January 2006 Capital District Roundtable

1. January 2006 Capital District Roundtable Scouting with Disabilities Chris D Garvin Roundtable Commissioner

2. OUTLINE • Introduction • Merit Badges • Teacher’s Guide • Sources • Questions

3. Featured Link:http://netcommish.com/ Dedication: This website is dedicated to the thousands of dedicated Scouters who call themselves Commissioners and give of their time and talents to help Scout Leaders deliver the best possible Scouting Program to youth members and to the Scout leaders they serve. It's A Tough Job: Being a commissioner is not an easy job and frequently a pretty misunderstood job. We all know about the stereotypes of a chubby, coffee mug clutching, badge-bedecked commissioner who doesn't seem to do very much. But is this really so? What does a commissioner really do? How can he/she do it better? Here you will find the answers to those questions along with many resources that are designed especially for commissioners, but can also be used by all Scouters. Learn more about resources available at The NetCommish Website Looking for an example of how a Commissioner can help? Here's a great example from a Council newsletter that is now also a regular feature of the NetCommish. It is a Commissioner's column called "Ask Andy" that gives Scouters great, helpful advice. Andy writes "Got a question? Send it to me at AskAndyBSA@yahoo.com -be sure to let me know your Scouting position, town, state, and council!"  Want to reprint a column or part of a column in your Council newsletter?  Write to AskAndyBSA@yahoo.com. Link to this website by using the URL - http://netcommish.com Link to Ask Andy with a specific URL - http://netcommish.com/AskAndy.asp

4. Introduction “The Boy Scouts of America encourages youth with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities to become fully participating members in the Scouting movement. “

5. Background • Since its founding in 1910, the Boy Scouts of America has had fully participating members with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. • Dr. James E. West, the first Chief Scout Executive, was himself disabled. • Although most of the BSA's efforts have been directed at keeping such boys in the mainstream of Scouting, it has also recognized the special needs of those with severe disabilities.

6. Background • The Boy Scout Handbook has had Braille editions for many years. • Merit badge pamphlets have been recorded on cassette tapes for blind Scouts. • Closed-caption training videos have been produced for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. • In 1965, registration of over-age Scouts who are mentally retarded became possible.

7. Background • Today, approximately 100,000 Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Ventures with disabilities are registered with the Boy Scouts of America in more than 4,000 units chartered to community organizations.

8. Merit Badges

9. Merit Badges • Disabilities Awareness Merit Badge • Personal Development Merit Badge Group • Source • www.meritbadge.com/home.htm • Learning Worksheet • Test Your Knowledge

10. Teacher’s Guide

11. Definitions • DISABILITIES Follow these guidelines when referring to people with physical disabilities: • Disabled.A general term used for a physical or cognitive condition that substantially limits one or more of the major daily life activities. Avoid the use of "the disabled" to describe disabled people as a group. • Handicapped. Avoid this term in describing a disability or a person who is disabled. • Blind. Describes a person with complete loss of sight. For others, use terms such as "visually impaired" or "person with low vision." • Deaf. Describes a person with total hearing loss. For others, use "partial hearing loss," "hearing impaired," or "partially deaf." Avoid the term "deaf mute"; do not use "deaf and dumb." • Wheelchair-user. A person who uses a wheelchair for independent mobility. Do not use "confined to a wheelchair" or "wheelchair-bound."

12. Disabilities • Types • Physical • Blindness, Deafness, Limb Deformity, Muscular Atrophy • Emotional • ADD, ADHD • Mental • Speech • Medical • Diabetes, Epilepsy, Downs, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Spina Bifida, Heart Defect

13. Needs • Basic Premise • They want to participate like other youth • Scouting gives them that opportunity • Program • Directed at helping leaders develop an awareness of disabled people among those without a disability • Encourage the inclusion of Scouts with disabilities and special needs in Scouting

14. Needs • Units composed of members with similar disabilities & special needs are encouraged to participate in Scouting activities at all levels. • Many of these units are located in special schools or centers that make the Scouting program part of their curriculum

15. Needs • Many councils have established their own advisory committees. • Develop and coordinate an effective Scouting program. • Use all available community resources • Provide accessibility to local camps • Remove physical barriers • Provide professional staff members as escorts

16. Advancement • BSA policy • Scouts with disabilities & special needs participate in the same program as their peers. • Treat members with disabilities & special needs as much like other members as possible, but may make advancement accommodations if necessary. • Alternate Merit Badges • Alternate Rank Requirements • Substitute should provide “a similar learning experience.”

17. Advancement • Guidelines & Explanations • Local Councils direction • Application for Alternate Eagle Scout Rank Merit Badges, No. 58-730. • Local Council Advancement committee must approve • May also request changes in the Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class Ranks • Boy Scout Requirements 2005, No 33215A • Keep the Scout in the mainstream • Allow additional time, special aids, and alternatives • The Unit Leader is crucial.

18. Program Developments • Local Councils • Formed cooperative relationships with agencies, schools and organizations serving disabled people. • Cooperative Agencies • Literature • Audiovisual aids • Braille media • Awards • BSA: Woods Service Award (National) • To an adult who has demonstrated exceptional service and leadership in the field of Scouting for disabled people. • BSA: The Torch of Gold Award (Council)

19. Program Developments • National Support Projects • National Camping School Syllabi • Special Manual Production • Emotional, physical & learning disabilities, visual impairment, mental retardation and deafness • Philmont Training Center: 1 week training course • 1977: First handicap awareness trail incorporated into the Moraine State Park National Scout Jamboree • Handicamporees: Camping and Outdoor Activities for youth with disabilities

20. Local Support • Community Partnerships of Idaho • Co Ad Inc (Comprehensive Advocacy) • Easter Seals/Goodwill • ID Task Force on the Americans with Disabilities Act • Special Olympics • Tomorrow’s Hope Inc • Transitions Development Center • United Cerebral Palsy • Unity Service Coordination • National Federation of the Blind in Idaho

21. Discussion • Do Scout Leaders have the responsibility to accommodate all youth requesting entrance into the program? • Are Units responsible to adhere to directives of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) • What accommodations can we make with a _____ Scout? • What are some examples of accommodations Units are able to make for Scouts with disabilities? • If a Unit has a Scout with a physical disability (wheelchair user), do all planned events have to be accessible?

22. Sources

23. Sources • Working with Scouts with Disabilities: Marin Council, BSA http://www.boyscouts-marin.org/wwswd/ • Serving Youth with Disabilities and Special Needs: Heart of Ohio Council http://www.bsa-heartofohio.org/CurrentEvents/serving_youth_with_disabilities_.htm • Scouts with Disabilities and Special Needs: Boy Scouts of America http://www.scouting.org/factsheets/02-508.html • Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic: (enter SCOUT in the search form) http://www.rfbd.org/ • American printing House for the Blind http://www.aph.org/louis.htm

24. Sources • Information for Leaders Who Serve Scouts With Disabilities • The four-page pamphlet "Scouting Resources for Serving Youth With Disabilities" (No. 89-120) lists the wide variety of BSA materials available for council, district, and unit leaders. Included are such titles as: • For Council and District Scouters • Scouting for Youth With Mental Retardation (BSA Supply No. 33059A) • Scouting for Youth With Physical Disabilities (Supply No. 33057B) • Scouting for Youth With Emotional Disabilities (No. 32998A) • Scouting for the Hearing Impaired (No. 33061A) • Scouting for the Blind and Visually Impaired (No. 33063B) • Scouting for Youth With Learning Disabilities (No. 33065A)

25. Sources • Torch of Gold Certificate—for local council use in recognizing adults for outstanding service to youth with disabilities (No. 33733) • Woods Services Award—for council to nominate one person for the national award (No. 89-258) • Council Advisory Committee on Youth With Disabilities (No. 89-239A) • For Cub Scout Packs • Understanding Cub Scouts With Disabilities (No. 33839) • For Boy Scout Troops • A Scoutmaster's Guide to Working With Scouts With Disabilities (No. 33056) • Disabilities Awareness Merit Badge Pamphlet (No. 33370)

26. January 2006 Capital District Roundtable QUESTIONS?

27. Capital District Roundtable • Chris D Garvin • cdgarvin@yahoo.com • (Home) 890-9537 • (Cell) 890-3222 • Roundtable Archive and Info • http://www.capitalscouting.org/capital_rndtbl/