ScoutmasterP

Thanks! Good ideas, both from ItsBrian and Horizon.

Thank you for all of the comments. Very helpful! 

I agree with the idea to keep it simple and not burden people with unnecessary rules. On the other hand, we also need to ensure a safe environment.

ItsBrian, I enjoyed your comment! I suspect that you feel the youth protection training is "common sense" because you've had the training multiple times and grew up in a troop where it's enforced. I also want my senior scouts to feel that it's "common sense."  I can assure you that, to people without your background, it will not be common sense. 

After this discussion here and with members of my troop, I think I'm going to propose the "required" sentence to be only BSA rules.

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We require youth protection training for all registered leaders and volunteers who attend events over 72 hours.

We recommend youth protection training for all parents and all senior scouts (SPL, ASPL, & age 16/17).

By "recommending" that all parents and senior scouts take YPT, I hope that we can create an environment where YP becomes common sense. Yesterday, I talked with my older scouts who have taken YPT (for summer camp staff), and they said it was helpful. They encouraged keeping older scouts in the "recommended" category. Few parents or scouts will actually take the training if they don't have to. But by recommending it for a broader group, it will create the common understanding that YP is everyone's responsibility and anyone can take the training.

The new Youth Protection training is well presented. The changes have occasioned us to review our policies regarding YPT. Like many other troops, we have separate youth protection policies that we must follow from our Chartering Organization as well. 

I'm considering recommending the following text for our statement on Youth Protection: 

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We require all registered leaders to be familiar with CO's policies and to have current certification in BSA Youth Protection training. We require parents, volunteers and scouts to abide by these standards at all times. 

We require youth protection training for all registered leaders and volunteers who attend overnight events.

We recommend youth protection training for all parents and all senior scouts (SPL, ASPL, & age 16/17).

 The requirement for volunteers/parents who join overnight events to get YPT is not required by BSA, but we think it's wise to do so. It only takes a little over an hour, and this is probably the only way our active parents will take the training. 

We're also considering "recommending" that parents and all senior scouts (SPL, ASPL, & age 16/17) take it. Realistically, I want our senior scouts to be familiar with the policies, and the best way to do that, is for them to take the training. Especially as they guide scouts who are 5-7 years younger than themselves.

Have other troop recommended this for SPL or older scouts? What do others think of these proposed troop policies?

YIS,
Scoutmaster-P