Webelos, Bobwhite Blather, Page 2

February 20, 2012

Webelos den leaders: What’s your most important job?

Look in chapter 21 of the Cub Scout Leader Book and you’ll find a description of the Webelos program including an outline of the Webelos den leader’s responsibilities. It’s really brief:Â The Webelos den leader plans and carries out a year-round program of activities for the Webelos den.

Look just above this job description and you’ll find what is most likely the most important job of a Webelos leader:

One of the purposes of the Webelos den is to prepare boys for Boy Scouting and to graduate Webelos Scouts into a Boy Scout troop. (Emphasis added)

Of the ten purposes of Cub Scouting, the tenth – Preparation for Boy Scouts – is the most lasting, for it is in Boy Scouts where boys not only experience adventure but learn skills that will serve them their entire lives – leadership, cooperation, communication, responsibility – and the values of citizenship, character and fitness.

But the #1 reason that Webelos Scouts fail to cross over and become involved in Boy Scouts is often the Webelos den leader. Continue reading “Webelos den leaders: What’s your most important job?”

August 15, 2011August 10, 2015

More keys to success for Webelos leaders

Update: This article was written before the 2015 changes to the Webelos program took effect. The information is still valid; just substitute the current program elements for those mentioned below.

In my last post I mentioned several ideas that Webelos leaders can use now to get the most out of the program. Here are a few more.

First-year Webelos leaders:

Map out the next few months’ worth of den meetings. Get together with your assistant den leader or co-leader (and your Den Chief, if you have one yet). Make it a social event! Continue reading “More keys to success for Webelos leaders”

August 8, 2011August 10, 2015

Webelos leaders: Some keys to success

Update: This post was written before the 2015 changes to the Webelos program took effect, but the information is still valid. Just substitute the equivalent program changes for the activity badges I mention below.

Recently, while I was working on another article, I was poking around the excellent website ofÂ Troop 97Â in Ft. Collins, Colo., and I came across their comprehensive list of secrets of success of great Webelos leaders. If you have been a Webelos leader for a year or so now, you realize that the Webelos program is different from the rest of Cub Scouting (as we discussed here earlier), as it is less geared toward parent/son activities and more aimed at developing these Cub Scouts to soon become Boy Scouts. Continue reading “Webelos leaders: Some keys to success”

December 17, 2009

Webelos is different!

Many den leaders make the mistake of assuming that the Webelos program is conducted the same way as the Wolf and Bear program. In doing so, they usually shortchange the boys from the excellent features of the Webelos program, sidetrack the transition to Boy Scouts, and find they are falling behind on where they are supposed to be. Continue reading “Webelos is different!”