Re: Malingerers
- From: "Shaun Joynson" <s_joynson@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2005 16:39:13 +0000 (UTC)
> Don't disagree with you, Eddie
> In 35 yrs of warrant holding I've never kicked a scout out but some
> have chosen not to continue to be members. However we've had a
> reasonably local instnce of a parent invoking dispute rules from POR,
> and in my case (with this kid) the same will almost certainly happen.
>
> I'm interested in how others handle this sort of thing
>
> Bill
With regards the one who will not pay subs, question is why not. If it
is poverty, then an arrangement can be made. Mind, sorry, but its the
parents who are too proud to plead poverty that you have to watch out
for. The ones that do are almost always the ones who won't blink at
£100 for a pair of trainers.
As regards problem with kid. Sorry about this, but you have to document
it every time it happens. Does not have to be volumes, but just a line
in a book etc, together with the rule it might go against.
Add it all up and then use it.
Ultimately though, there is nothing the parent can do, because you are a
volunteer and you simply say you are not willing to have the child in
your group and if they insist then you will have no alternative but to
withdraw your services
5 years ago when I was still running a troop we had a bunch of kids
consistently refusing to turn up in uniform. They also brought their
mates with them as 'recruits' who kept coming but continually refused to
buy uniforms, pay subs and join. They also refused our request to bring
their parents down to meet us or if we contacted parents, they would not
contact us.
Needless to say this was causing discipline problems, so we decided to
act.
Letters were hand posted to the newbies informing the parents that
enough was enough. They either turned up in full and complete uniform
with their subscriptions and at least one parent (or the parent
contacted us to make an appointment to see us if they could not make it)
or they were not coming in the door.
As regards the members, again same thing. Parents were written to
informing them that this was a uniform organisaton and that if they did
not turn up in full and correct uniform the following meeting, they
would be sent home and it would be the parents responsibility not ours.
The following week came and not one of them turned up ever again. We
lost 4 members and 4 recruits.
Mind, troop matters improved and we won the district camping competition
that year.
One of the things that I have learned through working in schools is taht
the successful ones are those that impose their values on their members
- not those that work the other way round.
For example, were bullying is concerned, Eddie has it right - I do a
similar sort of thing with the Beavers I now run.
Basically I point out that Scouting is different to any other society
they might be members of.
Therefore, we do not put up with any kind of derogatory remark or any
other action or inaction equated with bullying.
As regards this kid, make it clear that this is what explorers are
about, this is what they do and this is how they do it. He has a choice
(and so do his parents) which is the FIFO one.
Years ago when I first became a leader some kids used to give me right
sleepless nights with their behaviours. But the leaders refused to act
because they thought they were helping these kids out, while all the
kids were doing was sticking two fingers up at them. Remember what BP
said, kids like strong discipline.
These days I realise I can't help every kid and I am not a social
worker.
Perhaps thats the best way to approach these indivduals.
Incidentally, there was a wonderful leaders handbook in the 1950's
called Man and Boy which detailed the different types of boy you got in
the troop. Amzingly accurate it was too. One of the types it mentioned
was your rugger bugger and it basically concluded that you were better
off letting such a person go because they were too stretched to make any
postive contrinbution.
--
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