Tail Slap is a Colony Scouter resource.
The focus of these pages is Beavers, the junior section of Scouts Canada. |
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The visit to a section meeting is one of the most effective ways of providing service. Both the Service Scouter and the section leader will benefit from a good visit. Even a colony with a Service Scouter as member of the leadership team will benefit from the visit of their Service Scouter. You can see the leader in action with the Beavers, bring on-the-job training, give immediate help where needed, establish and build friendly relationships based on mutual trust and understanding.
Existing colonies with sound leadership, program and support from sponsor and group committee will require less servicing than new colonies or colonies in a weak group. However, it is always reassuring to leaders to know that a Service Scouter is available and interested to maintain contact. Periodic visits will allow minor problems to be spotted and acted upon to prevent them from becoming more serious. Whenever possible, groups should be assisted to solve their own problems.
Service to a newly-formed colony and a well-functioning colony will be different in some ways. A new leader may be groping and uncertain how to proceed. The help you give will involve:
- showing how things are done
- on-the-job training
- directing them to resources in the handbooks, area, district, and community
- getting them to visit a good experienced colony
- encouraging the leaders to take training
The value of visits
- Periodic visits show and reinforce your interest and positive concern of our council in the leaders and Beavers. While at the meeting, the Service Scouter should provide recognition and encouragement for the leader and children, and stimulate their desire to continue striving for a high level of achievement.
- A picture of the strengths and weaknesses of the section is obtained through visits. The Service Scouter will help the leaders to make this evaluation and then together decide on goals and action plans to achieve improvement.
- The visit provides contact with the larger organization of Scouting. It reminds the Beavers and leaders that their section is one part of the whole movement — active locally, nationally, and internationally.
- Visits encourage two-way communication between Service Scouter and leaders. This enables you to act as a valuable sounding board to hear the leader's views and also to determine the effectiveness of the training taken by the leader. The leader's and Service Scouter's suggestions should be passed on to the council so that there will be an evaluation and modification if necessary.
A few pointers for the Service Scouter
- Prepare yourself with some basic information before your visit such as time and place of meeting, leaders names, training taken, number of Beavers, recall previous visits.
- Be friendly from the start. A leader that you contact for the first time may be unsure of the relationship between you, the purpose of your visit, or what to expect from you. Your presence could be misinterpreted as an inspection rather than an interested helper. Show a warm interest in the work being done by the group and be sure to express appreciation of the leader's time and effort.
- Be prepared to listen sympathetically to problems and difficulties. Having heard the problem, probe its source and help the leaders to find a solution. By this method the leader will accept the solution and feel more committed to act upon it. Don't try to solve all the problems in one visit. Select the most important ones and leave the rest for the future visit.
- Commend before criticizing. There is always something that can be commented on favourably, no matter how small. Mention it to the leader — it often goes unnoticed.
- Criticize constructively. Do not overlook fault but suggest other approaches to problems which might be tried. The leader's way may be best in list of the circumstances and their abilities. Other methods you suggest may be more appropriate, but the leader has to recognize this.
- Never criticize a leader in front of the Beavers. On the contrary, do whatever you can to raise the image of the leader in the eyes of the Beavers.
For the Service Scouter to consider further
- How often do you visit?
- How much does the Service Scouter participate in the meeting?
- Does the Service Scouter talk with the leaders during/after the meeting?
- Does the Service Scouter write anything about the visit?
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Last updated: November 12, 1999
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