New H&S Mandates

[Beavah]

Yah, just as I was readin' the previous thread I got word last night about a new national H&S mandate. As part of the "every youth deserves a trained leader" initiative, startin' next year they're goin' to be adding the H&S Risk Management course to the mandatory training requirements along with YPT.

 

For those of you who aren't familiar, this course was developed initially for district/council volunteers, but has been offered more and more frequently in different parts of the country to unit volunteers with good reviews. It includes a G2SS familiarization, but also a fair bit on more general risk assessment and management. As I understand it, this course will not be offered online, so that local councils can present risk management issues which apply locally (heat in da south, cold in the north, falls in the mountain states, etc.).

 

Course is three hours, with an estimated cost of $35-$40pp for materials and support, includin' G2SS copies as well as a new composite booklet of Trek Safely/Hazardous Weather/etc. stuff. Part of that is I think they want da council professional staff involved in instruction, so course fees have to take into account their salary. Course will be required for all registered leaders, including committee members and CORs. They want da folks signin' off on tour permits and making calendar approval and leadership staffing decisions to all be aware. I don't think it's been decided yet, but they're talkin' about requiring renewal every three years to stay registered.

 

What's not clear yet is whether other trainin' will be adapted with this emphasis in mind. Da rumor is that there's a move a foot to require a Risk Management component as part of all Woodbadge tickets, which has to be reviewed and approved separately by council risk management staff.

 

Also not yet clear whether they're goin' to require both of the two-deep leadership on an outing to be registered and have done the trainin'. Looks like that's likely, so the days of usin' one scoutmaster and somebody's parent as second adult are over.

 

Be interestin' to see if they start requiring it for SPLs and PLs in order to do patrol outings, eh? Leastways if those are still around.

 

There's also an anti-bullying online course required module comin' too, I hear.

 

Beavah

 

[Gunny2862]

per our earlier off-line conversation,

Ouch, again.

 

Do they not get what it already costs to be a volunteer?

[scoutldr]

"Part of that is I think they want da council professional staff involved in instruction, so course fees have to take into account their salary."

 

Pardon me, Beav, but that doesn't make sense to me. Pros are on salary and don't get overtime. They get paid the same whether they're teaching this course, or attending a B/G dinner. Salaries should come from FOS and popcorn, not by charging absurd training fees.

 

Anyone up for a "Scouters' Tea Party"?

[OldGreyEagle]

Yeah, A Scouters Tea Party, instead of the slogan, "No Taxation without Representation" our slogan can be, "Trainin'? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Trainin"

[tonys]

yea how am I going to get charter organization rep to training

[GernBlansten]

Mandated training should be free to all volunteers. The costs of this training should be shouldered by national membership fees as its the members who will benefit. Figure out the costs, divide it by the number of members, assess the fee at recharter time. I bet the increase would be minimal, under $1 per scout. And you would eliminate the biggest excuse for a leader to avoid training.

[Nike]

I'm happy to do mandatory training, if it's reasonable in length, offered at multiple times and locations so I have some flexibility, and the cost is only for materials and yummies.

 

But, we have about fifty adults registered in our unit, 15-20 SM/ASMs and the rest MCs. It's hard enough getting every MC YPT and Committee Member trained, let alone something they have to attend. Is this really soemthing the average committee member needs, or is it something only those who sign tour permits need?

 

And, once again, I'll say that we need another category of adult volunteer called "Volunteer" VL.

[ghermanno]

Hope someone from National is listening:

 

With fees like that, I will no doubt reluctantly decide NOT to volunteer in the future. I realize that BSA is not in this for the fun of it, they need to make a profit, but I have to pay to be an instructor as well. They may not realize that some instructors have to purchase thier own equipment, provide thier own "BSA reccomended" handouts, pay for travel, and then, sometimes pay for the course too so that they can receive a patch.

 

Gives a whole new meaning for volunteer. Reminds me of the acronym for NAVY:

 

Never

Again

Vonunteer

Yourself

 

YiS,

Rick

[AnniePoo]

Anyone from National listening?--A requirement like this WILL cause our pack to lose existing leaders next year, and will make it horribly difficult to recruit new ones.

 

I guess only skinny rich people are allowed to be scout leaders.(This message has been edited by AnniePoo)

[AnniePoo]

(This message has been edited by AnniePoo)

[AnniePoo]

Oops - computer problems. How the heck do I delete a post if my computer burps and sends a post three times.(This message has been edited by AnniePoo)

[scoutldr]

I have nothing against training...if it's worthwhile information and doesn't waste my time (learning how to use a flannel board and make stupid little race cars in TDC comes to mind). I AM against charging volunteers ridiculous fees. I'm fat, so maybe it's a moot point anyway. I keep getting little subliminal messages that Scouting doesn't need nor want my services any more.

[highcountry]

Today's April First, right Beavah ?

 

Think this one's good, everyone in Denver beleives they are trading Cutler, odd that story re-broke when it did....everyone seems to worked up to look at a calendar

[GernBlansten]

I am so owned. good one Beavah.

[AnniePoo]

OOhhhh, ya got me, too. Good one.