How to Start a New Unit
Community-based organizations receive national charters to use the Scouting program as a part of their own youth work. These groups, which have goals compatible with those of the Boy Scouts of America, include religious, educational, community associations, and citizens’ groups. If you're looking for the opportunity to enrich the lives of youth and make a positive difference in the kind of adults they become, you've come to the right place. Scouting provides the opportunity for youth to adopt and live by standards that will serve as a cornerstone for success in life. It's the perfect framework for developing responsibility, maturity and leadership in today's youth.
Cub Scouting
Tiger Cubs is a year-round family- and home-centered program that encourages the ethical decision-making skills for first-grade (or 7-year-old) youth. These youth participate in the program with their adult partners. The program emphasizes shared leadership, learning about the community, and family understanding.
Cub Scouts is a year-round family- and home-centered program that develops ethical decision-making skills for youth in the second through fifth grade (or who are 8, 9, and 10 years old). Activities emphasize character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness.
Webelos Scouts is a year-round family- and home-centered program that develops ethical decision-making skills for fourth- and fifth-grade (or 10-year-old) youth.
Scouts BSA
A year-round program for youth 11 through 17 designed to achieve the aims of Scouting through a vigorous outdoor program and peer group leadership with the counsel of an adult Scoutmaster. (Youth also may become involved in Scouts BSA if they have earned the Cub Scouting Arrow of Light Award and are at least 10 years old, or have completed the fifth grade and are at least 10 years old.)
Venturing
A year-round program for youth who are 13 (and have completed the eighth grade) through 20 years of age to provide positive experiences through exciting and meaningful youth-run activities that help them pursue their special interests, grow by teaching others, and develop leadership skills.
Chartered Partner Concept
Program Schools and community and religious organizations, with the help of the BSA, organize Cub Scout packs, Scouts BSA troops, Varsity Scout teams, Venturing crews, and Sea Scout ships. They manage these units and control the program of activities to support the goals and objectives of the chartered organizations. When community organizations establish a new unit, they must take these two important actions to ensure a quality Scouting program:
- Selecting leadership. The head of the chartered organization appoints a chartered organization representative to provide leadership in the selection of a committee of adults that will provide overall supervision for the unit's program. The committee selects the adult unit leaders who will work with the youth. The chartered organization representative is also a voting member of the local council and may serve as a member of the district committee.
- Providing a meeting place and promoting a good program. The chartered organization arranges for adequate meeting facilities for the unit and promotes through its committee the full use of the program, including outdoor experiences, advancement, recognitions, and, in particular, Scouting's values.
If your organization is interested in starting a Scouting unit, please contact the Council at (573) 449-2561.
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