When most people think of Boy Scouts they think of camping, knots, lashings and the like but Scouts teaches so much more. Here are 5 skills learned in Boy Scouts that make a life long impact.
1. Communication Skills
In most polls the number one fear is usually speaking in front of a group or in public. Scouts are taught valuable communication skills to help them combat those fears. The Communications Merit Badge teaches Scouts the nuts and bolts of speaking in front of groups, including how to prepare ahead of time, speaking up, engaging the listeners, etc. and have them put that to use as a emcee of a campfire program or Court of Honor. These skills are invaluable in today's job market. They are also taught how to communicate with adults and each other in ways that make sense.
2. Planning
Everyone knows about the Eagle Scout project, you've seen evidence in the papers, online and even stories on the evening news. But do you realize how much planning must go into an Eagle Scout project. The Scout themselves must write up the plan using resources such as adults in the troop and others outside the troop. This plan must be approved by the local Council. Many times these are sent back as insufficient. This allows the Scout to take constructive feedback and change or modify their plans. Then the Scout has to put the plan into action: asking for donations from businesses or individuals, planning the physical labor involved, getting enough volunteers to do the work and seeing his plan through to the end. This teaches Scouts how to complete a project from an idea to a finished project. Seeing their vision to fruition allows them to dream even bigger the next time and makes other projects in their personal and work life less daunting.
3. Merit Badge skills
Why do the Boy Scouts have merit badges? It's not just to have patches to fill up a sash, it is to teach them basic skills that are most times not taught in school and to introduce them to interests they may not have even known about. When Steven Spielberg was a youth he was a Scout. He had dreams of being a filmmaker but at that time Boy Scouts did not have a merit badge for that, only Photography. Spielberg's merit badge counselor allowed him to use a video camera instead of a still camera to complete his requirements and he was hooked. Later, after his own success, Mr. Spielberg made a sizable donation to Scouts to help start the Cinematography Merit Badge to help expose youth to the moving image and the careers that revolve around it.
There are a multitude of badges available to today's Scouts including many new ones dealing with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) including Nuclear Science and Robotics. Many times merit badge workshops are presented by counselors to help broaden the interest in that particular subject. I bet there are Nuclear Physicists, Robotic Engineers, etc. who would not be in those fields had they not been introduced to them in Scouts.
4. Leadership skills
Boy Scouts is first and foremost boy led. Although the Scoutmaster is often portrayed as the leader of the troop, in fact it is the Senior Patrol Leader, who is always a youth. Scout troops are broken down into Patrols, each with a Patrol Leader, who must be elected by the youth in his Patrol. In turn, there is a Senior Patrol Leader, also elected by the entire troop to lead them. The Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) leads and plans meetings and communicates with his Scouts what he needs them to do to complete particular tasks.
I have seen young Scouts who would goof off, not listen, run around, etc. be elected as a Patrol Leader and see the other side of the coin. "Mr. Lawler,", they would say "The guys in my patrol won't do what I ask them to and it's so frustrating!" This is when I would ask them a series of questions: How did you treat your Patrol Leader (PL) that came before you? Did you listen to him? Give him respect? Follow his directions? How would you treat your PL differently after your tenure is over? Usually when the Scout's time as PL is over and they either a)return to their Patrol or b) move on to another leadership position, their view on leading and following is much different. It gives them insight to how a group works and how to lead them.
There are a plethora of other leadership positions such as quartermaster (takes care of the Troop's gear), Scribe (takes attendance, takes notes at leadership meetings), Librarian (catalogs and checks out MB books and leadership books) and Troop Guides (more experienced Scouts giving guidance to Scouts who have just joined or crossed over from Cubs). This is just a few examples of the many leadership positions available in Scouts.
There are also advanced courses in Scouts to teach leadership including National Youth Leadership Training. This is an intensive 5 day course teaching the Scouts communication, listening techniques, how to have a vision, setting and achieving goals, how groups form and work together and how to lead those groups in different stages of development.
5. Social skills
Everyone has seen that one kid off by himself with his head down and scrubbing his toe in the dirt. In Scouts they do tasks, plan outings, play games, etc. that bring a boy into the group (sometimes begrudgingly). Once he finds that his opinions are heard, that he has an impact on a game or a patrol activity, he starts to open up and be more involved. I've seen boys like this at their first meeting who went on to be SPL, earn their Eagle and be gregarious and open. A lot of times it's just knowing that someone want to hear what you have to say.
A lot of these skills are taught using camping, hiking, backpacking, canoeing, knot tying, lashing, etc. (Remember, you can't spell Scouting without outing). These are some of the most fun things in Scouts and teach skills in their own way (who doesn't want a boy who knows Wilderness First Aid and has backpacked 50 miles of the Appalachian Trail?).
Ultimately Boy Scouts teaches life skills that might not be learned anywhere else.
