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Patrol Leadership

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PatrolLeadershipThe Patrol is the basic group of Scouting- a group of young people of similar ageunder the leadership of one of itsmembers. Normally a Patrol will consistof 6 - 8 members and will be part of aTroop made up of 3 - 4 Patrols.

The leader of the Patrol is the PatrolLeader, a young person who is usuallyan experienced Scout and is elected orchosen by the members to be theirLeader.

All activity within the Scout Troop isdone through the Patrol, so the Patrol isin effect a team of young people workingtogether to overcome the challenges,

experience the adventure and enjoy thefriendship of Scouting. The job of the PatrolLeader is to work with the members of thePatrol so that they can become an effectiveworking group and can undertake thechallenges, Scouting offers, with ease.To win the cup, a football team needs towork together as a group, putting theircollective talents together so that they areunbeatable. The strength of the team lies inthe fact that it consists of good players butalso in the fact that those players work foreach other. The whole team works towards a�‘goal�’ and at the same time defends their owngoal from attack. No one player can do allthe work, nor play on every part of the pitch.

Similarly, a Patrol is a collection ofindividuals, each with their own talents andexperience. The job of the Patrol Leader is todiscover these talents and blend themtogether so that the Patrol becomes aneffective working unit.

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The Patrol Leaders Job

The job of the Patrol Leader is to:-

Bond together the members of the Patrol as a group of friends.

Discover the talents and experience of your Patrol and be able to use thesetalents to create an effective Patrol.

Develop within the Patrol a spirit of Scouting and the ideal of�‘all for one and one for all.�’

Be enthusiastic and encouraging so as to move your Patrol forward at alltimes. Seek the best and work for the best from each member of the Patrol.

Welcome new recruits and help and encourage them in theirScouting advancement. Introduce them to the members of the Patroland the Troop and ensure that they become full members of the Patrolas quickly as possible.

Show example and responsibility - Maintain your own self advancementby seeking merit badges and awards. Always have full and correct uniformand correct equipment. As a Patrol Leader the members of your Patrol willlook to you for guidance and direction. The Scout Law and Promise are yourguides. At all times use your common sense - there is a time for messing andthere is also a time for seriousness. Know when the time is right for each.

Talk and listen to the members of your Patrol, what are they saying to you?what do they want to do? what are your plans? Only when you know theirdreams and expectations can you represent their views at Court of Honourmeetings.

Delegate the work load - give each member of the Patrol a job to do.An effective Patrol is a busy Patrol. Many jobs need to be done, someoneto look after the gear, someone to write up the log, another to look after themoney. As the Patrol Leader your job is to co-ordinate and lead, not doeverything yourself.

Represent your Patrol - in particular at Court of Honour Meetings butalso on many other occasions that will arise.

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Organisingyour PatrolThe Patrol is a collection of individualseach with their own strengths andweaknesses.As the Patrol Leader your job is to createa Patrol.

that has identitythat has traditionthat has honourthat has loyaltythat has plans

and will work together to carry out thoseplans.

Making discoveriesSit down with your Assistant and get apiece of paper and pencil. On the papercreate two columns. At the top of onewrite �‘strengths�’ and on the other�‘weaknesses�’. Now list under eachcolumn those items that you considerbelongs under each category. Forexample you might identify the followingunder strengths :-Paul is good at first aid.We have a Patrol box.

All the members of the Patrol have atleast 3 merit badges.We are good at pioneering.Mary likes writing.

whereas you might write the following underweaknesses

Our Patrol Corner is poorWe don�’t have any merit badges.We rarely win against the Lion Patrol.We are useless at map and compass.We never had a Patrol camp.

By listing your strengths and weaknesses inthis way it is easy to see what you are goodat and what needs attention. From this listdecide on what actions are required in orderto improve your Patrol. For example, youidentified, that Mary is good at writing. IsMary the Patrol Scribe? If not, then maybeshe should be. You also identified that youare useless at map and compass. How areyou going to get better? Ask the Scout

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Leader to give you special instruction. Get ahandbook from the library and learn how todo it better. Take part in an orienteeringcompetition. Set yourself a challenge to beexperts.

By identifying solutions to some of yourproblems you will be creating a number ofobjectives for yourself and your Patrol.Obviously it will not be possible to solve allyou problems immediately, so you shoulddiscuss your list with the Patrol and decideon a plan of action. To be an expert in mapand compass will take time. What steps arenecessary in order to become an expert?

made, the price of equipment investigated,items for the Patrol corner made or reportswritten up. An enthusiastic Patrol will beready to take up the challenge. In the firstplace ask for volunteers. Those who areinterested in woodwork for example willprobaby choose to make the Patrol box,others will relish the thought of searching outthe best deals on equipment. As PatrolLeader you should be aware of theopportunies these tasks present to the Patrolmembers, you may choose to delegatecertain jobs to individuals so that they can bedirected towards new areas and newresponsibilities. It is a good idea to team up

Learn how to read a map. Learn how to usea compass. Take part in a compass trail.Lead a section of a cross country hike. Plana hike using a map and make a route card.Pin point your position on a map. Take part inan orienteering competition. Each step needsto be completed before you move to the nextlevel. By outlining these steps for each of theitems on your list you will see how acomplete plan can come together.Each part of your plan will require work. AsPatrol Leader you may have to be trainedfirst, so that you can pass on that training tothe Patrol. A Patrol box may have to be

an experienced Patrol member with a newrecruit so that skills and expertise can bepassed on. New recruits will never advanceunless they are given such opportunities.

When you have created a plan for yourPatrol, write it down and if possible put atime limit on each section. You might like topresent your plan to the Court of Honour.

You should monitor the plan at regularintervals to see what is being achieved andwhat corrections need to be made, if any,because of changing circumstances.

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Jobs in the PatrolGive each member of your Patrol a job. Some of the jobs thatneed doing:-

Patrol LeaderAssistant Patrol LeaderPatrol TreasurerPatrol QuartermasterPatrol Scribe/SecretaryPatrol First AiderPatrol Corner upkeepPatrol Librarian/researcher

As each of the jobs in the Patrol has a certainlevel of responsibility they are suited to particular levels ofexperience. It would be unfair to land a new recruit with the jobof quartermaster whereas the Patrol corner upkeep would be abetter starting point. The jobs of the Patrol should change,perhaps yearly, so that the Patrol have an opportunity to learnfrom each position. It is normally a wise decision to keepyourself and your assistant Patrol Leader free from the regular

jobs of the Patrol so that you can keep an overviewof the situation prevailing in the Patrol. Other work willhave to be done which will keep you and yourassistant busy, for example, training in new recruits

or planning Patrol meetings and activitiessuch as hikes, camps and preparingmenus.

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LeadershipskillsAs you travel along the Scouting trail yourPatrol will be presented with manyopportunties and challenges. As PatrolLeader you will lead your Patrol withenthusiasm towards the successfulcompletion of the challenge. Sometimes itwill be taking part in an incident trail or game,at other times it will be a Patrol hike or camp.Each requires different levels of leadershipbut at all times the same basic tools are

used. These same tools are used by allpeople in leadership positions and areexplained below.Effective leadership is achieved when eachof the elements - the individual, the Patroland the task are mixed in the correctmeasure.

The taskThe task is simply what you and your Patrolare expected to do. In determining what youhave to do it is most important that you listenand ask questions so that you understandclearly what is expected. In the case of agame - how the game is to be played, whatare the rules, how you win the game. In thecase of an emergency situation - what has

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happened, what treatment is needed,what needs to be done, sending for help.Each question will help to clarify the truepicture of the task to be completed.Sometimes, over - enthusiasm toundertake the challenge, may lead to itbeing attempted in a �‘half cocked�’manner, which will affect how it isapproached and probably have a bigbearing on the result. So be cool, becalm, be collected, in your approach toall challenges, particularly in emergencychallenges.

The individualEach individual within the Patrol has acertain level of expertise, knowledge andtalents and each has a role to play insolving or overcoming a problem or task.As the leader of your Patrol you need tobe aware of these qualities and be able tomix and match the skills and experienceof your Patrol to achieve the best result.Sometimes that might even meanhanding over the leadership of the Patrolto another member who is better qualifiedto lead that part of the task.

The PatrolThe Patrol is a team and the collectiveeffort of the team is required to completethe task. It is the role of the Patrol Leaderto direct and maintain the qualities of thePatrol with the individual skills of eachmember, and the task in mind. Each partof the machine must work at the righttime. Remember, the phrase, �‘all for oneand one for all�’. Everyone in the Patrolshould stay focused on the task so thatwhen they have completed their partthey can assist others to complete theirs.Each element is important in its own

right and it is impossible to complete the taskby using one element alone. The job of thePatrol Leader is to find the correct mix foreach challenge that is presented, so that thetask is completed successfully. This canonly be learned by experience. Each timethe Patrol springs into action you will need toapply leadership skills to the situation. Beprepared to learn from your mistakes. This isthe art of true leadership.

The Patrol Leader who wants to ensure theTask, the Patrol and the Individual are takeninto account can make use of severalleadership skills. These skills aresummarised in the following checklist. Theycan be applied to any activity, programme ormeeting.

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The good Patrol Leader should constantly be asking:-

In achieving the task....Did I plan for it carefully with the Patrol?Did I continuously evaluate how it was going?

In working with the patrol...Did I share the leadership of the Patrol; were they fully involved in makingand carrying out the plans?Did I use all the resources available to me, and within the Patrol?Did I co-ordinate the Patrol, so that it worked effectively as a team?Did I ensure that the Patrol�’s interests were properly represented whendiscussing them with other people? (Scout Leader/C.O.H.)

In encouraging and helping each individual....Did I communicate with every member of the Patrol?Did I help others to learn new skills ?Did I set an example to the Patrol?

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The Court ofHonourIn Scouting for Boys, under the headingof �‘The Patrol System�’, Baden Powellwrote the following:

�‘ The Court of Honour is formed of theScoutmaster (Scout Leader) and thePatrol Leaders, or, in the case of a smallTroop, of the Patrol Leaders andSeconds (APL�’s). In many Courts ofHonour the Scoutmaster (Scout Leader)attends the meeting but does not vote.

The Court of Honour decides rewards,sanctions, programmes, camps andother questions affecting TroopManagement. The members of the Courtof Honour are pledged to confidentiality;only those decisions which affect thewhole Troop, e.g. appointments,competitions, etc. would be madepublic.�’

As you can see from the quote, the PatrolLeader has a major part in the running andmanagement of the Troop. A Scout Troop is acollection of Patrols and not a collection ofScouts. This is a unique part of the Patrolsystem. The Patrol Leaders, working withthe Scout Leader, run the Troop. It is not thejob of the Leader to decide on and doeverything, but rather to consult, advise andsupport the actions of the Patrol Leaders.Certainly, a Leader is going to step in if thePatrol Leaders are doing something wrong orunwise but the good Leader will know whento step back and let you get on with it. You,as a Patrol Leader, ought to regard the ScoutLeader as an adviser, a person who willsuggest to you and the other Patrol Leadersthings which you might like to consider. Thegood Leader will keep you on the rails whenyou are liable to go off them, and will keepthe Court of Honour doing its proper job, butnot interfere unless it is really necessary todo so.Apart from the day to day running of theTroop, which we will discuss shortly, theCourt of Honour is concerned primarily withthe honour of the Troop, which means it is

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concerned about the individual behaviour ofeach Scout in the Troop. This is a seriousundertaking and from time to time it may benecessary to discuss in detail Scouts whohave let the Troop down in some way.These conversations are private to the Courtof Honour. Court of Honour meetings shouldremember their �‘pledge of confidentiality�’ -which means that matters discussed areprivate, because divulging them to otherscould lead to gossip, rumour and speculation,and this would not be good for the morale ofthe Troop. A Scout�’s Honour can always betrusted.

all badges within the badgework scheme,where justified, and the movement from onelevel of the scheme to another. Only thePatrol Leaders who are working closely withthe members of their Patrols will be aware ofthe level of expertise of each individual. OneScout may have a natural ability at tyingknots whereas another is all fingers andthumbs. Each is capable of passing the testbut will be required to do different amounts ofwork to complete it. A Scout�’s promise is todo their best. It is the job of the Court ofHonour to determine the best that anindividual is capable of. So in certain cases

Some matters that could come up fordiscussion could be; lack of loyalty to aPatrol and the Troop, messing to an extentthat it is interferring with the running of theTroop, wearing of improper uniform. Constantnon - attendance at Patrol Activities or Troopactivities as well as more serious matterssuch as bullying, stealing or damage toproperty. Such matters will not be discussedat every meeting but you should understandthe seriousness of such discussions and theneed for Honour among the Patrol Leaders.The Court of Honour approves the awarding

more is expected of some Scouts but eachwill achieve the badge. The COH willdiscuss and decide on such matters and willapprove in all cases the awarding of badges.

The Court of Honour should also concernitself with the progress of the Troop. Are allthe members of your Patrol invested? Howmany are seeking merit badges? EachPatrol Leader should pay particular attention

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to training new recruits for investiture andencouraging the members of their Patrolstowards the various badgework stages.As a Patrol Leader you should continuewith your own progress. Your Patrol willlook up to you and use you as a rolemodel, so lead by example.The Court ofHonour may need to set objectives e.g.every Scout to have a particular badgebefore Annual camp. Setting suchobjectives can determine the programmefor the next few months for both the Troopand the Patrols.

before approaching the Scout Leader -remember the honour of your Patrol is atstake. Courts of Honour can discuss thismatter in their own Troops and decide what isbest for them.

The Court of Honour may also have todecide on prizes for competitions such asScout of the Year, Best Camper etc.

SanctionsOne aspect of Court of Honour business thatis not much fun, is the duty of the Court of

The Court of Honour should set guidelinesfor the setting and passing of badges.Some Troops allow the Patrol Leaders topass only the requirements for investiture,with the Scout Leader passing all otherstages. This is a good idea, however it iswise for all Patrol Leaders to check thatScouts in their Patrols know their stuff

Honour with regard to sanctions. In the eventthat a Scout misbehaves or dishonours theTroop the Court of Honour will need to takecorrective action. Such sanctions mustnever be taken lightly, but only after seriousand private discussions.The Court of Honourmust decide if the Scout Law was broken,

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and to what extent. The case of the offendingScout should be presented by the PatrolLeader. If the situation is unclear then theScout should be asked to attend the meetingand explain. In determining whether a Scouthas stepped out of line the Scout Law is thedeciding factor.Each Scout should know the Troop rulesregarding the honour of the Troop, forexample, continuing to �‘misbehave�’ afterthree warnings, this would then becomes thebusiness of the Court of Honour. This is agood rule of thumb in the case of minorincidents which need attention. Minorincidents like , being late constantly, notwearing uniform, using bad language, notturning up for activities, can be dealt with byimposing minor sanctions, such as notallowing the Scout to take part in populargames or events. This corrective actionshould have the desired effect.

More serious situations like bullying or theftwill require stronger sanctions, such assuspension, from all activities for a number ofweeks. Upon return the Scout should beasked to give a promise of good behaviour.No matter what situation that may arise,whether a small matter of bad language orthe serious crime of theft the parents of theScout should be informed in writing of thesituation.Very serious matters must be dealt withsolely by the Scout Leader and the Court ofHonour should accept this. In cases like thisthe Scout Leaders only, will communicatewith the parents of the Scout in question.

In matters regarding sanctions, correctionsand discipline within the Troop the ScoutLeaders have the final say.

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This right should be respected by allPatrol Leaders. In general, mattersrelating to discipline should be �‘nipped inthe bud�’ by Patrol Leaders.

The programmeWhat happens in the Troop with regardsto programme is decided upon by thePatrol Leaders in Court of Honoursession. Patrol Leaders should seek theopinions of the members of their Patrolsregarding programme before attending themeeting. Such matters can be discussedat Patrol meetings. The collectiveresponse of all the Patrol Leaders willprovide much discussion. The Court ofHonour may also have a number ofobjectives which are ongoing e.g.

the coming weeks. When deciding on whatto do it is also useful to have a number of�‘idea�’ books available. For example, the FoxPatrol may suggest doing more map andcompass work, yes, a great idea but whatcan we do? - an �‘idea�’ book will suggestgames, projects, incidents etc.

It is not suggested that the Patrol Leadersplan everything out in detail. That is the job ofthe Scout Leader, but it is necessary toprovide the Leader with a good frameworkfor each meeting. Normally it is best to planabout 4 - 6 meetings ahead. Outdoor activityshould form the major part of yourprogramme and weekly meetings should becomplemented with Patrol meetings, Patrolactivities and Troop hikes and camps. As ageneral rule, 70% of your programme shouldbe out of doors and 30% indoors.

badgework, more hiking, winning theRegional camping competition, all ofwhich will provide many programmeopportunities.Each idea presented should be discussedon its merits and practicalities and from thesuggestions it should be possible toconstruct the bones of a programme for

In planning programmes many lessons canbe learned from reviewing past events so ateach Court of Honour Meeting set time asideto discuss the positive and negative aspectsof the programme you have just completed.What could we have done better? What didwe do well? What did we learn from theexperience?

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Running the meeting

As you can see from the above, the Court ofHonour has a number of items it mustdiscuss at each meeting. In order to getthrough the work effectively you need anagenda and someone to act as chairperson.An agenda is a list of the items to bediscussed, set out in an orderly fashion witha set time allotted for each subject. It is thechairperson�’s job to manage the agenda so

that all the business can be discussed, withinthe time allowed. Some Courts of Honourelect a chairperson for a year while othersrotate the chairpersonship so everyone canlearn to chair a meeting. Each Court ofHonour selects the method which best suitsthem. A Court of Honour minute book isrequired to record decisions and actions.

Courts of Honour should meet on a regularbasis, perhaps monthly.

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PatrolActivitiesA good Patrol will want to do its ownactivities, activities that they want to dotogether and have planned at Patrolmeetings. Such activities may be hikes,cook outs, visits, sports, training days orthe ulimate challenge organising andrunning their own Patrol Camp.

The secret to planning any activity orevent is Who? What? When? Where andHow? Answer all of these questions andthe chances are your activity will be onthe road to success e.g. Who is going onthe activity? What exactly are we doing?When are we going? Where are wegoing to and How are we going to getthere ? Other considerations such ascost, equipment, permission, route cards

etc., will need attention, depending on theactivity.All Patrol activities should be approved bythe Scout Leader who will ask you to supplydetails and times of departure and arrivalhome.

When you are out and about on a Patrolactivity you are in charge of your Patrol. Actresponsibily and behave as Scouts should atall times. Don�’t allow any messing ordisregard for safety. Undertaking an activitywith your Patrol can be a great adventure.Your first activity as a new Patrol Leader willbe difficult and at times frightening, but themore you do the easier it will become. Onyour return always contact the Scout Leaderto advise your safe return home. Thesuccess of one patrol activity will inspireconfidence in your Leader to allow you tolead other activities with your Patrol in thefuture.

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Some ideas your Patrol might like to consider

A Patrol camp - organise with another Patrolto a recognised campsite.

Patrol hikes can be undertaken in manyforms, from the traditional hike along roadsand across wild countryside to bicycle orcanoe hikes.

Visits are ideal Patrol activities - visit localplaces of interest or perhaps a fire station orcivil defence base.

Build a Patrol Box or repair campingequipment.

Visit the beach for a swim and beachgames.

Make and fly kites or buy stunt or powerkites.

Have a survival weekend at your localcampsite. Bivvy out and cook all foodbackwoods style.

Build a pioneering bridge or a tower at yourScout Hall or Den, or better still on your localcampsite.

Take part in or organise a service project inyour local community.

Challenge another Patrol to an incident trail.Each Patrol builds a number of obstacles orchallenges and then take part in a time basedcompetition.

Set up a screen printing stand and printt-shirts and neckerchiefs for your Patrol.

Challenge another Patrol to a cookingcompetition. Invite a guest to judge theresults.

Organise your Patrol to take part inJamboree on the Air. You need to contact aradio ham operator.

Make a coracle or a canoe - see �‘On theWater�’ chapter for ideas and suggestions.

Challenge another Patrol to an orienteeringcompetition.

Contact a local archery club or better stillmake your own bows, arrows and targetsand have a go.

Can you sail a boat ?? Contact a local sailoror sailing club and ask them to help you andyour Patrol get on the water. You could alsovisit the National Water Activities Centre andtake part in a sailing course.

Gone fishing - spend an evening by the localriver or pier. Catch yourself a fish and thencook it on a portable bar - b- que.

Always consult your Patrol for ideas. Manywill have hobbies they can share with theother members of the Patrol.

Get out. Scouting is about getting out in theopen. Hiking and camping should be a majorpart of your Patrol activity each year.

Be sure to inform and have the approvalof your Leader for any Patrol activityyou are planning.

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PatrolMeetingsA Patrol meeting is just that - a meeting ofthe members of your Patrol. A Patrolmeeting can take place on a hike, atcamp, in Mc Donalds. At such a meetingthe Patrol may discuss matters affectingit and plan activities and things they wantto do in the future. However, a Patrolmeeting can do more than discussthings. It is an ideal place to learn newskills and practice those skills youalready possess. Often at Troopmeetings there is not enough time topractice working together as a team orbrushing up on map and compass etc.,and Patrol meetings are an ideal way ofallowing the Patrol to do such thingsthemselves.

Most Patrol meeting take place in amember�’s house or garden. If you have

a Scout hall you may be able to meet thereand better still you may even have yourown Patrol den.

Plan your Patrol meeting much the same asthe Patrol Leaders plan the Troop meetings.With your Assistant Patrol Leader work outthe structure of the meeting - time spentdiscussing things, time spent on skillstraining and time spent in play. A Patrolmeeting would normally last for an hour or anhour and a half depending on what isplanned. Meetings could be held after schoolor on the weekend.

As a member of the Court of Honour youwill be aware of those challenges that willconfront the Patrol at coming meetings. ThePatrol meeting can be a good place topractice putting up a tower in the shortesttime and perhaps defeating the Lion Patrol foronce. You could also use the time at Patrolmeetings to help the members of your Patrolwith testwork or going over the testworkbefore presenting it to the Scout Leader.

If you have any newrecruits then you willneed to bring themthrough the investiturerequirements. Fromtime to time you mayneed to brush up onsuch things as how

to light stoves, cooking onstoves, firelighting etc., and itmay be best to hold such ameeting at the local campsite.

Most Patrols try to hold aPatrol meeting once a month.

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Some ideas you may like to try at your nextPatrol meeting

Make a stretcher and carry a member ofyour Patrol around the Scout Hall.

Test the efficiency of different stoves. Howeasy are they to use and how quickly dothey boil a pot of water?

Try to pitch a tent blindfolded.

How are your Patrol at knots? Can they tieall the knots required for the Explorer badge.

Practice lighting a fire using friction.

Make personal survival kits.

Make a Patrol bivvy sheet.

Practice creating route cards for your nexthike.

Rucksack packing - can you pack arucksack correctly? What is the lightest packpossible, to include all the essentialequipment? How can you save weight ?

Run a keep fit programme for your Patrol tokeep them in tip top form for Troop gamesand challenges.

Map reading and compass work alwaysneed polishing up and practice is the onlyway to ensure expertise in this skill.

How many merit badges do your Patrolhave displayed on their arms? There arethousands of opportunities for programme

items in the badgework requirements.Challenge each member of your Patrol toachieve one new merit badge.

Patrol organisation - how good are yourPatrol at getting things done on camp or atTroop meetings? Practice makes perfect.Discuss any regular activity - lighting a fire,putting up a tent, erecting a simple tripodtower. Work out the best way to go about thetask and practice how the Patrol workstogether to overcome the challenge.

Hold a joint Patrol Meeting with anotherPatrol. The programme can be challengingand game based.

Codes and ciphers. Does your Patrolalways struggling during wide games tryingto crack a coded message?. Have a look atsome of the popular codes used by yourTroop and see if you can discover how tocrack them.

What about your Patrol identity - have you aPatrol Corner, Patrol Flag, Patrol �‘Logo�’? Ifnot, then set about working up a fewdesigns.

All Scouts need to know basic scout skills.These are best learned at Patrol meetingswhen you have time to teach and practicethe skills in comfort. You should ensure thatnew recruits receive special attention so thatthey can obtain the necessary skills quickly.

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Patrol Branding

Some Patrol logos andsymbols

What is the name of your Patrol? Do youhave Patrol logo, identity and style? Nodoubt you are a member of the Fox, LionPuma ..... Patrol and the name of yourPatrol was chosen many years ago.Most Patrols will be using a traditionallogo showing a silhouette of their chosenanimal or bird, designs drawn sometimeago. Now is the time to upgrade, with theadvent of computers and colour printersmany things are now possible whichwould have been very expensive toundertake in the past. Letterheads,stickers, transfers, and business cardsetc. are all possible at the press of aswitch. Somebody in your Patrol willhave access to a computer and printerand with a bit of luck will also have a clipart library. You could undertake therevamping of your Patrol image as aschool project- have a chat with yourcomputer teacher. A selection of clip artsdesigns are illustrated just to whet yourimagination. You could also take thisopportunity to rename your Patrol andselect a more unusual name - �‘The CoolDudes�’ or the Viking Patrol.The possibilities are endless, the bestprompter to get you going is perhaps tobrowse a clip art library and find anattractive logo that everyone likes. Thendecide on a name that suits.Once you have your logo you canestablish your identity, stickers, badges ,neckerchiefs, signs, businesscards, and log books.

Tee - ShirtsThere are ways to create a Patrol Tee-Shirt.The first is to use a screen printing or stencilprocess. This can be complicated as youneed to create separate colour stencils for

each colour in your design.However if you can do this andhave access to screen printing then you can run off hundreds of tee shirts. You could use spray paint and build up the design, but it can be messy. If you have the time and are careful you could

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create the tee shirt using fabric markers andpaints.The other method which is by far the easierbut can be expensive is to obtain specialtransfer paper for your ink jet printer. Packsof special paper are available for thispurpose.You simply print out your design, cut out thelogo, as close as possible to the edge of thedesign, and iron it on. It is possible to usethis method on a wide variety of clothing thatis cotton based. It is excellent for logos onthe back of special neckerchiefs for camps oractivities.If you choose to use the transfer sheets thenbe economical with the space on the sheet.A large logo for a tee shirt, 4 medium sizelogos for neckerchiefs or for use on armsleeve of tee shirt or other garment and anumber of smaller logos for flags, headbandsetc. Pack your sheet as best you can. Thisis easily done in any publisher packagebefore printing.

Patrol muralIf you need to paint your logo onto a wall orpanel the easiest way to do it is to print off anacetate with your logo on it. Then using anoverhead projector, project the image onto thewall. Draw your outlines and paint away.

Small test pots of paint are ideal. If you donot have your own Patrol space or are usinga building which is rented then create yourown portable Patrol corner which shouldhave its own special feel and be suitablybranded to promote and identify your Patrol.Many designs are possible and theassistance of a parent to cut timber and giveadvice can be useful.

Making a stencilMake a stencil of your logo by copying yourdesign onto special stencil paper or oil card,which is available from art shops. Then,using either a stencilling brush in a dabbingmotion or using a spray paint, it is possible toapply your design to a brick wall or patrolboxes. Look at some home decorationhandbooks for more detailed instructions onstencil making and techniques.

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Simple and modern designwith adjustable shelving andscreens.

Seating out.

Patrol areaclosed.

A place of your ownEvery Patrol needs a base or a place oftheir own where they can discuss, plan,and have fun together. The lucky Patrolsmight have a hut or shed in someone�’sback garden, whereas others may havea room available in their dens. If you donot have your own space then create amobile space or make a decent Patrolboard and screen where you can huddleduring Patrol time at meetings, or holdPatrol meetings. Patrol Corners

If you have limited space then you canmaximise your Patrol area with somesimple construction. Erect a curtain rail soas to screen off your area when required.Use fabric paints to apply your logo to thescreen. This can be done using anoverhead projector to make drawing anoutline easier.With the addition of a number of planks andsquare storage boxes you can simplycreate an area when needed. This can bepacked away tidily at the end of themeeting.

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Patrol logos and symbols

Patrol Flags and BannersIn medieval times, every champion had abanner or a personal coat of arms whichwas flown when the Knight or King was inresidence. Patrol flags were very commonwhen each Scout had a Scout stave. Today,Patrol flags could be flown or displayed atmeetings when the Patrol are active or onactivities and especially on your Patrol siteon camp. They are simple to make. Try todesign an unusual shape (examplesopposite) to give your flag its own identity.

Camp Notice BoardOn camp you could construct a PatrolNotice board to inform others of your Patrolsuccesses in camp competitions andinformation on activities and plannedprogrammes.

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Patrol Box

Patrol Leader�’s Box

Each patrol should have a box for its equipment.This is a nice project for your Patrol or a member ofyour Patrol who is interested in woodwork. The designshown may be a bit complicated for your Patrol, butmany designs are possible and a simpler design can beused. You may require the assistanceof an adult for cutting out timber.

319

The Scout Prayer

Dearest Jesus,Teach me to be generousTeach me to love and serve YouAs You deserveTo give and not to count the costTo fight and not to heed the woundsTo toil and not to seek for restTo labour and to look for no rewardSave that of knowing that I do Your Holy WillAmem

(Prayer of Saint Ignatius)