Scoutmaster Conference (Boy Scouts of America)

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A Scoutmaster Conference is a conversation between a Scout and his Scoutmaster. The Scoutmaster conference should be conducted by the Scoutmaster, although he may delegate this task to one of the Assistant Scoutmasters. This is most often done when the Scout in question is the Scoutmaster's own son. Some Troops set rules on when an Assistant Scoutmaster can and cannot conduct a Scoutmaster's Conference. Its primary purpose is not to make sure that the Scout remembers the Scout skills required for the rank he is a candidate for, but to make sure the scout is enjoying the troop, if he has had any problems, and to see if he has any suggestions of ways to make the troop better; as well as anything else the Scout or Scoutmaster wants to talk about. Scoutmaster conferences usually occur when a Scout is ready for rank advancement, and has completed all other requirements besides the Board of Review. However, Scoutmaster's Conferences can — and should — whenever a discussion between the Scout and the Scoutmaster is necessary. This could be to discuss why a Scout is not advancing or to discuss discipline problems.

The requirement for a conference with the Scoutmaster was added in the 1963 Boy Scout Handbook Supplement.^[1] With the Improved Scouting Program in 1972, it was renamed to personal growth agreement. In the early 1980s, it was formally renamed Scoutmaster Conference.