Scouting/Youth Orgs from a public health perspective

[MattR]

3 hours ago, Eagledad said:

There is something there. Individuality? fairness maybe, I don't know, but we had several special needs scouts, who struggled outside of scouts, excel in the troop.

Barry

I think there's just more opportunity for a scout to find something that resonates them. On the other side of the coin, that takes more adult volunteers.

1 hour ago, UKScouterInCA said:

That is a tough one to crack. I think the answer lies somewhere in the high expectations for youth to actually do adventurous, grown up stuff without parental/adult supervision and leadership. I'm not a big sports person but my impression is that there isn't anywhere near so much of that. I'm speaking as a latch-key generation kid, we were pretty free range and if we wanted to do anything we had to organize it ourselves. I vividly remember my youth scout camps where we would always do a night hike - we'd leave camp at around 11pm and hike until dawn, the adults would arrange meeting spots every 3 hours or so during the night but between those times we were on our own, navigating in the dark. For my Chief Scouts Challenge expedition (one of the higher awards in Scouting, as we didn't have Eagle Scout) I took off to the Isle of Wight on a biking trip with a few friends. I did my first big backpack trip solo when I was 15 or so and we never really did any backpacking in our Troop.

I'm just back from Philmont and although yes, we do have 2 deep adult "leadership" in the crew, us adults tried really hard to do what we are supposed to do - sit back and let the youth do it all. Where else would a 14 year old kid spend 2 weeks in the wilderness, largely self supported, with a team of youth, pretty much working it all out themselves? Yes, it is kind of backpacking Disneyland and all, but they are still out in the wilderness, navigating, traveling a good distance each day at altitude, working out how to resolve their group conflicts, dealing with being hot, cold, tired, hungry, emotional, irritable.

Why do I think this is relevant for youth development and public health in a way that sports are not? I think because Sports teach teamwork, hard work, discipline and core skills - all good things. But Scouts teaches that things that are scary or intimidating, that you don't think you can do,  you can. This could be a backpack trip, or whitewater rafting, or rock climbing, but equally well could be a board of review, or interviewing a judge to discuss your constitutional responsibilities. You do them, to paraphrase a certain president, "not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” By doing the hard things, everything else afterwards in life seems more manageable.

I agree. Unfortunately, you're preaching to the choir.

But back to the OP, how many kids in a poverty and crime infested neighborhood can go to Philmont? That's a barrier. Another is setting up units in those areas. As I said above, it requires a lot of volunteers to make this program work. But when those parents are struggling to find time just to make ends meet ... there's another barrier. The BSA has certainly tried to make their program available in poor areas with not much to show for it. I'm not sure it's the right organization to do that but that's a different thread.

[SSScout]

Recommend two movies, both available on DVD....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/759:_Boy_Scouts_of_Harlem       https://www.facebook.com/759-Boy-Scouts-of-HarlemThe-Movie-61236561838/

https://www.amazon.com/759-Scouts-Harlem-NTSC-Original/dp/B002PNSJ2Q     or you can find it and stream it.

 

The Adventures of the Muddy Lions, Troop 491. . ..  https://www.troop491-movie.com/product-page/signed-muddy-lions-dvd

Curing malaria and preventing cholera are not the only Public Health concerns....

[Armymutt]

On 9/8/2021 at 4:35 AM, InquisitiveScouter said:

I like the idea, and believe you should scope the idea first by defining the problem.

What, exactly, is the problem you are trying to solve?  And then explore the question as to whether Scouting is a solution to that problem.

The way to have phrased your OP, it seems like you are putting the cart before the horse.  That is, you have a solution (Scouting) that is looking for a problem (some sort of public health issue that can be addressed by a youth program, and the crafting of a policy to implement your personally desired solution.)

That seems to be the current methodology in PH.  I'm an outsider looking in on all of this.  I'm a veterinarian by trade.  I'm just doing this to get closer to retirement from the Army.  Hardest questions I've had to answer in the program is, "What's your public health interest?"  Umm....hmm....food safety and food protection.  Neither of which are discussed, nor understood by any of the faculty.  From what I've seen over the past year, everything is geared toward finding a public health reason to advance your political point of view.  It's really exhausting for someone with a science background.  

This article provides some evidence of how Scouting can be an asset for inner city kids.  Look past the political parts and focus on the quotes from the kids and SM.  https://www.city-journal.org/html/why-boy-scouts-work-11848.html

The issue I'm running up against is how to make Scouting work for the rural poor.  Cities should be easier, if you can get the timing, locations, and volunteers right.  In rural areas, it's more complicated.  If the kids don't have transportation, getting to a meeting is impossible.  

[RememberSchiff]

19 hours ago, UKScouterInCA said:

...You do them, to paraphrase a certain president, "not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” By doing the hard things, everything else afterwards in life seems more manageable.

Now this topic is about public health, though that is fairly broad. The obvious gains - Scouts teaches better eating habits and promotes exercise are obvious. The less obvious gains are where it is most interesting (to me) though - providing better mental (and physical) health, which comes from better societal success, which comes from greater self confidence, which comes from the activities Scouting provides.

With a good program, a scout builds self-esteem in a low pressure environment. Safety is everyone's job, opportunities are us, and failures are allowed to achieve goals . Not everyone can be a 4.0 student (show me a 4.0 student who explored a course where less than an A was very likely) or quarterback or even on the team, not so in scouting. Not about being perfect, about being happier with your better self. 

My $0.02,

[InquisitiveScouter]

35 minutes ago, Armymutt said:

The issue I'm running up against is how to make Scouting work for the rural poor.  Cities should be easier, if you can get the timing, locations, and volunteers right.  In rural areas, it's more complicated.  If the kids don't have transportation, getting to a meeting is impossible.  

Lone Scouts with an itinerant Scoutmaster working on a grant, if the parents are unwilling/unable to be the Lone Scout Friend and Counselor.