting to be tapped for it exists in all Scouts.
Given the opportunity, it will come out when playing a game, taking part in a Patrol activity, setting up camp, or out hiking. It's the good feeling that comes from the fun and fellowship of working doing things together.
But Patrol spirit just won't happen overnight; it takes some effort to establishandyouhavetowork tokeepit.Therearemanywaysofachieving Patrol spirit, and to help you there are such things as Patrol names, Patrol patches, Patrol activities and outings, Patrol funds and equip ment, and so on.
It is the reason why Scouts should not be moved around from one Patrol to another and why the wise Scout Leader will make sure he gives you plenty of Patrol type activities during Troop meetings, why he urges you to have Patrol meetings and why he encourages Patrol c8mping rather than Troop camping.
You, as Patrol Leader, must also try to create opportunities for Patrol games, meetings, activities, stunts and so on, so that the Patrol develops its own identity and in so doing achieves Patrol spirit from working and striving together.
PATROL MEETINGS
A meeting of the Patrol away from the Troop meeting, is most important in helping to develop the Patrol' s identity and independence and in allowing you as Patrol Leader the opportunity of really leading your Scouts.
A Patrol meeting held in the evening at the Scout Hall or some other indoor place should not last more much than l Y2 hours and during that time you should have a mixture of activities much as you do on night with games, learning and applying skills, pIanning activities, another game to finish up with perhaps, or a Patrol-in-Council meeting to discuss a forthcoming Patrol activity, or to discuss something to be takentothePatrolLeaders'Council.Themeetingneeds tobeinteresting, fairly smooth running and well planned.
It is not intended in this book to give you ideas on Patrol activities, or games or projects as these are covered in further booklets entitled 'First Book of Patrol Activities' and 'Second Book of Patrol Activites'. Additional ideas will come from Troop meetings, Sandford Courses and from other Patrol Leaders. There are also various Scout magazines and books and -perhaps your Scout Leader will help you in suggesting s uitable acti vities.
You may, perhaps, be able to hold your Patrol meeting at the home of one of your Scouts if the programme is suitable, and if you are able to do so, then it is desirable to rotate the meetings around the various homes so parents can get to know all the other boys in their son's Patrol. You don't have to have your meetings completely indoors, but you can start or finish a meeting at a Patrol member's home.
Finally, remember that Patrol activities are an extension of Troop meetings and your Scouts should wear full uniform to Patrol meetings unless you have devised activity such as canoeing, horse riding, a night hike or such like where uniform is clearly unsuitable. 4. THE TROOP
THE PATROL AND THE TROOP
It is quite easy for a P atrol to become alittle too independent of the Troop so take care that you don't forget that your Patrol is an integral part of your Troop, and that as a Patrol L eader you also have the job of making sure the Troop operates just as well as Patrol.
The Troop provides the basis for P atrols to have friendly competition, to engage in more ambitious projects and to join in a wider programme of activities, training, expeditions and camps,
PA TROL ORGANISATION
To feel a real part of the Patrol, each member of your Patrol, however young, should be given a job to do, so that his interest in the well-being of the Patrol grows and becomes part of him,
There are various Jobs that can be shared around and these should be changed from time to time so that nobody gets stuck with job for too long,
Some jobs will be of a permanent nature while others will arise from time-to-time, Some of the more permanent jobs are:
The Treasurer: Whose job is to look after the funds of the Patrol. These funds could be obtained by allocation from Troop funds as decided by the Patrol Leaders' Council, from a weekly subscription or from a special work project organised carried out by the Patrol. Patrol funds allow you to get those little extras not always provided by the 'Troop or Group, If you do have funds, make sure that thev are properly accounted for and make it a rule that all expenditure is approved by the Patrol, and not spent without the joint authority of the Patrol L eaderand the Treasurer. If your funds are kept separately from T roop funds, then you should account for these to your Scout L eader at regul ar intervals, and at least once a term , The Patrol Scribe: Whose job is to keep a record of the Patrol's activities, preferably with photographs etc. in the Patrol log. These 10gs are well worth keeping look back on in the years to come, and help older Scout get through one of the tests for his Advanced Scout Standard.
The Quartermaster: Whose job is to look after any equipment owned by the P atrol and to make sure it is kept in good condition.
The Record Keeper: Whose job is to keep the Record Book s howing names, addresses, date of birth, progress, attendance and other details of the Scouts in your P atrol. (An excellent book for this purpose is sold by the Scout Shop.) Such a record book allows you to know the keep a record of books loaned to the Scouts. Remember though, it is not worth appointing a Librarian if he has no books to look after.
Other jobs will arise from time to time, especially when you hiking or camping. One of your Scouts, for instance, could be given the job of catering, another could take care of the transport arrangements. You, of course, don't have to do all the work and planning but do make sure that you the younger or inexperienced Scouts small and less important projects at first. Your Assistant Patrol Leader could be given the more responsible as checking and sure the younger Scouts have tackled the jobs given to them.
The task of obtaining small items of equipment is one that can be shared by the Patrol. Initially yOll will require maps, rope, a box to store it all in, basic first aid material, probably some Scout books and certainly some balls and games equipment, an axe, and so forth , and it's sur how quickly you can build up a worthwhile amount of gear, especially if you get the various Mums and Dads to look out unwanted camping gear or other equipment that may be lying around the house in the garage, or with relations. THE PATROL-IN-COUNCIL
There are tw" very important disc ussion groups in a Scout Troop; first the PATROL LEADERS' COUNCIL, which comprises the Scout Leader, Patrol Leaders and, in some instances, the Assistant Scout Leaders and and the PATROL-IN-COUNCIL, which comall of your Patrol. The first needs to be rather a formal aHail if it is to work successfully, but the second can be much les s and works better if everyone is allowed a fai r amount of free ") their opinions.
Patrol-m',Col\nr) meetings are gatherings of the P atrol which may either Iy planned or, is more often, will arise out of the circt at a particular They are a gathering of the whole Patrol evep' Scout has a chance to state his views, For instanc. you had some in choosing a suitable site for a and a your Patrol-in-Council will almost the problem to the satisfaction of the majority, if not all the Patrol. There are other times,when a Patrol-in-Council needs to be called to get the views of your Patrol on some proposal which might affect the Patrol or the Troop. Organising a Patrol camp for instance, calls for P atrol-in-Council to discuss the choice of s ite, transport, menu, gear, and so on. You may, as another example, have a Patrol Leaders' meeting coming up where you, as the Patrol Leader, are required to put forward ideas for T roop activities and, being a good P atrol Leader, need to seek the views of your Scouts on ideas or proposals or on suggestions being made by otherP atrols.
It doesn't matter where you have these meetings. The important thing is that you do have them and so allow all the members of your Patrol to have a say, not only about the running of your Patrol, but about the activities being planned or organised for the whole Troop.
THE PATROL LEADERS' COUNCIL
The members of the Patrol Leaders' Council are the Patrol Leaders
I I,but in a small Troop it is not unusual to include the Assistant Patrol Leaders also. YourScoutLeaderwillbepresent (as are his Assistants it the Patrol Leaders' Council so desires), but the Council is run by the Patrol Leaders with the Scout Leader being present to keep you up-todate with coming events, to cover the Troop activities that he is involved in, to advise on Group matters and to give advice and help during your discussions. But remember that in the end he is responsible for the Troop and everything that happens, whether at Troop or Patrol
The meetings need with a (the Senior Patrol Leader or the senior of the Patrol Leaders), an agenda and a re cord kept of decisions made. The chairman has to have sufficient control to keep to the matter under discussion, so that time is not wasted. In an active Troop, the Patrol Leaders' Council needs to meet at least once a month and these meetings would normally last from l Y2 to 2 hours.
The Patrol Leaders' Council has three main functions:
1st
To plan activities.
2nd -To maintain Troop standards.
3rd -To ensure the Troop's good reputation.
The planning function involves the consideration of ideas for Patrol or Troop camps, expeditions and evening activities, the coming-up of Cubs, Troop and Patrol finances, and equipment. Your Scout Leader may wish to hear your views on the appointment of a new Patrol Leader or on a Scout who wants to be moved from one Patrol to anothe r, participation of the Troop in District activities or on training courses, and any subject thataffects the programmeoftheTroop.
The maintaining of Troop standards is the concern of the Patrol Leader for, in conjunction with your fellow Patrol Leaders, you have the responsibility of recommending to your Scout Leader, the award of all Scout standard achievement awards. You do this jointly to ensurethere is reasonable uniformity in standards between Patrol Leaders in training, testing and passing Scouts for this badge.
The Patrol Leaders' Council has the job, which in a good Troop involves little time or effort, of creating a pride in Troop and Patrol, of ensuring there is friendly and adequate that the Scouts are well turned out, courteous, loyal, friendly and good pals and where these ideals are not being observed to take steps to improve the s ituation.
In some Troops there comes the time when the occasional Scout steps out of line or plays up to the extent that it is a whether he should be severely disciplined, or asked to leave. A fri endly word may suffice to rectify the matter but sometimes it may be necessary to bring the Scout before the Patrol Leaders' C"uncil to consider the extent of the offence, the Scout's version of the event and to decide on what action to take. The Council is not permitted to go as far as tossing the Scout out of the Troop: (this can only be done by the Scout L eader with the agreement of the Group Leader and the Group Council,) but the Patrol Leaders' Council can decide on a lesser penalty. or recommend dismissal to the Scout Leader.
You will realise that the occasional get-together of the Patrol Leaders after a Troop meeting is hardly sufficient time to deal with the very
15 wide responsibilities of the Patrol Leaders' Council and it is essential
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that you do have regular formal meetings, and preferably at least once month. The business at each meeting should include the following: Reading the record of di scussions made at the previous meeting. Attending to any matters in the record that require further action. Critically reviewing recent Troop and Patrol events. Planning future Troop and Patrol activities.
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Hearing reports from Patrol Leaders on their Patrols Cactivities, I
badges passed, problems, etc.). Receiving a report on Troop finances. ,I
Scout Leader's report.
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I -Consideration and, where merited, recommending Scout Standard awa rds
Attending to any other matters that require discussion or attention ,I: LEADERSHIP In your community you will find many types of leaders. At school there is the Principal and his teachers; in a sports team the captain and coach; in your town or city the Mayor, Councillors, Town Clerk, Engineer
r( etc. In Scouting there is the Scout Leader and his Assistants and in the
Patrol, the Patrol L eader and Assistant Leade r.
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I There are two things that all leaders have in common. First they are responsible to see that the aims of the group they represent are achieved
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inthe best possible way, and second, they need to allocate and supervise
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work to others, that is they have to have the help of others, and to work
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closely with other people.
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There are certain skills a Patrol Leader should have and these 1ninclude:
Getting and giving information. The Patrol Leader is normally the
I: person used by the Scout Leader to pass on information to Patrol members at and in between meetings of the Troop. To pass accurate reaction back to the Scout Leader, you must be able to remember what you were told and pass it on to the members of the Patrol promptly. If yo u don't you are not being a good leader, for your Scouts could get too s hort a notice of things if you don't pass on information If you do delay, the chances are that they will forget part of what you have been asked to I tell them, or get details back to the Scout Leader too late for these to be of any use.
Knowing how to represent your Patrol. This requires you to convey not
only your own ideas, but those of your Patrol, to the Patrol Leaders' Council. To do this requires some effort, but do give the Scouts in you r Patrol a chance to talk and do pay attention to what they say and what they want. They depend on you to pass on their likes and dislikes.
Knowing how to instruct. This is not always easy orstraightforward and some hints to help you will be given later in this book. Knowing how to plan. This involves knowing what vour Patrol wants to do, what gear, supplies and equipment are required, and the different ways of doing the job. Decide with you r Patrol how to do the job, who can best help you, and finally what steps are necessary to take to achieve what yo u have decided to do .
Knowing how to control. As a Patrol Leader you are often in the r position where youhave to control a task to be undertaken by your Patrol, a Troop meeting, at camp or on an outdoor activity. To the extent possible in any particular situation, this requires:
-Supervising the Patrol while they do the task.
-Making sure it is done correctly. Praising when they are on the right track or have done a good job.
-Helping if help is required.
Checking where checking is necessary (particularly important in Pioneering).
Making helpful and kindly comments at the end when the job is done. 17 t i .. t % M 4 ASSISTANT PATROL LEADERS It is not too difficult to understand what a Patrol does,
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this is not quite so in the case of the Assistant Patrol Leader
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fortunately, many Assistant Patrol Leaders nothing to do and this, of course, is not ri ght.
H should be clearly understood that the Patrol should be run as a with the Patrol Leader and Assistant Patrol Leader as the two senior members of that team, The Assistant Patrol Leader is the Patrol Leader's right hand man, sharing the leadersh'ip of the Patrol and able to take over at a moment's notice should the Patrol Leader become ill. is unavailable, or is called away for any reason, The Patrol Leader must allow the Assistant Patrol Leader to plan and
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lead some of the P atrol activities and the wise Scout Leader will generally ensure that some opportunity is created during Troop meetings for
the Assistant Patrol Leader to be given a chance to lead the Patrol while the Patrol Leader is occupied elsewhere. I :l If the Patrol System is working properly there should be no difficulty in the Patrol Leader and the Assistant working together. You will pro
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bably have grown up together as members of the same Patrol and your loyalty to the Patrol should tend to overcome any personal differences f that may arise from time to time, Where this is not the case, the Patrol Leader and Assistant Patrol Leader must make a real effort to work to
gether for the good of the Patrol.
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" PASSING ON SKILLS
Badges are something that all Scouts like to receive and with pride and pleasure if the badges have required some real effort and skill. It is only natural to want to be recognised for learning and passing tests.
The task of instructing and testing your Scouts for the Scout Standard imposes two requirements upon you:
1st
To make s ure you are s ufficiently skilled yourself to be able to instruct your Scouts, and
2nd -To be able to pass on the skills you have learnt.
There are many ways of passing on skills; some very successful and others pretty hopeless. It is important to realise that people learn more by experience and by doing things than by just listening. They use all their senses seeing, hearing, smelling and tasting -in doing things and you should try to appeal to as many of these senses as you can when pas sing on a skill.
Any lecture, even at the best of times, can be rather boring unless you have an expert and skilled lecturer, and with large numbers of people to deal with this may be the only way. But in your Patrol you normally have only a few to train at a time and so you can use actual demonstrations and give much more opportunity for practice than is possible under other circumstances. There are four main s teps in instructing a Scout: Explain you are about to do. Demonstrate the skill, slowly, sl1rely and carefully.
-Allow the Scout to practise the skill until he masters it to your s atisfaction. -Correct errors and give additional guidance if required.
Allow plenty of time for practice. No one can learn anything unless he has the opportunity of practising it properly so don't try to do too 'much at once. Never pass anyone on a test unless you are satisfied they have mastered the skill and understood it.
19 There are simple, basic rules when explaining or demonstrating a skill to a Scout, viz:
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When explaining things: I -Know your subject thoroughly.
-Rehearse beforehand what you are going to say and how you are going to do it.
-Make sure the Scouts can hear and observe you.
-Make sure the Scouts are at ease, are comfortable and are not likelv to be distracted.
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When demonstrating:
-Have all the materials you need readily dnd
Ensure everyone can see what you a re doing.
-Make sure they can see from the correct angle Important with ropework).
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11 ; -Make sure you have allowed enough time to demonstrate fully.
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-Ensure demonstrations can be followed immediately with practice
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before the Scouts have a chance to forget what have heard and seen. Wherever possible use visual aids to help you get across what other
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wise might be difficult to explain in words. Charts, knot boards, first
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aid kit, the actual gear required (e.g. when packing a rucksack), photo graphs, illustrations, slides, films or models or even a blackboard can all help to get a point over.
Flip charts are harder to prepare but the preparation could perhaps be shared by the other Patrol Leaders and Assistant Patrol Leaders.
SANDFORD COURSE
A Sandford Course is a course in leadership, leadership , how it can be used, and it should be your aim to attend Sandford Course
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as soon as possible after your appointment. (Three months leadership is required before you can be accepted for a Course.)
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The Sandford Course gives you the chance to get some ideas and
I thoughts on how to lead the in and Troop ,by. I and the chance to discuss Patrol and Assistant Leaders in
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The'training ofin' your Troop, however, is the
responsibility of supplements this. ' . '..,
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Training is something that will go on all the time you ,are leader. You will learn by experiences, by specific t,raining,an,d by unities given to you to lead. . '." 6. FOR LEADERS I, that book which
._ . a Leader or 'needs concerned with.
Use it a guide see o,ne road becoming an
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e ffective leader.
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AS A OF A
that} can become a better and proficient
Plan and lead frequent, enj.oyable and successful P atrol meetings, activities and outings. - I ' Give all members of my Patrol, as far as possible, a definite job at Patrol meetings and sd that each will feel part ofthe Patrol.
Keep ahead on my ach.ievements awards and proficiency badges soI' that } am able to instruct my Patrol properly in Scoutcraft.
Be fair, thoughtful and impartial to my fellow Patrol members and a friend to them all.
Live the Scout Law and Promise and make this meaningful to my Patrol members.
Be proficient in Scouting skills so as to give my hiking and camping. 21 Wear my Scout uniform proudly, correctly and neatly so as to be a good example to my fellow Scouts.
Make full use of Patrol-in-Council and give every Scout (he chance to state his views at such Councils.
Make the Patrol a lively, independent unit with a mind and a programme of its own while remaining an essential part of the Troop. AS A LEADER IN A TROOP I WILL DO MY BEST TO:
Take an active, helpful and positive role in the Patrol L eaders' Council.
See that my Patral is prepared to take a fu 11 and active, and loyal part in all Troop activities.
Work with my Scout Leader and other Troop Leaders to make Trooponethatiswellrun,successfulandprovidingthe fun and enjoy' that I and my Patrol, my fellow Patrol Leaders and their want from Scouting. '
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, Leadership is not all joy and plain sailing. It takes a lot of mastering and one of the things you will find hard at times to accept is that being a leader in some situations is a lonely and difficult task. This is when you have to assert yourself and take command when the going gets tough and where to be indecisive is the worst thing you can do.
Most of the time, however, you can be a leader and also one of the boys, but it takes judgement as to when you are no longer one of the chaps and are really and truly in command.
That is part of the challenge of being a Patrol Leader. Accept it, you will never be the worse for it. Do have fun; that is what Scouting is meant to be.
22 7. A PATROL LEADER'S CHECK LIST Here is a check list of various things to do with your Patrol and your Troop, which you can use now and again, to see how you are gelling on with your job as a Patrol Leader. Maybe, it may remind you of things that you have overlooked while you were busy with your Patrol, or perhaps. help you to see what things you need to do to get s tarted with the job. But which ever way it is. do have a look at it occasionally.
THINGS TO CHECK ON
There have been Patrol at most Troop meetings.
The Patrol has had at least one Patrol meeting last month.
My Patrol has received trai ni ng in Scoutcraft the last fortnight, either from mvself or other instructors. I.
Everyone in my Patrol has made some further advancement towards a test or badge during the last month.
The Patrol had an outdoor activity last month.
We have our own Patrol Corner in the Troop Den .
We have our own Patrol equipment.
We have our own P atrol funds.
I consider my Patrol has' Patrol Spirit
Everyone in my Patrol would rather belong to their present Patrol than to any other Patrol in the T roop.
My Patrol is always ready on time at flag break.
My Patrol has taken a full part in all Troop and P atrol activities this month.
Our Patrol gear is clean, in good order and ready for use. 23 We have had at least one Patrol-in-Council in the last month.
The jobs are shared out to each member of the Patrol whereve, possible.
All members of my Patrol have worn their uniform, neatly and correctly to Troop and P atrol meetings.
I have set an example in wearing my uniform and wearing it correctly and neatly to all Troop and P atrol meetings.
I have made further progress with my own advancement during last month (learning my job, progress towards a badge, learning a new s kill).
I get on well with my Assistant Patrol Leader.
I work full y with my Assistant Patrol Leader in running the Patrol.
I don't try to do all the jobs myself.
I am diligent in passing on information to my P atrol when asked to do so by my Scout Leader, and in passing back information to my Scout Leader.
I represent the views of my Patrol at the Patrol Leaders' Council.
I have taught at least two members of Patrol a skill during the past month .
I have taken part in some activity in the past month that has required me either to plan or control that activity.
The Troop has had at least one outdoor activity during the last month.
The Troop, the Patrol and myself have all made reasonable progress in Scout work during the last month.
The Patrol CounciI has met at least once in the past month.
I have .had some say in the type of Troop activities held during the last month. If you can give a favourable answer to each of the above remarks then your P atrol is really getting' with it 'and your Troop is running efficiently.
Printed & Published by The Scout Association Of New Zealand, 85 Customhouse Quay, Wellington, 1973.
