Troop 214 Event Planning Guide for Scouts

I.Motivation
The task of planning a monthly outing can be daunting. Requirements and responsibilities are not always clear. An ideal outing has been in the planning process for months. A scout planning committee aided by an adult advisor has developed weekly programs along withthe outing itself. However, this degree of foresight and organization is very difficult to achieve. The process is stressful because there are few established procedures or compiled resources to aid in planning events. This guide serves as a resource and tool for scouts planning monthly events byoutlining expectations, responsibilities, guidelines, and suggestions for where to find ideas for weekly program and trip activities.

II.Organizational Structure for Planning Committee and Event
An event planning committee is composed of a youth committee head, youth committee members and an adult advisor. Committee heads volunteer or accept a request on behalf of the SPL, ASPL, or SM to serve as the committee chair. Committee heads then choose fellow scouts to serve with them on the event planning committee. The adult advisor is appointed by the scoutmaster. If the youth committee would like to work with a specific scouter and an adult advisor has not been appointed, the committee is encouraged to inquire if this scouter would be willing to serve as an advisor. The scouter should then let the scoutmaster know and the scoutmaster will take further action.
It is not a requirement to have a committee beyond that of the adult advisor and the youth committee chair. When there are more members to share the work, the quality/funess of the event increases while the stress of planning decreases. Similarly, there is not a limit to how many scouts can be on the committee, but committees in excess of five often have more ideas then they can effectively manage.

The position of committee head does not carry authoritative power. Rather the position serves as the communication link between the SPL, PLC, and the other planning committee members(including the adult advisor). The adult advisor acts as a coach and mentor. They should only overstep the committee on matters of safety. There are no formal qualifications to be a committee head, but approval is subject to the scoutmaster and SPL’s discretion. Ideally a committee head has a genuine interest in planning the event. Some advanced knowledge of the program material is helpful, but all that is required is enthusiasm and a commitment to plan the event.

During the event the acting SPL will be in charge of the troop; not the committee head. The SPL may rely on the planning committee head or the committee in general to supervise activities and/or to make program decisions. The planning committee will come up with an event plan/schedule that the SPL can follow to run the event.

III.Suggested Time Line for Event Planning

  • June of previous program year:Troop conducts the annual planning session
  • July PLC of previous program year:SPL/SM have committee chairs chosen
  • More than 4 months out:Committee head and advisor choose committee. Have meeting with entire committee and adult advisor to exchange contact information.
  • Four Months out: Youth committee discussed how to focus the month’s theme and how the outing will reinforce the monthly theme. Research possible trip locations and activities to do at each location.
  • PLC 3 months out: report out to PLC. Have more specific program ideas for meetings, but details are not necessary. Identify possible activities to do during the event. Gather enough information (such as price, facilities, possible weather, available programs, travel time) to compare and contrast trip ideas which can be presented to the PLC. Three months out is an opportune time to seek PLC guidance if the planning committee feels strongly about several ideas.
  • PLC 2 months out:Report out to PLC. Conduct further research on program ideas for the meetings, get a general idea for your 1st program. Decide on which activities to do during the campout. Present to the PLC any decisions the committee wants the PLC to make or any input they need from the PLC. Check to see if signup sheets are in patrol rooms. Trip location needs to be decided in order to make proper reservations, especially reservations for program activities (i.e. outfitters, guides, tours…)
  • PLC 1 month out/ month of: Report out to PLC. Have final program activities decided on (with extensive detail). Have the 20 minute weekly program topics decided on and planned out. Have flyers for troop detailing information about the event (departure/ arrival times, cost, what to bring, where to meet, and any special information). Make sure adult advisor has the information needed to fill out tour permit and the scout planning committee can fill out the Troop 214 Campout/Activity Plan guide (copies in Scout Hut). Have rough event itinerary worked out.
  • The Troop 214 Campout/ Activity Plan form is a great resource to make sure all the major aspects of the trip are covered. Valuable pieces of information on this plan are “Parent Information” (location, times, adult leaders) great stuff for flyers and parents as well as the Check List section which serves as a timeline and a plan on how to share the responsibility for planning an activity.
  • Weekly programs should be planned by the planning committee, but need not be presented by the committee. Think outside of your box! Do not let tradition bind your creative ideas. Bringing an “expert” in will often make the program more exciting and memorable. For trips needing a certain skill level, such as kayaking/canoeing or rock climbing, an “expert” with a high skill level is an invaluable resource for prepping scouts and making the trip more enjoyable.
  • Consult with the SPL and ASPL if menu planning needs to be integrated into the program or if there is enough time to have it as a separate event (try to gather this information at the two months out PLC report so you know how many programs to plan for).
  • Event: Be prepared to lead program and activities during the day. Work with SPL and PLC to communicate program information to the rest of the troop. Keep a record of who comes on the trip, specifically how many camping nights and days they earn. Pass this information on to the troop’s record keeper, currently Katrina James.

IV.Suggestions for Effective Meeting & Event Programs

Each program should have several parts: an introduction, learning objectives, a hook, teaching learning, evaluation, conclusion, and reflection. These program components are suggested by the National Junior Leader Instructor Camp (NJLIC) program, the immediate predecessor to the National Advanced Youth Leader Experience program (NAYLE), the highest form of youth leader training the BSA offers. It is impossible to appeal to everyone’s learning style, but by varying the presentation format and leadership style used, more scouts find the program enjoyable and useful. Well proven presentation formats include lectures, large group discussions, small or “buzz” group discussions/activities, panel discussions, and hands on instruction. In addition to the presentation format the technology used for the presentation can be varied to appeal to group preferences and resource restrictions. Commonly used technologies include slides, flip charts, chalk or dry-erase board, felt boards, magnetic boards, and “table top” slides using a 3 ring binder (similar to a rolladex).

V.Presentation Tips

  1. Power Point Presentations

Keep the words on each slide to a minimum; a good guide is the rule of 5: 5 lines per slide and five words to a line (or less)

Use contrasting colors for background and text colors

Always test your color scheme on the projector being used because colors on the computer screen and projected colors are not always the same

Do not use red and green as contrasting colors (red green color blindness)

Try to avoid vibrant red as a background color as it can suggest danger and may be an offensive color to some observers

Be wary of animations: they can easily get carried away and be a distraction

Use a remote clicker or ask someone else to advance the slides for you

For a static slide keep speaking content to under a minute; otherwise cut down on content or use more slides

KISS (keep it simple silly) and PRACTICE

  1. Flip Charts

Have flip chart already filled out to avoid standing in front of the flipchart while writing

Use consistent lettering (font and case)

Use colors to organize ideas

Prewrite important ideas in pencil and write over them in marker during the presentation

Use sticky notes to mark pages

Use a cover sheet to reveal information as the presentation progresses

When writing on the flipchart keep a scrap sheet of paper behind the page being written on to prevent bleed through

Write big

  1. Chalk/ Dry Erase Boards

Erase in the horizontal direction working top to bottom to prevent smearing

Use colors to organize ideas

Pictures are worth a thousand words

Bring extra chalk or markers

Practice beforehand

Clean the board before writing on it

  1. Felt/ Magnetic Boards

Prepare text and pictures with velcro or magnets before hand.

Print text rather than hand write it

Use 1 color for board background and place text on a different color background

Felt board is made by draping felt over a rigid surface (or just felt) and uses the hook side of velcro to add text/ pictures to the board

Magnetic board can be cheaply made by wrapping a magnetic cookie dish with a thin lightweight fabric and using magnets to add text/ pictures to the board

Both boards are very portable and can be used for teaching where extensive facilities are not available

  1. Table Top Slides

Print Power Point slides with a white background or use colored paper if you want a colored background

Put printed slides into page protectors

In the page protector behind a specific slide put in a page of what you want to say about the presentation slide

On the other side of page protector will be the next slide in sequence

Portable and easy to make

VI.Resources for Weekly Programs & Event Planning
(1:11 are from Roles of Adult Advisors for Event Planning)

  1. The Guide to Safe Scouting
  2. The Boy Scout Handbook
  3. The Scoutmaster’s Handbook
  4. Troop Program Features, A Guide to Troop Program Planning, Volumes I, II, and III. These contain guidance and sample plans for planning programs for troop meetings and outdoor activities, including resource information, checklists, activities, and games for almost every type of scouting event. If the scouts use it, their planning effort can be greatly minimized. These can be obtained at the Occoneechee Council Scout Shop, and the troop has an older edition.
  5. Troop 214’s Resource Guide for Scouts and Parents
  6. The BSA Fieldbook :The BSA’s manual of advanced skills for outdoor travel, adventure, and caring for the land. This is an excellent guide for planning outdoor activities. It has guidance on everything you would want to know, from planning and organization considerations, leadership in the outdoors, fitness, first aid, cooking and menu planning, risk management, Leave No Trace, camping and backpacking (including cold and hot weather concerns; equipment and clothing,), aquatic activities, biking, skiing, caving, fishing, search and rescue, and appreciating our environment. The 2004 revision can be obtained at the Occoneechee Council Scout Shop; the troop should have the 2004 edition.
  7. BSA Form 33696A, The Campfire Program Planner – a two-page planning tool available on the internet.
  8. Stories for Around the Campfire: a short book available at the Occoneechee Council Scout Shop; good for planning campfire ceremonies.
  9. Group Meeting Sparklers – Ideas to Brighten any Meeting – a collection of cheers, icebreakers and gimmicks to add energy and excitement to any gathering. It is a short BSA book, available at the Occoneechee Council Scout Shop, and is also good for planning campfire ceremonies.
  10. Eagles Soaring High – Trail Worship for Christians, Muslims, and Jews: another short book available at the Occoneechee Council Scout Shop; it is designed for backpacking and is very small.
  11. The internet – there are more websites than we could mention. Instead, just use your favorite search engine. Also look at the list of links in theTroop 214 Resource Guide for Scouts and Parents, Appendix C.
  12. Wood’s Wisdom: A program guide no longer published, but is the predecessor to Troop Program Features (item 4)
  13. Peers
  14. Scoutmasters and Troop Committee members, Merit Badge Counselors
  15. “Experts” by profession or hobby
  16. REI has an outreach program specifically for youth groups
  17. Past example is the head chef of the Angus Barn
  18. Merit Badge Pamphlets
  19. Boy’s Life Magazine
  20. Training Syllabi (including adult and venturing training)
  21. BSA publications not mentioned
  22. Adventure guides
  23. Your Self and your family/ friends

VII.Financial Concerns
Trips that are expensive seem even more daunting than a trip of similar size but that is cheaper. When handling large amounts of money the most important thing is documentation and communication. As much as possible communicate with scouts ahead of time to determine their interest in a trip for a given price range. When you collect money write down how much money you have collected and how the money was tendered (usually check or cash). Bear in mind that some aspects of the event will need to be paid in cash during the trip (e.g. camping fee). With the help of your advisor keep track of how and when each aspect of the trip will be paid for. Your advisor will provide more insight and help then reading this guide so use your resources! The troop treasurer, currently Joe Olsen, is also more than willing and well versed in lending help to resolve questions about trip finances.

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