Meeting Eagle Scout Requirement 5 / Leadership Project

Transcription

1 Meeting Eagle Scut Requirement 5 / Leadership Prject Eagle Scut Requirement 5 While a Life Scut, plan, develp, and give leadership t thers in a service prject helpful t any religius institutin, any schl, r yur cmmunity. (The prject must benefit an rganizatin ther than By Scuting.) A prject Prpsal must be apprved by the rganizatin benefiting frm the effrt, yur unit leader and unit cmmittee, and the District Advancement Cmmittee befre yu start. Yu must use the Eagle Scut Service Prject Wrkbk, N , in meeting this requirement. Prject Purpse In additin t prviding service and fulfilling the part f the Scut Oath, t help ther peple at all times, ne f the primary purpses f the Eagle Scut service prject is t demnstrate r hne, r t learn and develp, leadership skills. Related t this are imprtant lessns in prject management and taking respnsibility fr a significant accmplishment. Chsing a Prject Yur prject must be fr any religius institutin, any schl, r yur cmmunity ( prject spnsr ). It is imprtant t nte, hwever, that the By Scuts f America has recently redefined yur cmmunity t include the cmmunity f the wrld. Nrmally, yur cmmunity wuld nt refer t individuals, althugh a cuncil r district advancement cmmittee may cnsider scenaris in which an individual in need can affect a cmmunity. It is then a matter f identifying a surce representing the cmmunity wh will prvide apprvals. Yur prject must present an pprtunity fr planning, develpment, and leadership. Fr example, if a bld drive is chsen and the bld bank prvides a set f canned instructins t be implemented with n further planning, develpment, r leadership, the planning effrt wuld nt meet the test. In that example, yu may need t meet with bld bank fficials and wrk ut an apprach that requires planning, develpment, and leadership. This might invlve develping and carrying ut a marketing and lgistics plan, r crdinating multiple events. Nte that the Scut MUST lead the prject. If yu are nt willing t let the Scut run his prject, r the prject is such that the Scut cannt carry ut the prject with the Scut leading a grup f yuth carrying ut the prject with a minimum f adult invlvement, then the prject is nt a gd candidate fr an Eagle prject. An Internet search can reveal hundreds f service prject ideas. Yur prject desn t have t be riginal, but it culd be. It might be a cnstructin, cnservatin, r remdeling prject, r it culd be the presentatin f an event with a wrthwhile purpse. Cnversatins with yur unit leader, teachers, yur religius leader, r the leaders f varius cmmunity rganizatins can als uncver ideas. In any case, be sure the prject presents a challenge that requires leadership, but als smething that yu can d with unskilled helpers, and within a reasnable perid f time. Discussing Yur Prject Idea T begin the prcess, write a brief descriptin f yur prject ideas n a piece f paper. Describe at a high level what yu intend t d fr yur prject, wh the prject will benefit (the prject Beneficiary r spnsr ), and a brief descriptin f the steps yu will take in carrying ut yur prject. Review this with yur Eagle Scut advisr r Prject Cach (if yur trp has ne). Yur Scutmaster has primary respnsibility t help yu with yur Prpsal, while an Eagle Prject Cach (if yur trp has ne) primarily will be a sunding bard fr yur Final Plan.

2 Preparing the Prject Prpsal Yur written Prpsal must be cmpleted first. It is an verview, but als the beginnings f planning which is a key part f the requirement. It shws yur unit leader, unit cmmittee, and district cmmittee that the fllwing tests can be met. Fr yur Prpsal t be apprved, it must shw the fllwing: 1. It prvides sufficient pprtunity t meet the Eagle Scut service prject requirement. a. Yu must shw that planning, develpment, and leadership will take place; and hw the three factrs will benefit a religius institutin, a schl, r yur cmmunity. 2. It appears t be feasible. a. Yu must shw the prject is realistic fr yu t cmplete. 3. Safety issues will be addressed. a. Yu must shw yu have an understanding f what must be dne t guard against injury, and what will be dne if smene des get hurt. 4. Actin steps fr further detailed planning are included. a. Yu must make a list f the key steps yu will take t make sure yur plan has enugh details t be carried ut successfully. 5. Yu are n the right track with a reasnable chance fr a psitive experience. The Initial Prject Prpsal: Yur written initial Prpsal will include the fllwing items: 1. Prject Descriptin and Benefit: a. Briefly describe the prject. b. Tell hw yur Eagle Prject will be helpful t the beneficiary (the prject "spnsr ). c. Explain why the prject is needed. d. When d yu anticipate being able t start wrk n yur prject. e. Hw lng d yu think the prject will take t cmplete (time estimate). This includes the prject prpsal and the final prject write up (usually lnger than the prject itself). i. Give an estimated number f hurs fr each f the Phases in yur prject. 2. Giving Leadership: a. State apprximately hw many peple will be needed t help yu with yur prject. b. State frm where yu will recruit yur wrkers (trp, classmates, friends, neighbrs, family. Others). NOTE: it is ften difficult fr family and relatives t step back and let yu be the leader! c. Explain what yu think will be the challenges in rganizing and leading yur helpers. 3. Materials: a. List what materials yu will yu need fr yur prject. b. Materials are items that becme part f the finished prduct (such as lumber, nails, paint). 4. Supplies: a. List what supplies yu will yu need fr yur prject. b. Supplies are items yu use up during the prject (such as paper, markers, tape, garbage bags). 5. Tls: a. What tls will be needed fr yur prject. 6. Permissins and Permits: a. What permissins will yu need t btain fr yur prject (such as permissin t use a schl, carry ut a prject at a ballfield n Dumnt Day, wrk n water cmpany prperty, etc). b. What permits will yu need (such as cnstructin permits r insurance certificates). 7. Preliminary Cst Estimate: a. Hw much mney d yu think yu will need t carry ut yur prject. b. Estimate csts fr materials, supplies, tls, and ther csts. c. Explain where yu think yu will get the mney frm t carry ut yur prject.

3 d. Will yu need t raise funds as part f yur prject. 8. Prject Phases: a. Think f yur prject in terms f phases, and list what they might be. b. Phases may include: planning, apprvals, getting helpers, getting materials, prject executin, prject write up. 9. Lgistics: a. Hw will yu handle transprtatin f materials, supplies, tls, helpers, and things like cllected items. b. Will yu need a tur permit. 10. Safety Issues: a. Describe hazards yu may need t deal with. b. Describe safety cncerns yu may need t deal with. 11. Further Planning: a. List sme actin steps yu will take t cmplete yur final plan. Wh Apprves Yur Prpsal? (Prject Cach des nt apprve yur Prpsal): Yur written Prpsal will need the fllwing apprvals: 1. Eagle Scut candidate (yur signature). This will indicate that yu have reviewed the prcess, carefully read the entire Eagle wrkbk, and that yu and yur parents have read the Message t Scuts and Parents / Guardians. 2. Unit Leader Apprval (yur Scutmaster - n ne can substitute fr him) 3. Unit Cmmittee Apprval (usually Trp Cmmittee Chair and/r Advancement Chair) 4. Beneficiary Apprval 5. District Apprval (the apprval prcess invlves circulating the Prpsal t the Cmmittee Members fr their suggestins and cmments; and ften takes as lng as 30 days t cmplete) BSA is strngly encurages Eagle Candidates t present their prject Prpsals t members f the trp cmmittee; and t cnsider their cmments and suggestins as part f the Unit's apprval prcess.

4 The Prject Prpsal The Final Plan: Only after yu have received all the apprvals in writing n yur prject Prpsal, yu are expected t Develp, Organize, Plan and finally Write a much mre detailed Final Prject Plan. The mre detailed prject plan will include: 1. Cmments and suggestins frm the review f yur Prpsal. a. Any ideas that were added t the prpsal by yur advisrs. 2. Prject Descriptin and Benefits Changes frm yur initial Prpsal. a. Hw will yur prject differ frm the initial Prpsal. b. Will the changes make the prject mre r less useful t the beneficiary ( prject spnsr ). 3. Describe present cnditin r situatin. 4. List prject Phases. This shuld cincide with the estimated hurs yu prpsed per Phase. 5. Wrk Prcesses: a. STEP-by-STEP list f what must be dne. This is the detail f the prject plan. b. This is the mst detailed sectin f yur prject plan. Once this sectin is cmpleted, the Scut will have a detailed plan t fllw in rder fr them t be successful in their prject. Scuts shuld refer back t this OFTEN when carrying ut their prject! c. This sectin may cntain any supprting dcuments, such as drawings, maps, lists, diagrams, r pictures. 6. Permissins and Permits: a. If any permissins and/r permits are needed, they will be detailed here. 7. Detailed materials list: a. Items, descriptins, estimated quantities, estimated csts, estimated surces. 8. Detailed supplies list: a. Items, descriptins, estimated quantities, estimated csts, estimated surces. 9. Detailed tls list: a. Describe tls needed, quantity, cst if needed t buy, surce, wh will perate them. 10. Expenses and Revenues sectin: a. This sectin will detail ut any expenses. b. This sectin will detail ut where mney will cme frm, including if it was given t yu fr the prject, dnatins, and any fundraising that may have been dne t supprt the prject. 11. Giving Leadership sectin: a. This is where yu will detail which jbs/tasks need t be cmpleted, wh yu anticipate may cmplete these jbs/tasks, whether it is suitable fr yuth r adult helpers, what skills are needed fr the jbs/tasks. b. Identify yur plan fr leading yur helpers thrugh this prject. c. Identify yur plan fr cmmunicating t yur helpers. 12. Lgistics: a. Hw will wrkers get t and frm yur prject lcatins. b. Hw will yu transprt materials and supplies. c. Hw will wrkers be fed and/r hydrated during yur prject. d. What will be dne with leftver materials and/r supplies. 13. Safety Items: a. Where will the first aid kit be lcated. b. What hazards need t be identified and addressed. c. Hw will yu lead peple t deal with the safety issues. d. Hw will yu cmmunicate safety issues t yur helpers. e. Wh will be the safety / first aid specialist. 14. Cntingency Plans. 15. Cmments frm yur caches/advisrs n yur prject plan.

5 The Final Prject Plan Apprvals: A Scut wh is prepared will cmplete the Final Plan and ask a prject cach t review it with him. The cuncil r district representative wh apprved yur Prpsal may have agreed t serve as yur Prject Cach, r smene else may take n this imprtant rle, such as the trp Eagle Advisr if yur trp has ne. His r her invlvement and review f yur Final Plan is ptinal, but it can help yu avid many prblems r mistakes. This can als imprve yur chances f passing yur Eagle Scut Bard f Review. Trp 1345 will strngly encurage a review f the scut s written Final Prject Plan befre any wrk n the prject begins, and having dne s, will prvide the fllwing written apprvals via initials (which are ptinal, but strngly encuraged): 1. Trp Eagle Advisr and/r Prject Cach Prject Executin: A Scut wh has received the required initial Prpsal apprvals, and then reviewed the Final Prject Plan write-up with his Eagle Advisr and/r Prject Cach, is nw ready t carry ut his prject. Things t keep in mind during the prject: The Scut MUST be in charge!! T much adult invlvement may jepardize the scut s leadership ver his prject. D nt drastically change r alter the prject. Minr changes are OK (and a fact f life), but if there are significant changes in scpe r cmplexity frm the apprved Prpsal, the prject may need t be re-apprved. Make sure all changes and/r additins are clearly dcumented. Make sure t use time sheets fr all helpers wrking n the prject. Take plenty f pictures. Pictures tell a great stry, and prvide evidence f the prject executin.

6 Final Prject Write Up the Final Reprt: A Scut that has cmpleted his prject executin will then need t cmplete a final prject write up. The final prject write up shall be thrugh enugh and detailed enugh t prvide sufficient evidence t any utsider nt invlved with the prject (such as smebdy sitting n the Eagle Bard f Review) that the scut prvided the necessary leadership in executing the prject in accrdance with the prject apprval and the written prject plan. The final prject write up will cver tpics such as: What went well with the prject. What was challenging. What changes were made as the prject was cnducted. In what ways did the scut demnstrate leadership. What was the mst difficult part f being a leader. What was mst rewarding abut being a leader. What did yu learn abut leadership. Hw were yur leadership skills leveraged and/r enhanced. Review f materials, supplies, and tls. Review f prject funding. Review f manhurs fr the prject (including timesheets): Ttal prject hurs Hurs put in by the Eagle Scut Candidate Hurs put in by yuth Scuts Others/Friends Hurs put in by Relatives/Family members Hurs put in by adults Trp leaders Other Adults Phts and ther dcumentatin Final Reprt Apprvals: A Scut that has cmpleted his final prject write-up will need t get three signatures n the cmpleted prject wrkbk befre it is submitted t the District Cmmittee: 1. Eagle Scut candidate (i.e., yurself) 2. Prject Beneficiary 3. Scutmaster (nly the Scutmaster can sign)

7 Message t Scuts and Parents r Guardians The Eagle Scut service prject requirement has been widely interpreted bth prperly and imprperly. This message is designed t share with the Eagle Scut candidate and his parents r guardians the same infrmatin we prvide t cuncil and district vlunteers respnsible fr prject apprvals thrughut the By Scuts f America. Yu will learn what they can and cannt require. Yur lcal cuncil and district are imprtant resurces fr infrmatin and guidance and can tell yu where t submit service prject prpsals. The cuncil and district may als establish limited lcal prcedures as necessary. Hwever, all f this must be dne in harmny with the fficial scut surces. Cuncils, districts, units, and individuals may nt add requirements r ask yu t d anything that runs cntrary t r exceeds the plicies, prcedures, r requirements f the By Scuts f America. What an Eagle Scut Candidate Shuld Expect First, the Eagle Scut service prject belngs t the Eagle Scut candidate. His parents and thers may help, but the Scut must be the leader. Nnetheless, while wrking tward cmpletin f the prject, especially during the prpsal apprval prcess, a candidate has the right t expect the fllwing, as reprinted frm the Guide t Advancement, sectin Questining and prbing fr his understanding f the prject, the Prpsal, and what must be dne, shall be cnducted in a helpful, friendly, curteus, and kindhearted manner. We will respect the Scut s dignity. He will be allwed, if he chses, t have a parent, unit leader, r ther adult present as an bserver at any time he is discussing his prpsal r prject with smene wh is reviewing it. 2. Prject expectatins will match Eagle Scut requirement 5, and we will nt require Prpsals t include mre than described in the Eagle Scut Service Prject Wrkbk. 3. If requested by the Scut r his parent r guardian, an explanatin f a prpsal rejectin will be prvided in writing, with a cpy sent t the district and cuncil advancement chairs and staff advisr. It will indicate reasns fr rejectin and suggestins cncerning what can be dne t achieve apprval. 4. Guidance that maximizes the pprtunity fr cmpletin f a wrthwhile prject will be readily available and strngly recmmended. Ultimately, hwever, the respnsibility fr success belngs t the Scut, and final evaluatin is left t the Bard f Review. 5. If the candidate believes he has been mistreated r his prpsal wrngfully rejected, he will be prvided a methd f redress. This will include the pprtunity fr a secnd pinin and apprval, either thrugh anther vlunteer r prfessinal advancement administratr, r the Scut executive, as determined by the Cuncil Advancement Cmmittee. Evaluating the Prject After Cmpletin Eagle Scut prjects must be evaluated primarily n impact the extent f benefit t the religius institutin, schl, r cmmunity, and n the leadership prvided by the candidate. There must als be evidence f planning and develpment. This is nt nly part f the requirement, but relates t practicing ur mtt t, Be Prepared. Hwever, in determining if a prject meets Eagle Scut requirement 5, reviewers must nt require mre planning and develpment than necessary t execute the prject. There may be instances where upn its cmpletin, the unit leader r prject beneficiary chses nt t apprve a cmpleted prject. One r the ther may determine mdificatins were s material frm the apprved Prpsal that the extent f service r the impact f the prject was insufficient t warrant apprval. The candidate may be requested t d mre wrk r even start ver with anther prject. He may chse t meet these requests, r he may decide if he believes his cmpleted prject wrthy and in cmpliance t cmplete his Eagle Scut Rank applicatin and submit his prject wrkbk t the District Advancement Cmmittee withut final apprval. He must be granted a Bard f Review shuld he request it. If it is thught his Unit leaders will nt be fair a Bard f Review under Disputed Circumstances may be requested f the District Advancement Cmmittee by the eagle candidate.