The BSA and the Chartered Organization

The Boy Scouts of America makes Scouting available to our nation’s youth by chartering community organizations to operate Cub Scout packs, Scouts BSA troops, Varsity Scout teams, Venturing crews, and Sea Scout ships.

The chartered organization must provide an adequate and safe meeting place and capable adult leadership, and must adhere to the principles and policies of the BSA. The BSA local council provides unit leader training, program ideas, camping facilities, literature, professional guidance for volunteer leaders, and liability insurance protection.

Scouting’s Volunteers and You

Scouting’s adult volunteers provide leadership at the unit, district, council, and national levels. Many are parents of Scouts; many entered Scouting as youth members. Each chartered organization establishes a unit committee, which operates its Scouting unit, selects leadership, and provides support for a quality program. Unit committees depend on parents for membership and assistance.

Youth Protection Begins With You™. Child abuse is a serious problem in our society, and unfortunately, it can occur anywhere, even in Scouting. Youth safety is of paramount importance to Scouting. For that reason, the BSA continues to create barriers to abuse beyond what have previously existed in Scouting.

BSA Youth Protection Mission Statement

True youth protection can be achieved only through the focused commitment of everyone in Scouting. It is the mission of Youth Protection volunteers and professionals to work within the Boy Scouts of America to maintain a culture of Youth Protection awareness and safety at the national, territory, area, council, district, and unit levels.

The Boy Scouts of America places the greatest importance on providing the most secure environment possible for our youth members. To maintain such an environment, the BSA has developed numerous procedural and leadership selection policies, and provides parents and leaders with numerous online and print resources for the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing programs.

All adult leaders in Cub Scout Pack 846 strictly adhere to Youth Protection policies.

Youth Protection Policies

• Two registered adult leaders or one registered adult leader and a parent of a participant, one of whom must be 21 years of age or older, are required on all trips and outings. If trips and outings are coeducational, leaders of both genders must be present.

• One-on-one activities between youth members and adult leaders are never permitted. Even personal Scout conferences must be conducted in plain view of others.

• Corporal punishment, hazing and bullying are not permitted in Scouting. Only constructive discipline is acceptable. Parents and unit leaders must work together to solve discipline problems.

• New leaders are required to take Youth Protection training within 30 days of registering, and Youth Protection training must be taken every two years.

• We encourage all parents to be involved with their Scout. There are no “secret” organizations in Scouting and all Scouting activities are open to parental visitation.

• If you suspect that a child has been abused, immediately contact the local authorities and the Scout executive.

All Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Venturing, and Sea Scout parents should review How to Protect Your Children From Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide booklet in the Cub Scout and Boy Scout handbooks or at www.scouting.org/training/youthprotection.

The Boy Scouts of America places the greatest importance on providing the most secure environment possible for our youth members. To maintain such an environment, the BSA has developed numerous procedural and leadership selection policies, and provides parents and leaders with numerous online and print resources for the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing programs.

All Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Venturing, and Sea Scout parents should review How to Protect Your Children From Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide booklet in the Cub Scout and Boy Scout handbooks or at www.scouting.org/training/youthprotection.

Become a ScoutParent

A ScoutParent must be at least 21 years old and be a parent or adult mentor of a Scout. The ScoutParent enthusiastically participates with their Scout and also helps volunteer leaders provide the best quality program experience to all youth in every unit. Visit www.scoutparents.org.

Note: If the parent is not serving as a ScoutParent, the parental signature on the application indicates approval of the ScoutParent, and also if the ScoutParent does not live at the same address as the Scout, a separate adult application is required.

The respective unit committee selects the Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Varsity Scout Coach, Venturing Advisor, or Sea Scout Skipper, subject to approval of the head of the chartered organization or the chartered organization representative and of the BSA. The unit leader must be a good role model because our children’s values and lives will be influenced by that leader. You need to know your child’s unit leader and be involved in the unit committee’s activities so you can evaluate and help direct that influence.

Scouting uses a fun program to promote character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness for every member. You can help by encouraging perfect attendance, assisting with your child’s advancement, attending meetings for parents, assisting with transportation, and assisting when called upon by the unit leader.

Program Policies

Chartered organizations agree to use the Scouting program in accordance with their own policies as well as those of the BSA. The program is flexible, but major departures from BSA methods and policies are not permitted. As a parent, you should be aware that

• Leadership is restricted to qualified adults who subscribe to the precepts of the Declaration of Religious Principle, the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, and the BSA Standards of Leadership.

• Citizenship activities are encouraged, but partisan political activities are prohibited.

• Military training and drills are prohibited. Marksmanship and elementary drill for ceremonies are permitted.

• The Boy Scouts of America recognizes the importance of religious faith and duty; it leaves sectarian religious instruction to the member’s religious leaders and family.

• Members who do not belong to a unit’s religious chartered organization shall not be required to participate in its religious activities.

Excerpt from the Declaration of Religious Principle

The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God and, therefore, recognizes the religious element in the training of the member, but it is absolutely nonsectarian in its attitude toward that religious training. Its policy is that the home and organization or group with which the member is connected shall give definite attention to religious life. Only persons willing to subscribe to these precepts of the Declaration of Religious Principle and to the Bylaws of the Boy Scouts of America shall be entitled to certificates of membership.

Policy of Nondiscrimination

Youth membership in the Boy Scouts of America is open to all boys and young adults who meet the joining requirements. Membership in Scouting, advancement, and achievement of leadership in Scouting units are open to all youth without regard to race or ethnic background and are based entirely upon individual merit.

Ethnic background information. The BSA receives inquiries from various agencies regarding racial composition. Please fill in the appropriate circle on the application to indicate ethnic background.

Thank You

The Boy Scouts of America appreciates you taking time to become familiar with Scouting. We feel that an informed parent is a strong ally in delivering the Scouting program. Help us keep the unit program in accord with Scouting principles. Alert the unit committee, chartered organization representative, and head of the chartered organization to any major deviations. Please do your fair share to support a quality unit program.

Cub Scout Pack Joining Requirements

Pack membership is open to boys & girls K-5.

1. Complete the information on the application page and submit payment indicating approval.

2. The completed application and fees are processed online and reported to the Cubmaster.

Lion Cub- For youth the year before 1st grade or 5 years old.

Tiger Cub—Must be under the age of 8, have completed kindergarten or be in the first grade, or be age 7.

Cub Scout—Must have completed first grade but not completed third grade, or be age 8 or 9.

Webelos Scout—Must have completed third grade but not completed fifth grade, or be age 10 but not yet 111⁄2.

Parent Agreement

I have read the Cub Scout Promise and I want my child to join the pack. I will assist him in observing the policies of the Boy Scouts of America and of his pack’s chartered organization. I will

• While he/she is a Lion & Tiger Cub, serve as his/her adult partner and participate in all meetings and activities and approve his/her advancement.*

• While he/she is a Cub Scout, help him/her grow as a Cub Scout and approve his/her Cub Scout advancement.

• While he/she is a Tiger Cub, Cub Scout, or Webelos Scout, attend monthly pack meetings and take part in other activities; assist pack leaders as needed.

*If the parent is not serving as the adult partner, the parental signature on the application indicates approval of the adult partner and also if the adult partner does not live at the same address as the Tiger Cub, a separate adult application is required.

Health information. Please fill out the Annual Health and Medical Record, No. 680-001, found on

www.scouting.org/forms and give it to the unit leader.