Youth Protection

[Eagle Foot]

Our troop has been advised that one of our ASM's has not compleated "Youth Protection" we were advised that this is now mandatory and that he is NOT to attend any troop meetings, camping trips, or activities untill he compleates this. What's the scoop I do know that it is required if you file a tour permit (at least one) and that all must have it if it is a national event, i.e. Jamboree etc. I really think they are picking on him (district chair)...however he does have it they just diden't look deep enough into the records.

[Karen_216]

Check the frequency required. Perhaps his has expired. It must be redone every so often (5 yrs or less?)

Perhaps there was an issue or complaint against him or someone in the district of which you are not aware and that is why they've adopted this policy. Also when you do the protection training a card prints out so if his is curret he should look for the card. Personally I'd have no problem completing again if I had to.

[John-in-KC]

This is not rocket science.

 

Youth Protection training is available online at the MyScouting website:

http://www.scouting.org/Applications/MyScoutingFull.aspx

 

Have him get out his membership card (the number is useful to log training, log on to My Scouting, and do the training.

 

BTW, you didn't say who advised you? Your Chartered Partner may have more restrictive requirements for training than the National minimums. You may have someone in your unit or District who has an animus against this guy. I cannot begin to tell you from afar.

 

Clear the piece of sand out of the machine , and let's see if another sticking point magically pops up or not.

[Gold Winger]

Back when I did YP training, we were told that it was recommended that you redo YP every three years but that there was no requirement that it be repeated.

 

No troop meetings? What about all of the unregistered parents who attend without YP?

 

Sounds like something deeper is going on.

[Crew21_Adv]

Eagle Foot,

 

Greetings!

 

What's the scoop?

IMHO. It is not mandatory for all leaders to be YPT (although they should be).

and YPT is valid for only two years since the date trained.

 

John in KC has given you a good answer. Now for my story.

 

For our District newsletter and to resolved questions and debates in my own district. I had asked similar YPT questions a few months back. Similar to the statement "trust but verify", I even put it to my DE asking for certain proof (of the renewal periodicity). My DE gave me very good statements and explanations, but could not produce anything in writing.

 

To date, I have not found anything making it mandatory for all leaders (such as committee members). Finally, I found a written statement about the YPT certificate expiration.

 

It is mandatory for tour permits, to serve on most staff positions, to attend certain national and regional functions, and to earn the Centennial Award. Otherwise these permits, and event applications will be revoked.

 

 

Regarding the YPT renewal periodicity. I looked over the YPT syllabus and as much of nation publications that I could find. My DE states he was part of the Northeastern Region YPT implimentation team, and that the periodicity was every two years, but he could find nothing in writing. Many of the videos recommended every two years. But this was a recommendation, not a mandate. I have heard two years, three years, four years, and five years, but they were all recommendations.

 

After searching and searching. I could not find an expiration date of the YPT. Alot of recommendations, alot of mandatory requirments from various councils and district. But I never could find a YPT expiration date from national. I trusted that it could be every two years, but I just could not verify it and settle many disputes between many fellow Scouters.

 

Now, Finally, since our National BSA headquarters has been upgrading Scouting.org has the Online Learning Center. The online YPT which Karen and John have referred to, does print off a YPT certification card, and updates the individual Scouters training profile in Scoutnet2000.

 

Finally for the first time, I have found that the YPT training certification card which prints after completing the YPT online states it is valid for 2 years from training. Whew! My search is finally over. I have finally found a National source, stating that YPT certification is valid for two years.

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

[evmori]

Good insight GW.

 

Is this a new ASM? Who advised you? Questions must be answered.

[talen333]

Crew 21 is correct, I looked at the certificate online under My Scouting and it does have an expiration date of 2 years. My advice would be to just ask the ASM to go online and spend ten minutes redoing it and turn in a new certificate. The whole thing doesn't seem worth fighting about when it can be so easily corrected. I also was unable to find anything other than already stated for it to be mandatory but our Troop, Crew, and Pack all require it for all registered leaders.

[FScouter]

You do know that the YPT training is tailored to each particular council as to reporting requirements? The paper card I have for internet YPT states the council name and has no expiration date.

 

YPT is a required training for a variety of activities (some mentioned in posts above) but there is no clear directive from the national council that ALL registered adults complete the training.

 

In fact, it appears they have gone out of their way to avoid writing a specific requirement. See what the adult leader application says:

"You are expected to complete Youth Protection Guidelines: Training for Volunteer Leaders and Parents or, if you are involved in Venturing, Youth Protection Guidelines: Training for Adult Venturing Leaders within the first 90 days of your registration."

Of course, the local council or chartered organization may make YPT mandatory for all and set an expiration date. Surely though if they felt it that important it would be written somewhere such that it could be referred to and disseminated to members.

 

If there is any objection to taking the training I think it would be more from being ordered to do so by the district chairman, or else, rather than actually doing it.

[Gunny2862]

I agree, this is too easy to fix to have a cow about.

 

BUT, if you need to know, it would be important to find out if someone is just paying attention to requirements or if there is a reason why they are choosing this ASM to point out the retraining requirement.

 

It would remove suspicion from the individual in the first case and create a situation where you might be able to make an informed decision about whether or not he needs to be retained(not re-trained) in the second.

[epalmer84]

"You do know that the YPT training is tailored to each particular council as to reporting requirements?"

 

The online training now gives you a page with the local reporting information when you complete the course.

 

Ed

[scottteng]

Everyone relax and take a nice deep cleansing breath. Youth protection is indeed an important class but it can be done in very little time online or alternatively buy the DVD from national and have your troop trainer do it with every leader in the troop. Make everyone sign in on an attendance sheet with their full name just as it appears on their BSA membership card. Remember councils computer does not know that the Bob Smith of troop 99 that took youth protection training is the same as the Robert L. Smith that is registered as an ASM. Due to problems in the past my troop requires all adults associated with the troop including as parents to go through youth protection training. One does not know when a rule is being violated unless one knows the rules. Most councils want YP cards re-upped every two years this is for your protection so something dumb does not happen and accusations start flying. It is worth a hour of your time every two years to make sure your name is not dragged through the mud because you got slack forgot a rule and someone has an ax to grind. I would also recommend that you run the troop through the BSA's training DVD "A Time To Tell" on a yearly basis and the one for the older boys with just the older boys (and girls if its a crew) yearly as well

[John-in-KC]

My issue is not the fact that YPT is easy to take.

 

My issue is someone out in the real world caused Eagle Foot to post:

 

" Our troop has been advised that one of our ASM's has not compleated "Youth Protection" we were advised that this is now mandatory and that he is NOT to attend any troop meetings, camping trips, or activities untill he compleates this."

 

It could be the old saw: Show it to me in writing... to which the almost inevitable response will be "dabbidadabbida"...

 

It could be the Chartered Partner has a more restrictive policy on YP training than BSA. That's OK.

 

It could be someone has an animus against this particular ASM. This is a "path of least resistance" way to push him/her out.

 

Problem is, we don't have enough facts to look beyond the basic of "YPT isn't difficult to get done anymore." I hope Eagle Foot gets back to us so we can help him a bit more.

 

Sigh.

[infoscouter]

Councils can and do set requirements as to what training is *required*. We've had previous discussions on this forum about councils requiring training. If Eagle Foot's council says this required in their council, they may have made that determination. Those of us in other councils may have other standards applied to us, at our council's discretion. I have found through many years of discussing this issue with Scouters around the country, that it is an issue about which questions cannot be answered by someone halfway around the country. He needs to talk to a program or field director in his council for clarification.

[NeilLup]

If we look for a moment at the swamp we started out to drain.

 

May I suggest that you take a wireless or broadband capable laptop to your next unit meeting. Have the ASM sit down and complete YPT on-line. It will take about half an hour maximum. Have him print out the certificate when finished. If you have no printer, print it out as a .pdf file.

 

End of problem. It took half an hour and didn't raise blood pressure that much

[erickelly65]

Another twist for YPT training requirements and expirations is state law. My council is in Texas and we have to comply with the Youth Camp Protection Act that sets a variety of requirements for how camps are run (Boy Scout Summer Camps and Cub Scout Twilight and Day Camps must comply). This includes training requirements for Adults. This requires our leaders participating at these camps to retake YPT annually and provide such proof to camp leadership (along with several other documents.)

 

I have never heard of a requirement for YPT training to attend Scout Meeting though.