TAMPINES DISTRICT

PATROL LEADER TRAINING COURSE

PARTICIPANTS COURSE NOTES

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4. Programme Planning

“No one plans to fail, they only fail to plan!”

The scout motto calls us to ‘Be Prepared’. Hence when it comes to activities, planning is
essential for the success of the event. Without good planning the event will become
boring & thus will lead to the decrease in interest & membership.

4.1. Types of Programme

There are various types of programmes. Let’s take a look at the various
programmes that you and your PLC members may be undertaking:

• Unit Programmes
• HQ Activities
• Area Activities
• District Activities
• School Activities

Most units’ leave the short term planning to the PLC & the long term planning is
left to the responsibility of the unit leaders.

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4.2. Why do we plan?
Before doing anything, you must first decide on how you plan for the task to be
done. The plan should make you achieve the objectives that were set earlier. No
matter how gifted you are, all efforts made will be wasted if there’s no planning &
poor allocation of tasks. More can be achieved with proper planning, than being
optimistic & leaving everything to chance.

4.3. Objectives
Before you begin to plan always set the objectives to be met. For example the
training camp was organised in order for the scouts to achieve their respective
standard badges.

4.4. Basic Rules in Planning

Now, in most things we do, there are rules and regulation that we live have to
abide by. Same goes with planning. You wouldn’t want your planning to be
disrupted. So observe them!

• Programme discussed by the unit and decided by the PLC.

• Youth Programme should form part of the planning.
• Plan based on quarter year.
• Meet early in the year to plan a skeletal programme for the year.
• Have a SUPER ACTIVITY to top the year of activities.
• Meeting should, whenever possible, have little formality to allow
creativity.
• Design your programme to suit religious concerns.
• Make use of calendars of the HQ, area, district and school in your
planning.
• Allow opportunities for progress in the planning.
• Plan balance of indoor and outdoor.

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 • When planning always include a contingency (back-up) plan.
• Remember to record everything that was discussed & allocate the duties
evenly.
• Always EVALUATE

‘What we hear, we forget; what we see, we remember; what we do, we know’

A final note, we can have the most excellent plan but without good execution of
the plan it will be a wasted effort & the most crucial of all planning is the
evaluation of the plan at the end of it all

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A simpler view of planning for you:

Should you observe the diagram, you would notice that Evaluation plays an important
role. You should always evaluate your planning not only at the end but as a constant
process in each part of your planning. This helps to fine tune your planning and straighten
any possible wrinkles along way.

4.5. The 5-step Method

The method above will help you with the start-up you need. Look at it as a start-up toolkit
for your PLC

Step 1: State Objective

Identify and analyze task based on overall target set by unit
Break into Aim (What to achieve) and Objective (How to define that you have achieve)

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Step 2: Collect Ideas
Have a good selection of ideas so that able to choose the best possible

Try the following idea generating headings:

• Things done before
• New Ideas to try
• Major Projects
• Scout Test Scheme
• Other events

Step 3: Plan the Programme

• Have programme ideas ready
• Constant review to check if it
• Meets objective
• Good Variety
• Affordable
• Enough time for preparation

Upon satisfying the above, proceed with detailed planning. These should include:
• Venue booking
• Transport booking
• Food arrangement
• Equipment requirement
• Manpower allocation
• Safety issues
• Detailed day programme
• Instructions for participants
• Programme budget

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Step 4: Take Action
Ensure activity has an organizer
Putting the plan into implementation (remember the diagram?)
Ensure all executed well
Exercise flexibility in dealing with matters

Step 5: Evaluate
Most important part
Way to monitor and improve
Not necessarily done at the end of activity, as and when necessary
Feedback regarding activity

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 “P.E.R.S.P.E.X.”
(the planning code words)

P– Personal fitness (when planning always looks into the fitness of the group)
You cannot expect to plan for a mountain climbing expedition when half of the group is
not fit to climb the mountain

E– Equipment (always plan to bring sufficient equipment)

R- Risks (always include the amount of risks involved)

S- Safety rules (always abide by the safety rules & regulation set by the Association /
school or organisation. Get consent from parents (Consent forms)

P- Planning (always have a good plan at hand)

E- Emergencies (always be ready for any emergencies such as injuries. Have a First
Aid Kit available.

X- Unexpected (always expect the unexpected, have a contingency plan)

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 4.6. Ingredients of a Good Unit Meeting

A Balance of Challenge and Achievement

Something new discovered and learned, some obvious progress in the Proficiency Badge
work for the scouts

Physical Activity
Games preferably outdoors, trails to follow, treasure hunts, exciting projects

Imagination
Play acting games

Sense Training
Often by quiet games and activities

Inspiration
Yarns, campfires, prayers

Good Order
Obvious discipline in games, activities and ceremonies.

Good Fun
Laughter and good humour

Variation
To counter boredom

Surprise
Items as such should be included now and then

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Competition
Act as a stimulus when held from time to time.

Purposeful
Skills in pioneering, orienteering and camp craft

Full Participation
Check that all adult leaders and scouts have a part to play

Balanced
Ensure that the weekly meeting is well balanced and has variation

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Hints on planning!
• Ensure that the activities planned are in line with the scouts’ strategy of learning
by doing.
• Ensure that all participants had parental consent (Consent forms).
• Ensure to get the approval from relevant authorities.
• If a specific person is required please inform him well in advance.
• Active activities are better than passive.
• Be a participant than a spectator.
• Go outdoors than indoor.
• Plan unusual than the norm.
• Plan surprises instead of the usual.
• Be mysterious about the plan; don’t give too much away.
• Use reality instead of substitute.
• Do not forget to evaluate!

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4.7. Evaluation
• All good planning will end with an evaluation (post-mortem)
• It is good to evaluate to find out what went well, what has contributed to
the success of the meeting and how we can build on them
• If the meeting is a failure, be courageous and admit it and find out what
had gone wrong.

What to ask in the evaluation?

• What Went Well?
• What Went Wrong?
• Was it fun? Why?
• Did we learn anything? What?
• Was everyone involved? Why?
• Was it successful? Why?
• How was the discipline? Any action taken?
• Was there anything needed to be improved?

4.8. Summary of planning

P.E.E.
P-lanning
E-xecution
E-valuation

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