Issue 597 – April 30, 2019

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Hi Andy,

I’m a bit confused and need your help understanding something regarding Youth Protection. I’m a registered leader in a Cub Scout pack and, as such, have completed the BSA’s Youth Protection Training. Our pack is sponsored by a Roman Catholic parish, which happens to be a different denomination from my own. I’ve been informed that, if I want to be a volunteer for this pack at this church, I must be certified in a youth protection program called “Virtus—Protecting God’s Children.” I completely understand how important it is to take the BSA’s “Safe From Harm” training, but I think, as a Scouting volunteer, that should be all I need. But I’ve been told very directly that I’m not allowed to interact with youth at this parish-sponsored unit until I’ve also taken “Protecting God’s Children” training. Can you clarify what the BSA’s position is on this additional requirement? Thanks! (K. Scott)

Your question’s an excellent one that I’m delighted to respond to.

The first thing to note is that even though, as a Unit Commissioner, I rarely have direct contact with youth, I’ve taken and am currently certified in all BSA Youth Protection Training (“YPT”) courses for all BSA youth programs: Cub Scouts, Scouts, Venturers, and Sea Scouts. Further, as a commissioner for a unit sponsored by a Roman Catholic parish, I’ve also taken “Protecting God’s Children.”

So let’s get started by getting a few things clarified. “Safe From Harm” is a youth protection training program sponsored by the World Organization of the Scout Movement (“WOSM”) specifically designed for adult volunteers and professionals representing countries sending youth contingents to the 2019 World Jamboree Mondial; it’s not required by the BSA for adults not attending this specific event. So the training you will have taken as a home-based BSA adult volunteer—“Youth Protection Training”—is all the BSA requires of you.

As for “Virtus-Protecting God’s Children” (“PGC”) this is distinctly not a required BSA training requirement. It is, however, required by the Roman Catholic Church, including every one of this church’s parishes. So, since the pack you’re registered with is indeed sponsored by this church, it’s required of all of the pack’s registered leaders.

This is a good thing! PGC is definitely not a duplication of YPT, and it’s highly valuable to us as Scouting volunteers! PGC’s perspective and focus are quite different from YPT and absolutely add to one’s greater knowledge of how to keep youth safe from emotional and physical harm. Regardless of one’s denomination, PGC is a powerful and insightful supplement to YPT that provides guidance from a very different and important perspective.

So, rather than considering this stipulation onerous, look at it as an opportunity to enhance your knowledge! I highly recommend that you and anyone else in your pack who hasn’t yet availed themselves of this opportunity—both registered leaders and parents, too—do so right away, and go do it together as a team. You won’t be disappointed! And yes, the BSA thoroughly endorses this training!
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Hello Andy,

I’ve been quite frustrated with the people who work for, volunteer for, and guide the BSA. In light of today’s social events of diversity I have some issues.

Last year I signed up for Wood Badge and completed the “practical” phase. Then, as we all do after the first phase, began writing my “ticket” of five goals I planned to accomplish in the next 18 months. So far, d up for wood badge this past year. I’ve had at least twenty different ideas that would have filled tickets, but every one of them has been shot down! When my key idea—which would have capitalized on my experience in Cub Scouts, (Boy) Scouts, and Venturing—was also shot down because, I was told, wasn’t “diverse” enough, I got really rankled (and still am!). My idea was to bring all three of these groups together to get older Scouts back to being Den Leaders and also working side-by-side with co-ed Venturing crews in various training and environmental projects.

It seems that our council—and Wood Badge Staff—are making children of color, those with autism and other handicaps, and so on hot-button areas this year. I was told that unless I include these specific kinds of groups in my ticket, it’ll never get approved!
I’ve since learned from others that they’ve had to use outside “diversity coaches” from an outside organization to fulfill their tickets. I find this to be absurd and very administratively pushy. If this is true, how dare “national” tell us to do this—even to the point of putting ourselves in danger at night by going into the inner city to fulfill a racial diversity-based ticket! That’s not our vision, that’s not my goal, and it shouldn’t be pushed on me in an organization that I have to “pay-to-play” or pay to teach kids how to become adults because their own parents fail miserably at it! So after taking this all in, I quit my ticket and my ideas, and I’m going back to simply being a troop leader, period. (Name & Council Withheld)

First, let’s understand that I completed Wood Badge (including my “ticket”) in 1989—effectively the “20th Century Wood Badge—while you’ve taken “Wood Badge for The 21st Century,” and there likely are some differences. However, I’ve done some reading that tells me that the “ticket” aspect hasn’t changed very much in the past 30 years.

Here’s the deal: On completion of the Wood Badge “practical,” participants like you are urged to “write and then ‘work’ their ‘ticket’.” Each participant works with a Coach-Counselor (typically the same Scouter who oversaw you and your patrol during the practical course) to complete the project (or “ticket”) phase subsequent to the practical phase.

The Coach-Counselor should have introduced you to an excellent guidebook for participants, which you’ll find online at The Wood Badge Ticket – Wood Badge.

Here are two points from this guide that have possibly produced the unhappy response to the ticket idea you’ve received. First (and this is a quote—boldface mine), the “ticket” is to be “a mission composed of five significant goals that can be attained within 18 months”; Second, “At least one goal must address increasing diversity within the Boy Scouts of America.”

Just like Scouting, Wood Badge is designed to be fun as well as challenging. As a fellow Scouter, I’m sorry you’ve encountered the problems you’ve described.

If your own ticket proposed five significant goals, one of which addressed diversity, you’re home-free. If not, you should have been advised that this is what you need to do.

While a Coach-Counselor may consider urging you to expand or enlarge your ticket, you’re under no obligation to do so: Five goals with one that addresses diversity, all to be completed in a maximum of 18 months (there is no “minimum”) is all that’s required of you.

I hope this is of some help to you, and maybe encourages you to revisit your current decision.
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Hi Andy,

It used to be that age didn’t matter when it came to earning Eagle rank. When did that change? (Miranda Wright)

Interesting question! As it happens, there was no age restriction in the BSA advancement program from 1910 to 1952, whereupon the age limit of 18 was set.

Happy Scouting!

Andy

Have a question? Facing a dilemma? Wondering where to find a BSA policy or guideline? Write to askandybsa@yahoo.com. Please include your name and council. (If you’d prefer to be anonymous, if published, let me know and that’s what we’ll do.)

[No. 597 – 4/30/2019 – Copyright © Andy McCommish 2019]