RichardB

On 2/16/2023 at 5:45 PM, Eagle1993 said:

This one snuck in when the other change was announced (about adults staying overnight).

A registered female adult leader 21 years of age or over must be present for any activity involving female youth or female adult program participants.  

So, what is the change?  In the past, "female adult program participants" wasn't listed.  So, my understanding, is if you have a female 18-20 attending an event, you need a registered female adult leader 21 years or older.  

This is not a change in Scouting Barriers to Abuse.   The requirement for an adult female leader 21+ for coed Venturing crews has been around for decades.    Adult program participants came to Troops as part of the rollout of Scouts BSA where extra time could be applied for to obtain Eagle.   

Does anyone have any comments about this councils efforts to prevent injury and illness via SAFE Checklist use?     

@InquisitiveScouter not really anything I could comment on except to offer that the concept of SAFE and using checklists to prevent incidents is always the best way to not have to deal with injuries, claims and potential coverage issues.   Prohibited Activity Safety Moment explains some of the whys:   https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/safety-moments/unauthorized-restricted-activities/  

23 hours ago, qwazse said:

One small suggestion … if it’s at all that important, a scouter shouldn’t have to click through and advance the video to find out what s.a.f.e. stands for.

It’s also not clear how the checklist would have addressed the incident that inspired it. I would love its implementation to forestall death. But how does this do what the sweet 16 does not?

The Sweet 16 has been phased out and simplified with SAFE https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/safe/ the checklist itself was not built because of Nolan's fall.  However, this council's actions to complete this video training piece was influenced by the incident.   However, supervision and knowing and following program guidance like Climb on Safely are all linked to the S, A, and even E in SAFE.

https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2023/02/14/lets-take-a-moment-to-watch-the-oregon-trail-councils-video-on-scouting-safely/

Thoughts on the council initiative to utilize the SAFE Checklist.  https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/safe/

14 minutes ago, Momleader said:

I guess partner is the wrong word  - council will help facilitate but they don’t really supply staff for day camp unless it’s on their property - our council used to do community Cub Scout day camp and they supplied insurance and a few materials (shooting sports stuff) otherwise it was all run by volunteers with a staffer there at check in and a nurse for the day

The council is responsible for day camps meeting standards, on or off property.  That includes requirements for staff registration, qualification and training (day camp director, camp health officer, aquatics or shooting sports staff) , program, etc.    Having it run by volunteers locally isn't an issue.  Just pulling it together as a group of units is.   

@Momleader it's not within your charter to partner with other units for a day camp.   That is a function of the council.    Suggest you partner with your council to facilitate the experience.    

14 hours ago, PACAN said:

Any one heard/seen and recent numbers?

Suggest you all who are interested and engaged with your councils ask to review the September Stack Charts - Council Performance Standards available for your council / NST.    They are published monthly and distributed via the NST's.   The most recent was published for September 2022 and shows youth recruiting up 6.03% compared to September 2021.    938,771 youth recruited in 2022.   

@Eagle94-A1 read thru the thread.   Since the camp, council or specific course isn't identified that I can tell it would be most helpful for the unit or @InquisitiveScouter to report the incident to the council so that they can address it.    Sounds like the council leadership is unaware outside the course directors.       

@fred8033 comes closest to the pin on the reason that multiple units of different Chartered Organizations need council permission to hold events together in the name of Scouting.    The charter granted is only for unit operation, not multiples.     

@Eagle94-A1 Perhaps there are other options or motivations behind the incredible opportunity to keep youth (and adults) safe when doing the Scouting program.   For those on this forum that continue to put folks at risk in the name of Scouting, please stop.  

As a reminder the current Scouting program which some of you proport on these forums to be chartered to operate:

1) has no option for youth only activities without adult supervision.  https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss01/#a

2) has limits by design: "Some activities considered by youth and leaders are not compatible with the Scouting program. Some have unacceptable risks that have been confirmed by serious or even fatal consequences. Others are not compatible with the Scout Oath and Scout Law.   Source: https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss07/#b 

3) May no longer be compatible with what some on this forum did when they were youth or young adults for any number of reasons.    https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/safety-moments/unauthorized-restricted-activities/  

May you all have a happy thanksgiving holiday, maybe some time with your family or Scouts free from illness, injury and incident reporting requirements,  or being called out on social media.  

What does your Chartered Organization require?    

Otherwise, still relevent:  https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2014/04/10/ask-the-expert-the-who-when-and-why-of-scout-permission-slips/

No longer published.  

@RememberSchiff I was waiting for you to post this, you are a great news finder.   However, thought I'd get the pulse of the list on this release from yesterday:   https://www.scouts.ca/news-and-events/news/2021/09/scouts-canada-introduces-vaccination-requirement-for-all-members  Link to the FAQ's at the bottom of the announcement.   

For those that have not seen it the BSA's current position can be found here:   https://www.scouting.org/coronavirus/

"...We encourage everyone to consult with their physician and get vaccinated. It is our best hope for returning to normalcy in our Scouting family..."

RichardB

On 8/4/2021 at 9:44 PM, elitts said:

I've got people in my troop making noise about how Paddle Craft Safety is required for an adult to take scouts canoeing. When I look at the language I can find on the course, it seems to indicate that a adultvis required to have the certificate, but I don't see anything in the G2SS requiring anything besides Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat.

Now, obviously those two classes don't actually teach you how to canoe, so I can see the Paddle Craft class being a good skills course for inexperienced paddlers in order to be sure they are providing Qualified Supervision, but if you already have skilled adult paddlers on the trip, is a patch/card actually required?

https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss02/#j if you reviewed Safety Afloat - #1 and #6 you will find the recommendation and the required skills training that this course could assist a leader in providing to the youth PRIOR to the float trip.

On 8/1/2021 at 12:48 PM, SiouxRanger said:

Why is this called the "Churchill" Project?  Does anyone know?

Winston Churchill has been credited with saying: “Never let a good crisis go to waste? ”

4 hours ago, DuctTape said:

Ticks and mosquitos have been known to carry diseases for a long time. Campsite selection, first aid, and insect bite first aid/prevention has been part of the outdoor program for almost the entire existence of BSA. The guidance is within the handbooks, fieldbooks, mB books and all the other external resources BSA recommends including CDC, FDA and other governmental resources not to mention the adult leaders knowledge. Sure it may not bein the Guide to Safe Scouting, but it is not possible to include everything, nor should it attempt to. The GTSS is NOT the program.

But it is also referenced in the GTSS.  https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss13/  (which is part of the program materials, and you agree to follow when you sign up as a leader).  https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/bsa-scouter-code-of-conduct/

Might also suggest review of communicable disease guidance for leaders which includes vectors:  https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680-103(18)_Prev_of_CommunicableDiseases.pdf

Strategies

1214057527_COVIDmitigation-layers.pdf

32 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

I think a pervasive malady at National (and many Councils) is simply not understanding who their primary customers are:  Adult Volunteers! Without them, you don't have youth membership, YP, program, or anything else...

And yet when offered an opportunity to engage within the Service Territory structure (national) and be part of the solution moving forward look at the responses that followed.

@CynicalScouter You do have an answer that addresses both safety and program integrity.     Not the one you wanted but an answer all the same.   

If you have other questions your appropriate point of contact is your local council youth protection champion or council staff / Scout Executive to address your particular concerns.     

Currently recruiting for Safe Scouting Leads for the 16 NST's.     If you think that's you, message me.    

I used to be a Beaver.  A good old Beaver too....

Have you talked with your council?   

National statement on COVID - https://www.scouting.org/coronavirus/

16 hours ago, John-in-KC said:

@RichardBourleon is indeed still around. He posted in the last two months ct

Hey I know that guy.   @TAHAWK your council knows who to call if they have a question.   There is no longer a volunteer facing interface outside the local council so any inquiry is going back to them,.    And shooting at each other is still prohibited.   In case you want to review other prohibited activities:       https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss07/#b

Perhaps one of you could point out where it enables an CO to do events for others in the name of scouting on behalf of the local council or BSA?   I don't think you are going to find that in there.