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Webelos to Scout Transition
The Transition Plan
Every graduating Webelos Scout deserves the
opportunity to continue his Scouting experience as member of Boy Scout troop.
Your help can make a difference.
Here's a plan that bridges the gap between Webelos Scouting and Boy Scouting.
It results in better prepared and more enthusiastic new members for the troop,
a strong feeling of success for the pack, and-most important of all - an outstanding
new Scouting experience for the boys.
Many Webelos Scouts go on to Boy Scouting with no help at all, but a lot of them
need to know more about their opportunities for fun and adventure in the troop.
That's the purpose of the Webelos-to-Scout transition plan: to give every Webelos
Scout a sampling of the troop program, troop leadership, advancement opportunities,
and the fun and excitement of Boy Scouting. We also must let him know that he
is wanted.
The boy's progress toward the Webelos badge and the Arrow of Light Award introduces
him to some of the basic elements of Boy Scouting, and gives him an early taste
of Scouting skills and the Boy Scout advancement program. He learns more about
the troop through joint den/troop activities, which let him see boy leadership
at work and sense his own potential as a leader. He becomes more confident and
enthusiastic about his Scouting future as he becomes more familiar with the boys
and adult leaders of the troop he will be joining.
Here's How It Works
The Webelos-to-Scout transition plan offers
a clear path into Boy Scouting for every Webelos Scout, beginning early in his
fifth grade year. By linking his Webelos den and a Boy Scout troop in a transition
partnership, he is provided an opportunity, through joint activities, to sample
the fun of Boy Scouting. As his Webelos advancement plan helps him prepare for
Boy Scout advancement, he might also learn more about Boy Scouting through council
and district activities designed to support the transition plan.
In the early spring, after he has earned the Arrow of Light, he graduates with
the other members of his den into the troop.
The Den/Troop Partnership
The key factor in the transition process
is the establishment of a working partnership between the Webelos den and the
Boy Scout troop that most of the Webelos Scouts will join. This partnership should
be firmly in place by the start of the Webelos Scouts' fifth grade year. Every
fifth grade Webelos den should be linked to a troop, and every troop should have
one or more Webelos dens as partners.
Of course, in many cases these partnerships already exist, and have been effective
for many yearL But some Webelos dens are not linked to troops, and need help from
their district in establishing a partnership. Similarly, troops with no "feeder'
Webelos dens might need help.
No Webelos Scout should start his fifth grade year without a clear path ahead
of him that leads to a Boy Scout troop.
Joint Activities
The partner already familiar and friendly
situation.
Webelos Scout Advancement
The Webelos Scout advancement pattern has been developed
to lead naturally to earning the Webelos badge in the fourth grade year and the Arrow of Light
Award in ths fifth-graders
(or 10-year-olds) to earn both ranks. By following the pattern detailed in the Webelos scout
Program Helps (Webelos Activity Badge Schedule - BSA Recommendations), the Webelos den leader
will ensure that most Webelos Scouts will earn the Webelos badge in January of their fourth-grade
year and the Arrow of Light Award in January or February of the fifth-grade year.
Early Spring Graduation
Summer camp is a vital part of the Boy Scout experience, particularly for the
new Scout, The expanded Webelos Scout program gives us a great opportunity to
guarantee that graduating Webelos Scouts participate in summer camp by getting
them into the troop in time to prepare for Boy Scout camp.
Webelos Scouts may become Boy Scouts as soon as they have earned the Arrow of
Light Award. For most Webelos Scouts, this happens in January or February of their
fifth-grade year.
From Den to Patrol
Webelos Scouting and Boy Scouting have been
designed to neatly dovetail together, and the Webelos den can move right into
the troop as a new Scout patrol. When the whole den moves into Boy Scouting together,
they continue to provide friendship and support to each other, which allows each
boy to make a smooth transition with his friends into the troop.
Council and District
Support
There are several ways that the council and district can help packs and troops
with the Webelos-to-Scout transition process:
Webelos tracking. Every district needs to have a system
to identify and track each fifth-grade Webelos Scout to ensure that he has the
opportunity to continue his Scouting experience as a Boy Scout. Follow-up should
be planned to maintain contact with each boy until he is enrolled in a troop.
This may be assigned as a responsibility of the commissioner staff or the membership
committee.
Webelos Woods. Usually conducted on a council wide basis,
Webelos Woods is an outdoor program activity designed to introduce graduating
Webelos Scouts and their parents to the fun and excitement of Boy Scouting. The
best troops in the council are involved in the program, and it is held, where
possible, in the early spring at the council camp. For more details, see Webelos
Woods, No. 33838.
District Ceremony. Many districts have found that a
district wide graduation ceremony for all Webelos Scouts who are joining Boy Scouting
helps motivate the boys to move ahead. The ceremony may be held as a part of Webelos
Woods or at some other event, such as a spring camporee It is important, however,
that the district graduation ceremony be held in addition to - not in place of
- the pack graduation.
Joint Roundtables. A joint roundtable, where Webelos
den leaders and assistants, Webelos den leader coaches, and Cubmasters are invited
to participate in a special Boy Scout roundtable event, is an excellent way to
match up Webelos dens with troops in the transition partnership. Once a year is
probably enough, although some districts do it twice, and October seems to be
the best month.
In Summary. The Webelos-to-Scout transition plan links
fifth-grade Webelos dens and Boy fifth-grade den moving into the troop as a new
Scout patrol.
The Webelos Den Chief is a registered Boy Scout, active
in the troop and selected by the Scoutmaster to serve as a program assistant to
the Webelos den leader. He should be skilled in conducting ceremonies, leading
songs, teaching skills, giving demonstrations, leading games, and helping to prepare
the Webelos Scouts for the troop experience ahead. By his example, he may be the
single most important person in influencing Webelos Scouts to join the troop.
The Scoutmaster, as the primary leader of the troop
directs the establishment of a cooperative link between the troop and the pack.
He or she selects and appoints the Webelos den chief. The Scoutmaster encourages
joint activities and the graduation of Webelos Scouts into the troop Through the
troop's junior leaders, he or she sets the tone for welcoming new members.
The Assistant Scoutmaster, (for Webelos to Scout
Transition - added by editor) in addition to guiding the new Scout patrol
in the troop, serves as liaison between the troop and Webelos den. He or she,
along with the Webelos den leader, helps plan joint activities, including an exciting
graduation ceremony. The assistant Scoutmaster also is principally responsible
for the smooth transition of' Webelos Scouts into the troop by working closely
with the Webelos den chief, Webelos den leader, Webelos den leader coach, and
the Scoutmaster.
The Unit Commissioner provides continuing program support
to pack and troop, and helps establish working relationships between the troop
and the fifth. grade Webelos dens of the pack. He or she also encourages and supports
joint activities as well as graduation, and promotes participation in district
and council transition activities such as Webelos Woods.
No 33870 1992 Printing
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