Counting Service Hours?

[evmori]

pack,

Only for 2nd Class. For Star & Life the service project must be approved prior to completing the service project.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Hunt]

While we're being picky, note that it says the SM approves the "project," not a particular scout's request that service hours count. Thus (for example) it seems to me that a SM could announce that peer tutoring is an approved "project" and that those engaging in it after his announcement could get the hours counted. Or if a particular Eagle project is approved, the individual helpers would not have to have their participation separately approved for the hours to count.

[packsaddle]

Ed, quite right, thanks for the reminder. Hunt, that is, actually, the way we do it for those tutoring hours. We also have a blanket approval for roadside cleanup/lakeshore cleanup and some others (local community care/daycare centers). After the service is performed the boy submits a note from the supervisor confirming the hours for the scoutmaster. The boys so far have been scrupulously selfless and honest with this arrangement.

[Shell in WA- USA]

Our Troop has also struggled with this question. But this is how we decided to define a service project or hours. It is any volunteer hours that would not be considered of a regular duty of that scout because of their membrship for that group.

 

For instance, if you are a member of the Church and you serve as Alter boy, this is your duty to your church and not necessarily a volunteered service(spliting hairs, I know). If they have an assigned duty in their classroom like collect books or erase boards, etc, this also does not count as a volunteered service project.

 

But if the teacher asked for volunteers to clean up the playgound or fix a garden or volunteer to do something for PTA, etc outside of their classroom and for the school in general, we would consider that as service hours. Especially if they are staying after school or weekend hour to do it.

 

 

And yes, working Day Camp does count as service hours for us, Cubs Scouts is different than Boy Scouts. And as we see it, they can earn service hours within boy scouts if it's something outside of the normal realm of what they'd do, like volunteering to clean up a Boy Scout Camp, help with a distrct event like Bike Rodeo, etc. However for the Eagle Project, it does have to be outside Scouting, like it's stated.

 

And of course they should always get approve fromt he SM first to avoid any headaches. And each is individually considered.

[acco40]

What the heck is an Alter boy? Another phrase for a girl? A boy who participates in alternative activities than the ones sanctioned by his church?

 

My biggest beef with service hours is boys (and parents, particularly mothers) who inform me (the SM) about the service they (or their son) performed after the fact. I politely tell them that the SM should approve the activity (for the purpose of granting service time) before the service is undertaken.(This message has been edited by acco40)

[John-in-KC]

Ed,

 

Thanks for following up on my "Approved" to Bob White.

 

As far as approval goes, here's my connotation:

 

If the Troop is doing a collective service project, then the Scoutmaster has bought into the PLC's request, thus no individual Scout needs to ask "May this count please?"

 

If a Patrol is doing a service project, it's reasonable to think the PL has talked to the SPL and the SM, thus no individual in the patrol needs to ask "May this count please?"

 

Sometimes a boy will hear of a project outside a Troop. My son and I worship outside our physical scouting District. We've helped on a couple of Eagle projects done by his friends in our church. I've encouraged my son to consult with his PL/SPL/SM before going out on the project, to qualify the hours as counting ... but I also encourage him to do the work even if it doesn't count.

 

Sometimes an opportunity will present itself to the Troop. In that case, the COR or the Commitee may give guidance to the Program Officer (SM) on a project that will count.

 

"The more you give, the more you will get back"

 

John

(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

[Shell in WA- USA]

Sorry, alter boy is something the catheolic church does. The troop my boys have joined are mostly Catheolic, we go to a different church ourselves. So in our case, when my boys volunteer to work in the sunday classes or for Communion servers, etc, these are duties of the church.

 

And yes the SM in this troop also struggles with the problem of being told after the fact. And I've heard him tell the boys "I'll count it this time (if it did qualify) but you need to get it approved next time. And I've heard him deny to boys that have repeatly "lust done it" without prior approval.

 

............And they said one hour a week!

[molscouter]

Shell,

 

Acco40 was referring to your mispelling of the word "altar boy". Before he comes back, you should know it's Catholic, not catheolic. Some people get too hung up on this, but sometimes the grammar police are everywhere.

 

I like your definition of service hours being something outside of your regular duties as a part of a group.(This message has been edited by molscouter)

[Shell in WA- USA]

Oh, ok, I'm slow! Ha, Ha, Courtesy Laugh!

 

Can you tell I'm not Cathelic either!

 

 

[Fat Old Guy]

" Before he comes back, you should know it's Catholic, not catheolic."

 

And there's Roman Catholic, Orthodox Catholic, Greek Catholic, Polish National Catholic, and the ever popular Roman Catholic of the Eastern Rite.

[acco40]

Some people are uniform police, some grammar. I do try to use humor.

 

FOG, don't forget Uniates, Rosminians, Robber Synod, Melkites, Gallicanism, Byzantine Rite and many others. Because so many agree on religious topics, there are so very few choices!

[matuawarrior]

Bob,

 

You're correct. Every Service project is a Good Turn. The BSHB does not require the PL to be informed. That was something our PLC decided to keep accountability when our troop used to be so big. It was hard keeping track of who was doing what and when.

 

Yes, I do consider a Scout who does a service project who does it with no anticipation of using that project for advancement to have more character, than a Scout who just does service projects just to get advancements out of the way.

 

Matua

[packsaddle]

Acco40, was someone mean to you today or are you just feeling frisky?

[evmori]

Maybe that alter boy will become Spider Man!

[OldGreyEagle]

Would it help if it was spelt ALTAR BOY?