What is a Scout?

[Beavah 205]

I think BW is right in general, eh? Most units and unit volunteers aren't equipped to be partners in dealing with lads who have more serious behavioral or substance abuse issues. And if they're not equipped, it's a mistake to go there.

 

We also have to recognize that there really are CO's out there that do have experience dealin' with such things, though. I know of Venturing Crews associated with youth-at-risk institutions, juvenile detention centers, and alternative sentencing programs. That can be a great partnership.

 

Just like Ed's point, eh? Not every troop can deal with a severely handicapped lad or lad with serious medical issues. But some can.

 

B

 

[DanKroh 11]

Does anyone know of an instance where someone has started a scout unit within a detention facility for youth offenders? It seems to me that the scout program would be a great addition to try to help some of these kids straightened out.

 

While I agree that having a kid who is actively treading on the wrong side of the law in a regular unit would seem like a recipe for disaster, I would think that a unit made up entirely of troubled kids, led by people who had the professional background to help them, would be a boon.

 

Has such a thing been tried?

[gwd-scouter 11]

We have a Scoutreach unit in our District, started about a year ago, that serves troubled youth in a particularly poor part of our town. It is not run exactly like a traditional Scout Troop, but from what I've heard, it is doing very well.

[SWScouter 34]

There is a troop in my district that is chartered to the Adobe Juvenile Detention facility. All the scouts are "ins" none are on the "outs."

 

The scouts seem to really enjoy being a member of the troop. The troop number is 4, originally it was to be 420 but that is a term for smoking dope so it was quickly changed.

 

There are some problems. The leader screening is very rigorous. I hear even more so than for employees of the facility. Going camping is a problem and that has advancement repercussions. Detainees come and go. How can we continue to offer scouting to those boys that serve their terms? There are youth privacy laws so there is no followup after the youth leave, period. That concerns me a lot.

 

SWScouter