Putting it Together

Interfacing with Troop Program Features and Troop Program Resources

Troop Program Features is a three volume set of 48 features to help making program planning easier for unit and youth leaders. Because this is designed to assist with annual planning, the topics in Troop Program Features are organized around monthly themes and activities – not rank advancement items. Used properly, Troop Program Features can help plan meetings and outings. In a youth-lead Troop this resource can be an immense time-saver. Although originally printed and sold at the Scout Shop, electronic versions of this material is readily available on the internet.

Dovetailing with Troop Program Features is the website Troop Program Resources (http://www.programresources.org). This website takes programming to a higher level, and offers resources for the Patrol Leaders Council (PLC) and adult Scouters. It offers meeting plans, scout skills videos, ceremonies, and even leader’s minutes.

Both Troop Program Features and Troop Program Resources are tools. As with any tool, it’s important to know when and how to use it. Some of the ideas may not be suitable for younger Scouts or may list an activity that your Scouts are not ready for because they haven’t been in the program long enough. This is where common sense planning takes over. While these scripted plans are not ‘carved in stone,’ keep in mind that to achieve First Year First Class, it is incumbent upon leaders (both youth and adult) to ensure the Troop provides opportunities for Scouts to meet all the requirements up to First Class.

This publication picks up where Troop Program Features and Troop Program Resources leaves off, by helping to plan a goal oriented, comprehensive first year program for new scouts. It does not replace Troop Program Features or Troop Program Resources, however, and it does not offer a complete program for every week. You should use Troop Program Features, Troop Program Resources other activities (such as camporees and Scout summer camp) or your own troop activities to design a complete First Class First Year program.

Ordering the Plans

When deciding the order and timing of the plans, keep these things in mind

Be flexible.
There are fewer plans in this publication than you will have meetings in a Scout’s first year.
Sometimes you will want to do activities other than these listed. These plans are designed to get at specific requirements and to make sure Scouts get opportunities to advance.
Scouts will need to review and practice the material. This is an extension of the application listed in each plan. If needed, plan a review meeting full of games that use the skills. Troop Program Features and Troop Program Resources are great resources for this purpose.

The table below lists the plans in the program generally in accordance to the rank to which they apply, although there is no exact correlation. To make it easier for scouts to advance in succession, some Troops may want to start with the plans for Scout and Tenderfoot, then those for Second Class, and finally the plans for First Class. There is no requirement that rank requirements be completed in any particular order and, especially with Scout through First Class ranks, Scouts frequently work simultaneously on the requirements.

Scout/Tenderfoot

Camping Know How I

Camping Know How II

Citizenship

First Aid: The Basics I

Fitness I

Fitness II

Forming the Patrol I

Forming the Patrol II

Knots and Lashings I

Second Class

Camping Know How II

Fires and Fire Safety

First Aid: The Basics I

First Aid: The Basics II

First Aid: Hurry Cases

Map and Compass I

Nature I

Totin’ Chip

First Class

Cooking

First Aid: Bandages

First Aid: CPR

First Aid: Rescues

Knots and Lashings II

Map and Compass II

Map and Compass III

Nature II

A word about Scout Summer Camp

Scouts attending summer camp have a tremendous opportunity and advantage regarding First Year First Class. Most BSA camps have special programs designed for first year campers focused on completing many of the requirements from Scout rank through First Class. In addition to the special first year program, summer camp scheduling will allow these younger Scouts to earn merit badges. Careful selection of those merit badges (especially ones like Swimming or First Aid) will go a long way towards meeting some of the rank advancement requirements and jump-starting a Scout’s advancement.

In addition to advancement (whether rank or merit badges), having first year Scouts attend summer camp allows them to develop bonds with the older scouts in the Troop, gets them acclimated to camping (ideally, without their parents) and helps to reinforce the patrol method. Most of all, it’s fun. With all its benefits, the opportunity to attend summer camp, especially for younger Scouts, is one which should not be missed.

The Boy Scout Handbook

This work contains several references to the Boy Scout Handbook; however, those are not exhaustive, and nearly all of the instructional information in this work (and much more) can be found in the Boy Scout Handbook. Encourage your Scouts to read it, and to use it as a valuable learning resource. In fact, many Scouts will be able to put the Boy Scout Handbook to good use even outside of their Scouting activities.

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