Venturing Program
Meet people from other Venture Crews and discuss program.
629 topics in this forum
-
- 10 replies
- 2.1k views
-
- 5 replies
- 1.9k views
-
- 45 replies
- 9.5k views
-
- 2 replies
- 1.2k views
-
- 12 replies
- 3.4k views
-
- 12 replies
- 2.5k views
-
- 1 reply
- 2.5k views
-
- 4 replies
- 1.6k views
-
- 11 replies
- 1.8k views
-
- 1 reply
- 1.2k views
-
- 3 replies
- 1.4k views
-
- 3 replies
- 1.4k views
-
- 0 replies
- 1.3k views
-
- 7 replies
- 2.1k views
-
- 2 replies
- 1.8k views
-
LATEST POSTS
-
By InquisitiveScouter · Posted
We have a Scout whose registration records are a bit messed up. His family moved here in 2024, from a different council. In getting him registered here, rather than transferring his primary membership from the other council, he was made a "Multiple" in his current Pack. I use the passive voice there, because we have no idea who did this. The Parents say they did not do this through my.scouting, the Pack Committee Chair says they did not do this through Scoutbook, and the Registrar says she did not do this. Parents say they filled out a paper application here, but no one can (or will) produce a copy to figure out how it happened. But that is minor, and will only show who took what actions. We need to fix the registration issue at hand... When the Scouts registration became due, the parent dutifully logged into my.scouting to pay it by credit card. But, the registration (and the parent record) was in the original council. So, when paid, registration renewed as primary in the original council. And the multiple membership here continued. No one in either council caught this. Scout has finished his Arrow of Light, but we cannot transfer him to the Troop because of his "Multiple" status in the Pack. We have been working with the Registrars for a while on resolving this... The parent has receipt and order number from my.scouting to show paid registration. Yesterday, our Registrar told me she (and the other Registrar) cannot fix this with the tools they have, and our Registrar has had to put in a help ticket to National to try to get this resolved. I am astounded. With no transfer to Troop, parents cannot see Troop calendar in Scoutbook to help their Scout look at upcoming events and RSVP, leaders cannot help track advancement in Scoutbook, and committee cannot track financials (dues payment and trip charges) in the Scoutbook tools. For the interim, we have told the council (and they agree) that we are going to forge ahead with this Scout in our Troop while they fix their system. The Registrar agrees to back-date his Date Joined Scouts BSA to the date we tried to initiate the transfer. (This is because he cannot have his Scout Rank, or any other advancements, earned before his Date Joined Scouts BSA.) We'll use his Scout Handbook to track his advancements, and have sat down with the Scout and parents to review all upcoming events for attendance and conflicts. I cannot help but see this as a symptom of a dysfunctional system between councils and National. Add this to the long list of IT-type complaints we have endured over the past years. With the tremendous burden of administration we already have to make a Scout unit function well, it'd be nice not to have friendly fire incidents like this. -
While this seems true, I am not convinced it is. On the other hand, I do perceive that many have turned inward, so to speak, and are tring to find the path that will allow the real Scouting to again bloom. But, I also am seeing far too many "giving up", or simply retreating to do what they feel will work, regardless of pressures from the outside. Scouting is best in my worn views when shared with a broader group of youth and adults. BP called it aa brotherhood, and it still is if we allow it. How to allow it with the issues we face is the greater struggle. I hope my great grand nephew, who has an Eagle father, and a Scouting believer as a GF will still experience the better possibilities. Would I live to see him also become an Eagle, or simply like his GF, a firm believer in the Spirit of Scouting. We have a gathering of Leaders locally at a breakfast on Saturdy coming, and the interhanges from the first two of these recently institued sharings has proven worthwhile. The Merit Badge events, for example have been over hauled and are getting better and more focused on the actual requirements. Also, they are nown being broken up to fewer badges, instead focusing on just a dozen or fewer. Still a long way to go, and I am still fighting with them to recognize the need to put our history forward, as well as sevice beyond the "big" events. Community is still silently behind the ideas of Scouting, but they too seem to be holding their brath to see if we can fight our way back. Time will tell, and hopefully I may hold on long enough to see the larger steps. -
By Eagle94-A1 · Posted
At least in my area, parents are pressuring for Eagle. Units that do try and focus on adventure, fun, personal growth, etc instead of advancement do not get new Scouts as parents look elsewhere. Even my new troop is focusing on advancement. Yes it has. And be told by the rules lawyers you are "gate keeping," "adding to requirements," etc. @InquisitiveScouter sadly the leadership at the top is encouraging this, and they do not care what the old boots on the ground want who want to maintain standards want. Heck there is now a majority of volunteers support for them and their decline of standards. -
-
Unfortunately, it is the new morality, which is "I got mine, the hell with the rules". I saw it when BSA started admitting girls, and Cubs were the "trial run", with supposedly separate-sex dens. Then supposedly separate-sex troops. I heard more than one "leader" on here and on FB admit that they had gone fully co-ed, because "that's what works best for us", while maintaining the charade on paper. I "retired" from Scouting in 2018 after having been a continuous member of the same Council since 1963 (Eagle 1970) as a Cub, Boy Scout, OA, Explorer, and adult leader in nearly all positions including District and Council Committees. When I let them know I would not be re-registering, the response was "ok, thanks" and thus it ended. I do not regret leaving as I feel the BSA has lost its way, as evidenced by the plummeting membership numbers.
-
-
Who's Online (See full list)