ParkMan

Sorta. I see the GSUSA point. They have been recognized as the Scouting organization that provides services to girls for 100 years and are claiming that they are the only organization allowed to use the term "Scouts" in association with programs for girls. I am nor versed in the legal rules here, but it seems clear to me that they own the term "Girl Scouts" (upper case). It's not clear to me that they own the term "scouts" or "girl scouts" (lower case). So, in the context of programs for boys, it's fine for the BSA to say "Scouts". In the context of programs for girls, their claim is tha

So true! Whenever someone brings up neckerchiefs or hats in our troop, the Scoutmaster looks at them and says "if you want to. hey, let's talk about going camping." There's no neckerchiefs or hats.

Gotcha. But competition in itself isn't a problem. Unless the GSUSA could somehow argue that the BSA was infringing on the GSUSA's constitutional mandate and it was therefore requesting an injunction on the basis that the BSA simply isn't allowed to offer Scouting programs to girls. I didn't see that argument though.

I just read through the GS/USA brief. What seems like a valid question here is whether the BSA & GSUSA had previously agreed on the usage of Scouts & Scouting by the respective organizations. Some of the other things like asserting that the BSA only provided programs to boys seems a stretch. The BSA has been providing co-ed programming since 1971. Much of that time it's been to girls and boys. When it was exploring or venturing they didn't object. But, now that it's the Cub Scouts & Boy Scouts they do? I'd think a jury would take that into account.

It's been moderately important in our troop. We've had a few opportunities to interact with Scouts internationally - but not a lot. We encourage the World Jamboree and in past years used to do attend jamborees in other countries. Given the geographic isolation and size of the United States, I'm afraid that it's more of a concept than a reality for most scouts.

I think this is the key. The training syllabus is simply the starting point. I've come to understand the best courses are those where the trainer takes the material and then adds their experience. It's all about quality in my mind. An instructor needs to add value over taking it online or not at all. The online courses add something over not taking it at all. A live instructor has the potential to add much more - but it only happens when the instructor really invests them self in building a great course. I remember one evening with some of the "senior staff" on one of our Wood

I've gotta wonder though. How my accountability does the BSA really have for individual Scouters & units. They could remove us I suppose like they do for YPT violations - but that seems pretty extreme because I make a recruiting flier and mis-use the term "Girl Scouts".

That's a bummer! Our Cub Scout pack did the same thing. The local Girl Scout camps are here are awesome. Great size for a pack camping trip too.

@Eagle94-A1 - I'm glad to hear your sons like the new troop. That's fantastic. I fully agree - rushing the boys through too quickly is a big mistake. Scouts BSA is just another section of the Scouting trail - it's not a destination. I would also agree - these last spring crossovers are too late. Boys get into the troop and almost immediately have to decide about Summer Camp. I'd rather see a Dec-March crossover too.

What I see has more to do with activity level in Scouting than it does Boy Scout prep. For example: - Pack A camps twice a year - camping trips are usually two nights and often at a BSA camp. The Webelos had a camping trip of their own. The met weekly. The leaders put more responsibilty for advancement on the Scouts. - Pack B is much more laid back. The pack would have a local overnighter. Webelos dens met once or twice a month. Fewer activities, no Webelos camping. Boys earned all awards together. I see very different engagement levels from the respective new Scouts. S

Interesting to hear that this is more of a national trend. It would seem that packs and troops focusing on the outdoor program might indeed be a very good way to recruit both girls & boys. i.e. join Scouts BSA for an active, outdoor program.

I'm guessing that stuff like this will be hard for the BSA to police. DIdn't they already write a letter saying not to use the term "girl scouts? of the images of the GSUSA?

I think @Eagledad describes it well. I'd only add that in our council, we did ask participants to pick a primary position. It's your choice what that position is. When you write the ticket, part of the point is to establish a big picture goal that you'd like to accomplish for your time in that position. Your ticket is a series of smaller projects that help you accomplish that goal. A goal for an ASM is probably different than a goal for a MB counselor. So that's why you'll probably see them nudge you to pick one of the two positions to focus on. But, if both of those roles are i

That would fit with what I see here. We have plenty of outdoor oriented moms and female leaders. I get the sense that around here, there was a shift a few generations back where women started doing all the same kinds of outdoor things as men. So, today we have many women who camp, hike, bike, fish, etc... This could be regional and could be part of what is going on in the Southern region. It is a part of the country where outdoor activities are fairly prevalent. From a marketing perspective, this is where I think focusing on the outdoor aspect of the BSA makes sense. Encouraging tho

Living in the south myself, I suspect that conservative folks are most concerned about the values taught in the program. I don't think that they are all that concerned whether their kid's scout group is boys only, girls only, or co-ed. Most church youth groups are co-ed, so if it's fine for youth group, it's fine for a scout troop. We Scouters may have a perspective because we're invested in the program. But, if you're a parent making the choice for the first time - I think that's a very different scenario.

I'd just welcome a place to talk Scouting where many threads didn't end in a negative criticism of something. Girls in Scouting, patrol method and YPT, Wood Badge, etc. It wears me out to just keep being so negative. I'd love for a thread on a recruiting video to be about great ways to make that happen - not about the the masculinity of girls or the death of patrol method. I respect the energy and passion you all have for Scouting. I understand how many are very frustrated about the changes in Scouting. I just feel like we get so negative so quickly. I simply thought that maybe we c

I would very much welcome a policy decision by this moderators of this forum that posts continuing to debate the merits of girls in the BSA get moved to I&P. I'm perfectly fine that you all continue to debate it. I just would like to have a place focus on the mechanics and best practices of the Scouting program itself.

I've got a 9 year old daughter and a 14 year old daughter. They are both active Girl Scouts. This video captures exactly the things that they like about Girl Scouts now. Hiking, canoeing, archery, climbing, roasting marshmallows, camping. If anyone thinks this is too masculine for girls, then you've not met my daughters, their friends, or their Girl Scouts troops. A very good video.

I fondly use the phrase "Cruise Director". I've always felt that 50% of my job as a Scouter is to explain things to parents. Part of providing the programming for a youth activity is to help the parents understand why we do what we do and how to best reinforce it. I see working with new parents and leaders as a big part of that. Their scout is going to have a less fulfilling time in Scouting if the parents don't really understand why we're doing things the way we do. Having a bunch of parents running around doing the wrong things creates chaos too. That's where a key part of running

Just so there is no confusion, that should have been: "We also do not try to limit new adults". I had that backwards. I know that it is a common thing to ask first year parents to be committee members or to ask them to wait a year to volunteer. We don't do that. Really what we tend to do is just guide new parents. If a new parent starts doing too much for the scouts, the New Scout ASM simply pulls them aside and mentors them. That tends to be all we need to do.

This is all rather easy in our troop. We have only the occasional problems with helicopter parents, but they sort themselves out very quickly. We always have one or two new scout program ASMs. They are always experienced troop ASMs and take control of the program for Scouts for the first year or two. To simplify their job, we recruit new scout parents to help them as ASMs assisting with the new scout program. It's very clear to all which adult has the overall responsibility for new scouts trips - either the SM, ASM New Scouts, or his designee. We don't have rules about what p

I've seen similar things happen with Webelos scouts that graduates Scouts into our troop. Some dens are great and have good retention, others do not. My sense is that much of it is about how the Webelos den and pack operates. I'm not sure if it's because some dens are better are preparing Scouts or because some dens do a better job of retaining those Scouts who are likely to be active Boy Scouts. Probably a little of both. I wonder if a well organized Webelos Den Leader training taught be former Webelos Den Leaders who have successfully made the troop transition would help. Get

Troop recruiting is a funny business. Back when I was Cubmaster, we had a very active recruiting program. It was a lot of work, but one that I enjoyed immensely. One of my great joys was getting to know prospective families and helping them decide is Cub Scouts was for their son, and if so, whether our pack was a good fit. It would not be a stretch to say they I'd average 2-3 hours per new Cub Scout. When I moved over to the troop, it was a very different world. Our recruiting focused so much more on simply providing a good program. It was like the line from the movie Field of D

Don't most den leaders initiate the visits? I assume you just call who you want to call.

Around here the Webelos dens still visit multiple troops as well.