An option we are missing for the youth?

[skeptic]

While this item was shared with me from a former scout who has a daughter in the Virginia GS council, I found it interesting.  

It seems that we might well look at this type of arrangement, with some alterations of course, for our councils.  It certainly puts the opportunity with the girls, IF the adults pay attention.  We all likely have seen the youth come up with great program options and then get shot down of course.  The best troops already do this of course with well run leadership and program work.  Anyway:  

GIRL ADVISORY BOARD (GAB) CHARGE MISSION: The Girl Advisory Board (GAB) allows Girl Scouts who are 14 or older, the opportunity to serve as an advisory team providing programmatic input to the Chief Executive Officer. By lending a voice to our movement that wants, needs and values girl-led contributions, these young leaders will play a significant role in shaping the ongoing work of Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital.

PURPOSE: The GAB will work as a team to determine priorities of Girl Scouting in the areas of programs, girl activities, girl engagement, trainings, and social trends and such other areas as determined by the CEO. GAB members will also be exposed to governance opportunities and be able to represent the Council at various activities and events throughout the year. By facilitating the girl-adult partnerships, these leadership opportunities will allow GAB members to influence and have their voices heard in programmatic activities in the Council. GAB members will also have the opportunity to make recommendations, and share their ideas. In order to gain understanding of the governance process, GAB members will be invited to observe a board meeting.

GAB ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND TIME COMMITMENT: The GAB will be comprised of up to 15 girl members. Girls will be selected to participate in the GAB as provided under the Selection Process described below. Girls selected for the GAB will be asked to make a minimum one-year commitment to participate on the GAB. The one-year term runs October 1 – September 30. Girls can serve up to two consecutive one-year terms on the GAB with the term of a high school senior ending on September 30th of the year such girl graduates from high school.

GIRL ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS: The GAB will meet with the CEO at least three times a year in person or through webinars. The meeting dates and times will be established based on the availability of a majority of girl members.

REPORTING TO THE BOARD: The GAB will prepare a report for the Board of its activities annually and make recommendations to the Board. The GAB will select from its members several girls to present the report, share the team’s ideas, and respond to questions from the Board.

SELECTION PROCESS: Girls age 14 or older in grades 8th through 11th who are registered members of the Council may express their interest in serving on the GAB in the following year by completing the self-nomination form on the Council’s website every year

https://www.gscnc.org/en/council/our-structure/Governance.html

The form (which is the same form for applying for a Board position) should be completed and submitted no later than December 15. In January, the Nominating Committee will interview all the teen applicants, usually on a Sunday afternoon at our main Girl Scouts office in Washington, DC. The committee will select up to 15 girls to participate in the GAB for a term of one year and make every effort to select Girl Scouts that represent the rich diversity of the Council and the geographic region.

Edited December 23, 2021 by RememberSchiff
format for readability and fixed link

[qwazse]

It’s all the rage these days https://www.scouting.org/program-updates/scouts-bsa-youth-council-announcement/

https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2021/10/28/your-scout-can-help-shape-the-future-of-scouts-bsa-within-new-youth-council/

Edited December 22, 2021 by qwazse

[InquisitiveScouter]

14 hours ago, qwazse said:

It’s all the rage these days https://www.scouting.org/program-updates/scouts-bsa-youth-council-announcement/

https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2021/10/28/your-scout-can-help-shape-the-future-of-scouts-bsa-within-new-youth-council/

SO, do you think the BSA will take any suggestions from these young people?

I don't.

 

[RememberSchiff]

14 hours ago, qwazse said:

It’s all the rage these days https://www.scouting.org/program-updates/scouts-bsa-youth-council-announcement/

https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2021/10/28/your-scout-can-help-shape-the-future-of-scouts-bsa-within-new-youth-council/

I don't understand why create another scout leadership council when you have the Order of the Arrow?

https://oa-bsa.org/about/mission-purpose

Edited December 23, 2021 by RememberSchiff

[skeptic]

That really lies in how well existing youth leadership groups alread established do their missions.  The OA is, nor ever was, supposed to be a broad youth leadership group within BSA.  Originally it was honorary specificlly to promoting the outdoor program within units and setting public examples of outdoor respect.  It was an adjunct, not supposed to be a Scout/Scouter honor group, but only an honor "camping" group with a connection to Native American outdoor respect  The fact that it somehow turned into something broader may, in itself, be why many lodges do not function ideally.  

In my view, the ideal youth group for council, or National level input would be as this idea appears.  It asks for those chosen to participate a unique input from a peer interaction, bringing their concerns and ideas to the fore.  And if done as intended, it would do much to prod the program to more viability.  That means adults not simply brushing things aside as coming from inexperience or lack of maturity.  Youth as young as five or six often have some interesting ideas, even ones that can be molded to reality with proper attention and regular reexamination.  Too often, we adults tend to be wearing blinders, or have put up mental barriers against new, and exciting ideas just because they may be non traditional, or require serious effort to develop.  Even expense is no absolute excuse to not do something.  And, we go on a great deal about challenging our youth, then too often poo-poo their attempts or NEW angles.  

Afterall; the best and most imaginative Eagle projects would never have happened if we had not allowed the youths the opportunity to try, even if it initially went awry.

 

Edited December 23, 2021 by skeptic

[MattR]

4 hours ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

SO, do you think the BSA will take any suggestions from these young people?

I don't.

 

Really. Given the amount of feedback accepted from volunteers this is almost laughable.

And yet, it would be nice if the organization existed to make use of it. Every 18 yo scout I talked to had very similar feedback for me and I've represented their opinions here to the best of my abilities.  Less book work, more doing, etc.

[mrjohns2]

21 hours ago, skeptic said:

The OA is, nor ever was, supposed to be a broad youth leadership group within BSA. 

@RememberSchiff's link shows that it is...

• Develop leaders with the willingness, character, spirit and ability to advance the activities of their units, our Brotherhood, Scouting, and ultimately our nation.

Edited December 24, 2021 by RememberSchiff
typo, replace like with link

[RememberSchiff]

It would be great if a scout took lead.

- We will be scout lead

- We will be transparent. This is our website/Facebook... see our meeting agenda, minutes, proposals, contact info...

- We will develop a plan to move forward, maybe call it the Willink-Babin Plan.

- We will execute and succeed in bringing challenge and adventure back to Scouting.

Tis the season of hope

Edited December 24, 2021 by RememberSchiff
typo

[Sentinel947]

On 12/23/2021 at 8:37 AM, RememberSchiff said:

I don't understand why create another scout leadership council when you have the Order of the Arrow?

https://oa-bsa.org/about/mission-purpose

Because in plenty of Councils' the OA is on life support and tons of very talented youth leaders are not actively involved with it, even if they've gone through their ordeals. 

As @skeptic pointed out, my local OA chapter does some service, mostly for council camps, and does social events. It's not necessarily producing any better or worse youth leaders than NYLT, Summer camp staff or a strong unit might be. 

A different grouping of youth, that samples across the various programs and aspects of Scouting, would be ideal. That being said, there is a almost zero chance that in most councils or nationally, that the feedback and opinions of youth members are actually heard or considered. 

[RememberSchiff]

3 minutes ago, Sentinel947 said:

A different grouping of youth, that samples across the various programs and aspects of Scouting, would be ideal. That being said, there is a almost zero chance that in most councils or nationally, that the feedback and opinions of youth members are actually heard or considered. 

Trying to be hopeful, but note link

"The Youth Council will be staffed by two volunteers who serve on the National Scouts BSA Committee: Dwayne Fontenette, Jr. and Winnie Lee."

 

My understanding, their focus at National appears to be membership and diversity.

 

IMHO, I would rather have interim? Chief Scout @InquisitiveScouter as an advisor and a focus on program. Build the program and they will come.

 

Another $0.02,

[Eagle94-A1]

On 12/23/2021 at 8:28 AM, InquisitiveScouter said:

SO, do you think the BSA will take any suggestions from these young people?

I don't.

 

On 12/23/2021 at 1:23 PM, MattR said:

Really. Given the amount of feedback accepted from volunteers this is almost laughable.

And yet, it would be nice if the organization existed to make use of it. Every 18 yo scout I talked to had very similar feedback for me and I've represented their opinions here to the best of my abilities.  Less book work, more doing, etc.

I agree. I do not believe national will listen based upon their history of ignoring volunteers. Anyone remember the 2015 Eagle Palm Survey they sent out? 18% were Against  and 76% Strongly Against "Instapalms," yet they did it anyway. And there are other polls, where the results were never posted.

On 12/23/2021 at 8:37 AM, RememberSchiff said:

I don't understand why create another scout leadership council when you have the Order of the Arrow?

https://oa-bsa.org/about/mission-purpose

Considering the National OA Committee is majority adult, IMHO OA is not a youth run organization. I can't remember what the big controversy was a few years back as old age is getting to me. But I do remember the National OA committee had 60+ members on it ( I want to say 63, but it may have been 66, again old age)and only the National Chief, National Vice Chief, and 1 other youth sat on that committee. The National Vice Chief at the time was from my lodge, and he  refused to talk about the issue when asked. From the body language, tone of voice, and gestures made when asked, he seem ticked off every time the topic came up.

[mrjohns2]

The National Committee is 100% Adult lead and run. Yes, a couple of youth members, but run by adults. 
 

Local lodges? As a youth, our lodge was 100% youth lead. This was early to mid ‘90’s. A different lodge, now, is as youth lead as much as youth want it to be. Not many show up and those that do, don’t take leadership roles seriously. The adults keep asking the youth for opinions, but they don’t seem to care. If I were an active advisor, I’d scale things back to the point that the youth lead. 

[Eagle94-A1]

Sadly many OA lodges are now adult run & Adults ignore  the youth. I remember when The Lodge Advisor and other adults wanted to remove the honor borders on the lodge flaps: red for Ordeal, gold for Brotherhood and silver for Vigil. Because it was in the lodge's by-laws, the lodge membership had to vote for it. IT WAS OVERWHELMINGLY DISAPPROVED (major emphasis. Hazarding a guess 98% were against removing the honor borders as I did not see many hands raised for it.).  When the Lodge Advisor stated it is going to happen anyway, there was a major protest. Arrowmen started turning their OA sashes inside-out in protest. When the LA angrily said it going to happen whether we like it or not, and folks needed to wear their sashes properly or take them off, more than 3/4ths took them off in protest. IMHO the lodge has not been the same ever since. And apparently that motion came down from the national OA committee, which as noted has less than a handful of youth on it.

[mrjohns2]

3 hours ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

And apparently that motion came down from the national OA committee, which as noted has less than a handful of youth on it.

The "requirement" is from national. It is too bad that the adults handled it. If Scouts would have done it, they could have explained it better. I'm not surprised of the disconnect. They could have done it a number of better ways. I think I have seen many bylaws say that all bylaws and policies must conform to national standards and policies. 

My daughter is on the fence about getting more involved in OA. Can she carve out a corner that is Scout led? Not sure. If she does, I will choose a different area of the lodge that isn't Scout lead, get involved, and lead the Scouts to lead. That would be very rewarding, if adults wouldn't put up a big stink and it was possible.

[skeptic]

Doing troop and council history search.  Our first troop Eagle, Harry Dudley is noted in this clipping.  He became Eagle the next year.  But, the detail in the article fits this discussion, or so it seems to me.  Note especially the comment that this program was run entirely by youth.