We all know the motto of Scouting America: Be Prepared. Short, simple, and imbued with an open-ended challenge, the motto is as relevant today as when it was first uttered.
But how is “Be Prepared” actualized in our program?
The most obvious is through the practical skills that we teach. First aid, knot tying, outdoor skills – the list goes on.
Other skills that are not as obvious are characteristics that are developed during the learning and practicing of those practical skills. Characteristics such as resilience, perseverance, adaptability, and confidence (among others) are survival skills for our modern and changing world.
Simply put, we turn out increasingly better-equipped citizens the longer youth (and adults) stay in our program.
The key to all of this is providing programming that is fun, engaging, safe, and varied. Survey data taken over decades has shown that the longer a child is in Scouting, the better prepared they are for life as a successful adult member of society. It’s clear – offering quality pack, troop, or crew programs changes and molds young lives for the better.
A quality program has a clear foundation in leaders being prepared.
Leaders “being prepared” is like a student who has attended all the lectures. When the test comes (and they always do), that student knows what has been discussed and also what has not been discussed.
When a question comes up, they can answer with confidence rather than wonder what they may have missed. More importantly, leaders who are prepared understand the resources, tips, and local knowledge, making the leader’s job easier and allowing them to offer a quality program.
If you think leaders “being prepared” sounds like leader training – you are right.
The “why?” behind training is facilitating leaders’ preparation. Prepared to smoothly deliver a quality program and prepared to use the right resources to simplify delivering an engaging program that keeps kids wanting to come back for more.
To repeat: the longer a child stays in our program, the more prepared they are for life.
Isn’t that all the reason one needs to understand why being a prepared (trained) leader is the key to making a positive impact on our youth?
Training – it’s not just a good idea, it is the foundation on which our program changes lives.
Scott Hooper
Montana Council Commissioner
