Totally a hypothetical question!

[Pack378]

Is is OK for a Boy Scout Troop and a Venturing crew to camp together on a regular basis? Yes, girls are involved, and I am only talking about non-council/district events. One more thing, If a scout has joint-registration should he go as a boy scout or venture member?

[scottteng]

They already do we call it summer camp. The young ladies and gentleman that comprise the staff are a crew the troops for the experience. I cannot for the life of me figure out why a crew would want to camp with a troop. Venture crews usually specialize in one or more "high adventure" activities forbidden to most members of a troop. The camping they may do is ancillary to this activity its not designed to be remedial camping for 14 year old girls.

[John-in-KC]

There are activities so WOW that I can see a Troop and a Crew wanting to do them simultaneously.

 

Remember that to have young women Venturers as part of a Crew, your housing requirements for the Crew are:

 

Under 21, Male

Under 21, Female

Over 21, Male

Over 21, Female

 

Yes, indeed, four SEPARATE housing areas.

 

Further, by VENTURING YP policy, leadership must be from both genders, and must all be over 21. Additionally, (emb021, help me out), many 18-20 Venturers will not recognize young adult Assistant Scoutmasters (18-20) as having adult authority.

 

The WOW factor of the event would have to REALLY WOW for me to advocate co-participation, or even co-location of a Troop and a Crew.

 

As for Summer Camps, most staff villages I know are off limits to campers. Eagle Son just finished his camp staff contract for the season; he was in front of the paying guests from 830AM to 615PM daily, then had to be at Campfire at 830-930PM. The staff needs privacy in staff village to decrompress.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

[FScouter]

If you're looking for a loophole to bring girls on a Boy Scout campout, forget it. Nobody is fooled.

[Oak Tree]

As far as I know, it's perfectly within policy for them to camp together on a regular basis. If a boy is dual-registered, I'd say he could go as either, and I'd normally recommend that he choose whichever unit he treats as his primary registration.

 

Whether it's a good idea is a different question. Normally a crew would be looking for more and would not want to regularly camp with 11-13 year old boys. But if you have a set of girls who really want to go on Boy Scout campouts, sure, bring them along as part of the crew. Loophole? Or standard national policy?

 

Forget it? Or proceed with acceptable plans?

 

Fool people? Well, no, I agree, no one is fooled. Not sure what they were going to be fooled about, but I don't think anyone is being fooled.

[ScoutNut]

One other wrinkle to consider -

 

If that dual registered Scout is 18+ and registered in the Troop as an adult Asst SM, remember that he is considered a YOUTH with the Crew.

 

If he is at the campout as an ASM with the Troop he can only tent with other adult, 18+, Troop Scouters, not with anyone under 18. He would also, as an adult, not be included in the youth program.

 

If he is at the campout as a Crew member he can tent with an under 18 male Crew member, but not with an adult, 21+, Scouter. He could also participate with the Crew in their youth program.

 

However, he would have a problem with the Troop youth considering him an adult and the Crew youth considering him a Crew member buddy.

 

Even if he were under 18, the Scout would have to pick a unit and stick with that unit's program the entire time. It would be highly unfair, not to mention confusing for the leaders/advisors, to switch program affiliation every 1/2 hour depending on the activities being done.

[Beavah]

Is is OK for a Boy Scout Troop and a Venturing crew to camp together on a regular basis?

 

Yah, sure. Particularly in the same CO, or with a young troop where yeh want the extra Venturing horsepower as instructors, etc.

 

Big issue as others have mentioned is the the crew is still goin' to want to do its own thing, not just camp with the little kids.

 

Pretty analogous to a boy scout troop campin' with a cub pack. Nice to do occasionally, great to have the older boys around to encourage crossing over, let the parents see that the program is continuous and doesn't just end at AOL, etc. But not somethin' that the troop is going to want to substitute for doing its own boy-scout-level campin'.

 

Beavah

 

[CNYScouter]

Is it OK for a Boy Scout Troop and a Venturing crew to camp together on a regular basis? Yes, girls are involved, and I am only talking about non-council/district events.

 

There is a big difference between CAN a Boy Scout Troop and a Venturing crew camp together on a regular basis AND SHOULD a Boy Scout Troop and a Venturing crew camp together on a regular basis

 

There is no rule against a Crew and Troop camping together on a regular basis; personally I dont think that on a regular basis is a good idea.

I think there is nothing wrong to do this occasionally but a Crew should be functioning on its own with their own events.

 

There is an indoor rock climbing place near us that does lock-ins for youth groups.

Because the Ship is small in size their minimum charge makes it too expensive to do on our own and we will be attending with the Troop.

 

How will a Crew forge its own identity and come together as a unit if they are always doing things as part of another group?

 

One more thing, If a scout has joint-registration should he go as a boy scout or venture member?

 

The Ship has two new recruits that are also members of a Troop.

Their Troop is hosting the Districts Fall Camp-o-ree.

The Ship will be attending and helping to staff and run events.

They asked if they could split their time between the two units.

 

I have told them that they needed to go either with the Ship as a Sea Scout or with their Troop as a Boy Scout.

 

The reasons I said this are that they have duties to perform for the unit they are with.

Trying to coordinate between two units what duties they will be doing will be too much of a task.

 

As a unit leader I am responsible for the youth in my unit.

If they are splitting time between two whos responsible for knowing where these scouts are and whos responsible if something should happen.

 

It also will depend on the situation.

In the case of the Rock Climbing place the ship will just function as part of the Troop and I dont think it will matter much if they go as a Boy Scout or a Venturer/Sea Scout.

 

Some unit may not care but its my opinion they need to pick one or the other.

 

 

 

(This message has been edited by CNYScouter)

[Pack378]

I'm not looking for a loophole! To be honest I have no involvement with a venture crew or boy scout troop at this time. I was just curious!