A lot of older Scouts are, yeah, leaving! We need to make that turn around. When Scouts first get started in the program, in a Troop or a Pack or a Crew, you know, what have you, we’re really talking about a Troop, but if they get in there and it’s the adventure and it’s fun, and it’s why they’re there. But the way you keep them there after many years, to a young person, they need to feel like they are needed as part of the program. And it’s critical that we really talk about, as Scout leaders, how do we make that happen? Turning that around. We have to retain our Scouts. It is so critical, and I’ve said it many times. If we could keep all that we recruited, oh my gosh, Scouting would be huge.
We have to keep them a vital part of what makes your unit go, what makes it run, the reason for Scouting. Now, one of the big things that a lot of Troops do is that they take their older Scouts and they kind of put them into a mentor position for the new Scouts. And that’s the neat thing. They need to keep that going, keep that mentorship going. And that’s true for all of the different patrols, whether it be the first year emphasis patrols or any of that. And it’s critical. A lot of the older Scouts have Scout skills, the Scouting tools from the toolbox. That’s the wonderful thing. And they can teach and mentor other Scouts using that EDGE method. That is huge. It’s important to keep them a vital part of what Scouting is about. A lot of times, they might be doing different activities. Running a station where they tie a certain knot. That’s something that older Scouts can do. And a lot of times it’s referred to as an instructor. But there is a youth position. It’s appointed by the Scoutmaster to be a Youth Instructor. So definitely look into that. In fact, there’s a video about Instructors, because you’ll see that patch and go, “What?” So, definitely check out the video.
Older Scouts have a higher level of planning. They can do more complex, camperees, campouts, different activities, and adventures. They can do more complex things. And it’s important as adult leaders to always be there, trying to mentor that older Scout to kind of move them forward on their leadership journey. That’s the wonderful thing about a youth-led unit is that the adults do all of the mentoring, helping, and facilitating for the youth to actually get that experience. Older Scouts also should have a feeling that they’re invested in their unit, their Troop, and that their thoughts matter and that their activities and their efforts are important. This needs to be part of that whole thing with mentoring and the adults mentoring youth that should all be there.
Offering big adventure is important because a lot of older Scouts because you’ve been using them for instructions and for all of the basic skills, they kind of get tired of that after a while. It’s important to have a big adventure that they might qualify for. There are a lot of them that are out there. High adventure trips, whether it’s with the unit that you’re in or the council, you can get into the contingent for the council, that’s doing those kinds of things, going to the Florida Sea Base down in the Keys. Or you could be going off to New Mexico, Philmont, and doing a trek out there, or even going way up north from Florida, way up north to the Northern Tier. These are adventures that they need that opportunity to do. And believe me, when they come back from those things, if they’re in a contingent with the outside of your unit, they come back from those things, they have skills that you need. And that’s the wonderful thing. You can pull that in and really round out a lot of the stuff that’s going on as far as instructions and stuff like that coming from them. Youth-led. So critical and getting that leadership experience, bringing it back, is so critical to the success of keeping your older Scouts.
It’s also important to give them real responsibilities. Youth pick up on it right away. If it’s just a name only as an Instructor and you are never given a task, that’s something that they pick up on, and it becomes useless. Why keep going? That’s what they start thinking. So, those things that they’re assigned to must be significant for your unit’s success. I know a lot of adult leaders have a problem letting go. You have to allow them to have real decision-making power. That is, it’s a very important thing. Mid managers always run into this. Okay, as we know, as adults, they have the authority to do things, but that’s always checked with the higher authority within the organization. The same thing’s true in Scouting. The youth gets a project. You give them their responsibilities, but they have to clear their decisions with their mentors, with their coaches, with the Assistant Scoutmasters, with the Scoutmaster. That has to be approved. It has to be kind of managed.
That is a huge learning opportunity for so many youth that they will never get outside, for instance, in school. They’ll never have that. That’s the wonderful thing about Scouting, we teach those skills. We have to empower them. Let them come up with a solution to a difficulty. That is critical thinking that is needed in Scouting. We don’t teach Scouts what to think. We teach them HOW, to think. That’s the important bit. If we can get those older Scouts to understand that we’re there to help them manage their youth-led unit. That’s the neat thing about it. As adult leaders, we also need to think that mistakes happen, problems happen, and things fail. But always keep in mind that FAIL is actually the First Attempt In Learning. It’s an acronym. We’ve learned that, okay? It’s always there. Scouting is a safe place to fail, okay? To learn. That’s the key to it all. If they feel a part of it and they are backed up by the adults, they’re staying. They’re not going to go anywhere.
It’s important as adult leaders to respect the lives of the older Scouts. They have a lot going on. School, they’re in the higher end of their high school. They might have very difficult courses that they’re taking. So they need homework time. They need time to work on projects. They need those things that schooling does. Scouting is important, but they have to keep that in mind. They’re on a higher level. They’re not in grade school. They’re at a higher level of education. Now, add sports. There are all kinds of sports. Everything to do with a ball or a puck. Okay? There are a lot of sports that could really disrupt the whole schedule, with Scouting, sports, and athletics, the things they want to participate in.
Sports are important for teamwork development and all of that stuff. But Scouting, in my opinion, is far more important than all the other sports that are out there. But we have to respect their desires. They might have a serious talent. They can knock the ball right out of the park… Every time! That’s the thing about that Scout. They need to develop that. Is that a career path for them? That might be. So you have to keep all of those things in mind. Now you also have music. A lot of times, they will have an instrument that they’re really good at, and they want to even get better. That too could also be like sports could be a career opportunity for them. So they need to focus on that too. So as an adult leader, they’ve got a lot going on. It’s not just static school and Scouts. No, there’s a lot of inner things going on in their lives.
They may be starting on a part-time job. This is very popular with a lot of youth out there. They want to pay their way through Scouting or whatever activities they’re doing. This is something that they get a job, a part-time job, or even for a teenager, they don’t really do a full-time job, but they do a lot of hours. So, that might disrupt that schedule because, as you know, the part-time job’s only on the weekends. Well, when do you go camping? You’ve got to understand they’ve got commitments there. So that’s the big thing. And then if they didn’t have enough to do, they get into a relationship. A lot of times, Scouters, like us old Scouters, we call it the fumes, okay? Car fumes, perfumes, and they’re becoming a fume, and they’re gone, from your Troop. So you have to keep in mind they got a lot going on.
Now that Scout that has all that stuff going, has all of that pressure that’s going on, we need to be flexible. As Scout leaders, we must keep them involved in Scouting. The leadership skills that they learn are incredibly important in Scouting. It’s incredibly important for whatever skills that they obtain and perfect, and move on to a career. We need that management skill to also be there. We need to be flexible as managers ourselves in our youth. We need to talk to them. We need to find out what’s going on. When is game night? When is the orchestra performing? We need all that information. So, talk to them. They may need a break, like two or three months off of Scouting, just to do activities that they need to get done that they have a desire to get done. So it’s important that we work with the Scout.
There are a lot of opportunities for part-time leadership projects that a Youth Leader can do. That’s something that the leadership corps needs to get together and say, “Hey, there are five projects. We need somebody to do this, this, and this.” You can set that aside for them so that when they have time, they can actually do those activities and tell them they’re needed. That’s the big thing. We need you. Don’t go. We need you to be a part of that leadership. Now, there could be short-term activities that you could do on a weekend. That might be something if the Scout has all this experience. Don’t let it go. Keep it in the unit. And that way, the unit is stronger because you have the older Scouts to be that example, to be that Leader, to be that one to go to when they have a problem. That’s the critical thing. It’s youth-led. We need the older, more experienced Scouts who have more skills to really be there. For instance, they may not be able to make the Monday night meeting, but they can make the canoe trip. So, perfect. You need a lead. You need a youth lead on that trip. Get the Senior Patrol Leader. Get the Patrol Leaders. Get everybody to understand we got this, Troop Guide that’s going to do this, okay? And set it up. Give them that responsibility. That’s the wonderful thing about it. And it could be anything. It could be a hike. It could be a campout. It could be activities. It could be a conservation project. There’s an endless list that we need them for. Always keep them involved and be flexible.
Be flexible, so that you can really keep them going because believe me, a young Scout seeing the older Scout being the lead, being the one that’s in charge up the hill, okay, that’s the one that’s what they want to be. That’s what that’s the image that they want. That adventure is derived from that. They need that older Scout to be that example. So critical to the success of that Scout and the success of your Troop.
It’s important that Scout Leaders start using their older Scouts as mentors to all the other Scouts. They are there because they have all those skills. They have all the stuff they did when they were a young Scout. They’ve learned all of that stuff. They’ve been camping. They’ve known all their knots. They know well that they should know the basics. Okay. And that’s something you can really utilize that knowledge. You know it’s always been said that if you don’t know your knots, you will. You’re going to be asked because you’ve achieved the ability to do a square knot. Now you’re asked to teach it. So yeah, it’s just a matter of practicing and remembering that process of putting that knot together, teaching others using the EDGE method. That’s the thing about an older Scout. They’ve got those skills. They know these things. That’s the neat thing about it.
An older Scout should be guided towards more responsible roles. One of the big ones, of course, is Den Chief. That is your recruiting. That’s your connection to the Pack. So, from the Troop, you get an older Scout, one who has experience. Have them go and start working with a Pack and a Den. Being that the Den Chief is very important because you’re building that relationship with those Cub Scouts, when they Arrow towards a Troop, they’re going to go to the Troop that the Den Chief was from. This is the key. They’re the recruiter. They’re the ones going to bring them in, and they then are no longer a Den Chief. They’re a Troop Guide. This is the evolution of that position. And for an older Scout, this is huge in responsibility. Gigantic. Okay. So, use those skills. You spend a lot of time teaching them. Keep them by using those skills through the older Scout. This is a natural. And if you’re curious about that evolution between Den Chief and Troop Guide, there’s a video that will give you more insight into that secret recruiting of Den Chiefs bringing Cub Scouts into your Troop.
The next big thing is keeping them. You’ve got to keep your older Scouts. You’ve got to keep them all. If you kept every Scout that crossed over to your Troop and you and everyone that you’ve spent a lot of time and effort recruiting, if you kept every one of them, your unit would be enormous. Retention is really important. Creating a path beyond the Eagle Scout rank, that is so important for older Scouts. An Eagle Scout’s got a lot of skills. They’ve done projects, and they know things. They have skills. They have all of the Scout skills that you need and can instruct. They can use that EDGE method. They can do so much. But it’s not Eagle and exit. No, we need to stop that from occurring. We need to have a position there. Junior Assistant Scoutmaster. That should be automatic. As soon as they become an Eagle, they’re also a Junior Assistant Scoutmaster. When they turn 18, they’re an Assistant Scoutmaster. Yeah, that’s what you’ve got to keep all of the stuff, all that knowledge you’ve invested, and all that effort you’ve made for that Scout.
As they get older, Scout becomes more proficient in all of the things that they do, boom, you have an Eagle Scout. Don’t let them exit. Turn them into a Junior Assistant Scoutmaster. Or if they’re 18, turn them into an Assistant Scoutmaster. It’s just that simple. That way, you can give them responsibilities and just tell them the truth that they are needed. We need you. That kind of thing. That’s the most important thing because you know life has a lot of other stuff going on there. I know from personal experience, but that’s the key. You have to tell them that they’re needed and you want them to stay.
In addition to that, they could do some things. They can go to the National Youth Leadership Training as a youth staff member. That is very needed. It is a critical thing to have staff members there. That is one of those that’s like the Wood Badge for youth. We’ve done videos on that. Definitely look into it. But that NYLT staff is so critical to the success of your council, to the success of youth leadership throughout the district and council. So important that we have those older, more experienced Scouts in that. That’s true for the Order of the Arrow.
The Order of the Arrow is a very advanced level of training that goes a step further in its leadership training. And we’ve talked about it before. They have courses that you can do through the Order of the Arrow for young people who are doing things within Scouting. That young person they learn about “Servant Leadership.” They learn about that in the Order of the Arrow. That’s something that older Scouts love to get involved in. So don’t deny an election team from coming to your Troop. Please, your older Scouts need them, and you need the Order of the Arrow to keep them. That’s the key. There’s a lot there. Your Eagle is not the exit. All right?
Make sure they know that they are wanted, needed, and so valuable. Let them build the program. This is huge. Ask them questions. Just ask them, “What type of event or adventure would you want to be involved in and would excite you to stay involved in Scouting?” Just ask them the question. So many times, people do not just be direct and ask the questions and tell young people, “We need you because you have all these skills. We need you to help us succeed.” That’s the thing. Tell them that. That’s the wonderful thing. If they feel like they’re a part of that, they will stay. You’ve hooked them in already. Don’t let them go. It’s like fishing without hooks. Okay? It’s a lot of effort, but there’s no fish. That’s a very important part. You have to be able to retain them, keep them, and therefore you have those older Scouts that the younger ones are looking up to, and they’re the older Scouts to mentor the others. But ask them these questions.
It’s really simple. Ask them what skill the Troop needs to learn next. Is that something that needs to be practiced? Is it something that was taught in the past that’s been forgotten? You know, how to clean your dishes at a camp out, a skill, how to put your tent up, and how to tie a bowline. These are things that the youth would probably be able to identify because they’re actively with the youth, seeing them in the camping situation. That’s a great question. Ask them, “What major challenge should we tackle as a Troop this coming year?” That’s a huge question because they have things they want to do. They want to do a big event. They want to go somewhere. They want to do high adventure. They want to do things. Okay? Scouting gives them that opportunity. So, make sure you talk to them.
Make them a part of your leadership team. As a part of your leadership team, you need to recognize their leadership. So important. It is very difficult to constantly set that expectation and not get any kind of recognition. That’s a big thing in management. You have to be able to recognize their efforts. Yeah, things might not have been absolutely perfect to what you wanted, but it was an effort. It was something you needed. It was something you wanted, and it occurred, and it can be perfected over time. That’s the key. You have to recognize their efforts. Otherwise, there’s no incentive. They’re gone. You have to recognize them for the things they did well. Not all the things they did wrong, but what they did well. Don’t forget to ask for their opinion and include them in the adult meeting.
If you’re at a PLC, a Patrol Leaders Council, which they would be a part of because they’re an Instructor or a Guide, make sure that the Instructor and Guide sit with the adult leaders. They’re not with those patrols, okay? The patrols are working with the Senior Patrol Leader, and they’re doing their divisions, Quarter Masters, and Scribe, and all that stuff is there. They are part of that group that works with the adults. These are the older Scouts. It’s a higher level. So, make sure you ask their opinion. Make sure you include them in your group discussions. And when planning comes around, they’ll be critical. They will tell you, “The Scouts didn’t like going to that camp.” So, don’t go there again. They’ll tell you. That’s critical insight. From an adult level, you may not see all the different things that the Scouts do. That’s something that they have a unique perspective on, and we need to be able to use that.
Out of that, you have to respect their decisions. That’s something. Now, obviously, safety is key number one, and that supersedes everything. If it’s not safety or youth protection or the new thing of safeguarding youth, if it’s those things, yes, the adults jump in safety 100%. But if it’s for that particular older Scout and it’s important and they want to make that point, let them make the point. Support them. Talk to them. Make sure they’re part of your leadership team cuz they are. You’re putting them in a role that’s not just paper. It’s real. And that’s the key. And that’s how you keep Scouts involved. If you can keep everybody you recruited, oh my gosh, your Troop would be enormous, right? That’s how you keep the older Scouts and keep them involved. I personally thank all of you, including the older Scouts, and believe it or not, they’re watching. Okay? I want to thank you all for giving me some time and hearing me out. That’s the wonderful thing about Scouting, being Courteous and Kind, always learning, always having that open mind. So critical to what we do for the betterment of Scouts. We’re building a better America, one Scout at a time. So always remember that it is a critical thing that we’re doing here, and you are awesome. You’ve got to keep up that good, hard work that we do all the time. And I hope to see you on the trail.
