Youth Protection now required before registering

[OldGreyEagle]

I don't know how many of you have coached in youth leagues, I did Soccer a few years and baseball once. (BTW if you think a mother going after her son's Eagle is bad, wait till you meet the father of the next Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter, etc) but I digress

 

Each year there was an all day (well 6 hours) seminar on the Leagues rules and sportsmanship et al. You took it every year, I don't remember any Sturm und Drang about attending, it's what you did

[AvidSM]

The BSA's Youth Protection Policy was like the 500 pound gorilla in the room, everyone knew it was there, but it was, for the most part, ignored. Up until now, only the leaders who's names were on the tour permit needed their on-line certification. I don't think many parents actually read the pamphlet included in each scout handbook or completed the exercises with their sons - even though they would say that they did in order for their son to join the troop. And, I dont know of many units in my district that show the videos, It Happened to Me or A Time to Tell. No adult I knew was comfortable showing them and no youth looked forward to viewing them.

 

Now, at least for all registered adults, BSAs YPP cant be ignored. I dont think it will hold up many Charters - only the ones that need that adult to fill a mandatory position. What it will do is place the burden on the DE, whos job it is to get the units to fix Adult Applications that are missing something, such as a signature, D/A Form, SSN, etc.

 

It will just be one more thing to look after. My DE will try a couple of times to get an adult application fixed by a unit, after that he just puts it aside. Then, the unit leaders wonder why the names of the new adults are not on the online roster when it is time to recharter.

 

[moosetracker]

Well not that I am looking for extra work or headaches, but if our DE (If we have one by then), does not come to see me to help with getting people YPT by recharter time (or after recharter time, when the charter is being held), I will ask to be involved.

 

It is not the way to earn a popularity contest. But, in our district the training has a reputation of being poor to nil.. I need a reason for myself and my staff (I got 2 so far, looking for more) to get out there and be recognized for training being back and maybe there will be crabbing because it is being forced, and there was no forewarning.. but at least if we can try to be of help and try to be of service it may at least get us recognition. (maybe all bad)..

 

We don't need to do the training. But my guess is with some units being 0% trained, some people will not even know how to navigate through the training. How to get logged in with or without a number.. How to get your number in if set up without a number.. etc..

[AvidSM]

I believe a person can take the online YP training without a membership ID number and get the certificate to print. I think the ID number is used to interface with ScoutNet. A new leader will need to include the printed certificate with their application in order to become registered as an adult in the BSA.

 

As for navigating through the training module, it's not that hard, but there is a test you have to pass in order to get credit.

[skeptic]

Lot of "Chicken Little's" it appears. Much ado about nothing if you are already doing the basics. But, just like when they finally came out and asked for drivers' licenses and SSN's for long time "carry over" charter names, many simply refused or ignored, and they were dropped. Our charter lost at least 6, and a couple complained very loudly, but did it anyway. So, now, we will likely lose one or two more who either will not care to make the effort, or feel put upon for some reason.

 

Take a deep breath, and get on with the important things as soon as you can.

[moosetracker]

Avid SM.. I agree it is not hard, but we still have those who are not computer saavy.. Your right you can get on an take training without the number.. but all I know is my sons girlfriend just signed up.. Neither she nor my son could figure out how to sign in without the ID #'s.. And I wont say they are computer experts, but they grew up in the computer age. When shown how, they still would not do it not trusting the system to move the training to council at a later date, not trusting they could find where to enter the ID # after the fact.. Basically not trusting (and I don't blame them.)

 

Once she had her ID # she got on and got around pretty well.

[NJCubScouter]

In one sense this is not a big change for our troop. All of our registered leaders presumably already have YP training since our CO requires it. Since I am the certified YP facilitator in the troop I have done the training for about half the leaders myself. Generally I do it about once a year for the new leaders in both the troop and the associated Cub pack. What will change, obviously, is the timing, but whether this becomes a problem depends on one unknown factor. To date our council's policy has been that the INITIAL training must be an in-person course, not online, with renewals being done online. The material I am seeing from national is promoting the online option, but I am not sure whether that overrides the council requirement for the in-person course. If everything can be done online from the beginning that does make life easier and eliminates any excuses that a new leader might have about not being able to get to a course. My experience suggests that it really is better to take the course in person the first time, but if it's being required prior to registration that's not really practical anymore.

[NJCubScouter]

(Eliminate double post; I think this is the first time that's ever happened to me.)

(This message has been edited by njcubscouter)

[moosetracker]

Not to change the topic, but how do you "delete" a double post.. (It more seems that you are editting it out).. I see the way you spin off to a new thread.. But not an edit button.

[NE-IV-88-Beaver]

The new procedure is that even if you do an "in-person" YPT course, the trainees must go on-line and take the test to complete the training.

 

As a facilitator myself, I think the "in-person" is much better because the presentation information can be tailored to your state, county, etc. laws as well as the BSA requirements and provide a question and answer period. But I have to ask myself, who is going to sit through an hour and a half presentation when they still have to go on-line to finish the course and be certified. Not many! Just do the 25 - 30 minutes on-line and be done with it! I think that we may have become obsolete.

[markrvp]

I got the e-mail with these requirements from our District today. In bold letters they indicated that the YPT requirement also applies to MERIT BADGE COUNSELORS. If this is the case, I think it will be difficult recruiting new MB counselors that aren't already involved in Scouts some way. We'll see.

[NJCubScouter]

NE-IV, I agree. People are going to want to take the course online instead of in person. In fact, as I suggested before, I think it has now become impractical to REQUIRE the in-person course. (Though I still need to get clarification from my council as to whether they are sticking with this requirement anyway, so I can advise people in "my" troop.) Otherwise, I can see a common scenario, you recruit a new Assistant Scoutmaster, ok, you have to take YP before you register and it has to be an in-person course, well, the next regular course at council is in a month, oops you say you have to work that night, now we're out to 2 months or more... so now you have to wait MONTHS to register? Hey, maybe good old Mr. NJCubScouter (who doesn't even have a son in the troop anymore) can do the course in-house again. Really, for one person? And then probably another person in another month, and then... (Fact is, I'd probably do it, but I shouldn't really be put in the position of being asked to do it so often, and most people aren't me.)

 

I think the bottom line is that the councils that require the in-person course are going to encounter these kinds of problems and will quickly drop the requirement.

 

When I facilitate a YP course, the packet of handouts includes at least one piece of paper that is council-specific. That is a sheet that gives the procedures for reporting an incident within our council, it has the name of the SE and his phone number and it says what to do if an incident occurs on weekends or at night. I make it a point to call attention to this piece of paper, because the attendees hear people on the tape say, call the Scout Executive, call the Scout Executive, well ok, here's how you do that. I think the council is going to need to somehow get that piece of paper into the hands of every new volunteer if they drop the in-person YP requirement. All of us old fogies may be able to figure out who to call, what to do, etc., but remember we are talking about new leaders. The average new assistant den leader or assistant scoutmaster, especially one who has NOT EVEN REGISTERED YET and therefore probably does not have even the New Leader Basic training (or whatever it is called now) does not know what an SE is or what a council is. You can hand out copies at roundtable, but what percentage of new leaders are actually going to get the thing that way?

 

And then there is some other information in the handouts that is New Jersey-specific. That includes information on the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services (what the YP tape calls "child protective services or similar agency in your area", good grief I have parts of it memorized), what they do, how to contact them, etc., and another sheet on Megan's Law (community notification requirements for sex offenders). Are these absolutely required for YP training? No, but they are nice to have and I think it is good that our council goes the extra mile to provide this information. But you don't get any of it if you take the course online.

 

I hope something in authority has actually thought about these things before putting in a new policy like this.

[T2Eagle]

NJCubScouter,

The YPT online module does include state specific rules for reporting abuse and a Council specific letter from your SE about how to contact him/her.

 

I retook the online version a few weeks ago and it was painless and only took 1/2 an hour. It might be worth your going through it to see it.

 

Our CO is a Catholic Church and so we all have to do a Diocesan specific YPT every several years. The first time is live and the renewal can be done online. I started the online renewal the other day and it said it would take 90 minutes.

[moosetracker]

I think our council has it's head stuck in the sand over this issue. They have yet to broadcast the info out to the public, I have emailed two people at council and no response.

[NJEaglemom]

I am privy to some inside info. To clear up a few things:

 

1) Tiger Parents are NOT required to take YP since they don't fill out an adult application.

 

2) MB Counselors ARE required since they fill out an adult app.

 

3) The YP Quiz is NOT a fulfillment of the requirement. Even if you have taken YP before, you must retake the entire course in case there are any updates.

 

When you submit a new leader application, you'll need the application, the signature page with the background info check disclaimer signed, the fee and the YP certification.