Youth Protection

Youth protection is a priority for the Boy Scouts of America and thus for Troop 200. Recently, the Boy Scouts of America have updated their requirements regarding youth projection. Please see below for various details and links.

Policy Changes Document

FAQ

The recent changes in Youth Protection requirements have generated a number of questions. The following are answers to some of the questions we have received. We will send regular updates to this information as it becomes available.

Q:  What is changing?
A:  Every registered volunteer must take Youth Protection Training every 2 years.  If your training is not current at the time of reregistration, you will not be reregistered.  Every new volunteer must attach a certificate of completion of Youth Protection Training to their application.  You can take Youth Protection Training at anytime at www.myscouting.org .

Q:  If I complete training on myscouting but do not have my membership number in my profile, what happens when I eventually place my membership number into Myscouting’s profile?
A:  Once you place your membership number and council into Myscouting, the information on all myscouting completed courses will be sent to your council.

Q: I have multiple membership numbers, does that make a difference?
A:  Yes, for online training and tracking to work, you need to have only one membership number assigned to you.  Contact your council and ask them to merge your information to one number and use that number in myscouting.

Q:  I am trying to complete Venturing Training and after the test is complete I am booted to the myscouting home page and not recorded as completing the course, what can I do?
A:  Use a different browser to access the training.  MyScouting.org is not currently compatible with Google Chrome, IE8 Microsoft Office Live Ad-In, Firefox browsers or Mac computers at this time.  The support team is in the process of developing the system to be compatible.

Q:  I had trouble logging into MyScouting, or after I log on, the training is very slow.
A:  Myscouting is busiest on Thursdays and Fridays especially in June and July because many councils require all the adults attending Cub Day Camp to take youth protection training and people wait until the last minute to take the course.  Try another Day.  As volunteers nationally catch up on training, expect slow response.

Q: Does the executive officer (Institutional Head) of a unit need to take Youth Protection training?
A: If the executive officer is not a registered leader, he or she is not required to complete Youth Protection training, although it is strongly recommended. If the executive officer is registered as an adult leader, then he or she must complete Youth Protection training.

Q: I am a Tiger Cub adult partner and ScoutParent. Do I need to take Youth Protection training?
A: The Tiger Cub adult partner and ScoutParent designations are not registered adult positions; therefore, mandatory Youth Protection training is not required. It is strongly recommended, however, that all adults involved in Scouting take Youth Protection training. All registered adults are required to take Youth Protection training.

Q: I am sure I know all there is to know about youth protection. Can I “test out” by only taking the Youth Protection online quiz?
A: No, you must complete the entire online training in order for your Youth Protection certificate to be valid. This ensures you receive the latest information on BSA Youth Protection.

Q: Are parents who attend weekly meetings, weekend campouts, or summer resident camp required to take Youth Protection training?
A: Only if they are registered leaders. However, it is highly recommended that any adult participating with your unit activities take Youth Protection training. Having them register as adult leaders is also highly
recommended.

Q: What is the deadline to meet the new Youth Protection training standard?
A: All registered leaders should take or renew their Youth Protection training so that it is current as of today. A unit will not be able to recharter without its key registered adults being up-to-date on their Youth Protection training. No individual leader will be able to register without being up-to-date on his or her Youth Protection training.

Q: Why a new training policy on such short notice?
A: Youth safety is the No. 1 concern of the BSA. It is important to implement this training at all levels of the organization. The BSA is always reevaluating and reassessing its policies to ensure the safest youth program and the best training is being offered. The BSA’s Youth Protection training has been in existence long enough for it to be understood and accepted as a mandated training for all registered BSA adult leaders.

Q: The new policy indicates that a Youth Protection certificate of completion must be submitted “at the time of application.” What does that mean?
A: A BSA application should only be collected from a prospective leader after they have fully completed the form, attached a copy of their Youth Protection certificate of completion, and submitted that to the Council Service Center.

Q: Do leaders need to wait until they have final clearance on the background check to meet with youth?
A: No. As long as their application is fully completed, approved, and submitted to the Council Service Center, their fee is paid, and Youth Protection training certificate is attached, they will be able to interact with youth while the Criminal Background Check (CBC) is still pending.

Q: If a unit’s leaders’ Youth Protection training is not current, should we not register any new youth to their units until they do so, or will those who are not current be dealt with through the recharter process?
A: This policy does not affect youth registrations. However, if a unit’s leadership has not complied with the new Youth Protection standard by the next rechartering period, the unit will NOT be able to complete its registration.

Q: Will the system be able to handle the overload of people taking training at the last minute?
A: The system platform that houses E-Learning is expected to be able to handle the high volume.

Q: Will the new adult applications have this information?
A: Yes. All new applications will reflect these changes.

Q: When does the change go into effect?
A: As of June 1, 2010, all registered adult volunteers must complete Youth Protection training prior to beginning their volunteer service.

Q: Do merit badge counselors need to take Youth Protection training?
A: Yes. A merit badge counselor is a registered volunteer position.

Q: If a person is not a registered leader, how can he or she log in and take the Youth Protection training?
A: A person does not have to be a registered volunteer to take Youth Protection training. To take the training, log into myscouting.org and create an account. From the myscouting.org portal, click on E-training and take Youth Protection. Upon completion, print a certificate and submit with a new application or submit to the unit leader for processing at the local council.

Q: Can units that have some adults that have not completed Youth Protection training be rechartered?
A: In order for a unit to be rechartered, it must have all the required positions filled with Youth Protection trained adults. Adults who have not completed Youth Protection training will not be reregistered.

Q: Is there a grace period to get all adults trained?
A: No. If a leader’s Youth Protection training is not current, the volunteer must take or renew their training immediately. Every effort should be taken so that all adults involved in Scouting have a current
certificate of completion of the Youth Protection training.

Q: Does all volunteers mean all volunteers—even board members and council presidents?
A: Yes. The goal is to have all registered volunteers Youth Protection-trained. This is an important statement for us as an organization and shows our commitment to the well-being of our youth members.

Q:  How do I use myscouting.org to do my training?
A: Navigating to the Online Youth Protection Training

In order to take BSA's online Youth Protection Training, you need a MyScouting account.  THIS IS NOT THE SAME AS BEING REGISTERED AS A MEMBER OF THE BSA.  They are two separate things.  The MyScouting account gives you access to online training and other features of the MyScouting portal.  Some of those features may require a BSA Member ID number, which you get when you complete an application form and submit it to Council to become a registered member of the BSA.

You can take register in MyScouting and take the Youth Protection Training even if you are not yet a registered member of the BSA.

1.  Go to www.myscouting.org.
2.  Under "New to MyScouting?", click on the "Create an Account" button.
3.  Work through the registration pages.  Select a username, tell the system
whether you ARE currently registered as a member of BSA ("I am a Member") or are NOT currently registered as a member of BSA ("I am not a Member"), enter your address information, type out the letters/numbers in the little image box, and then check your email (including the spam/junk folders, if it doesn't appear in
your Inbox) for the link that creates your account.
4.  Once you have your MyScouting account set up, take the Youth Protection Training.

To take the Youth Protection Training, browse to www.myscouting.org.
1.  Sign in.
2.  At the MyScouting homepage, select E-Learning from the left sidebar.
3.  Click on the "General" tab.  Under "Basic Training," find "Youth Protection Training."  Click on the "Take Course" link. (Venturing Leaders your youth protection training is under the Venturing tab.)
4.  When finished, print out the course completion certificate.  If you are new and registering as an adult leader in the BSA, affix the certificate to your adult leader application.  If you are an existing registered BSA member, your training will automatically be recorded at your council as long as you have your membership number in your MyScouting profile.

When you're done with Youth Protection Training, check out what other online training that is available in the E-Learning section of MyScouting.org you can take this additional training at any time.

Q:  I am having problems with myscouting and I don’t see an answer here.
A:  A Frequently Asked Questions page that answers myscouting specific questions is here:
https://documents.scouting.org/MyScouting/MyScoutingFAQ.htm