Venturing Youth Protection

[Stosh]

Obviously the point being made is still not clear.

 

At school 18 is an adult. The program and rules reflect this and accomodations are made.

At church 18 is an adult. The program and rules reflect this and accomodations are made.

At anywhere in the US except the BSA Venturing program 18 is an adult. The progam and rules reflect this and accomodations are made.

At Venturing BSA 21 is an adult. The progam and rules reflect this and accomodations are adjusted and remade using a different standard than everyone else in the US. If push comes to shove in a court of law, yes, the BSA rules go out the window. An 18 y/o is is an adult even if BSA calls them youth members. Adults and youth members cannot fraternize, but any and all youth members whether legal adult or legal youth can. Parents knowing this may indeed keep their children from participating in such situations.

 

I hope this clarifies it. And obviously not everyone has experienced an irrate father where no amount of rules anywhere will apply when it comes to the welfare of their daughters.

 

Stosh

[LongHaul]

I thought I understood jblake47 perfectly. When Beavah wrote >>Or, on da other side, a 20-year-old Venturing "youth member" dating a 14-year-old Venturing "youth member" ain't OK, even though da BSA doesn't have any rules about it. Because in the world, that's a 20-year-old adult dating a juvenile under the age of consent, no matter what da BSA's membership categories are.<< No one baulked but jblake47 says the same thing in different words and there is confusion. BSA policy for Venturing has no restrictions for youth member inter relationships. Adult-Youth is forbidden but Youth -Youth...no mention. So as a parent you understand that the Venturing program is 14 to 20 age wise but when your 14 year old comes home and tells you she met this great guy on the campout that's 20 and in college. "We sorta hung out all day." You say "I'm glad your making new friends?"

 LongHaul

[Bob White]

jblake,

I am sorry to hear that you feel that what's important is who writes the ticket. My understanding of citizenship was that what matters is the choice one makes to either abide by the law or break the law. And that the choice comes from one's character. Are the youth protection rules of scouting any different?

 

As far as this comment "unfortunately not every Venturing Crew in the BSA program falls under the auspices of your tutelage or programming."

 

The solution to the problem you propose, whether real or imagined, requires neither my tutalage or my program. It can be resolved by using the scouting program. The things I share are not my creation but things I learned through reading the scout handbooks and from training.

 

And I have to tell you that in the years I have spent as a unit leader I don't the problems you have. I don't even have the problems you make up. It's nothing mystical about me, it's just that if you follow the program and pay attention to what it tells you about the nature of young people then you don't have the problems that you and others seem plagued with.

 

Having scouts in different stages of ability and growth involved in different activities was not my idea. It's a Scouting thing that has been taughgt for decades. I merely use it, and I don't have the problems you talk about.

 

We have a co-ed unit that has scouts from 15 to 20 years old and I rarely even see parent except at special ceremonies or ship parties. And the other leaders and I don't have parents calling us complaining about ANYTHING. In the last thirty plus years I last had a parent call me with a complaint or concern in 1981.

 

Mainly because they understand the program their children are in and the know and trust the unit leadership.

 

Have you ever considered that the problems you suggest unit environment you created within the local unit?

 

Scouting is a set of learned skills for the leader as well as the scout, and it isn't filled with the problems you suggest. It's when you stray from the program that you open the door to these problems. The real world is what you make it. If you chose to stray of the course you will run into obstacles that the designated path avoids.

 

 

[Gold Winger]

"At anywhere in the US except the BSA Venturing program 18 is an adult."

 

Not in a liquor store.

[Stosh]

LOL! Yep, Longhaul, you got it!

 

And GW, yes they are adults in the liquor store, they just can't buy liquor! :^)

 

Stosh

[ScoutNut]

A 14 year old DATING a 20 year old is WAY different than a 14 year old and a 20 year old doing Venturing (or any other youth group) activities together.

 

If you can not differentiate the two then maybe you should not be in a leadership role in a co-ed youth group.

 

 

LongHaul asks - "So as a parent you understand that the Venturing program is 14 to 20 age wise but when your 14 year old comes home and tells you she met this great guy on the campout that's 20 and in college. "We sorta hung out all day." You say "I'm glad your making new friends?"

 

Actually, I would say to her the same thing I would if she said she met this "great guy on the campout" that is 21, 22, 23, 24, or 50, and they "sorta hung out all day". - By "hanging out" I hope you mean doing the pre-planned activities? IF NOT, have you considered why a 20-50 year old man is "hanging out" with a 14 year old and where, EXACTLY, were the Leaders during all of this "hanging out"? I would most likely ask similar questions if the person in qustion was 15-20 years old too.

 

If it were a youth protection issue I would contact the SE and have the offending person (weather 20 or 50 years old) dealt with. If it was a really serious issue. I would consider civil charges.

 

However, if was a couple of stupid kids, doing stupid things, I would have a long, hard talk with MY stupid kid. And I would REALLY like to know that the program leadership were doing their jobs and following all of the rules.

 

BTW - I do not believe allowing unmarried males and females, of ANY age, to sleep in the same tent is allowed by BSA. And if it were a single room sleeping arrangement, and I felt uncomfortable with the quality of the leadership present, I would make a point of attending WITH my child.