BeAScout Online Application?

[TSS_Chris]

I was updating my unit's pin this weekend on BeAScout to get ready for fall recruiting. I saw a new option "Apply Status: Inactive". I set it to "Active" and now, my unit pin on BeAScout has the option to "Apply Now." This takes you through an online version of the Youth Application.

 

I've asked about this at my Council, and they were surprised that this feature exists.

 

I went through the application process, and it seems just like the regular paper application. When I was done, I could see the application through the BeAScout admin interface on MyScouting and had the option of Accepting, Declining, or Asking for Clarification on it. If it works, this seems pretty cool. It appears that there is also an online Adult Application.

 

However, I know the BSA's IT systems well. Most of the time, they seem ... lacking.

 

So, has anyone on the forum actually had experience with a prospective member submitting an online application? If so, did it work as smoothly as it seems to, or did you end up haivng to ask for a paper application anyway? How did it manage the payment of registration dues?

[Basementdweller]

So what happens if you have a boy show up to your unit meeting having already joined your unit.....Isn't that great. You don't have any of his information....You don't know if he actually paid.

 

 

So what if the adult, lets just say, isn't of the moral quality that you expect from your unit adults.....

[Twocubdad]

I contend the best way to improve your troop's retention numbers is to require a six weeks attendance at troop meetings and two campouts before taking an application. Taking or submitting an application sight unseen is a bad idea for both the Scout and the unit. My expectation is joining a Scout troop is a commitment of up to seven years. As a parent, I'm placing my son with a group of people with the stated intent of their influencing his character. Who does that without checking the unit out?

 

This is a technological solution in search of a problem. I think we all know what is driving this. (Hint: follow the money.) We won't be using it.

[5yearscouter]

I'm pretty sure that the $ will be taken out of your scout account and the boy registered with the BSA if you use this option and choose to accept the application.

As long as you can opt out of doing so, it's ok. In some places everyone knows everyone and the person seeing the application would know Joe and his kid already unless they were new to town. Or If you can set it up to allow the application to be submitted online, but they aren't approved until you click a box to approve them, which you'd only do after they came to a meeting and paid registration and dues to the unit.

If it stays where each of those parts, accept application and approve application are allowed to be under the control of the unit, then it would probably be ok.

 

[TSS_Chris]

So what happens if you have a boy show up to your unit meeting having already joined your unit.....Isn't that great. You don't have any of his information....You don't know if he actually paid.

 

 

So what if the adult, lets just say, isn't of the moral quality that you expect from your unit adults.....

From what I can see of this, a member of the unit Key 3 must explicitly accept the application before a youth can join the unit. For an adult, the COR still needs to approve the application (don't know how) before a unit leader can accept it.

 

So, just because there is an application submitted, there is no obligation for me to accept it.

 

From the MyScouting interface, as CM I can see all of the information for the person and even print this so I've got all the information that exists on the paper form. The form self-checks so an applicant can't leave some key piece of information blank that my DE then requires me to go and hunt down the parent a second time before the app actually gets processed.

 

There is another button "Print Payment Voucher." Since I didn't approve the app I submitted, I don't know what this looks like, or how this works.

[Twocubdad]

I'm pretty sure that the $ will be taken out of your scout account and the boy registered with the BSA if you use this option and choose to accept the application.

As long as you can opt out of doing so, it's ok. In some places everyone knows everyone and the person seeing the application would know Joe and his kid already unless they were new to town. Or If you can set it up to allow the application to be submitted online, but they aren't approved until you click a box to approve them, which you'd only do after they came to a meeting and paid registration and dues to the unit.

If it stays where each of those parts, accept application and approve application are allowed to be under the control of the unit, then it would probably be ok.

No hard signatures? All electronic?

[TSS_Chris]

I contend the best way to improve your troop's retention numbers is to require a six weeks attendance at troop meetings and two campouts before taking an application. Taking or submitting an application sight unseen is a bad idea for both the Scout and the unit. My expectation is joining a Scout troop is a commitment of up to seven years. As a parent, I'm placing my son with a group of people with the stated intent of their influencing his character. Who does that without checking the unit out?

 

This is a technological solution in search of a problem. I think we all know what is driving this. (Hint: follow the money.) We won't be using it.

I did a "recruiting" seminar at my Council Service Center this weekend. (I plan to post more on it when I have the time. Lots of questionable info).

 

At that seminar, the Council FD told us that your policy is strictly not allowed: Scouts aren't insured by the BSA until they are registered. They can attend meetings at the CO if not registered, but can not go on any outings w/o their membership processed.

 

I'm a CM, so my problem is getting boys who are showing up to meetings registered and paid up.

 

Personally, I'm all for online forms. If it works as advertised, I don't have to handle paper apps, deal with DEs misplacing their copies, and take calls from an annoyed Registrar to hunt down the parent and find a missing piece of information.

[TSS_Chris]

I'm pretty sure that the $ will be taken out of your scout account and the boy registered with the BSA if you use this option and choose to accept the application.

As long as you can opt out of doing so, it's ok. In some places everyone knows everyone and the person seeing the application would know Joe and his kid already unless they were new to town. Or If you can set it up to allow the application to be submitted online, but they aren't approved until you click a box to approve them, which you'd only do after they came to a meeting and paid registration and dues to the unit.

If it stays where each of those parts, accept application and approve application are allowed to be under the control of the unit, then it would probably be ok.

From what I can see, you have to opt-in to the application. The app isn't processed until one of the Key 3 manually approves it from the MyScouting dashboard, so that's okay too.

 

Still murky on what happens afterwards, though.

[Scouter99]

I also saw this option the other day; the council guy told me our council was being used to test the feature, so I assume that a high number of forum users will have the privilege of griping about the system without even being able to look at it. Or, he was wrong, and any unit in the country can turn it on.

 

He made sure to hammer home that the council cannot activate the option for a unit, only the unit's pin manager can do it. I turned it on, call me wild man.

[Tacoma Scouter]

I have used on-line application for three youths.....It almost worked as advertised, The parents completed the application and the COR approved them. This is where it went side ways, the council did not recive the applications took several weeks to find and approve.

 

If I knew the system was going to work right I would recommend it 100%. The concept is great, a youth or parent contact you via your unit pin, you invite the youth to a meeting, he loves it his parent completes the online application. The key 3 approves and a payment voucher is sent to the council office. No reading hand scrawelled applications....no waiting on the youth showing up on unit rosters. no fuss no mess but it...your mileage may vary, my first attempt did.

 

 

 

[Scouter99]

I have used on-line application for three youths.....It almost worked as advertised, The parents completed the application and the COR approved them. This is where it went side ways, the council did not recive the applications took several weeks to find and approve.

 

If I knew the system was going to work right I would recommend it 100%. The concept is great, a youth or parent contact you via your unit pin, you invite the youth to a meeting, he loves it his parent completes the online application. The key 3 approves and a payment voucher is sent to the council office. No reading hand scrawelled applications....no waiting on the youth showing up on unit rosters. no fuss no mess but it...your mileage may vary, my first attempt did.

 

 

So how does this payment voucher work?

[King Ding Dong]

I have used on-line application for three youths.....It almost worked as advertised, The parents completed the application and the COR approved them. This is where it went side ways, the council did not recive the applications took several weeks to find and approve.

 

If I knew the system was going to work right I would recommend it 100%. The concept is great, a youth or parent contact you via your unit pin, you invite the youth to a meeting, he loves it his parent completes the online application. The key 3 approves and a payment voucher is sent to the council office. No reading hand scrawelled applications....no waiting on the youth showing up on unit rosters. no fuss no mess but it...your mileage may vary, my first attempt did.

 

 

This is BSA IT, it can't work.

[TSS_Chris]

I have used on-line application for three youths.....It almost worked as advertised, The parents completed the application and the COR approved them. This is where it went side ways, the council did not recive the applications took several weeks to find and approve.

 

If I knew the system was going to work right I would recommend it 100%. The concept is great, a youth or parent contact you via your unit pin, you invite the youth to a meeting, he loves it his parent completes the online application. The key 3 approves and a payment voucher is sent to the council office. No reading hand scrawelled applications....no waiting on the youth showing up on unit rosters. no fuss no mess but it...your mileage may vary, my first attempt did.

 

 

Thanks for the Feedback TS. I'm really hoping this system works.

 

I spoke with a returning parent who was planning on registering as a leader. He is going to put in an online leader application so we can see the process.

 

I've told him his is the first one in our Council, so we'll see how things go.

 

I'll report here as I learn more.

[Tacoma Scouter]

IThe payment voucher is printed off and submitted with the payment to council. I think to simply match payment to an application. In our case we leave a few dollars in our account with council so we can email the payment voucher to council. (potentially saving multiple trips to council, and eliminates "lost" paperwork.

 

I really hope this gets all the bugs out!

[Scouter99]

Ok, so it's still up to you to get the application fee, the voucher is just a sort of notice to the council that money has changed hands?