BSA for girls

[ASM915 90]

Kim,

Not trying to down GCUSA, but on a few occasions I've contacted the area Council about joint projects, only to be told, " I/We can't help you. Here is the number for the Leader in your area. Give her a call." The call is placed, a message left (on sevearal occassions) with no replies. Maybe it is a regional thing, but it appears that they want nothing to do with the BSA. The only time I've have seen cooperation in our area is involving the Diocese Council on Catholic Scouting. The Diocese covers 3 BSA Councils and I'm not sure how many GSBSA Councils. WE have only 2 GSUSA Leaders, both from the same city, that sit on the Diocese council.

 

I have a CM in our BSA Troop that has offered his services and outdoor expertise only to be turned away.

 

As for meeting at the Leaders home, and not having enough room, Does GSUSA persue CO's like BSA? Can a CO provide a meeting place for the GSUSA Troop?

What are GSUSA's Safe Scouting Policies on leaders to girls ratios?

 

For the girls interested in outdoor activities, why can't GSUSA form strictly outdoor oriented Troops to accommedate these girls and meet their needs. Our Council's new Field Director at her job in her previous Council, to the chagrin of the area's GSUSA Council converted several GSUSA Troops to Venture Crews because the GSUSA Council was not fulfilling the needs of the girls. Why can't the GSUSA and the BSA work on this venture together for the betterment of all youth male and female instead of running around scared because "We have to except females?" or " They are stealing our girls to their programs!!!"

No girl should have to wait until she is 14 because the leaders dont do tents, or are scared of the creepy crawlies.

 

Kim, I'll give you and the GSUSA one thing. It seems when there is a big event, ie: The National Catholic Youth Convention (in Colunbus, Oh. this Nov.) that the GSUSA seems to be a lot farther ahead on getting involved and getting information and publicitiy out to the public then the BSA. I've been following NCYC's website since Sept. '06. The GSUSA has been there since the start. Just last Wednseday night at the Diocese of Youngstown's Coucnil on cath. Scouting, the Nat'l Coucnil on Cath. Scoutings Publication FINALLY had an article about the BSA trying to be involved (that is outside of the Columbus are Council, who have had a few minor mentions).

My hat is off to you.(This message has been edited by ASM915)

[ScoutNut 147]

"Not trying to down GCUSA, but on a few occasions I've contacted the area Council about joint projects, only to be told, " I/We can't help you. Here is the number for the Leader in your area. Give her a call." The call is placed, a message left (on sevearal occassions) with no replies. Maybe it is a regional thing, but it appears that they want nothing to do with the BSA."

 

Why condem the whole of GSUSA when it is just one person who can't figure out how to return phone calls? The council can't speak for the girls in the Troops. The council staff is working on things for the entire council, not simply one small area of it. That is why they gave you the name & number of the VOLUNTEER to contact in your area. It was up to you & that person to get together & work things out. You could have also called the council back and told them this person never returns call & could they give you an alternate contact.

 

 

"I have a CM in our BSA Troop that has offered his services and outdoor expertise only to be turned away."

 

What a shame. Who did he offer his services to? What services did he offer? Why was he "turned away"?

 

 

 

"Does GSUSA persue CO's like BSA? Can a CO provide a meeting place for the GSUSA Troop?"

 

GSUSA & BSA are set up differently. In BSA, National charters councils, which in turn charter community organizations, who own their BSA units. In GSUSA, National charters councils. The councils basically own all of the Troops in their council. There are no GSUSA CO's. GSUSA does work with community organizations to sponsor special programs/events and provide some volunteers. Individual Girl Scout Troops have often formed relationships with organizations on their own to help with a meeting place. Some councils have "Scout Huts" which Troops can use for meetings. Some Troops are forced to pay for a meeting area. There are other options besides meeting in your house, but they might not be readily available to Troops.

 

 

"What are GSUSA's Safe Scouting Policies on leaders to girls ratios?"

 

Don't know off the top of my head as I do not have a copy of GSUSA's Safety Wise handy.

 

 

"For the girls interested in outdoor activities, why can't GSUSA form strictly outdoor oriented Troops to accommedate these girls and meet their needs."

 

GSUSA does have special interest groups. The problem however, is the same as when trying to form any other Troop/Group, finding qualified leaders.

 

 

[ASM915 90]

SN, sorry.

I didn't mean to come across condemning all GSUSA Councils or Troops. I didn't really make my self clear in the last post. When I contacted the Council, I asked if the Council would be willing to think of sittind down to discuss a large joint conservation project involving both scouting entities. For them to toss it down to a troop level was improper knowing that I was looking for several area troops to be involved if not the whole Council.

 

As for the Comm. Memb. He offer to help with actual outdoor camping and cooking over fires particularly with Dutch Ovens. If it wasn't indoors and on a stove or oven, they weren't interested.

 

Maby if GSUSA was structure more like BSA, had CO's that allowed use of facilities, then they wouldn't have to play the "WAITING LIST" game because they would possibly have facilities large enough to accomodate the extra girls trying to get in.

 

Why don't they try a joint Venturing program? I see a lot of mothers involved in BSA because they love the outdoors and I mean real camping in tents not lodges. I think that a lot of these moms would be more then willing to be involved as female advisors to such a Venturing group.

[ScoutNut 147]

"For them to toss it down to a troop level was improper knowing that I was looking for several area troops to be involved if not the whole Council."

 

While the volunteer whose number they gave you might be a Troop Leader, if you specified you wanted to involve multiple Troops, she could very well have also been the Service Unit Manager, with the contact info for all of the GS Troops in your area.

 

 

"As for the Comm. Memb. He offer to help with actual outdoor camping and cooking over fires particularly with Dutch Ovens. If it wasn't indoors and on a stove or oven, they weren't interested."

 

Who did he make this offer to? If it was a Brownie Troop in his area, than I can understand why they turned him down. GSUSA practices progression in everything, including camping. Brownie Girl Scouts very seldom tent camp. They do cabin or lodge camping. Individual Troops, are only as outdoorsy as their leaders & girls are. If the Troop's leaders (no matter what level) are not comfortable camping then they will usually not encourage their girls to do it. Your Committee Member would have been better off talking to the GS council's Outdoor Programs Director. He might have been able to put together a special interest camping/cooking program.

 

Please note - GSUSA requires ALL volunteers, even those who are volunteering short term, to register & go thru a background check.

 

 

"Why don't they try a joint Venturing program?"

 

There are a lot of older girl (Cadette/Senior) Troops out there who are dual registered as both a Girl Scout Troop & a BSA Venturing Crew. It would make no sense for a GSUSA council to actively recruit girls for a Crew.

 

 

BSA & GSUSA are different. They might have the same roots in BP, & their purpose & aims might be very similar, but they are set up completely different. Not better or worse, just different.

 

 

 

 

[emb021 16]

"From everything I read on forums like this one, every single BSA council out there does things differently from every other BSA council. Some of these things are small & some are rather large. GSUSA councils are the same way."

 

I guess I wasn't clear.

 

Yes, each BSA council does things a little different. Being a member of 3 difference councils, and having exposure to several others, I've learned this.

 

HOWEVER, from what I have gathered both from on-line Forums AND speaking with scouting friends who have tried to work with both GSUSA National AND local GSUSA councils, local GSUSA councils are MUCH more autonomous from GSUSA N then BSA Councils are. The differences between GSUSA councils are, in many cases, much wider then BSA councils.

 

For instance, my Fraternity has been trying for several years to establish a formal relationship with GSUSA National, something we've had with the BSA since the 1930s and which we've established with groups like Camp Fire USA, America's Promise, etc. Maybe 'struggling' would be a better term then 'trying'. Instead, GSUSA National puts us off and would rather we establish such ties with each GSUSA Council. Fun. Dealing individually with 300+ councils, all of whom do things differently. I am sure many would tell us to take a hike. This is why we want to establish a national-level relationship, which can then be communicated to the local councils.