Scouting in the LDS Church

Scouting in the LDS Church Program and Training Conference Session October 19, 2013 David CarlsonChief Seattle Council Executive Board LDS Relationships Commissioner

Scouting Organization • The Scouting program is run at the ward level in every ward in the United States. • The head of the Scouting program in each ward is the Bishop. • He assigns counselors to assist in the Troop and Team • He is personally responsible for theCrew. • He might assign one of his counselors to assist him with the scouting program in the Primary.

LDS Church Organization • A congregation in the LDS church is called a ward. • The head of each ward is a Bishop, and he has two counselors. Together, they make up a Bishopric. • A ward is usually composed of from 400 to 800 members and in the range of 100 to 200 families. • There is usually in the range of 10 to 50 young men of scouting age 11-18 in each ward.

LDS Church Organization • A stake is composed of 7 to 10 wards. • The head a stake is a Stake President. He is assisted by two counselors. Together they make up the Stake Presidency. • The Stake High Council is under the Stake President and one council member assists with scouting in the stake. • Each stake has a Stake Primary Presidency of three women who are over cub scouting in the stake to assist in training and program. • Each Stake has a Stake Young Men’s Presidency of three men who assist with training and scouting in the wards.

Each Ward had Two Scouting Organizations • Primary Organization: • Cub Scouts • 11-year old Scouts • Aaronic Priesthood • Boy Scouts: Troop • Varsity Scouts: Team • Venturers: Crew

Ward Scouting Organizations • Each ward has a Primary Presidency of three women who supervise the Primary Organization, including Cub Scouting and 11-year old Scouts • Each ward has a Ward Young Men’s Presidency who supervise the Aaronic Priesthood scouting. • Sometimes they are also the scoutmaster, varsity coach and venturing advisors and sometimes they are the assistants to each of these.

Primary Organization • All Cub Scout units and the 11-year old scouts are under the Primary. • The Primary President will usually ask one of her counselors to focus on the Cub Scout program in the ward. • The Primary President works with the Bishop to ensure that the proper people are called, trained and fill the positions in the Cub Scout and 11-year old Scouting program.

Primary • Bishop consults directly with the Primary President to receive input to ensure that scouting under the Primary well organized and properly run. • Bishopric receives suggestions from the Primary President and selects leaders for scouting positions in the Primary.

Primary • Primary President sees these positions are filled by the Bishop: • Pack Committee Chairperson • Cub Master • Den Leaders • 11-Year old Scout Leader. • Cub Training coordinator

Primary and Scouting • A boy enters the Cub Scout Program when he turns 8. This is based on his actual birthday, not school year. • He should be welcomed by the leaders into Cub Scouting and properly started on his path in scouting. • A boy enters the 11-year scouting program when he turns 11, also based on his actual birthday.

11-year old Scouts • 11-year old scouts are part of the Primary • 11-year old scouts are part of the troop • The 11-year old scouts are a single patrol that is part of Boy Scout Troop. • They meet as a patrol weekly • They attend courts of honor with the troop • The 11-year old scout leader reports to the Primary President for the proper running of the new scout patrol.

11-year old Scouts • The program for 11-year old scouts must be a Boy Scout program. • 11-year old scouts work on Rank Advancement, starting at Scout, then Tenderfoot, then Second Class, then First Class • During weekly Patrol meetings they work on rank advancement requirements. • The goal of the 11-year old scout program is that each scout is a First Class by his 12th Birthday.

11-year old Scouts • 11-year old Scouts can do each requirement needed to complete each rank advancement, including the camping and cooking requirements. • The 11-year old scouts should not camp or go on outings with the Troop; instead these should be campouts specific to the 11-year old patrol. • Under a preferred program, each rank requirement is completed on regular plan on a 12 month rotation so that no matter when a scout enters the patrol, he will complete all requirements for each rank in one year.

Scouting • Troop is all boys aged 12 and 13. • Team is all boys aged 14 and 15. • Crew is all boys aged 16 to 20.

Scouting • Scouting is the activity Arm of the Aaronic Priesthood • “Every boy aged 12-18 in the ward is to be registered in the appropriate Scouting Unit. by President Thomas S. Monson • Scouting under Church sponsorship must not operate independent of the priesthood and the family. (1997 LDS Scout Handbook)

Bishop’s Responsibility • The Bishop is to see that all adult leadership scout positions are filled in his ward. • The Bishop is the head of the Aaronic Priesthood and Scouting is part of the Aaronic Priesthood. • Bishopric selects and sets apart Scout Leaders at every level.

Bishop Calls • Bishopric selects Scoutmaster, Varsity Coach and Venturing Advisor. • Bishop should receive input and suggestions from the Troop Committee Chair to aid him in selecting scout leaders. • Troop Committee chair should meet with Bishop at least once a quarter.

Troop Committee • Troop Committee includes: • Committee Chair • Advancement Chair • Secretary • Finance/Treasurer • Equipment/Quartermaster • Transportation • Training Coordinator • Chaplin

Troop Committee for Each Unit • Under Preferred Circumstances, each unit should have its own committee • Troop Committee • Varsity Committee • Venturing Committee • Each of these committees is fully staffed with a chair, secretary, advancement, transportation, and Chaplin • A Bishopric member and a Young Men’s president sits on each committee.

Scout Committee Training • All members of the Scout Committee must attend full Scout Committee Training. • Troop Committee training is among the most valuable of all training for a well run troop. • The standard BSA committee training must be taken, not a substitute or LDS special training.

Composition of Troop Committee • The Troop Committee can be composed of any adult men or women with an interest in Scouting. • They do not need to be parents of the boys in the unit • They do not need to be members of the LDS Church

Composition of Troop Committee • Each Scout Committee includes a member of the Ward Young Men’s Presidency. • Each Scout Committee includes a Bishopric Member. • These two committee members can be general members or serve in one of the other positions. • The Scoutmaster is not a member of the Troop Committee.

Composition of Troop Committee • If the Bishop is having trouble filling a full troop committee, he should call one parent of each boy in the Unit to be on that Troop Committee. • A calling on the Troop Committee is in addition to any other calling in the church • High Counselors • Stake and Ward Primary Presidents • Each boy in the program should have one of their parents active in the troop committee • Parents attend soccer games and football games. They should not miss a troop committee meeting.

Registration • Each Leader is to be properly registered with the Council before starting to serve in the Scout Leadership Position • When a new scout leader is called, the person extending the call hands them a registration form and asks for it to be filled out at that time. • The registration form is sent by the Bishopric into the Council office. • The person must pass the security clearance before being presented in sacrament meeting.

Basic Training • Each person must complete the basic Scout Training before they began to serve in that position. • It is strongly preferred that they complete the training before being presented in Sacrament meeting. • Each Leader must complete the specific leader training in their first few months after being called. • When a new scout leader is called, the person extending the call explains the on-line training requirements and instructs them to complete the basic training before starting.

Specific Training • Each Bishopric member must complete the basic Scout Training before they can properly serve • Bishopric members are part of the scouting leadership and thus should complete the basic and specific training for the units they supervise. • It is strongly preferred that they each complete Wood Badge training. • All Bishops should complete Wood Badge training

Common Problem #1 • Not enough boys the correct age to fill a unit. • Solutions: • A properly staffed and well run scouting unit will attract boys. • A troop composed of just one boy is worthwhile; if there is only one boy, run the entire program correctly.

Solving Problem #1 • Other ways to solve Common Problem # 1: • Go on monthly campouts with as many scouts as you can. • Have your scouts talk up the unit and bring in their friends. • Recruit Boys; anyone can join a troop chartered by the LDS church. Attend and be part of recruitment nights. Do active recruiting in many places. • A troop chartered by the Methodist church does not require or even expect that all boys in the troop are Methodist. It is the same in an LDS troop. • Be sure to include parents of scouts who are not LDS on the troop committee, perhaps as Committee Chair or secretary.

Solving Problem #1 • Avoid Solving Problem #1 by the following: • Merging scouts in two wards to just have one unit in two wards. • This creates leadership and accountability problems. • Merging the different age groups. • This creates difficulty in dealing with different age needs. • This creates friction between the scouts of different ages.

Common Problem #2 • LDS Scout Leaders are not properly trained. • Get the Scout Leaders Trained! • Every committee must have a training chair or a secretary who tracks training of all leaders. • Run a stake training night. • Have stake or multiple stakes conduct a Little Philmont.

Common Problem #3 • Varsity and Venturing programs are not running well. • Solutions: • Have specific Varsity and Venturing Committees. • Give them the weekly attention that Troops get. • Run an actual Varsity Program • Run an actual Venturing Program

Solutions for Varsity and Venturing • There are full programs for Varsity and Venturing. • Boys of Varsity Age should do weekly activities that are more advanced then done by Scouts • Boys of Venturing age should do weekly activities that are more advanced then done by Varsity.

Varsity and Venturing training • Ensure that the varsity coach and venturing advisor attend the specific training for each of these scouting programs. • Have Bishopric member over Varsity and Venturing be trained in these programs, including the Bishop. • Do not try to imitate the Troop programs in the Varsity and Venturing.

Common Problem #4 • Scouts do not wear uniform to meetings. • Solutions: • Each adult leader wears a proper uniform to all meetings • Reward the boys who wear proper uniforms. • Reward can be praise, a troop inspection, a new patch or other reward; it does not need to be candy. • Each boy is presented with a leadership patch to wear on his uniform.

Solution to Problem #4 • Meet with parents and explain the importance of uniform as part of the scouting program. • Point out that all boys play who play on soccer team or basketball team wear the same uniform. Ask: Would they send their son out on the soccer field in this street clothes? Which one costs more, a soccer uniform or a scout shirt?

Common Problem #5 • Adult Leaders change too quickly • Have stake president talk to the Bishops at Bishopric training • Have Troop Committee Chair meet more often with the Bishop and discuss scouting leadership positions.

Common Problem #6 • Adult Leaders do everything and the boys do whatever. • Solutions: • Properly trained adult leaders • Properly trained boy leaders • Treat boy leaders as leaders

Solution to Problem #6 • A primary role of the Scoutmaster is to conduct training of the Senior Patrol Leader and the Patrol Leaders • Conduct official BSA training of Boy Leadership. • Hold PLC meetings monthly with the Senior Patrol leader running the meeting.

Common Problem #7 • Scouts and leaders chartered by other organizations see the LDS troops and leaders as being a different type of scout organization or not being standard Boy Scouts. • Solutions: • All LDS troops must study and follow the official BSA plan in all respects. • Ensure that all LDS leaders and scouts are properly trained by BSA trainers. • Patrols, Youth Leadership and troops; • Tour permits and Camping; • Adult leadership and training.

Solution to Problem #7 • We must not let ourselves, the District or Council get into the mode of thinking that there are two types of scout troops: LDS and non-LDS. • Recruit scouts the same way. • Have parents involved the same way. • Participate in FOS the same way. • Be part of the round table leadership, the District leadership and Council Leadership. • Be Scouts and leaders who follow the official BSA program in all respects.

Questions?

David CarlsonChief Seattle Council LDS Relationships Commissionerdavec@seedlaw.com206 755-9622

Scouting in the LDS Church