IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM NATIONAL BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA!
General Change:
Please take a moment to watch this very important 12 minute video in relation to this new policy:
https://vimeo.com/259172648/8e448a2e5a
Over the decades, the Boy Scouts of America has been a leader in developing training and policies designed to keep young people safe. Over time, these policies have become standard with organizations across the nation. Now, the Boy Scouts of America is releasing fully updated training to further strengthen our ability to protect youth.
These changes include:
- Updated Youth Protection Training, including insights from experts and survivors and the latest strategies for recognizing and preventing major forms of abuse. This is the designated Youth Protection Training for all adults. All volunteers must take the new training by October 1, 2018, no matter when they took the previous training.
- An expanded ScoutsFirst Helpline to aid volunteers and families in addressing potentially dangerous situations.
- Unlimited counseling and support for healing to anyone who has ever been abused in Scouting.
- Youth Protection Training for youth members available in 2019.
In addition to updated training, we recently announced new policies to ensure compliance with mandatory training requirements, including:
- As of January 1, 2018, no new leader can be registered without first completing youth protection training.
- As of January 1, 2018, no council, regional, or national leader will be allowed to renew their registration if they are not current on their Youth Protection Training.
- As of September 1, 2017, no unit may re-charter without all leaders being current on their Youth Protection Training. Registrars no longer have the ability to approve charters without full compliance.
- Effective June 1, 2018, adults accompanying a Scouting unit who are present at the activity for 72 total hours or more must be registered as a leader, including completion of a criminal background check and Youth Protection Training. The 72 hours need not be consecutive.
We realize the Oct 1 training deadline will be a challenge for some – but the safety of our children is too important to delay.
Thank you for your work in sharing the message of safety in Scouting. You make difference every day, in ways you may never know. Truly, Youth Protection Begins with You.
Sincerely,
Michael Johnson
Director, Youth Protection
Please go to https://my.scouting.org/ to complete this training before October 1st, 2018.
Group Training:
Exciting news!
With the introduction of the New Youth Protection, a recurring question has been “Will there be access to large group trainings like there used to be?” Now the answer is YES!
A group leader can reach out to James Madison, Winnebago Council Scout Executive, to gather the necessary materials. Requests for materials can be sent to [email protected].
When group trainings are conducted, please remember to receive credit for the training, ALL members must be logged on the Training Attendance Report and the course material must be completed thoroughly. A simple gauge of understanding is not enough to earn credit for Youth Protection Training.
