Council Chartered Units

[4CouncilsScouter]

Just got out of a meeting between my council's VOA and our council's commissioner and membership chair. The focus of the meeting was on council-sponsored specialty crews focused on providing service back to Scouting, e.g. a council shooting sports crew running council ranges. The idea of it was a quid pro quo for the council. Youth get to participate in top-notch programming and the council gets a renewable source of volunteers.

 

All in all, the youth had their I's dotted and the T's crossed and knocked the ball out of the park in their presentation. Unfortunately, our council commissioner called their idea "hugely impossible" saying that our council "cannot and will not charter units". I don't know what he's seen, but our council registrar confirmed six months ago that is possible and units should registered under code "137". This isn't the first time this council commissioner has butted heads with youth, Venturing and Order of the Arrow.

 

I have scheduled a follow-up meeting with him, our council VOA advisor, an associate area VOA advisor, and our director of field service. I fully intend to go back and go bat for the kids during this meeting, but it's frustrating to see this type of abruptness with youth.

 

Has anyone had any experiences, stories, or documents about council chartered units?

[RememberSchiff]

I thought Councils did this with their non-member camp staffs, e.g. create a Crew 1 so that all are now uniformed members?

[HelpfulTracks]

I have never heard of a council chartering a unit. But just because I have not seen it, does not mean it cannot.

 

I would say I can see the council balking at the idea because then they would own and be liable for the unit, providing meeting space, potentially the council diverting funding to a unit, the appearance of anything that other units may consider preferential treatment, etc., all of which could cause some issues.

 

Another downside it creates a precedent  that puts them in a difficult position if they decline to charter another unit for any reason.

 

Then of course there is the CO Executive Officer and CoR issue to resolve, and the potential conflicts that come with it.

 

Even if it is possible, there seems to be a good many hurdles and land mines to navigate. If you still want to follow that path, I would come up with a backup plan.

[Sentinel947]

Our council camp staff is a venturing crew chartered to the council.

[HelpfulTracks]

Our council camp staff is a venturing crew chartered to the council.

So are they paying the camp staff?

 

I am not sure why specifically, but that feels like that could be problematic to have a unit that is paid.

[Sentinel947]

So are they paying the camp staff?

 

I am not sure why specifically, but that feels like that could be problematic to have a unit that is paid.

Yes. They, (We) are paid. Its an odd arrangement.

Edited August 20, 2017 by Sentinel947

[HelpfulTracks]

Certainly is, but if it works more power to you.

[4CouncilsScouter]

I know our council phased out our camp crew due to prior-YPT concerns. Our previous council camping chair figured out that, in theory, an 18-20 year-old Venturer could slip through the crack and not have a background check performed on them. After that, our council mandated that every day camp, resident camp, and summer camp staff member must be registered in the camp staff position (code 49). This was pre-Venturing YPT and membership registration overhaul.

[4CouncilsScouter]

But, more specifically on camp crews, our Area VOA did a presentation at the last area NCAP training in short they:

• Encouraged council outdoor programs to utilize the existing camp staff registered position.
• Reminded councils that camp crews are not strictly prohibited but should remain active year-round, like any other unit.
• Recommended that camp crews should be phased out for Exploring posts due to Exploring's job-emphasis and and less-restrictive membership criteria.

Just food for the thought.

[Stosh]

Summer Camp Venture Crews are just there so everyone can be in a uniform for flags.  Of course they are not correct uniforms, but close enough.  It would look a bit tacky for the camp cook to show up in blue jeans and a t-shirt.  It's a Paper Venturerer kinda thingy.

[RememberSchiff]

But, more specifically on camp crews, our Area VOA did a presentation at the last area NCAP training in short they:

• Encouraged council outdoor programs to utilize the existing camp staff registered position.
• Reminded councils that camp crews are not strictly prohibited but should remain active year-round, like any other unit.
• Recommended that camp crews should be phased out for Exploring posts due to Exploring's job-emphasis and and less-restrictive membership criteria.

Just food for the thought.

 

That is an interesting idea. I am seeing more colleges offer  bachelor degrees in Outdoor Recreation.

[4CouncilsScouter]

@@RememberSchiff

 

I talked to the Area Venturing President afterwards. That was part of her reasoning behind it. She figured Exploring can dovetail right into the career-based nature of a camp staff and serve as a year-round extracurricular for outdoor recreation, business, education, and other related-majors.

 

But, back to the thread's topic, here we have a tier within the National Council permissing council-based units.

Edited August 21, 2017 by 4CouncilsScouter

[gumbymaster]

My Camp did this 25+ years ago.

 

All members (usually) and especially those who were not already registered with a Troop or Post (both youth and adults - including our Military "volunteers") at the time were registered in a specific Explorer Post whose mission was support of the Camp.  Technically, however, I do  not think the Council was the Chartering Org for that post, a Church or Volunteer FD (near the camp) were the technical charter.  The council may have paid the registration fee for those not dual registered.

 

As for payment (to the staff), I don't think it creates an issue any more that paying any other member of a troop or post to be a member of the staff - it just happens that all of them were "members" of the same unit.

[4CouncilsScouter]

What I'm gathering so far is that council-chartered units are not only permissible but thriving in other parts of the country. I have a meeting with the council commissioner in-question next week, so I'll let you all know if anything, hopefully, comes from it. As always, feel free to add anything if something comes to mind that might help!

[John-in-KC]

At one of our two Scout Reservations, there is a Venturing Crew chartered to an area high school.  The Advisor is our Bear Resident overnight 1+1 camp director, she has 'de facto' the Camp Staff Venturing Crew.

 

it's been running that way since 2007.

 

And yes, we pay our staff.