Identifying & Choosing Counselors Print

How can Team Sponsors Identify Team Counselors and Counselors?

Team Counselors and Counselors can be a part of the Team Sponsor, but do not need to be.  The best way is to ask around and see who may be interested.  Sponsors can also place ads in the local newspaper or newsletter. 

Team Sponsors can also hang up posters and notices at their location.  The need for a Team Counselor and Counselors can also be mentioned at appropriate times during meetings and religious services.

What Should I Look for When Choosing Team Counselors and Counselor? 

First, it’s most important that this person is responsible, nothing can come before that.  The individual must be resourceful and be tirelessly dedicated to Scout safety.  The person should have follow-through and be able to finish what they start. Our Scouts need Counselors who will consistently be there; if someone is often late or absent, that will affect the team.

It’s important that this person likes to work with others.  If a Counselor spends an entire camping trip with their nose in a book and not participating, Scouts may not want to stay on the team. 

It’s also very important the people you choose understand that while they are adult leaders, Scouts do the leading.  Our Scouts choose, organize, and lead their own meetings, programs, and activities.  It’s very easy, particularly around children, to want to take a leading role and start planning what activities they will do, when they will do them, etc, etc.  Our Scout Programs are all about Scout choice however and denying them those choices defeats the purpose of our teams.

 

The Team Counselor and Counselors must be people in your local community who have a good reputation and have some interest in helping children.  Of course parents of the Scouts are likely to volunteer and might make excellent Team Counselors and Counselors.  Others to consider are those who might work for or volunteer with non profit organizations, particularly benefitting children.  Another good choice are those who like spending time in the outdoors, such as hikers or fishermen, and people who enjoy sports.  Another great choice are those who have worked with or volunteered for other youth oriented programs or organizations, for example, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Little League.

 

You might approach business people or civic leaders in the community to see if they are interested or if they have someone to nominate. 

 

Your own organization is a great place to find a Team Counselor and Counselors.  You might announce the need for adult leadership during a meeting, liturgy, or through signs and posters.  Remember to find a couple more volunteers than you need in case a couple change their minds.

 

However, no one is perfect.  Being outdoor oriented and being a volunteer are important attributes.  But none is more important that a hopeful determined person.  No one knows everything, no one is good at everything, it is an interest in self improvement and willingness to assist others to improve that is most important.

 

Resourcefulness is the most important attribute to consider.  If a person is not outdoor oriented, for example, are they a person who will contact people who are and get the information they need?  If they are unskilled at sports, will they get the information needed to make sure their team can enjoy a game?  A self starter is essential, someone who can draw on their own experience and when they do not have the experience, to seek it out.

Last Updated ( Thursday, 01 May 2008 08:23 )