Community Service Hours

[Marcus Vest]

Can Boy Scouts pick up trash in a Private community where some of them live as Community Service Hours,even though it does not provide a benefit to the general public?

 

 Thank You!

[RememberSchiff]

No. It would be akin to a scout picking up trash in his backyard.

 

Try raking and cleaning up a community park or school. You might connect with a local garden club and do some planting. Earth Day is a couple of weeks away. Hope this helps.

Edited April 6, 2016 by RememberSchiff

[Marcus Vest]

Thank you!

[Stosh]

Are we talking a gated community?  If so, I think they have maintenance people that are expected to keep it neat and tidy.  I'm thinking that there might be a nearby neighborhood area that could use a clean up, especially if there is an area that is a bit neglected.

[Sentinel947]

Be aware, this is not an official BSA resource, your mileage may vary, we try to give you our best advice, but it may not be the authoritative answer you are looking for.  

 

I'm not 100% clear, but if you are describing a neighborhood, then I don't see the problem. I'd count service to the neighborhood. If you are talking about property owned by the Scout, his family, or somebody else involved with the Troop, I'd say no.

 

The requirements as stated:
 

• Second Class: Participate in an approved (miniumuim of 1 hour) service project.
• Star Scout Requirement #4: While a First Class Scout, take part in service projects totaling at least six hours of work. These projects must be approved by your Scoutmaster.
• Life Scout Requirement #4: While a Star Scout, take part in service projects totaling at least six hours of work. These projects must be approved by your Scoutmaster.

​If I was a Scoutmaster, I would approve a service project that takes place in private property provided it doesn't benefit the Scout, or the Scouts family, or somebody else in the Troop. Clean the yard next door for the old elderly widow? Sure why not?  That's my opinion. In this situation, that's all I can offer you.

 Approving the service project is up to the individual Scoutmaster, so you are going to get a variety of answers. The requirement does not explicitly state what counts as a (Non-Eagle) service project. (The BSA doesn't in the guide to advancement)

 

Hope that helps,

​Sentinel947

​

 

 

Edited April 6, 2016 by Sentinel947
Edited because 's at the end of project's is plural!!!!

[Stosh]

With all this legalese concerning the service project hours and the credit garnered by them, it makes me long for the days of "Do a Good Turn daily."

[qwazse]

Some of these private communities are quite large and parts of them can be neglected by owners and managers. The impact on those niches can be quite large. They could just as well be a trailer park where everyone takes care of their 12by24 plot and that's it.

 

Really, it's the SM's call.

[scoutldr]

Some of these private communities are quite large and parts of them can be neglected by owners and managers. The impact on those niches can be quite large. They could just as well be a trailer park where everyone takes care of their 12by24 plot and that's it.

 

Really, it's the SM's call.

I think that's the definitive answer.  The SM decides.  If it were me, I would count it, as long as it wasn't the scout who put it there.

[Sentinel947]

With all this legalese concerning the service project hours and the credit garnered by them, it makes me long for the days of "Do a Good Turn daily."

I'm not sure I see the legalese, other than mine...   

 

It's pretty straightforward, the hour requirement is clearly stated, approved by the Scoutmaster. It's up to the SM to develop what he finds acceptable, and be consistent to that standard. 

 

Isn't that something we ask the BSA for as leaders? Let us use our common sense on things? 

[Stosh]

@  I wasn't complaining directly about the thread in as much as making a comment about all this hassle surrounding service projects.  Is an Eagle project a service project for hours, how about if this side of the street is public park and the other side is private property, do we get credit for both sides of the street or ... or .... or....

 

I was just just doing a walk down memory lane where the Scouts just did these things as a Good Turn and didn't have to minutely document them for advancement and council recognition.

 

Kinda sad were this trail is leading....

[Krampus]

The requirements as stated:

 

• Second Class: Participate in an approved (miniumuim of 1 hour) service project.
• Star Scout Requirement #4: While a First Class Scout, take part in service projects totaling at least six hours of work. These projects must be approved by your Scoutmaster.
• Life Scout Requirement #4: While a Star Scout, take part in service projects totaling at least six hours of work. These projects must be approved by your Scoutmaster.​

 

Since both old a new requirements are in play, here's the 2016 requirements too.

 

To other...where is it stated you cannot pick up trash in a private community? We are not bound by the confines of an Eagle project here, so picking up trash in a private community or park in the private community is just fine. That's essentially every neighborhood in suburbia. It doesn't need to have gates and such.

 

@@Marcus Vest, if you are planning a service project you should follow these guidelines from BSA. For more support about what a service project can be, here's a reply straight from BSA's Advancement Team.

[Sentinel947]

@  I wasn't complaining directly about the thread in as much as making a comment about all this hassle surrounding service projects.  Is an Eagle project a service project for hours, how about if this side of the street is public park and the other side is private property, do we get credit for both sides of the street or ... or .... or....

 

I was just just doing a walk down memory lane where the Scouts just did these things as a Good Turn and didn't have to minutely document them for advancement and council recognition.

 

Kinda sad were this trail is leading....

As usual we agree. It's a shame that service is not given for the sake of service. Unfortunately, without a defined standard, some will do what they should do, and others will do basically nothing. 

 

@@Krampus, thanks for hunting down the various links, that's a labor of love sometimes. 

Edited April 6, 2016 by Sentinel947

[RememberSchiff]

A service project should teach citizenship, i.e.,what we as scouts can do for our community.

 

There's a difference between being a good neighbor and being a good citizen.

 

Doing a Good Turn ("does not provide a benefit to the general public"} in a Private Community where YOU live is being a good neighbor. Shoveling out the fire hydrant on your street is being a good neighbor. Doing a Good Turn for your Whole Community is being a good citizen and more in the scout spirit of helping others.

 

Put another way, as SM/ASM, I and anyone else should be able to go see the finished work and perhaps benefit. I don't want to visit

   And the sign said, Anybody caught trespassin' would be shot on sight 

 

http://www.yccbsa.org/OrgHeaders/406/Service%20Project%20Guidelines.pdf
 

Edited April 6, 2016 by RememberSchiff

[qwazse]

... @@Marcus Vest, if you are planning a service project you should follow these guidelines from BSA. For more support about what a service project can be, here's a reply straight from BSA's Advancement Team.

 

Looks like the Girl Scout guidelines for campsite selection (which explains why so few go back-country.)

I like @RemeberSchiff's link a little better because it pulls together multiple sources and frees scouts and scouters to think for themselves.

 

@@Krampus, Thanks for the link to Bryan's blog. There was a fresh reply about "If we can’t offer the Boy Scouts service hours for helping out the Cub Scouts then why would they volunteer?" How sad that people think so little of our boys.

Edited April 6, 2016 by qwazse

[Sentinel947]

A service project should teach citizenship, i.e.,what we as scouts can do for our community.

 

There's a difference between being a good neighbor and being a good citizen.

 

Doing a Good Turn ("does not provide a benefit to the general public"} in a Private Community where YOU live is being a good neighbor. Shoveling out the fire hydrant on your street is being a good neighbor. Doing a Good Turn for your Whole Community is being a good citizen and more in the scout spirit of helping others.

 

Put another way, as SM/ASM, I and anyone else should be able to go see the finished work and perhaps benefit. I don't want to visit

   And the sign said, Anybody caught trespassin' would be shot on sight 

 

http://www.yccbsa.org/OrgHeaders/406/Service%20Project%20Guidelines.pdf

 

I don't dispute your assertion. You aren't wrong. However, the national BSA resources don't make that distinction.