Incorrigible

Sorry it took so long to respond. My notifications got caught by the spam filter.

Thanks so much for all the input! It's really reassuring to hear other opinions and experiences and not feel so alone in this. I ended up asking someone at the council office when I was in the other day, concerned maybe I had overstepped. Just about every person in the office took turns lecturing me about being too lenient. There are an absurd number of people in there with health issues caused by sun damage. They want all our leaders and youth to take hazardous weather training (or repeat it) before we can have any more outdoor activities. Plus, if I want to stay a leader, I am to require sun protection at all outdoor activities, regardless of parental permission. They were really upset that a kid had blistered on my watch.

And when I informed the crew, that same parent tells me he already took the training so he is already in compliance. Turns out he trained almost 5 years ago. He hurts my brain on so many levels.

The problem with the youth leadership is that I've just barely started teaching them how to lead. We've been chartered roughly a month. With parental examples like that, I'm sure you can imagine what their idea of responsibility is. They are just starting to take responsibility for themselves. Taking responsibility for each other is too foreign a concept to wrap their minds around. I'm hoping to recruit some older youth when school starts back up. We only have one member over 17. I think more like her would do wonders!

The scouting I get, but the people confuse the snot out of me. I would love some wisdom on this one.

Our crew holds a monthly airplane wash fundraiser. It's like a car wash but with planes. Working hard together out in the sun. Last month, it was very sunny. I offered sunscreen to the kids but didn't push it when each and every one turned me down. They all went home burnt, one with some nasty looking blisters. None of the parents held me responsible, but all commented that the kids should have used sunscreen. I told the crew members, at the next couple meetings, that they needed sun protection at the next wash.

At the next wash, we offer the kids sunscreen. They all refuse. This time I push it. The ones who's parents were there get permission not to wear it. I remind the others what happened last month. I'm down to three. Knowing full well their parents told them to wear sunscreen, I tell the others they can call home for permission if they want. I'm down to one. She's been looking for an excuse to challenge me for weeks, but I'm so level headed in the moment that it is difficult. (I'll rant to my husband for days after an issue, but I'm all logic in the thick of things). She's crazy fair skinned and already showing a little color. I tell her to either sit in the shade and handle the money, or put on sunscreen. She puts on the sunscreen and the day goes off without a hitch.

At another activity for another group, that day, I am pulled aside by another parent. This is one of the ones that was there during the whole sunscreen thing and told his (now very burnt) child she didn't have to wear sunscreen. He's upset that I insisted the others wear sunscreen. He doesn't feel the kids should be required to do anything they don't want. (He's also one of the ones that doesn't agree we should follow BSA rules for swimming and boating at campouts) He thinks it's unreasonable to have expected anyone to know to wear sunscreen at the wash without prior written warning. If he'd had such warning, his child would have known what to do to avoid a burn.

I'm honestly having trouble wrapping my mind around this whole situation. It seems like some kind of training is in order, but is there a training basic enough to cover "if a crew member gets burnt so badly he blisters, crew members should be protecting themselves from the sun."

And the part that really stumps me...the parents of the kids made to wear sunscreen are all thankful, but this other parent is gossiping to other parents and getting them all concerned that I'm going to start kicking kids out of the crew over sunscreen. :/

I understand where you are coming from. LDS troops follow a very altered program. I'm LDS and love scouting. My kids participate in their scouting themed youth groups with the church, as well as real scouting programs.

According to our registrar, there are only a handful of non LDS units in the state. Up here, in the Logan area, there is a single non LDS troop and a single non LDS pack. There's also a tiger only pack for LDS members that want their kids to do the whole cubs program.

I'm the Advisor for one of two non LDS Venturing Crews. Both were formed by the perseverance of one of the local paid scouters, who was tasked with expanding the program. Until this summer, we hadn't had a non LDS crew up here in at least 7 years. We have crew members driving from an hour away to participate. I'd go into your local scout office and ask what kind of options are in your area....but be prepared that the only options may be ones you create.

I didn't know there was even such thing as a Venturing commissioner. I'll see who I can find. Training run by someone other than myself would be great! I was told the crew is responsible for it's own training. This area only seems to hold roundtables once per quarter, and other than that leader training is held at camps while the kids are doing other activities, and "units handle their own training". Though, if I can figure out when they're running it, we're generally welcome to join.

The 30 seater is the BIGGEST we have access to. I have no idea what kind of plane it is. I haven't seen it at the airport before. I assume it's kept at the SLC facility. I really know nothing about aviation. I'm in charge because I'm the only adult involved with scouting leadership experience.

Thanks for the tip. Our council doesn't seem to care much about that, so I think I'm going to have to be really persistent.

@@Incorrigible careful with the training. To do the interesting outdoor stuff you need specialized training (e.g. WRFA, first aid, CPR/AED, shooting sports, etc). If you don't have it you're not covered by the insurance if something happens. Much of the training and paperwork is to cover your bum, not so much district and council. Get the training for the activities your group plans to do. Don't let anyone short cut you.

Our sponsor is THE business at our local airport. They hold a monthly breakfast that folks fly in from all over the country for. It's kind of like a car show for small planes. We're holding an airplane wash fundraiser during the breakfast each month. We have some local aviation students teaching a Jr ground school a couple times per month. There's an aviation jamboree a bit south of us next month that we're planning to fly in and attend. We're trying to set up our first flight toward the end of July though. We're doing our annual seminar in conjunction with the airport open house in a couple weeks. I know the kids have a bunch of ideas for activities, and we should have a nice rough calendar after that.

The initial group of kids came from the local homeschool community. An email went out. About 20 families showed up. A dozen kids signed up. Leaders were assigned. We have 9 regularly active crew members that show up to everything and participate. They're planning to invite the local press to an upcoming airplane wash and advertise the crew that way. Also, we're going to see about either flyers or in class presentations at the local tech high school and freshman aviation courses at the local colleges. We'll see from there, where we're at. The crew has decided on a maximum of 30 members. That's what the biggest plane we can access holds.

Hi there. I'm the advisor for a brand new aviation crew in Logan, UT. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed and hoping to find some wisdom and encouragement from more experienced leaders.

I ended up as advisor kind of by default. None of the other adults involved in starting the crew knew anything about scouting (out here all we really have are LDS troops. At their best, those are more like BSA themed youth groups than real troops. At their worst, they're just handing out awards - even eagle - for nothing more than attendance). So, I'm in the position of teaching and training not just the youth, but the other adults too. For example, the adults were all under the impression that the youth protection training was optional. The gentleman from council that was initially handling our paperwork, he just forged in the system that we'd all completed it. :/

I tend to be a very "by the book" kind of person, which this group obviously needs right now. When my kids were little, I was an amazing den leader. I was even a great committee chair and merit badge counselor. I'm struggling a bit with the open ended nature of venturing, though. I'm trying to gather a support system, and have a few adults involved now that are willing to help out when asked. I have one person I can turn to at council for help and advice. The registrar is amazing. At this point, I go in one afternoon each week and spend 2+ hours with her. It always starts as a couple simple questions, but the simple question always seems to highlight some other area she wants to be sure I understand. I have no idea what I'd do without her!

OK, this has gotten to be longer than I meant. Lol I'm off to read old threads.