Bugeyes

Does anyone know if Troop Committee training is still a work in progress? I finished Merit Badge Counselor training and it gave me incomplete on part of the requirements, but I can't get courses to open on the others. The course descriptions say they were added last February.

Well, that's why we're taught not to take candy from strangers.

Good luck! I'm sure your units will do well.

We were given the OK, as far as copyright goes to incorporate content from BSA publications. We operate within our council pretty much like a crew, but with boy scout age specific guidelines. We have a different shirt supplier for a new color from other programs- but use the normal council patches,worldcrest, etc.., our own unit numerals, and Explorer position patches.

I'm not sure I understand your question, but the curriculum was rewritten with the boy scout and venturing programs as a framework. Advancement and everything are all new that were come up with specifically for this unit. Our advancement more closely resembles that for venturing.

A church should have insurance to cover it's children's ministries. That policy will usually require background checks on adults. However, my experience has been that churches tend to be under-prepared in the YPT department. It would be a simple matter to decide that your own policy will require background checks and YPT. You do not have to be BSA registered in order to take YPT. Anyone can do it.

About the pilot program: it is an Explorer Club and part of "Learning for Life". This seems to be the avenue BSA takes to test new programs. I'm pretty sure the Lions went this way, and I think that's also how Stem Scouts is working.

Our program was planned using the Boy Scouts curriculum and incorporating elements from Venturing. We've had some older Venture scouts assisting and mentoring. In the beginning, things were more scout led with the older Ventures leading the younger Explorers. Now, they have mostly moved on to college. Evidently, there are 5 new units in the big city to our north that have taken off- maybe from what we started. Not sure if they're using the program planning we developed or not. It was shared with our district exec. so he may have shared it on up the line.

We started out with a good size group, but girls have moved and our numbers are dwindling. We do have a lot of interest so plan on doing some big recruitment efforts to get the word out this spring.

My CO has a pack, troop and crew that are operating with an American Heritage Girls troop as a sister unit. Finances for all units are separate, but operate under the same CO at the same time. There is a lot of crossover for both programs. We hold meetings separately, but join together for events and service projects. My girls are also part of coed BSA programs, one being a pilot program based on Venturing but for middle school ages (which I am associate advisor for). We have a lot of interest in my district for trying something similar for Cub ages. My pack also started up the first Lions den in my council because we need something for kinder boys. We were just going to offer our our own church program alongside the Cubs- and eventually garnered council support.

As far as YPT concerns in a coed group, the BSA has already tackled that. Match regulations for Venturing- a leader of each gender for every time 2 deep leadership is required, and buddy groups of three in a mixed gender group or of 2 in a same gender group.

As for insurance- let's don't be silly. FG is likely to have their own type of coverage. If not, then the CO is (like in a church- where offering different ministries to boys and girls at the same time is nothing new.)

My advice as a program planner across different platforms: find where the programs have parallels. Where policies don't match up, go with the most stringent policy.

Congratulations for thinking outside of the box and trying something new. Don't be daunted by the naysayers!