USING RESOURCES TRAINER PREPARATION SESSION NARRATIVE. Order of the Arrow 50-1 Boy Scouts of America. Session Length: 50 Minutes

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1 50 USING RESOURCES Session Length: 50 Minutes Learning objectives:! Explain that people are a resource because they have knowledge and skills.! Be able to recognize outside resources such as the Section/Region/National Officers, family, friends, adult Arrowmen, and others.! List your personal resources and those available to other Arrowmen on the Lodge Executive Committee.! Explain the importance of using resources as a necessary leadership skill to make the lodge successful.! Understand that to accomplish any task an Arrowmen must know what resources are available to him. Required Materials:! Flipchart! PowerPoint Slides! 3 of clear tape TRAINER PREPARATION Training room needs to be arranged with movable chairs for buzzgroups. Before the session, arrange the participants into 4 groups of approximately equal size. Care should be used to arrange the groups to provide for a homogenous mixture of youth and adults with varying degrees of knowledge and leadership skills. SESSION NARRATIVE Introduction: 2-3 Minutes Introduce yourself. Share the learning objectives for the Using Resources session. Explain the following: In order to properly use resources, one must first know what a resource is, where to find resources, how to tap into that resource, and how to effectively organize that resource to get the job done. Resource Defined: 12 Minutes (total of 15 minutes) Ask the following: Who can provide us with a definition of resource? Order of the Arrow 50-1 Boy Scouts of America

2 Trainer Tip: The object is to define resource before providing examples of resources. After taking a few responses from the group, explain the following: A resource is anything available to use for aid or to take care of a need; a means to accomplish a goal. As lodge leaders, before we can set out to perform a task, we need to be aware and know what resources are available to help us achieve our goals. Ask the following: Working in groups, what are some examples of resources available to us to accomplish a lodge goal? After 5 minutes, ask a group representative to summarize their responses. Some possible examples include: OA Handbook, Guide for Officers and Advisers, Lodge Planbook, National OA Web Site, lodge membership rosters (Arrowmen and Adult Advisers), personal resource questionnaires, lodge officers, section, regional, national officers, Guide to Inductions, Lodge Orientation Guide, Lodge Program Resource book, National Bulletin, Ceremonial Handbooks, National OA Strategic Plan, other Scouting literature and books, the list is endless. Also consider other outside of Scouting resources such as Churches, State and Federal National Guards/Reserves, Schools/ National Honor Societies, Army Corp. of Engineers, local businesses, parents, again, the list is endless. Reinforce the concept that a resource does not have to be a physical object people like lodge officers, section/regional/national officer, and adult advisers are excellent resources that can provide both knowledge resources as well as physical resources (skills) to achieve a goal. Trainer Tip: There really is no wrong answer to the above question every answer provided should be considered correct. Gathering Resources: 7 Minutes (total of 22 minutes) State the following: Your ability to mount activities is dependent upon both the resources that you have and those that you think you might be able to mobilize. The trick to using resources effectively is to identify what type of help is really needed and then to be creative in tracking down that help. Now that we know what a resource is and where to get it, we must know how to attract people as a resource. A critical step in every plan for achieving a lodge goal is recruiting the resources to accomplish the task. When recruiting, it is important to remember that the attitude that you bring to the prospective recourse will affect the outcome. If you are excited about the job you are undertaking, then those that you talk to will want to help. On the other hand, if you, as the leader, seem indifferent or unhappy about the task at hand, they will not want to be a part of it. Ask the following: What are some important points to remember when recruiting? Some possible answers include:! Have a complete job description available.! Provide options of the jobs that need to be done in order of importance.! Be excited about the job.! Know the reliability and skills of the resource that you are recruiting. Order of the Arrow 50-2 Boy Scouts of America

3 Don t forget to include new members when you pick up the phone to recruit people, they are still excited and may be helpful. Organization: 5 Minutes (total of 27 minutes) Explain the following: The organization of resources works best when it is in the simplest structure that will still meet the needs of the lodge and the task you are trying to accomplish. One of the most efficient ways to organize your work force is by committee. This way the lodge can divide the work over a broader base of resources. Ask the following: Is there a problem with having too many committees? State the following: By having too many committees, you may not have enough resources to be efficient. Explain the following: Committees should be set up on the basis of the task that needs to be a accomplished and the amount of resources the lodge has available. For example, if your lodge has a large ceremonies team, in order to have everyone involved the team might be divided by ceremony: a team for Brotherhood and Ordeal. However, if the lodge has trouble recruiting enough people to fill the two teams, then your organization is too complex and needs to be simpler. Remember, the committee meets the needs of the lodge and enables better use of resources. The efficient use of committees will enable more people to become active in the lodge. All too often only one or two people do the work of a committee. It is important to let all of our resources be a part of the planning process and to let them carry out the task. This will make the job of the leader easier and it will give the lodge members ownership in the finished product. Recognition 5 minutes (total of 32 minutes) State the following: One of the most important steps to remember once a goal has been completed is the significance of recognition for those resources that helped accomplish the task. What are some of the ways we can say thank you?! Article in the lodge newsletter or website! Awards and Certificates of Appreciation! A simple thank you! A personal note from the Chief or the head of the project. Reinforce the concept that recognition need not be extravagant or elaborate. A considerate, hand-written thank you note for help is an excellent idea. Simulation: 15 Minutes (total of 47 minutes) State the following: Now that we understand some of the basic concepts of using resources, the time has arrived for us to try out our newfound skills. Each group will be assigned a simulation where they must define both the physical and human resources needed, where they will find them, discuss the techniques of recruiting that human resource, what is the most efficient method of organizing resources, and how to effectively provide recognition for the human resources. You will be given 10 minutes to work, then a one minute report per group. Remember, time is of the essence. Provide each group with one of the four different resources (see Appendix Simulation). 1. Your lodge s program emphasis for the upcoming year is service. Your Lodge Chief has asked his Vice-Chief and Lodge Service Chairman to submit a proposal for a large service project for the lodge to complete over the course of the next year. The project should be done at your council camp. Order of the Arrow 50-3 Boy Scouts of America

4 2. Your lodge executive committee has decided that they want to create another ceremonies team that will travel around the council performing Webelos Crossover ceremonies and Eagle Courts of Honor. The initial response of the packs and troops in the three districts of your council is positive. It is possible that the team will be performing up to sixty ceremonies per year. 3. Your Lodge Chief has asked the Ordeal Coordinator to develop an extensive new member program designed for members just inducted. The program should include information on the roles of each of the lodge s committees, leadership skills, expand the OA s role in Scouting, and excite them about becoming involved. 4. With the new year comes new lodge programs. The Activities Chairman for your lodge envisions an event to train and guide futures lodge leaders. He needs to form a committee to aid him in developing a program and to identify members in each of your lodge s five chapters that are eligible for this kind of training. (Don t forget about people to execute the plan) Conclusion: 3 Minutes (total of 50 minutes) After discussing the examples in the simulation session, ask the following:! What is a resource?! Where can we find resources?! What are some important points to remember while recruiting human resources? Reinforce the following points:! Before setting out to perform a task, first consider both the physical and human resources of your lodge.! The attitude you bring to recruiting will affect the outcome.! By constantly recruiting new resources, a lodge can make the best use of its resources and prevent its youth leaders from being discouraged or burned out.! By setting goals and priorities, a lodge will be better fit to allocate resources to the events that are important and release resources from those events that are not crucial during the year.! Never forget to show appreciation for a job well done. Take time for the participants to ask Questions. Thank the participants for their time. Order of the Arrow 50-4 Boy Scouts of America

5 APPENDIX: SIMULATION Please cut the following simulations out to prepare for the session. 1. Your lodge s program emphasis for the upcoming year is service. Your Lodge Chief has asked his Vice-Chief and Lodge Service Chairman to submit a proposal for a large service project for the lodge to complete over the course of the next year. The project should be done atyour council camp Your lodge executive committee has decided that they want to create another ceremonies team that will travel around the council performing Webelos Crossover ceremonies and Eagle Courts of Honor. The initial response of the packs and troops in the three districts of your council ispositive. It is possible that the team will be performing up to sixty ceremonies per year Your Lodge Chief has asked the Ordeal Coordinator to develop an extensive new member program designed for members just inducted. The program should include information on the roles of each of the lodge s committees, leadership skills, expand the OA s role in Scouting, and excite them about becoming involved With the New Year comes new programs. The Activities Chairman for your lodge envisions an event to train and guide futures lodge leaders. He needs to form a committee to aid him in developing a program and to identify members in each of your lodge s five chapters that are eligible for this kind of training. (Don t forget about people to execute the plan) Order of the Arrow 50-5 Boy Scouts of America

6 APPENDIX: SOURCE MATERIALS AND RESOUCES Understanding how to use resources will assist lodge leaders in completing the following quality lodge petition requirements: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 17, 18 Order of the Arrow Handbook #34996C, Revised 2002 Guide for Officers and Advisers #34997B, Revised Order of the Arrow Strategic Plan Order of the Arrow Strategic Plan & Annual Lodge Plan Workbook Presented at the National Council of Chiefs at the 2002 National Order of the Arrow Conference Guide to Inductions July 2002 Revision Lodge Orientation Guide January 2003 Revision Lodge Program Resource Book December 2002 printing Order of the Arrow 50-6 Boy Scouts of America