Kite.henley/sandbox.patrol

The Patrol System is the one essential feature in which Scout training differs from that of all other organizations, and where the System is properly applied, it is absolutely bound to bring success. It cannot help itself! The formation of the boys into Patrols of from six to eight and training them as separate units each under its own responsible leader is the key to a good Troop.
   — Robert Baden-Powell

Patrol as team

The Patrol is a team of 6-8 Scouts, led by a Patrol Leader (PL) and the Assistant Patrol Leader (APL).

In all activities the scouts are

Patrol roles

The scouts in a patrol have responsibilities and roles assigned by the Patrol Leader according to their natural talents: (e.g. Quartermaster, Scribe, Gamemaster, etc.) These roles can be changed or replaced over time to whatever makes the Patrol run more efficiently.

The activities the Patrol comes together to take part in are: Troop meetings, separate Patrol meetings, Troop outings (e.g. service projects, camping trips, etc.), and separate Patrol outings. Having defined times during which the Patrol acts as a unit (both with the rest of the Troop and by itself for separate activities) allows the Patrol to develop it's own special micro-culture. In addition, since everything the Troop does is done as a collection of Patrols, the Patrols run the Troop representatively through their Patrol Leaders who meet together regularly as the Patrol Leader Council (also referred to as the Court of Honor by some outside of the United States).

How does the Patrol develop Patrol spirit?

The 'micro-culture' of a patrol is called The Patrol spirit. Patrol spirit develops as the Patrol spends time doing activities, facing challenges, and overcoming them together. When they camp as a patrol, they learn to depend on each other for basic life necessities. When they compete with other Patrols in various competitions at the meetings, they have to work as a team if they want to win.

Patrols should have visual representations of their values and their unit. Patrol flags, Patrol calls, Patrol signatures, and other symbolic and practical features are the tools by which this is cultivated. In addition, Patrols should have either temporary or permanent locations that they call their own in the form of special Patrol camping sites, Patrol dens, and Patrol corners (for gathering together as a Patrol during the Troop meetings.

Patrol spirit is also caused by the patrols having autonomy. Obviously, as part of a Troop they do not have completely free reign. There is higher leadership with certain requirements. However, underneath these structures they should posses a real freedom to shape the Scouting experience for themselves in the way they desire.

Patrol spirit grows through Patrol competitions (like Kim Shield) . This is perhaps one of the methods most deeply-rooted in human nature, and by not utilizing this to the utmost, you are missing one of the most powerful tools of Scouting. There should be friendly competition between Patrols in everything from games to training exercises. The best competitions force every Scout in the Patrol to be constantly engaged in order for the Patrol to win. Although the reward of some competitions may simply be the gratification of victory, and patrol honours.

The Patrol System is built on relationships.

The Patrol structure and the way the Patrol spirit develops creates a handful of distinct relationships between the players in the 'game of Scouting'. To make the most of the Patrol System, I believe it would be helpful to elaborate on a few of these. In this introduction, I will elaborate on two, saving the rest for a future post in this series.

First of all, because the Patrol Leader's leadership is genuine, the Scoutmaster relates to him in a special way. The Patrol Leader is given more confidence in communicating Troop matters. The Patrol Leader also gets more direct training from the Scoutmaster in leadership skills. When the Scoutmaster wishes to communicate things to the Patrol members as a group, more often than not he will relay that information through the Patrol Leader. In short, the Patrol Leader's position is clearly marked by the way the Scoutmaster relates to him.

In like manner, the Patrol Leader also has a special relationship to the members of his Patrol. His position is respected by going to him first in matters related to Scouting instead of going to an authority higher up in the chain of command. His orders are to be followed implicitly if they do not violate a higher authority, and even his requests are given a higher weight. It doesn't all go one way, though. The Patrol Leader should also be held to a higher standard by the members of his Patrol in the way he practices Scouting. Scouts should expect their Patrol Leader to set a high example of character and work ethic and to constantly put the needs of his Patrol ahead of his own.

Developed from http://scoutingrediscovered.com/traditional-scouting-101-introduction-to-the-patrol-system/