Service hours

[Mohunter]

I took over as SM after being out of scouting for several years. In my day as a scout we were not allowed to use hours helping with a Eagle Scout project as service hours towards rank advancement. My question is has this policy changed.  Thank You in advance

 

 

Edited November 10, 2018 by Mohunter

[RememberSchiff]

@Mohunter  welcome to scouter.com

[Eagle94-A1]

1) WELCOME TO DA FORUMS!

2) I have never heard of a policy as you described. As a youth and as a Scouter, I have always seen Scouts helping out on Eagle projects having it applied to needed advancement service hours.

[LeCastor]

Hi @Mohunter!

I haven't heard of any such policy either. As I see it, if you are doing service, voluntarily, through an Eagle Scout service project that should be considered giving service. Do you think this might have been a policy from your previous Troop?

 

[qwazse]

Welcome to the forums! And thanks in advance for all you'll do for the youth.

In my day as a scout (late 70's early 80's), service hours were not required for rank advancement. (Just checked my book to confirm my memory.) My sons, boy scouts since the start of this century, could use any service (helping with an Eagle project or otherwise) for rank advancement.

Do you have a handbook with the requirements spelled out? Which year?

[SSF]

There is and was no such requirement in the BSA.

It sounds like this was a 'unit requirement'' that your SM or other leaders within your troop had put in place themselves

I would have to put this into the adding requirements bucket

[The Latin Scot]

BSA policy has never prohibited using hours helping with an Eagle project being used towards advancement as well. The only guideline from the Guide to Advancement is this, from section 4.2.3.6

Quote

"When contemplating whether to double-count service hours or a service project, and apply the same work to pass a second advancement requirement, each Scout should ask himself: 'Do I want to get double credit for helping others this one time, or do I want to undertake a second effort and make a greater difference in the lives of even more people?' To reach his decision, each Scout should follow familiar guideposts found in some of those words and phrases we live by, such as 'helpful,' 'kind,' 'Do a Good Turn Daily,' and 'help other people at all times.'

Counting service hours for school or elsewhere in the community and also for advancement is not considered double counting since the hours are counted only once for advancement purposes.

As Scout leaders and advancement administrators, we must ask ourselves an even more pointed question: 'Is it my goal to produce Scouts who check a task off a list or Scouts who will become the leaders in our communities?' To answer our own question, we should consult the same criteria that guide Scouts."

So while it's encouraged to pose these questions to Scouts and discuss these ideals with them, there is NO REQUIREMENT prohibiting nor demanding the same.

This article also addresses the issue in the last part of the Q & A:

https://scoutingmagazine.org/2017/02/ok-complete-two-advancement-requirements-one-activity/

Edited November 10, 2018 by The Latin Scot

[SSScout]

This is called "double dipping" here abouts.   It is not unheard of, and as has been said,  to my knowledge,  not  verboten by the BSA.

Examples from family history:

Scoutson's Eagle project involved renovation of a barn at the County Fair grounds.   Eagle project credit, Scout service hours credit, 4H service hours credit (yes, 4H kids earn "ranks" and badges, too), and public school Student Service Learning hours (required to graduate ! ) . I signed off on several of each type of form, being a ASM in the Troop and wife signed off on some as a 4H Rabbit Club advisor (!).  The 30 or 40 kids and adults who participated were well appreciated and thanked by the County Fair folks and the Rabbit Club folks and us. 

Double dipping ? In some cases, triple and quadruple dipping ! 

 

[MattR]

Why would this be considered double dipping? The scout helping out only gets credit for one requirement.

[LeCastor]

Getting back the OP, I think we've established that the BSA doesn't discount the work a Scout does serving on another Scout's Eagle project. There is no double-dipping or double-counting in this case. Service rendered during an Eagle project is service rendered and, therefore, eligible for service hours needed for rank advancement.