It is not really a menace, I was just following up with Star Wars inspired titles for posts related to this whole series of events. Maybe The Phantom Volunteer is better. I dunno? (Maybe I will change it later?)
As I promised, I will begin to divulge and explain my fall from grace in my old Scout Group and renewal in a new, and my current, Scout Group.
I have been advised by various parties to take caution and reconsider. Being an ass, I am unable to do that. Sometimes a person reaches a point and cannot hold themselves back. I did actually contain myself, when it all began, officially, on Saturday 15 April 2017. Unofficially, it began in early September 2015. In the end, my efforts to remain somewhat quiet, compromise, and accommodate failed. It would not be the first time that I have been party to my own demise.
However, before I get in to this tale of woe and expose certain correspondence, I will give some background leading up to the events that got me ousted from one group and landed me in another, both of which are part of the same national organisation. However, let the tale, and intrigue, begin.
I have volunteered, on and off, with youth in various organisations that support and benefit the involved youth, my whole adult. The first serious one, when I was eighteen, was with a pilot project, some thirty-odd years ago. The "Y", either the YMCA or YWCA, I do not recall any longer, of Hamilton had initiated a trial for before-and-after school care program for young students at a school in the west-end of Hamilton. This was very long before various school boards experimented with it and many have made standard.
A very good friend of mine that I worked at a movie theatre with was working there as well. For whatever reason, I would go by and visit and even help out. Then I was suddenly volunteering. I believe it was after a field trip to the ROM on a school holiday, the so-called Professional Development (PD) days that teachers have to keep their skills current, thus giving students a day without school. This was a very comprehensive program. I was put on the official roles a volunteer. Then, because of all the hours I was helping, I became a part-time employee of the program. I never did it for the money and it was never very grand anyway. I was involved with that for a year or two. I cannot recall, my brain will not reveal great detail occasionally. Nonetheless, I greatly enjoyed myself and the kids seemed to not mind my participation.
Another milestone in volunteering (with paltry wages too), was in Ottawa some few years later. It was an official program with whichever incarnation, or sub-incarnation, of the Ottawa Public School Board of the time. I was involved with that for two, three, or more years. (Remember, my brain sometimes will not cooperate on fine detail. I can be quite terrible with dates at times, even big historical stuff.)
This was a lunch-time monitoring program. Whereby, non-teachers, such as myself and other "paid volunteers", would supervise the school kids during lunch so the teachers could have a real break. After lunch was completed we would empty in to the school-yard and continue to monitor the kids and eventually teachers would trickle out through the remainder of the lunch break. When the bell rang for afternoon classes and the students went in, we were done, awaiting to be called for another day. Again, I largely delighted in my time with this program. And, again I do not think most of the kids minded our company for their lunches and playground revelries.
About eight years ago another major volunteer engagement occurred. This one without any meagre wages at all. The boy was enrolled in a soccer house league. The support staff was made up of volunteer parents. They were shy an assistant coach. Without all the positions filled, the team would be folded and the youth dispersed to other teams. I stepped up to the position to keep the team intact. I had played house league for years when I was a kid. I was no expert in soccer (or football if you prefer), but this was a totally fun league: no scores, every player took a turn at all the positions, and such. Again, no complaints from the kids.
The next year, we found out that there were several kids from our community in the same aged league, so some parents went to efforts to make a team from our community. Most were, but all were welcome and I believe everyone had a good time. Initially, I held back, but no one stepped up to the two coaching positions. I agreed to become the coach on the condition: that a particular dad was the assistant coach. The reason? This dad was also a fellow Scouter over the last year. In fact, he recruited me to the Scout Group. I figured fair turn around. Before I get in to that thread, I will finish with season two.
So, we two Scouters were coaching a house league soccer team together. Some kids were from the same team as last year, some were new of course. I knew all the ones from our community, either from Scouts and/or the school. We even arranged for a teenage lad that played for the same organisation, but on a competitive team, to come and do some guest coaching. The wife knows his mom and he was happy to come out and help. He certainly knew his stuff and as far as I know he is still playing at a high level of the sport. Anyway, the year ended well enough and again, none of the kids demanded our heads on a platter.
During all of these, and other, undertakings providing experiences and support for kids, I never had any serious issues with the youth. Sure, sometimes some kids can be jerks. Just like adults. Kids have issues too. Just like adults. It is part of life. The only serious problems I ever truly encountered were with particular higher-ups in the organisations themselves, other volunteers, or parents. Except, as far as I can recall, I never had one problem with the "Y".
That being said, there are always bumps in the road. Reasonable people work them out. Even, normally, upper echelon types. At the end of the day, I never had anything transpire that made me sorry to be involved, nor that could not be worked out in the end. That would change, as we will soon learn.
During my first year helping coach a kids soccer team, one of the dads, near the end of the season, asked if the boy was in Scouts. No, he was not. Was he interested? Apparently, the boy was. The boy was signed up to join the same Scout Group as this Scouter and his son were members of. Then the dad asked if I was interested in volunteering as a Scouter. Not that I was necessarily reluctant, but I peppered him with questions. All were satisfactorily answered. When the new Scouting year started in September 2010, I signed up to volunteer as a Scouter. This was Beavers, now officially called Beaver Scouts (for boys and girls aged 5-7 years old). I was just an ordinary Leader, as we were called back then. We all got along, the kids appeared to enjoy themselves. As the year progressed, I found myself throwing my hat in more and more. Bear in mind, all the Leaders/Scouters participated and helped out with meetings, activities, and events. Some of us, like me, just could not hold back. I guess some people noticed.
At the end of the year, this Colony (the collective term for a group of Beaver Scouts) held a year end themed camp. I jumped at the opportunity to get involved. In the end a pirate theme was chosen. I went all over the valley seeking out piratey accouterments. I even enlisted the boy's caregiver, a skilled seamstress, to help make what I did not have out various items. I still have the outfit. Basically, it was "my" camp. We all had a blast. Some people noticed my overall organisation of the camp as well.
At some point, the Contact Beaver Leader (the title given to the lead Scouter of a Colony) and the Group Commissioner (overall adult leader of the entire Scout Group) of the time approached me and informed me that he was not coming back to the Section and was moving to the Scout Section. They also asked if I wanted to be Contact Beaver Leader for the next Scouting year. I, of course, asked if any of the other Scouter were interested, some had been with the Colony for some time. I was informed that none of them really wanted the position, were okay with my becoming the lead Scouter and that they both agreed I was their first choice.
I accepted. They were pleased and informed me, they said jokingly but I am not so sure, that good, because I never really had a choice to turn it down. So, the next year I was "in charge". I engaged all the Scouters for help, support, ideas, and to put forward what we could do the following year. We also engaged the Beavers too. They had ideas and some of them were great. We had a whirlwind year. I found I was in my element with this organisation and this Group.
During my second year with the Colony, I was approached by my Group Commissioner (GC) and the Area Commissioner (the AC is overall adult leader of several Scout Groups defined by generally arbitrary boundaries) approached me to become the Deputy Area Commissioner for our Area for Colony, in addition to working with my home Colony. Basically, the job is to coordinate with all the Colonies in the Area and offer support in various ways. I had this position for two years. The first year, I think a I did a pretty good job. The second year? Not so much.
We ended the year with a Viking themed camp. I wanted to move on to the Cub Scouts (formerly known as Wolf Cubs & for boys and girls aged 8-10 years old) the next year. However, no one was comfortable with taking the lead in Colony. I was asked to remain with Colony as the Contact Beaver Leader. I stated some conditions, that once the Colony meetings were over, I wanted to be involved with the Pack (collective term for a group of Cub Scouts) for the remainder of its meetings; I would split my time for events and activities outside of the meeting nights where I was needed most, generally to ensure a Section, Colony or Pack, could meet the youth to adult ratios required by Scouts Canada; I would train someone to take over the Colony for the following year so I could be with the Pack full time. Which is what I did do, sort of.
However, halfway through the Scouting year, something of a disaster struck. The Akela (the lead Cub Leader/Scouter of a Pack) resigned suddenly. As a side note, Scouters at the Pack level in Canada generally are given nicknames of animal characters that helped Mowgli from the Jungle Book stories; Akela is the nickname of the Lead Scouter of the Pack. I was splitting my time between Pack and Colony. I enquired amongst the remaining Scouters in Pack who would take the lead job. I even made a recommendation. Everyone turned it down. I was "asked" to do it. I did not really have a choice. I actually did not seek the position, but it fell to me.
It somewhat fulfilled a prophecy from the former Akela. He said I wanted the job, so why do I not make a move to take over. So, I became the Lead Cub Scouter, but not by choice or design. I had been mentoring several of the Scouters in Colony for what was required to run the Colony, one stepped forward to be the lead for the Section, with my assurances that I would help out where I could. I did. Just so you know, they had a medieval themed end of year camp with knights and princesses and dragons. They did a fantastic job.
So, now I was the Big Giant Head of Pack. However, I refused to take the nickname of Akela. I kept my original nickname of Kaa the entire time I was with Pack. In fact, the crest is still on my original uniform shirt, along with my Rusty nickname crest from Colony (like one of these here). To me these are earned awards; they will never come off my uniform, and I have been told more than once to take them off now that I am no longer active with Colony nor Pack Sections. Well, good luck, no dice, never coming off.
Pack did a great and varied number of things over those three years. I was the Section Leader for the remainder of my tenure with Pack, about two-and-a-half years. I mentored and trained someone to take over when I left. He did a fantastic job. Alas, he ran the Pack for only one year. However, the Scouter who took his place is a fantastic Scouter, and I would like to think a friend of mine from the Scouting movement.
Following my tenure there, I moved up to work with the Scouts (generally for boys and girls aged 11-14 years old) in Troop (collective term for a group of Scouts). I was to be just an ordinary, plain-jane Scouter. Another Scouter who was with Troop the previous year was going to step in to the position of Troop Scouter (the titled given to the lead Scouter of a Troop). The Troop Scouter up until then had stepped down. He was a fantastic Scouter and another person I consider a friend from the Scouting movement. He actually stayed on as an Advisor and actually took the lead for a few community support activities the Troop ran that first year.
Various events transpired that thrust me to the position of Troop Scouter. The Scouter that was to take the position, for various reasons, felt she could not dedicate herself fully enough to give the role justice. She stayed on for that year and was a tremendous asset to the Troop. I actually have a Commendation for her, but we have not been able to tee-up for some time.
Guess who got tapped to fill the position? Yup. Me. Again, I never sought it. However, in order to ensure the youth had an effective program and great time, someone had to step up. I did. However, this is where and when it began to almost completely unravel. Another side note: I have specifically stated about a few Scouters up until this point that I consider them friends from the Scouting movement. To be honest, every Scouter, and Guider (Girl Guide Leader) I met up to this point, I consider a friend from the Scouting/Guiding movement. Regardless if they are from my Section, Group, Area, Council or not. Or another national movement altogether. I never truly met a Scouter I did not like. Sure, some were annoying or irritating. I have even gotten in to arguments with some of them. However, we were all friends; either just as Scouters, or at times friends outside the movement. This even held through my first year with Troop. Unfortunately, I would learn all too late that some of my fellow Scouters did not reciprocate this sentiment.
Oh. Would you look at the time? I guess we will pick this up tomorrow. blbbl
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