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Cross-Team Scout and Member Activities PDF Print E-mail

Our Scout Programs encourage interaction between Scouts of different teams.  Our Scout Programs do not operate by isolating our teams or by providing infrequent once or twice a year times for our Scouts to interact with Scouts from other teams.  Within our own Scout Programs, we advocate teams to share adventures with other teams, at least once every six weeks, whether during weekend long trips, combined meetings or activities.youth working together

Our unique system of networking enables the cross pollination of ideas and the development of relationships by our Scouts.  In some cases, the ideas are exchanged between Scouts of two local teams; in other instances, the Scouts could exchange ideas although they are a significant distance apart.  This allows for the free flow of ideas to spread from one area to another.  This also allows for the creation of personal relationships with those of similar or outstanding talent and skill, which enables our Scouts to interact with others while enhancing the process of their decision-making.  Our networking system contributes to the development of the skill of fostering friendship, enabling them the opportunity over time to develop lifelong relationships.  One of the ways we do this is by encouraging cross-team meetings.

The Reason for Cross-Team Scout and Member Activities

We recognize that Scouts who have achieved a certain level or who hold a certain position want to interact with others on their level, regardless of the composition of their team.  For example, the Mayor talks to the Chief of the Fire Department, not to someone who just joined the department.  Similarly, Scout Leaders will want to interact with other Scout Leaders.  Scouts earning the Challenger Award will get the opportunity to make contact with others earning the Challenger Award, whether there are other Scouts on their team who have achieved that level or not.

Who Takes Part

We arrange for our Scouts, Team Counselors, and Counselors to get opportunities to interact with others on their own level.  Our Scouts arrange trips based on subject matter.  A meeting on public safety would provide the opportunity for Scouts or Team Counselors and Counselors to tour the local police station, a local hospital, a battered woman's shelter, city hall, and more.  A meeting on community resources would provide the opportunity for Scouts or Team Counselors and Counselors to visit a local park, or a homeless shelter.  This provides our Scouts an extra opportunity to get out into the community and the community the chance to become better acquainted with our Scout Programs and our Scouts.

The Ways in Which Meetings Place

These can take place in several ways:

1. Scouts arrange for Team Counselors and Counselors to get together with other Team Counselors and Counselors from other teams.  Scouts are the ones who set up the meetings and arrange for the visit and transportation. 

2. Scout Leadership arranges to meet with Scout Leadership from other teams.  Scouts are the ones who set up the meetings and arrange for the visit and transportation.  This affords Scout Leaders to get the opportunity to tour the community and also to brainstorm with other Scout Leaders, improving the team experience for everyone.

3. Scouts can arrange to get together with other Scouts from other nearby teams who are at the same level they are.  Scout earning the Gateway Award will get together with other Scouts earning the Gateway Award; Scouts earning the Challenger Award will get together with other Scouts earning the Challenger Award.  This allows for a peer level discourse proper for the Scouts involved.  A Scout earning a Gateway Award and a Scout earning a Challenger Award may have little in common to talk about, though they are on the same team. 

4. Relative experience can also be taken into account.  A Scout may just have joined our Scout Programs, but may have grown up in a national park, for example.  This kind of Scout will want to interact with other Scouts who have a high level of outdoor skills.  Scouts who are expert video gamers will want to participate with other Scouts who have a similar level of skill.  This allows our Scouts to have FUN while participating with those they have something in common with.

How Meetings Are Arranged

As with everything they do, our Scouts choose, organize, and lead their own meetings, programs, and activities.  Scouts arrange for the meetings to take place, make calls to schedule appointments with those in the community, arrange for transportation, and make sure everything necessary is done.  This will require Scouts to communicate with other Scouts on other teams.  If Team Leaders are getting together, they need to call each other and make sure they not both making the same arrangements:  one leader can arrange transportation, one can contact the city officials they plan to meet, one can arrange for lunch, one can make sure the park or organization they are visiting that day is open and expecting them.  Our Scouts acquire the knowledge of how to delegate responsibility and how to work together.  Scouts will need to compare schedules.  A late afternoon time after school may be appropriate, but the Scouts will need to discuss it among themselves.

 
Adventure Scouts USA