Lone Scouting in Ningbo, China

[ChinaScout 10]

My son is beginning Web I and we just relocated to Ningbo, China. We understand the Lone Scout concept and program, but am at a loss for a number of questions.

 

1. Can we remain attached to out prior Cub Scout Pack? or do we have to register with Far East?

2. Can we reach out to Packs in Taiwan and Hong Kong?

3. Are there any other lone scouts in East Central China?

 

We have many more questions...

[AlamanceScouter 10]

I don't have any answers for you but that certainly sounds like a great adventure for your son. The Citizen activity pin should be interesting!

[Nike 94]

Definitely make contact with Far East. They have an incoming SE who was a DE in TAC. We have lone scouts here in Europe that come to our camps, frequently hooking up with a pack they met at a previous camp. Be aware that the overseas councils generally are subsidized by the DoD and that non-DoD members must pay the Fair Share cost, as mandated by Federal law. This year's FS is $85 in Europe.

 

You might be able to stay with your pack in the States, but then you would have to send all advancement paperwork through them.

 

I'm assuming that your son will attend an international school. You may find a pack there, or at an ex-pat club. If there isn't a pack, you might be able to connect with scouts from other countries and even join their groups. We have several non-American pack/troop members whose parents are here as military liaisons and with local HQs of big trans-nationals.

[John-in-KC 311]

China actually falls outside the Far East Council service area. The Council support for PRC comes from the Direct Service Division of the BSA National Council:

 

http://www.directservicebsa.org/

 

Right now there are six Packs, four Troops, one Varsity Team but no Venturing Crews within the PRC supported by Direct Service.

 

The information is old, though. Contact the Embassy. Surely someone there has a youth involved in Scouting. In the meantime, I'm going to make a comment about the page at a facebook page of the BSA National Council

[Oak Tree 15]

If you register as a Lone Scout, by definition you aren't "attached" to any pack. You can certainly still stay associated with anyone you want, stay on their email lists, or whatever, but you wouldn't be registered with a pack. I think you are supposed to register with the council that reflects where you live, but you could probably register as a Lone Scout from anywhere that you have an address.

 

You can certainly reach out to other packs in the area.

 

I'm sure the direct service council can let you know about whether there are any other Lone Scouts around that you might want to contact.