Posted on 10/15/2005 1:50:30 PM PDT by wagglebee
They may not need one, but they get one anyway. Since April 1st of 2004, the BSA has run a nationwide check on all new adult leaders. This includes leaders switching registration from one position to another, such as from Den Leader to Cubmaster. This check looks for any legal record of the leader, including drug violations, protection orders, and of course anything involving children.
The background check does not substitute, however, for a thorough consideration of the proposed leaders' personality and fitness for working with children, or for subsequent ongoing observation of the leaders. That is the responsibility of the sponsoring organization and the parents.
The sponsors and the parents should also hold the leaders accountable for staying in conformance with BSA Youth Protection policies, which include never allowing a child to be alone with an adult (unless that adult is their parent or legal guardian), always having two adults present whenever there are children present, and always having co-ed leadership for a co-ed group.
Love your tagline. You know, God always answers prayers. What many people are unprepared for is that sometimes God says "No."
www.bsalegal.org is one place you can go. Another way is to look up your local Council and write them a check. Letters to the editor of your local news media might help.
The best way of all is to help strengthen Scouting in your local area by volunteering. Your local Scouting unit probably could use a volunteer. You don't do camping? Maybe you could help with the popcorn or Christmas wreath sale, or drive kids to campouts. The local Council's summer camp usually has at least one weekend in the spring when they host groups of adults to perform construction and maintenance - knock down that old latrine and build the kids a new bathroom or shower house.
You could even become a merit badge counselor. Seems to me that there's plenty of FReepers who could teach Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Rifle Shooting, Shotgun Shooting, Fishing, Woodworking, Auto Mechanics, and plenty of others - check out www.meritbadge.com for a list of all 100+ merit badges and their requirements.
Thanks Ron! I will do those things. When I have kids I will definitely look into being a den mother!
Oh, they're Den Leaders now. It's not a PC thing, there's a certain number of Dads that are Den Leaders, especially when you get up to the Webelos level (4th and 5th graders) and they're expected to work with tools and do outdoor stuff.
Many years ago, a dear friend tried to teach me to always
pray on all the problems that a young mother has.
"Did you pray about it?"
"yes".
"Did you shut up and listen to his answer?"
(the truth, more times than not, I would today answer "no".)
You could be a merit badge counselor or buy lots of popcorn, both of which just help Scouting in general to sustain and be strong.
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