Be a Scouting Volunteer.

[Eamonn]

"Purpose of the Boy Scouts of America

The purpose of the Boy Scouts of America is to promote, through cooperation with other agencies, the

ability of youth to do things for themselves and others, and to teach youth patriotism, courage, self-reliance,

and kindred virtues. In achieving this purpose, emphasis is placed upon the Boy Scouts of

Americas educational program and its oaths, promises, and codes for character development, citizenship

training, and mental and physical fitness."

 

The above is from the BSA Adult Application.

http://www.scouting.org/forms/28-501.pdf

 

Maybe? "In achieving this purpose, emphasis is placed upon the Boy Scouts of Americas educational program and its oaths, promises, and codes for character development, citizenship" Is open to different interpretations?

 

Some might say "through cooperation with other agencies" means that we adapt the BSA program or allow these other agencies to change the program to suit them and their needs?

However, when I read the bylaws article VII section 1. Which deals with Commissioner Staff and Professional Staff, I see:

 

Each member of the commissioner staff shall serve as a volunteer and carry out the mission of the of the position commissioned in cooperation with the council's plan for the delivery of it's programs to chartered organizations and community groups in accord with these bylaws,policies, procedures and the rules and regulations of the Boy Scouts of America"

This seems to me to be saying that the program is owned by the BSA and the Council.

 

We talk a lot about "The Program"

Maybe we don't spend enough time talking about "Where to find it"?

I think the program is found in the publications and the Training's put out by the BSA.

Some people seem unhappy with this and seem to want to turn the clock back, they seem to want to return to the early days of Scouting.

From what I sometimes read it would seem that William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies could be the foundation of a program for some people!!

Jack in Lord of the Flies does say:

" Weve got to have rules and obey them. After all, were not savages. Were English, and the English are best at everything."

OK so I left the "Were English, and the English are best at everything." just to be a tease!

But Jack makes a good point, we do have to have rules and we should do our best to obey them.

When we knowingly break the rules we are not setting a good example for the youth we serve.

Doing our best to do the right thing because it is the right thing to do is what we should be doing.

If we think change is needed we can do what we can to try and bring that about.

When Scouting changed in the UK in 1969, a lot of people were very unhappy, some quit, others went ahead and formed Scout-like organizations that were more to their liking.

As adult volunteers the example we set for the young people we serve is just as important as the activities that we help to provide.

Eamonn.

 

 

 

 

[scoutldr]

"But Jack makes a good point, we do have to have rules and we should do our best to obey them.

When we knowingly break the rules we are not setting a good example for the youth we serve."

 

OK, I'll bite. I want to do my best to obey the "rules". Just as soon as someone tells me what they are and where to find them. "Rules and Regulations of the BSA"??? Good luck. "Guide to Safe Scouting"? It says "Guide"...not "Rules for Safe Scouting". There is no publication titled, "Rules for Delivering the SCouting Program". So, absent that, maybe Pappy is right....as long as they renew our charter every year, we must be doing OK.

 

[Eamonn]

Copies of the Charter and Bylaws(57-491) and the Rules and Regulations (57-492)

Can be purchased from the Boy Scouts of America, Mail/Purchasing S100, 1325 West Walnut Hill Lane. P.O.Box 152079, Irving, TX 75015-2079.

Your SE should have a copy.

Eamonn.

[John-in-KC]

E,

 

Since you have a copy to hand, would you grab the piece, if any, which describes the relationship between the the Council, the Chartered Partner, and the unit itself?

 

Thank you, in advance

 

As to what you wrote, what I see is:

1) Commissioners are volunteers, not paid staff.

2) Commissioners, in each of their jobs, are the QA/QC mechanism for program delivery.

 

Now, let's go back to what you and Beavah have both lamented in other threads here: We don't have enough volunteers doing the work of the Commissioner's Service.

 

Let's also go back to that wonderful training module: What is a Commissioner? I've heard it enough times: Commish are guests in and friends of the unit, they provide description, not prescription.

 

Another item my shop teacher Mr Dunlap taught me: Your machine works right only if it's designed correctly, all the parts are present, and all the parts are put together correctly.

[Eamonn]

John,

The bylaws do give a job description for the Council Commissioner,District Commissioner, but other than what I have posted say very little.

But...

When it outlines the responsibilities for a Council which it refers to as a corporation it has this to say:

Bylaws Article II, Section 2. Clause 1.

It shall be the the duty of the corporation to promote the program of scouting through the organization and registration of units and their personnel: also to approve and provide leadership and supervision of all program activities within the territory covered by its charter, in such a manner as to ensure compliance with the provisions of the bylaws of the Boy Scouts of America and the Rules and Regulations thereof.

Clause 2 - Goes on about Uniform!

As I posted "I think the program is found in the publications and the Training's put out by the BSA.

This would include the Commissioners. Their role is found in the Commissioner Handbook and other BSA publications that deal with Commissioner Staff and Staffing.

 

While I shouldn't put words in Beavah's mouth or speak for him! I think we would both agree that we just don't have enough Commissioners. In fact the numbers on the National web site make this very clear.

I happen to think that for a very long time some of us -Me included have not done a very good job of selecting people to serve as Commissioners, sometimes in my case going as far as using it as a "Dumping Ground" for people I didn't know what to do with! The numbers make it very clear that Councils have not made recruiting Commissioners a priority.

 

As to the role of a Commissioner?

As we know he or she is the friend of the unit.

But he or she does receive their commission from the Council Executive Board. Along with being the friend they are also charged with observing and reporting. This report is normally to the District Commissioner, who reports to the District Key 3 and the Council Commissioner. The Council Commissioner is part of the Council Key 3 and reports to the Council Executive Board. The Executive Board does approve or disapprove all unit charters.

Of course in the real world much of this doesn't happen.

I tend to think that if a Unit Commissioner seen something that was very serious a lot of the middle men would be bypassed and a member of the professional staff would contact the Executive Officer of the chartering organization, so that what ever was not right could be fixed.

Still if the CO was unwilling to fix what was not right, the Council Executive Board could revoke the charter.

In over 20 years I have never seen it happen!

I have been involved with helping fix things where the fix was having the CO remove an adult leader.

Sadly we had one ASM who by himself took five scouts camping. While they were in camp he tied them to a tree and scratched the letter "T" on their foreheads. The T it seems was supposed to stand for Trustworthy. When the boy's arrived home and their parents seen the scratch they were upset, they called the police. The ASM was charged with assault, found guilty and sentenced to two years in jail.

The parents sued the Council. The BSA settled with them out of court. I don't know what the settlement was. Our Council did have to pay the attorneys fees, for a firm from Pittsburgh who charged over $600.00 an hour.

The Church that chartered the Troop, gave up its charter.

The press had a field day. We had by far the worst school sign up night in years.

This guy stated that he didn't mean any harm, it was "Just an initiation ceremony".

I didn't see any of the Scouts, so I have no idea how deep the scratch or the cut might have been.

A lot of Scouter's went on about parents letting their kids go with only one leader.

My answer to that was that parents don't know the rules. We the adults who serve are supposed too know them and adhere to them.

Eamonn.

(Of course me being a Dope!! What do I know about this stuff!!)

(This message has been edited by Eamonn)

[John-in-KC]

E,

 

Thanks. I think one challenge is here on this board, not to mention Scouts-L, we talk, a lot, about things which are broke.

 

We forget the great, great number of units that are doing pretty well. Not perfectly, but well.

 

Certainly young men and women are coming to adulthood understanding why we had them in Scouting. That's a really good thing.