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Lone Scout program and prospective girls?


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We have a local issue, or confusion perhaps, in regard to the use of the Lone Scout program to allow girls to join when they have not been able to find the minimum number, or their family location and schedules do not fit the limited options.  I am aware that the program has been used in other parts of the country, and from what I hear, successfully.  Those young women are able to work on their own schedules and also join in with other units as they can.

I have read the explanation of Lone Scouting a number of times, and I do not see how this is not a viable option for these youth.  But our local council executives refuse to allow the option, insisting we start a unit or they go to one of the three in the area.  When we got three, briefly, they said we could have the unit, but after the year ended, that disappeared and our one still interested young woman is like in limbo.  She meets with the troop, which her brother is in as well, and has worked with two of the nearby girl troops  on occasion, but they do not fit their family dynamic, especially since she is comfortable with our group and her brother being there.  

The obduracy of the local executive seems to us to be foolish, as getting the young people into the program should be a priority, and discouraging them is not good optics, at least from my view.  Of course, I found we actually have some Lone Scout girls at the other end of the council; but that leader just went directly to National when our local office said no.  And those you women are doing well in that status from what I could see at a recent MB event for the council.  

Just looking for comments and possibly options.  We are considering doing what was done at the other side of  the council so as to keep the young woman involved; and we do have some girl cubs coming up, so we still might be able to start a unit.  Of course, in my view, we should simply have one unit with a girl patrol anyway if enough are there; but assure we have the female adults in place as well, which we do.  

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22 minutes ago, skeptic said:

The obduracy of the local executive seems to us to be foolish, as getting the young people into the program should be a priority, and discouraging them is not good optics, at least from my view. 

I won't be much help, but wanted to say OBDURACY is such a great adjective and sadly, so apt for many council/district interactions. 

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If you know the other folks who are operating under this construct, get the National contact from them and ask.

Or, try all councils surrounding yours, even if the distance is great.  Start with the registrars, explain the situation, and see if they believe their SE will accommodate.  (it does take SE approval, I believe...)

You are absolutely correct.  And that the SE would not do this is inane.

We lived in Canada for a few years, and had our Scout in Lone Scouting through the (former) Direct Service Council.  This has now been absorbed into a District of the National Capitol Area Council.  If you hit other dead ends, try them...

https://www.ncacbsa.org/directservice/

 

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On 6/6/2022 at 3:34 PM, skeptic said:

She meets with the troop, which her brother is in as well,

The updated current guide to safe scouting makes it clear she cannot tag along with a boy troop. So, I can see why the SE is saying they can’t support this Scout as a lone scout. It seems like it is enabling a co-ed unit. 

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25 minutes ago, mrjohns2 said:

The updated current guide to safe scouting makes it clear she cannot tag along with a boy troop. So, I can see why the SE is saying they can’t support this Scout as a lone scout. It seems like it is enabling a co-ed unit. 

This from the most recent:  "

Adult Supervision

Two registered adult leaders 21 years of age or over are required at all Scouting activities, including meetings. There must be a registered female adult leader 21 years of age or over in every unit serving females. A registered female adult leader 21 years of age or over must be present for any activity involving female youth. Notwithstanding the minimum leader requirements, age- and program-appropriate supervision must always be provided. 

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2 hours ago, mrjohns2 said:

Sorry, it was in the updated faq released with the most recent update…

 

 

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This is really easy to neutralize. Units can plan multiple unit activities. The Lone Scout just plans her identical activity at the same time and place as the Troop. 

We just need to go full co-ed. 

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Oh stop being sensible.  Just because ther majority of the World Scouting has little issue with coed, and we even have girls in cub packs with their own Den, why would we somehow think coed in regular scouts should be okay with proper precautions and rules.  You would think we would want to draw as many youth as possible and make the needed adjustments.

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20 minutes ago, yknot said:

Not sure if this belongs here but I think this will solve many of the "What to do with one or a few girls" issues: 

https://hovc.org/articles/2022/06/family-den-pilot-program/

 

A step, but we need it on the Scout level as well.  Really no reason to not have coed other than lack of enough women, and that today should really not be a problem.  JMO of course.  Meanwhile, we now have to deal with the NEW charter model as  Methodist units.

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On 6/17/2022 at 3:58 PM, skeptic said:

A step, but we need it on the Scout level as well.  Really no reason to not have coed other than lack of enough women, and that today should really not be a problem.  JMO of course.  Meanwhile, we now have to deal with the NEW charter model as  Methodist units.

If it gets instituted at the cub level it will migrate up to the troop level. Look back a couple years where girls were in packs but not yet allowed in troops, and then the first class of AOLs were eligible to crossover and BSA opened the door to linked troops. It's coming, co-ed is on the way. The 1940's crowd can't fight the future forever. 

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