In the spring, the 17th Black Bear Pathfinders got the chance to have a community garden plot to farm. They jumped at the chance! Getting outside together sounded fun. The Pathfinder patrols decided what to plant. They were enthusiastic about planting onions! Onions are a good spring or fall crop. The Leaders were skeptical but the onions grew well and...
Forms and Leader Guides / GSM Tips
by Laura Sowdon · Published August 19, 2021 · Last modified April 1, 2022
Starting a new scouting year is exciting and challenging. One thing that seems to be extra challenging is gathering contact information for any new families that show up at your kick-off meeting or first few meetings. There are also some standard legal agreements/waivers that are good to have parents sign off on and review. Our parent organization offers a standard...
Forms and Leader Guides / GSM Tips / Otters / Pathfinders / Rovering / Timberwolves
by Laura Sowdon · Published July 10, 2021 · Last modified April 1, 2022
Part of our mission in OSG is to create “Scouting for All.” In this quest, we not only scout with people of all races, religions, backgrounds, genders, and orientations, but also with scouts who are neurodiverse and experience a variety of physical and learning challenges. While some of those differences make no difference to the scout leader or the program,...
Forms and Leader Guides / GSM Tips
by Laura Sowdon · Published July 2, 2021 · Last modified April 1, 2022
I adore having an hour-by-hour schedule for troop camping trips. Why? Because it takes much of the stress out of the experience for me. Having every adult in camp know what time we will be starting to cook dinner, eat, clean up, hike, do flags or play games means they know when they can rest, and when they need to...
Sometimes, an opportunity presents itself and we get a chance to do something that we didn’t plan on. As a scout leader, this is a great chance to let everyone, including us, try something new. But how do we take something that isn’t in the plan, and make it a scout project? Is it the same as any project you...
Forms and Leader Guides / GSM Tips / Pathfinders / Timberwolves
by Laura Sowdon · Published April 7, 2021 · Last modified August 26, 2021
As a fully inclusive program of all genders, scout leaders need to be knowledgeable about menstruation and provide appropriate support for scouts who experience menstruation. The typical age for a first period is 12, with most people starting to have cycles between age 10 and 15. However, there are those who get them earlier and later, so age alone does...
by Laura Sowdon · Published March 15, 2021 · Last modified March 31, 2022
As OSG scouts, we wear large, traditional neckers. But what are those and why do we wear them? Scout neckers go back to the start of scouting in England in 1908. They are “original equipment” if you will. Each group in OSG selects their own necker color or pattern, and chooses when and how to give those to group members....
Okay, forgive my bluntness, but there are some key differences in leading girls vs. boys. In big, general terms that don’t apply to every scout, girls and boys tend to have some differences in where they most need us as leaders to push them along. Part of the challenge of the program we offer, is that we have mixed gender...
What is the patrol method? The patrol method is a small group learning technique where a group of four to eight scouts form a team to work together to meet their goals. As teams have colors and mascots, a patrol selects colors and a patrol animals to represent them. The patrol also invents a call, or a fun way to...
I’ve asked this question a lot! What do you need to have to be a great scout leader? Here are ten of my favorite answers from a variety of wonderful Outdoor Service Guides leaders! A Sense of Humor! A good rain coat! A sense of fun! Sturdy, waterproof boots! A desire to learn and...
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