Chaplain Aide Training Guide | Religious Emblems Chair | Scout Leadership

1. Chaplain Aide Training Rich Marano Religious Emblems Chairman Archdiocese of Hartford Catholic Committee on Scouting

2. Where To Begin?

3. PART I Opening Prayer • Invite the CCS Chaplain or CCS Chairman to lead the prayer and say a few words.

4. PART II Welcome • A Scout is Reverent • Baden-Powell’s “Duty To God” • Religion is essential to happiness • Do One’s Best • Do A Good Turn Daily

5. Threefold Purpose of the Chaplain Aide

6. Chaplain Aide • Make the 12th point of the Scout Law more meaningful in life • Promote a greater understanding of and appreciation for all religions • Provide Scouts with the opportunity to work with an ordained member of the clergy, thereby gaining insight into the religious professional life

7. Why me? • You have the potential to do well • You probably have expressed some interest • You have exhibited leadership skills • You probably have many questions about your new troop leadership position

8. BSA qualifications • Mature, sensitive, and have earned the respect and trust of your fellow scouts • At least a First Class scout • Received or are working on the religious emblem of your Faith

9. What is expected of me? EACH TROOP HAS ITS OWN NEEDS, FAITH TRADITIONS, AND FAITH EXPERIENCE • Compile and keep an up-to-date list of counselors • Prepare a troop prayer • Prepare prayers for meals • Plan religious services for troop campouts • Encourage troop members to strengthen their own relationship with God through personal prayer, devotions, and participation in religious activities

10. What is expected of me? • Participate in PLC planning to ensure that a spiritual emphasis is included • Maintain the troop’s religious emblems award progress chart • Annually present an overview of the various religious emblems programs to your unit and area Cub Scout Dens and Packs • Assist troop Chaplain in planning and conducting a religious emblems recognition ceremony • Serve as youth coordinator of annual Scout Sunday/Sabbath services • Work with troop Chaplain to create an appropriate service during campouts

11. Being a good leader • BASICS OF LEADERSHIP • Have a good attitude • Act with maturity • Be organized • Look the part

12. Have a good attitude • Optimistic outlook • Positive can-do attitude

13. Act with maturity • Earn respect by being fair to everyone and by being consistent in your actions

14. Be organized • Carefully prepare for meetings and events

15. Look the part • Set a good example by wearing a full uniform • The uniform commands respect, provides identity for troop members, strengthens a sense of belonging, and builds troop spirit

16. Key leadership skills • Effective communication • Effective listening • Reflection • Conflict resolution

17. Effective communication GIVING INFORMATION • Organize your thoughts; write a few notes to remind yourself on the points you want to cover • Make sure you have everyone’s attention • Speak clearly; make eye contact; ask if there are any questions • Write the most important points on a flip chart or whiteboard • Repeat facts such as dates, times, places, individuals and materials needed • Ask Scribe to make notes of the discussion, distribute copies of schedules, activity plans, and duty rosters

18. Effective communication RECEIVING INFORMATION • Give the speaker your full attention • Write down points of information: dates; times; locations; participants • Ask questions

19. Effective listening • Essential to good communication • Can be a learned skill and constantly improved • Practice good listening by paying attention to what others are saying, and leaving unsaid • Notice tone of voice and body language • Be aware of how you feel while you listen • Take care of distracting matters • Let emotions cool down • Powerful tool for solving problems, settling disputes, and building troop spirit

20. Follow-up • Contact troop members and relay information when necessary • Give advance notice of activities • Provide written copies of information • Remind scouts of specific duties they have accepted • Maintain a calendar • Plan, plan, plan

21. Reflection • Sharing ideas that encourage everyone to assess an event or activity that has just occurred • Explore some of the values it offers • What did you like, dislike, or would do differently?

22. Reflection: Ground rules • Have everyone seated; don’t force anyone to talk; no one may interrupt the person speaking; no place for put-downs or making fun of one another • Keep the discussion going • Don’t dominate the conversation • Summarize the most important points • Be positive

23. Conflict resolution • Conflicts can occur when people disagree or are unable to find a reasonable compromise • Differences in personalities • Different values • Misperceptions • Misunderstandings

24. Conflict resolution • Responses to conflict * Avoiding * Compromising * Problem Solving

25. PART IIIDuty to GOD in Scouting • Scout Oath:“On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to GOD and my country…”

26. What is an oath? • A solemn appeal upon GOD to witness the truth of the promise

27. The Twelfth Point of the Scout Law • “A Scout is REVERENT” • To be deeply respectful, to treat with reverence or honor, to venerate or worship, to regard highly with a great and unquestioning love

28. A Scout is Reverent • Reverent toward GOD • Faithful in his religious duties • Respects the beliefs of others • Lives his life according to the ideals of his beliefs

29. Lord Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Scouting movement • Duty to GOD through doing our duty to our neighbor • In helping others and in doing good turns, part of a Scout’s character gets formed • Character and nature study bring the Scout in closer touch spiritually with GOD

30. According to Lord Baden-Powell: • NATURE STUDY offers important experiences for Scouts to learn a deeper reverence toward GOD

31. Scouting • Belief in a divine presence, a creator of all things

32. Duty to GOD is tied directly to Duty to Country • Celebrate our nation in ceremonies at the beginning and end of meetings • Join together in prayer, thanking GOD in praise for all that we have to celebrate

33. What does Scouting teach? • A gift is not the Scout’s until he has expressed gratitude for it • Scouts show thankfulness for gifts received through service, in behalf of GOD, to his fellow men • The question for the Scout becomes, not what he can get, but what he can GIVE in life • From this service should the ensue the reign of peace upon earth ---Lord Robert Baden-Powell

34. Scouting • Duty to GOD • Scouting experiences strengthen one’s Faith • The best kind of citizen recognizes his obligation to GOD

35. Scout training requires: • A religious element as part of the Scouting experience • Training must be nonsectarian (inclusive and considerate of all religions)

36. PART IVThe Unit’s Chaplain • What are his duties?

37. Duties of the Unit Chaplain • Spiritual leader for the troop • Along with the Chaplain Aide, sets a “spiritual tone” for meetings and activities • Encourages time for spiritual reflection • Promotes prayer as well as Grace

38. Chaplain guides the Chaplain Aide • Assists with planning and types of events • Provides guidance to Scouts • Encourages service projects

39. Chaplain • Promotes regular participation in the activities of the Scout’s religious community • Assists the spiritual growth of ALL Faiths • Inspires Scouts to attend services of their Faith • Includes Scouts of all Faiths; NEVER excludes • We are ALL children of the one FATHER • Respects and defends others’ rights to their religious beliefs • NEVER requires a Scout to attend a religious service of another Faith if he does not want to attend • NEVER penalizes a Scout who does not attend a religious service/event • Does NOT impose mandatory religious requirements on Scouts

40. Home Visits • In time of sickness or need

41. Chaplain • Gives spiritual counseling services when needed or requested • Is kept informed of any problems that may arise • Encourages Scouts to participate in the funeral or memorial service when there is a loss • Reports to the Troop Committee and meets with them quarterly

42. Chaplain • Encourages Scouts to earn religious emblems • Provides motivation and inspiration to Scouts and Scouters • Gives special recognition to Scouts when warranted • Encourages the unit to earn Unit Awards

43. PART VChaplain Aide • Works with the troop Chaplain to meet the religious needs of Scouts in the unit • Reports to the Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (ASPL) • Venturing’s “Spiritual Guide”

44. Duties • Assist Chaplain with religious services • Educates Scouts about the religious emblems programs • Makes sure religious holidays are properly observed • Plans for religious observance in the troop’s activities

45. Duties • Sets a good example • Wears his uniform correctly • Lives by the Scout Oath and Law • Shows Scout spirit

46. Assisting the Chaplain • Meet with the Chaplain and SPL, ASPL and remember “2-deep” leadership • Acts a host and introduces Chaplain when Chaplain attends a troop function • Transports and prepares items for the ceremonies • Assists during the service and afterward

47. Planning Religious Events • Include the Chaplain’s input • Provide service projects and other needs of your Faith community • Ask what Scouts can do for the Chaplain

48. Tell Scouts about the religious emblems program for their Faith • Include ALL Faiths of your unit’s members • Encourage unit awards • Remember the “2-deep” rule

49. Recognize Scouts at your unit’s next Court of Honor • Present a uniform knot • Recognize ALL Scouts who have received religious emblems during the past year

50. Boards of Review • Should include questions regarding the Scout’s commitment to “Duty to GOD” • How is the Scout following the Twelfth point of the Scout Law?