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Boy Scout Troop 205
(St. Augustine, Florida)		  
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Youth Protection Requirements
The New Boy Scout Handbook (Used Since 2010),  has had an insert in the very front labelled "How to protect your children from child abuse: A PARENT'S GUIDE".
     In order to join a Boy Scout Troop, you and your son must complete the exercises included in section II of that pamphlet together.   

Adult Required Training

Troop 205 Parents and Adult Volunteers:

     Scout safety is our #1 priority! 

     It is Troop 205's Policy that all Adults going on overnight trips or that have any direct involvement with the Scouts, complete the online youth protection training. This training is required every 2 years and only takes approximately 30-45 minutes and at the end you will be given the opportunity to print out certificates.  Please print them and bring them to the next Scout Meeting.  

Youth Protection in Scouting
The Boy Scouts of America places the greatest importance on creating the most secure enviromnet possible for its youth members. To maintain such an environment, the BSA has developed numerous procedural and leadership selection policies, and provides parents and leaders the tools to ensure a safe environment.

Effective June 1, 2010
Youth Protection training is required for all BSA registered volunteers. New leaders are required to take Youth Protection training within 30 days of registering. Youth Protection training must be taken every two years. If a volunteer’s Youth Protection training record is not current at the time of recharter, the volunteer will not be reregistered.

Online Youth Protection Training
You do not have to be a registered member or have a member ID to take Youth Protection training.

To take Youth Protection training go to www.MyScouting.org and create an account.
From the MyScouting.org portal, click on E-Learning and take the Youth Protection training.
Upon completion, you may print a certificate of completion to submit with a volunteer application or submit the completion certificate to the unit leader for processing at the local council.
When your volunteer application is approved, you will receive a BSA membership card which includes your member ID number. After you receive your membership card, log back into MyScouting, click on My Profile and update the system by inputting your member ID number. This will link your Youth Protection training records, and any other training, in MyScouting to your BSA membership.

BSA Youth Protection Resourses
Other BSA Youth Protection information is available at: http://www.scouting.org/Training/YouthProtection.aspx .

Social Media Guidelines

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA NORTH FLORIDA COUNCIL
Troop 205, St. Augustine 

P:\Youth Protection Materials\YP Materials 2011\Social Media Policy for NFC Volunteers.doc

Social Media Guidelines for Members

Effective- July 19, 2011

 

 INTRODUCTION

- It’s an exciting time to be part of the BSA for many reasons. One of those is that new communication vehicles now enable current and past Scouts and Scouters, as well those who are interested in participating or are just interested in Scouting in general, to communicate directly with each other about Scouting.

- Although using social media is not a Scouting activity, their use to connect with others interested in Scouting can be a very positive experience. The following guidelines are a complement to the BSA’s existing Youth Protection policies and training.

- You should not do anything on a social media channel that reflects poorly on you, other individuals in your council or unit, the Boy Scouts of America, or anyone else. Before posting any content on any social media channel, you should first ask yourself if that content is in keeping with the precepts of the Scout Oath and Law.

- Membership and Leadership in the BSA is not a right but a privilege. Members in Scouting will and are held to a high standard- that of the Scout Oath and Law. Behavior of members whether in or outside of Scouting activities will always be considered when making membership and leadership decisions. Personal behavior and content on social media sites is not exempt from scrutiny and will be considered when making membership and leadership decisions.


SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOUTH PROTECTION


- First, everyone should review and strictly adhere to the terms of service and existing guidelines outlined by each individual social media channel (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.).

- As is true for participation in Scouting activities, all Scouts and adult leaders should abide by the guidelines outlined in the Scout Oath and Law when participating in social networking.

- To help ensure that all communication on social media channels remains positive and safe, these channels must be public, and all communication on or through them must be public. Therefore, no private channels (e.g., private Facebook groups or invite-only YouTube channels) are acceptable in helping to administer the Scouting program.

- As it relates to social media, two-deep leadership means there should be no private messages and no one-on-one direct contact through email, Facebook messages, Twitter direct messaging, chats, instant messaging (Google Messenger, AIM, etc.), or other similar messaging features provided through social media sites. All communication between adults and youth should take place in a public forum (e.g. the Facebook wall), or at a bare minimum, electronic communication between adults and youth should always include one or more authorized adults openly "copied" (included) on the message or message thread.

INTERNET SAFETY GUIDELINES

- Any Scout unit that plans to use social media should share the following Internet safety guidelines with Scouts, parents, and leaders and all Scouts should abide by the following Internet safety guidelines and personal protection rules:

- Keep online conversations with everyone in public places, not in email.

- Do not give anyone online your real last name, phone numbers at home or school, your parents’ workplaces, or the name or location of your school or home address unless you have your parents’ permission first. Never give your password to anyone but a parent or other adult in your family.

- If someone sends or shows you email or any type of direct message/wall post with sayings that make you feel uncomfortable, trust your instincts. You are probably right to be wary. Do not respond. Tell a parent or trusted adult what happened.

- If somebody tells you to keep what’s going on between the two of you secret, tell a parent or guardian.

- Be careful to whom you talk. Anyone who starts talking about subjects that make you feel uncomfortable is probably an adult posing as a kid.

- Pay attention if someone tells you things that don’t fit together. If one time an online "friend" says he or she is 12, and another time says he or she is 14. That is a warning that this person is lying and may be an adult posing as a kid.

- Unless you talk to a parent about it first, never talk to anybody by phone if you know that person only online. If someone asks you to call—even if it’s collect or a toll-free, 800 number—that’s a warning. That person can get your phone number this way, either from a phone bill or from caller ID.

- Never agree to meet someone you have met only online at any place off-line, in the real world.

- Watch out if someone online starts talking about hacking, or breaking into other people’s or companies’ computer systems; phreaking (the "ph" sounds like an "f"), the illegal use of long-distance services or cellular phones; or viruses (online programs that destroy or damage data when other people download these onto their computers).

- Promise your parent or an adult family member and yourself that you will honor any rules about how much time you are allowed to spend online and what you do and where you go while you are online.

 

FINAL THOUGHT-

- The use of the language that follows does not remove you from scrutiny should your Scouting membership or leadership fitness is questioned due to personal behavior or content on a social media site.

- In your social media communications, you should be clear that it is not an official BSA social media channel but is instead your own personal channel. You can use the following template as an example:

"This site is the personal [reference your specific social media channel] of [your name or organization] and is reflective only of my personal views, thoughts, and opinions. This site does not have the endorsement of the Boy Scouts of America, and it is not an official communication channel of the Boy Scouts of America."
   
 
 
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