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For almost 100 years, Scouting programs have instilled in youth the
values found in the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Today, these values are
just as relevant in helping youth grow to their full potential as they
were in 1910. Scouting helps youth develop academic skills,
self-confidence, ethics, leadership skills, and citizenship skills that
influence their adult lives.
The Boy Scouts of America provides youth with programs and activities that allow them to
- Try new things.
- Provide service to others.
- Build self-confidence.
- Reinforce ethical standards.
While
various activities and youth groups teach basic skills and promote
teamwork, Scouting goes beyond that and encourages youth to achieve a
deeper appreciation for service to others in their community.
Scouting
provides youth with a sense that they are important as individuals. It
is communicated to them that those in the Scouting family care about
what happens to them, regardless of whether a game is won or lost.
Finally,
and perhaps most importantly, Scouting promotes activities that lead to
personal responsibility and high self-esteem. As a result, when hard
decisions have to be made, peer pressure can be resisted and the right
choices can be made.
Boy Scouting, one of the traditional membership divisions of the BSA,
is available to boys who have earned the Arrow of Light Award and are
at least 10 years old or have completed the fifth grade and are at least
10, or who are 11, but not yet 18 years old. The program achieves the
BSA's objectives of developing character, citizenship, and personal
fitness.
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.
Scout Law
A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly,
courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty,
brave, clean, and reverent
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The Boy Scouts of America places the greatest importance on creating
the most secure environment possible for our youth members. To maintain
such an environment, the BSA developed numerous procedural and
leadership selection policies and provides parents and leaders with
resources for the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing programs.
Leadership Selection
The
Boy Scouts of America takes great pride in the quality of our adult
leadership. Being a leader in the BSA is a privilege, not a right. The
quality of the program and the safety of our youth members call for
high-quality adult leaders. We work closely with our chartered
organizations to help recruit the best possible leaders for their units.
The
adult application requests background information that should be
checked by the unit committee or the chartered organization before
accepting an applicant for unit leadership. While no current screening
techniques exist that can identify every potential child molester, we
can reduce the risk of accepting a child molester by learning all we can
about an applicant for a leadership position—his or her experience with
children, why he or she wants to be a Scout leader, and what discipline
techniques he or she would use.
Required Training
- Youth Protection training is required for all BSA registered volunteers.
- Youth
Protection training must be taken every two years. If a volunteer’s
Youth Protection training record is not current at the time of
recharter, the volunteer will not be reregistered.
Youth Protection Reporting Procedures for Volunteers
There are two types of Youth Protection–related reporting procedures all volunteers must follow:
- When you witness or suspect any child has been abused or neglected—See "Mandatory Report of Child Abuse" below.
- When
you witness a violation of the BSA's Youth Protection policies—See
"Reporting Violations of BSA Youth Protection Policies" below.
Mandatory Report of Child Abuse
All
persons involved in Scouting shall report to local authorities any
good-faith suspicion or belief that any child is or has been physically
or sexually abused, physically or emotionally neglected, exposed to any
form of violence or threat, exposed to any form of sexual exploitation,
including the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child
pornography, online solicitation, enticement, or showing of obscene
material. You may not abdicate this reporting responsibility to any
other person.
Steps to Reporting Child Abuse
- Ensure the child is in a safe environment.
- In
cases of child abuse or medical emergencies, call 911 immediately. In
addition, if the suspected abuse is in the Scout's home or family, you
are required to contact the local child abuse hotline.
- Notify the Scout executive or his/her designee.
Reporting Violations of BSA Youth Protection Policies
If
you think any of the BSA's Youth Protection policies have been violated,
including those described within Scouting's Barriers to Abuse, you must
notify your local council Scout executive or his/her designee so
appropriate action can be taken for the safety of our Scouts.
Scouting's Barriers to Abuse
Scouting's Barriers to Abuse
The BSA has adopted the following policies for the safety and
well-being of its members. While these policies are primarily for the
protection youth members, they also serve to protect adult leaders.
Refer to the Guide to Safe Scouting, contact your local council, or email youth.protection@scouting.org for more information.
- Minimum two-deep leadership on all outings required.
Two registered adult leaders, or one registered leader and a parent of a
participating Scout or other adult, one of whom must be 21 years of age
or older, are required for all trips and outings. Appropriate adult
leadership must be present for all overnight Scouting activities; coed
overnight activities – even those including parent and child – require
male and female adult leaders, both of whom must be 21 years of age or
older, and one of whom must be a registered member of the BSA.
- One-on-one contact between adults and youth members prohibited. In
any situation requiring a personal meeting, such as a Scoutmaster's
conference, the meeting is to be conducted in view of other adults and
youths.
- Separate accommodations for adults and Scouts required.
When camping, no youth is permitted to sleep in the tent of an adult
other than his or her own parent or guardian. Councils are strongly
encouraged to have separate shower and latrine facilities for females.
When separate facilities are not available, separate male and female
shower times should be scheduled and posted. Likewise, youth and adults
must shower at different times.
- Privacy of youth respected. Adult leaders must
respect the privacy of youth members in situations such as changing
clothes and taking showers at camp, and intrude only to the extent that
health and safety require. Adults must protect their own privacy in
similar situations.
- Inappropriate use of cameras, imaging, or digital devices prohibited.
While most campers and leaders use cameras and other imaging devices
responsibly, it has become very easy to invade the privacy of
individuals. It is inappropriate to use any device capable of recording
or transmitting visual images in shower houses, restrooms, or other
areas where privacy is expected by participants.
- No secret organizations. The Boy Scouts of America
does not recognize any secret organizations as part of its program. All
aspects of the Scouting program are open to observation by parents and
leaders.
- No hazing. Physical hazing and initiations are prohibited and may not be included as part of any Scouting activity.
- No bullying. Verbal, physical, and cyber bullying are prohibited in Scouting.
- Youth leadership monitored by adult leaders. Adult leaders must monitor and guide the leadership techniques used by youth leaders and ensure that BSA policies are followed.
- Discipline must be constructive. Discipline used in Scouting should be constructive and reflect Scouting's values. Corporal punishment is never permitted.
- Appropriate attire for all activities. Proper
clothing for activities is required. For example, skinny-dipping or
revealing bathing suits are not appropriate in Scouting.
- Members are responsible to act according to Scout Oath and Law.
All members of the Boy Scouts of America are expected to conduct
themselves in accordance with the principles set forth in the Scout Oath
and Scout Law. Physical violence, theft, verbal insults, drugs, and
alcohol have no place in the Scouting program and may result in the
revocation of a Scout's membership.
- Units are responsible to enforce Youth Protection Policies. The
head of the chartered organization or chartered organ-ization
representative and the local council must approve the registration of
the unit's adult leader. Adult leaders of Scouting units are responsible
for monitoring the behavior of youth members and interceding when
necessary. The parents of youth members who misbehave should be informed
and asked for assistance.
- Mandatory reporting of child abuse. All involved in
Scouting are personally responsible to immediately report to law
enforcement any belief or good faith suspicion that any child is or has
been abused or exploited or endangered in any way. No person may
abdicate this reporting respon-sibility to any other person.
- Social media guidelines. The policy of two-deep
leadership extends into cyberspace. Another adult leader should be
copied on any electronic communication between adult and youth member.
Violations of any BSA's Youth Protection policies must immediately be reported to the Scout executive.
Digital Privacy
A key ingredient for a safe and
healthy Scouting experience is the respect for privacy. Advances in
technology are enabling new forms of social interaction that extend
beyond the appropriate use of cameras or recording devices (see
“Scouting's Barriers to Abuse”). Sending sexually explicit photographs
or videos electronically or “sexting” by cell phones is a form of
texting being practiced primarily by young adults and children as young
as middle-school age. Sexting is neither safe, nor private, nor an
approved form of communication and can lead to severe legal consequences
for the sender and the receiver. Although most campers and leaders use
digital devices responsibly, educating them about the appropriate use of
cell phones and cameras would be a good safety and privacy measure. To
address cyber-safety education, the BSA has introduced the age- and
grade-specific Cyber Chip program, which addresses topics including
cyberbullying, cell-phone use, texting, blogging, gaming, and identity
theft. Check it out.
The "three R's" of Youth Protection
The "three R's" of Youth Protection convey a simple message for the personal awareness of our youth members:
- Recognize situations that place you at risk of being molested, how child molesters operate, and that anyone could be a molester.
- Resist unwanted and inappropriate attention. Resistance will stop most attempts at molestation.
- Report
attempted or actual molestation to a parent or other trusted adult.
This prevents further abuse and helps to protect other children. Let the
Scout know he or she will not be blamed for what occurred.
Key Resources
State Statutes on Child Welfare
Reporting
requirements for child abuse differ from state to state. The Child
Welfare Information Gateway provides access to information and resources
on a variety of topics, including state statutes on child abuse. This
site is not operated by the Boy Scouts of America.
Guide to Safe Scouting
The purpose of the Guide to Safe Scouting is to prepare adult leaders to conduct Scouting activities in a safe and prudent manner.
It Happened to Me: Cub Scout Meeting Guide
Video
Facilitator Guides. A sample letter to parents and guardians as well as
English and Spanish meeting guides for facilitators' use when showing
the age-appropriate sexual abuse prevention video.
A Time to Tell: Troop Meeting Guide
Video
Facilitator Guides. English and Spanish meeting guides for
facilitators' use when showing the age-appropriate sexual abuse
prevention video.
Personal Safety Awareness Meeting Guide (Venturing Program)
Video
Facilitator Guides. A sample letter to parents and guardians as well as
English and Spanish meeting guides for facilitators' use when showing
the age-appropriate sexual abuse prevention video.
Youth Protection Training Facilitators Guide
Video Facilitator Guides.
Cyber Chip
To
help families and volunteers keep youth safe while online, the BSA
introduces the Cyber Chip. The Scouting portal showcasing Cyber Chip
resources includes grade-specific videos for each level.
Youth Protection Champions
To
address the need for Youth Protection–specific volunteers at all
levels, the BSA has implemented its new Youth Protection Champions
program. These volunteer champions will be the key drivers of Youth
Protection at their assigned levels.
Camp Leadership ... A Guide for Camp Staff and Unit Leaders
Brochure
for unit leaders and camp staff who are responsible for providing a
safe and healthy camp setting where Scouts are free from the worries of
child abuse.
ScoutHelp
Support is available for victims of past abuse.
Youth Protection Mission Statement
True
youth protection can be achieved only through the focused commitment of
everyone in Scouting. It is the mission of Youth Protection volunteers
and professionals to work within the Boy Scouts of America to maintain a
culture of Youth Protection awareness and safety at the national,
regional, area, council, district, and unit levels.
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National Youth Leadership Training is an exciting, action-packed
program designed for councils to provide youth members with leadership
skills and experience they can use in their home troops and in other
situations demanding leadership of self and others.
For many
years, junior leader training (JLT) was an important part of the
leadership training continuum of BSA local councils throughout America.
In 2003 and 2004, a task force of leadership experts and hundreds of
Scouts in pilot courses across the nation reviewed and tested every
aspect of the new NYLT syllabus, which incorporates the latest
leadership ideas and presents fresh, vital and meaningful training for
today's Scouts.
The NYLT course centers around the concepts of
what a leader must BE, what he must KNOW, and what he must DO. The key
elements are then taught with a clear focus on HOW TO. The skills come
alive during the week as the patrol goes on a Quest for the Meaning of
Leadership.
NYLT is a six-day course. Content is delivered in a
troop and patrol outdoor setting with an emphasis on immediate
application of learning in a fun environment. Interconnecting concepts
and work processes are introduced early, built upon, and aided by the
use of memory aids, which allows participants to understand and employ
the leadership skills much faster.
Built on the legacy of past JLT
successes, the new NYLT integrates the best of modern leadership theory
with the traditional strengths of the Scouting experience. Through
activities, presentations, challenges, discussions, and audio-visual
support, NYLT participants will be engaged in a unified approach to
leadership that will give them the skill and confidence to lead well.
Through a wide range of activities, games, and adventures, participants
will work and play together as they put into action the best Scouting
has to offer.
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