mashmaster

Makes it really difficult for Sea Scouts and Venturing, we are always struggling to find a female leader.

Well that is just idiotic since they are different. As pointed out they have different members but probably a change made by those in "Tan" that don't understand Sea Scouts.

Agreed, it is truly youth led. Have adults in the back listen is great. I might even say, maybe a mix of older youth and adults for the board. I just think having "adults" be the board, doesn't enforce to the scouts that it is youth led. So IDK, I just like having the youth more involved at all levels.

Yeah, but we don't have to shovel snow. And I can sail year round, so I just roll with it.

So in Sea Scouts it is a Bridge of Review performed by the scouts. We have an adult in the room but the scouts are much harder in their questions that Adults. We commonly have to tell them they aren't there to re-test the scout. But the scout is usually much more responsive to the other scouts and rolls with the questions than I have seen in troop situations where they feel they are being grilled by the adults. A lot of times it is perspective about who the scout is talking to. For Quarterdeck it is Adults like it is for Eagle and the scouts are much more nervous. And this is the easiest requirement of all, but it is really nerve wracking for them. I wish that the youth were involved in the Boards of review in Troops as well. IMHO The Skippers conference or Scoutmaster conference is easy because they usually already have a strong repertoire with the scout and it always starts with "this isn't a conference it is a conversation" I can see the stress leave their body once I say that.

I wish we had Fall colors. we don't get them in Central Texas

I have been a leader for Venturing and Sea Scouts for 5 years now. I know that the age is older and the are more mature. But co-ed makes our group stronger.

The coolest scouter I met around this topic was at Powderhorn. He exclusively did roll your own adventures and they were amazing. Speaking of which, Texas Powderhorn is coming next month and there are still a few spots open. I am on staff again and it really is the best Powderhorn course around IMHO. DM me if you have any questions.

For our Sea Scouts and Venture Scouts we do mostly roll your own summer adventures. $300-$400 is a bargain that you get with scout camps. Having roll your own it is scout run, designed, and led. Not focused on merit badges but on the adventure. Having a need and requirement for lots of adults to run a variety of merit badges is a huge ordeal. I love our roll you own adventures, but they are best with older youth. For instance this year our venture crew decided they wanted to do a live aboard sail in Florida. We connected with units there and the scouts with the leaders their coordinated almost all of it. The adults handled the final details for the drive.

I will note that while I am a Skipper for a Sea Scout Ship which are the same older age that you are referring to for your son. We don't ban phones from them but it has happened more than once that phone end up at the bottom of a river, lake, or sea. It is a really hard call for the scout to make to mom and dad "Mom........ ummm my phone is at the bottom of the Buffalo river...." and as leaders we get grief from mom and dad about them losing their phone.

It is still normal for me. I am nervous about every trip, meeting, and activity. That is a good thing IMHO, you are thinking about the kids. If we get to the point where we can do it blindfolded, that is where something will go wrong.

Today, I found out that one of my scouts attempted suicide last night. Thankfully unsuccessful and hopefully going to get the help he needs. I was one of the first people the parents called, so hard to grasp. But glad I was their for his younger sister tonight to help take her mind off of it.

Welcome, good luck!

The Crew my son is in is still thriving, and another two crews in our area have been around a long time and are still thriving. None of them have any commisioners or professionals servicing them.

I know of multiple Ships that have been around for decades. A stand alone program can survive just like a Troop can survive. Any unit survives by the ABC method "Always Be Cruiting!" The units change what they do based on the youth in the program not the adults. The youth define what the unit does and I have seen our ship evolve over the 5 years I have been there based on the youth. I have have seen Crews live and die because they followed or didn't follow the ABC's . There needs to be an evolving continued stream of youth going through their unit.