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What is everyone doing for pack websites. Ours used to use a service called packsonline.

We used it for schedules and info the pack needed to know, etc.

But it's now gone and we are looking for something to replace it.

Who's using a service or is everyone building their own?

 

Thanks,

Nick

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I have been using google sites for the past year, which is free, but now I am switching the pack www site to scoutlander (www.scoutlander.com). It is now free and I like the fact that a secure section can be set up for parents and leaders to keep track of who is active and individual scout accounts.

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We use www.soarol.com. Works great. It does cost money, but the extra features are well worth it. And no 3rd party advertising on it. Our pack and troop has been on it for 5 or 6 years. Works great!

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re basementdwellers post regarding facebook, I forgot to mention we also have a facebook page for the pack, just set it up as a 'closed group'. it is a good way to post pictures and also to set up a rsvp for pack events. also, google calendar can be set so that it shows up in other www sites such as scoutlander.

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I forgot to mention we also have a facebook page for the pack, just set it up as a 'closed group'.

You should be aware that this violates BSA's new Social Media Guidelines:

 

Therefore, no private channels (e.g., private Facebook groups or invite-only YouTube channels) are acceptable in helping to administer the Scouting program.

 

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Marketing/Resources/SocialMedia.aspx

 

Note that I am not offering any opinion on whether this policy makes any sense or whether, from an outside standpoint, there is anything wrong with what you have done; I am merely pointing out the policy.

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The Facebook public only guidelines are absurd and lead to less youth protection from the outside world. I was thinking about a private facebook page only open to parents and scouts, as I know many of our parents and scouts use it, but have abandoned the idea as I feel a public page is dangerous. I do admit that the whole part about having two admins, etc., made great sense.

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We use a website through Soar and we also just started using facebook also. It's a privite group that can only be joined or accessed by active parents within the pack.

 

That serves two purposeds: It helps enforce YP and helps prevent unwanted persons( ie predators) from getting s an A list of kids meeting somewhere.Notice I said helps, not completely prevents.

 

And this does not violate any policy because it is not our only or first means of communication, but only a secondary ( well, actually a trimary after our private website) means of passing along what we already mention at; pack meetings, at den meetings,leaders meetings, post on the pack bulletin board during meetings , and send to all pack members by e-mail..

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BLANC,

But if you read the entire passage in context, then you get a different picture.

 

A private facebook group is "public" among all members of the group. On our facebook page ( as well as other groups I am a member of) Anything I typew will be seen by all members of the group.

 

Therefore, it is open to all members of our pack and no different than me talking to any youth in front of the pack during any pack meeting.

 

As far as private instant messages, I can do that to anybody in any group of the wide open facebook public wall - and still, only the person I am messaging will see it. So even being wide open public allows for totally private conversation.

 

But since our entire pack ( with computers) can be part of our group...it is no more private than me talking to a scout in the middle of the crowd during a pack meeting.

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Hey, while we're talking about what we use for our sites, how about posting some of them?

 

Using Google Sites, with Picasa and YouTube and Google Calendar. The "comments/join now form" is a form/spreadsheet in Google Docs, which is set up to send me an e-mail whenever it gets modified. Site is hosted by GoDaddy.

 

www.bsaPack38.org

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Blancmange, thanks for pointing that out. even though the facebook page is a 'closed group', it is open to all members of the pack, which is similar to what scoutfish said.

 

The facebook page is just one of our methods of communicating for the pack along with printed newsletters, emails, www page, and text messages for parents without internet access.

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Blancmange, thanks for pointing that out. even though the facebook page is a 'closed group', it is open to all members of the pack, which is similar to what scoutfish said.

Is that what it says? I don't know. There are only 3 privacy settings for a FB group: "open" "closed" or "secret." Is closed synonymous with private? A closed group requires an invitation to join, like the language they use for the You-Tube channels.

A policy from National that is subject to more than one possible interpretation? Say it ain't so!

DISCLAIMER: Again, by no means am I suggesting I think it would be a good idea to prohibit the type of group suggested here, but rather I am pointing out that is what the policy appears to do.

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