Mandatory Training???

[DeanRx]

Why make the training mandatory? Why have it expire (especially after just 2 years)... did YPG really change that much?

 

The only thing I see training holding up is the tour permit. Am I expected to believe that a council office that can't keep its SCOUTNET records straight actaully researches to see if the unit member you put down as "BALOO" trained for the pack overnighter acutally has the training and its up to date BEFORE they rubber stamp the LTP?

 

National better rethink this one... unless they are ready to do away with a majority of units come recharter.

 

This will be a big dose of, "its hard to mandate what a VOLUNTEER has to do".

 

Training shoud be encouraged, it has value, it helps units run a safer program and helps mitigate litigation. Its a win-win. But you can only stick the volunteer's head in the trough so much... they have to be willing to drink the Kool-aid.

 

Besides - the majority of the training isn't about quality program - its about CYA for council and national and to keep the youth safe. Doesn't make it any less important (maybe its even more important), but lets not kid ourselves into thinking that having a current YPG and safety afloat helps me present a better unit program to the cubs... it does help me make sure no one drowns and no one goes into the shower with a scout... and it gives council someone to blame (because I should have known better - after all I was trained), if God forbid either event occurs on a unit outing that has my name on the tour permit.

 

I suspect any move for mandatory training is the illogical next step in appeasing an ever skiddish insurance underwriter who wants to continue to jack up premiums unless national continues to add-on to the list of "things you are doing to mitigate risk".

 

Its a catch-22 for council and national... they don't own the unit and the unit leaders are volunteers (even if they did own it). They can push this issue and loose volunteers and watch their units fold and thus see a decrease in $ influx to the council. Or they can "recommend" training and then give a wavier for those not in compliance, and continue to badger them into submission. Either way the unit leaders are not paid and they do not work for the council - really hard to make a unit leader DO anything they don't want to do, unless they are placing youth at risk. You can argue that untrained leaders is a risk to youth, but then again.... you're back to the arguement of "What do you do about it?" Either deny recharter or deny membership to the non-trained leaders... either way as a DE or council person, you are sliting your own throat with regards to salary and monies into the council because you took a hardline stace.

 

Bottom line - council / national has very little (if any) leverage in this situation. They can mandate and the unit can tell them to pound sand.