Inviting fathers to camp

[Abel Magwitch]

My troop has traditionally had a cabin camp in November as a first time camping experience for the new Scouts we recruited in September. The cabin is at our council camp ground. We have always opened the camp to fathers; expecially the fathers of the new Scouts.

 

With the new youth protection guidelines and training that is now required for registered leaders, has anyone heard anything about allowing non registred fathers to participate at Scout camp? Has there been any new policies or procedures relating to visiting adults being allowed to camp with a troop?

 

Abel

 

[shortridge]

Short answer: Nope, no changes.

 

Longer answer: YPT guidelines for two-deep leadership explicitly allow non-registered parents to attend. ("Two registered adult leaders or one registered leader and a parent of a participant, or other adult, one of whom must be 21 years of age or older, are required on all trips and outings.")

 

That said, especially with YPT online, it makes plenty of sense to me for a troop to require that any adult accompanying the unit must take the training first. It just puts everyone on the same page so there's no confusion.

 

Additional unasked-for question: You invite the dads. What would you say to a mom who asked to come? Say, a single mother, or a mother whose husband is a long-haul trucker or overseas in the military?(This message has been edited by shortridge)

[Abel Magwitch]

Shortridge, thanks for the input. I haven't heard anything about any changes either, though my council has added their own rules from time to time and they usually let you know when you show up to camp.

 

Abel

[IM_Kathy]

the key is that YPT is for adults who will have direct contact with scouts... to me if it's a parent going camping just this 1 time to get to know the troop I wouldn't worry about it as long as you do have leaders there that are trained and make sure all the adults follow those safety rules. Now if they want to continue to be involved and/or camp then get them trained!

 

now that being said - it also depends on what/where you are going. Our summer camp and our Council camporee required all adults spending the night to be trained.

[BartHumphries]

Tell them that they have to be Youth Protection trained. Just go to myscouting.org, register, take a 20 minute class, print out the certificate and you're fine and dandy and ready to go on on a campout or to a summer camp or whatever or wherever with the troop. Seriously, with time spent registering for myscouting.org, it might take up a whole 30 minutes of your life and there's absolutely no cost associated with it, not to mention nobody can complain that you're giving anyone a free ride or not enforcing the rules. It's so short, simple, cheap, and easy, just do it.

 

Now, if they wanted to wear a scout uniform while with the troop, they'd have to register as an adult scouter and wait for the background check, etc.

[Scoutfish]

You could always make it a new rule: All adult camp guests must take YPT.

 

Then it wouldn't be an issue any more.

 

Plus it may save many questions asked of you abouth wether the parent can do this or that...

 

 

[JerseyScout]

I feel that, especially with a new parent, they are fine to come on a trip or two to make sure they are comfortable with having their kid in the program. No training, no fuss, just pack your stuff and let's go. Sure, I'll fill them in on how patrols work and an adults role in the troop ("your mother isn't here, go ask your patrol leader) as we go along, but the official stuff can wait.

 

Now if they want to keep coming after that trip or two, then they need to be YPT. Similarly if they want to camp out for more than a night or two with the troop.

 

As for moms, where's the problem even without dad away or out of the picture? Just looking at my own family, my mom came camping with the troop when our Scoutmaster asked for volunteers, maybe three or four times in the eight years my brother and I were involved. Sure, my dad could have come, but he was a city boy whose idea of "roughing it" was a hotel without cable. My mom, on the other hand, had worked at summer camps in her youth, had started up and run a girl scout troop as a college project, was fully CPR and First Aid certified, helped run the troop fundraisers, and knew half the kids in the troop from her time as a Cub Scout leader, community volunteer, and teacher.