When youth want to join, after being voted out of their previous crew. . .

[kahits]

This is probably the toughest issue to deal with in all of Scouting. We have 2 girls who want to join our crew, after being asked to leave, their own crew because of something that happened with one of the girls and an adult (from the associated troop), on a campout. The 2nd girl left in support of her, and now they both want to join our crew. Both are 18 years old, while our crew has 4, 14 year old girls, and the 6 boys ranging from 14 to 18 in age. Our CC is the mother of one of the younger girls, and is not real excited about these girls even coming to the meeting on Wednesday.

 

I don't really see these girls as having any skills to offer to the crew, but they like being a part of one, obviously because of the boys. The CP is a little conflicted on this, because he knows the girls, but the Crew CC is going to have an issue with them, because they represent something that none of the younger girls are really interested in at this point. Given there were some clear lapses of judgement from these 2 girls, and how the adult leaders, of their crew, had to keep getting up at night, during campouts, to monitor the situation, this is clearly something that could threaten the viability of our much newer, yet much better organized crew. We can't afford to lose our Crew CC, but she is very concerned about these two coming into our mostly younger group of crew youth. I don't think any unit can prevent youth from joining, but I am curious of what might be possible to have some control in which youth may be screened, particularly when you know there are issues from their previous unit. I know the leaders of that crew and troop, which has been run rather poorly with the crew acting more as a Venture patrol, going on campouts with the troop, which resulted in one of the girls spending the night in the tent of a new ASM for the troop. Pretty horrific, and why there is good reason to be concerned about these two coming to join our less precocious group of youth. I plan on talking with my DE, but I thought I would post this dilemma here first.

 

kahits

CA

[Eamonn]

I don't think a youth member can be voted out!!

But that's not the issue.

We are here to serve the youth.

Not the Committee Chair.

You might want to ask the Venturers in the Crew you serve what rules they want to have in place to ensure that this sort of thing doesn't happen.

Eamonn.

[Beavah]

Yah, kahits. Sounds like the minds and hearts of everyone in your crew are all on the same page. I'd say "trust your gut", eh? Mixin' legal adult "youth" members and kids is a bit touchy in the best of circumstances.

 

Bringin' in a couple of very mature youth to a younger crew will have a big impact on your unit. If the youth who come in are problems, it will have a big negative impact. Only you can decide if your unit is strong enough at this point to "take the hit." If not, then your obligation is to all the youth, not just to these two young ladies... and your first obligation is to da kids already in your program.

 

The best advice is probably to "just say no." A unit absolutely does have control over who is allowed to join. It's a membership application, and applications don't have to be accepted.

 

If ya think your unit is ready for the potential problems and want to give these girls a chance, I'd do a joining conference with them and da parents (are they still livin' at home?) and lay down crystal-clear expectations. Get their side of the story on the previous crew, but also let them know that their membership is "probationary" for the first year, and any breach will result in removal.

 

[trailfinder52@yahoo.com]

On the issue of these 2 young ladies joining this crew after being asked to leave the other crew, this would send up red flags, but does this crew have a set of bylaws and is this kind of problem addressed in the crew bylaws? We are here to serve youth, but the chartering organization does charter the crew, and the Committee Chair does run the committee and can voice their opinion as of these young ladies joining this new crew. But since the crew is democratically run by the youth themselves let them appoint a membership committee and have the president and the advisor interview the girls and explain what the crew is all about, and what will and will not be tolerated.

[kahits]

Thanks, TF52..

In the end, neither of these girls ever showed up for any of the crew meetings, and since one of them is off to college in a few weeks, the crew may never have to deal with this particular membership issue. It does help to at least give them a reason to complete their VLSC (next weekend, over 4 days in the Carson National Forest), and follow thru on these organizational issues that have been suggested here. I particularly like the idea of there being a membership committee made up of crew officer(s) and leaders to make this unit membership mean something. We have over 10 registered crew and I think they are ready to be more serious about how they admit new crew membership.

 

Kahits

CA

[scoutldr]

This goes to prove the old adage..."80% of the things we worry about never happen." (and most of the rest don't matter)

[jr56]

Good point.

[wojauwe]

I'd like to second Trail finders suggestions.Make sure you have crew bylaws in place.State clearly what expectations you have for members and what the joining process is.It's good to have these things clearly defined and agreed on by the membership.Group chemistry is very important with a group of this size and you should have the tools to give you some control of it.

It is true that the program is for the youth but it is the Adult leadership's responsability to insure that the "Guide to safe scouting" is followed.The situation you stated sends up red flags of potential youth protection issues.It's right for your CC to express

concern.

[Lynda J]

Yes troop and crew members can be ask to leave.

OUr troop had to do it. When the person is causing more trouble than it is fair for the other members to have to deal with. If the member is placing others scouts in danger either physically or morally.

 

I am a big one for giving second chances to kids. But sorry these aren't kids. These girls are adults.

I think you probably need to think twice abouthtem. I also would be interested in what happen to the ASM that the girl spent the night in his tent. You better believe he would never go on another camping trip my by group.

 

[emb021]

"On the issue of these 2 young ladies joining this crew after being asked to leave the other crew, this would send up red flags, but does this crew have a set of bylaws and is this kind of problem addressed in the crew bylaws? "

 

The purpose of bylaws is to define how a group is organized. Its not their purpose to define how to behave. If a crew wants to define what is (and is not) acceptable behavior, that fine. But it doesn't belong in their bylaws. Create an 'acceptable behavior policy' or the like and vote it in.

 

Its really important that youth people learn what bylaws are really for and not make them a 'catch all' for all kinds of stuff. An organization may actually have 2 or 3 or more documents that must be following, including their bylaws.

 

[kahits]

Thanks, Lynda J... as far as I know, nothing happened to the ASM who spent a night with an 18 year old female crew in his tent. I did get the impression that nothing was done about it, other then to vote her out of the crew. The ASM left with his boy to join another troop, and that was fine with me.

 

kahits