Reply to Scoutmaster of Scouts BSA Troop 248 for Girls Answers your Questions

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[quote=Anonymous]Dear OP,

One thing I never do is compare Scouts BSA Troops for Girls to Girl Scouts Troops.  I don’t know much about their program, but am happy there are so many Girls Scouts Troops available to serve young people in our city.  It think it is great that girls have so many options to choose from, be it sports, culture or scouting organizations.    It just strikes me that these are two entirely different organizations with different approaches to serving girls.  I have never sensed that our Troop is in any way competitive with Girl Scouts – and that is what our girl members tell us.

The outdoor capabilities of the BSA and its Troops for Girls are quite advanced in terms of facilities, planned activities and personnel (volunteer and professional) and have been for over 100 years.  This is because the BSA has chosen the outdoors as its principal classroom to teach decision making and other life skills.  We do things indoors when we have to (meetings during the winter, etc.), but almost always default to going outdoors to conduct instruction of any type.  We don’t do a lot of indoor tours of places, leaving this to the individual Scout when she is earning a merit badge (following around a dentist, judge or engineer on the job are examples).

There are a lot of outdoor-oriented women and men who really enjoy showing our Scouts how they can confidently master things in the wilderness.  When a girl can feel confident there, she is not going to put up with bad treatment at school or elsewhere.  Our Scouts just attract these people from among our participating families and elsewhere.  And, the monthly pattern of outdoor events adds a regularity to our activity that allows these folks to pick two or three outings over the year to participate in – so we don’t wear people out.  Finally, after a volunteer is trained, the BSA is confident in their capabilities and lets them use their judgement as they go about organizing trips.  The exceptions are the appropriately strict youth protection regulations put in place in the late 80s and essential life safety practices around aquatics and other highest-risk activities – these must be followed strictly.

I hope that you can return to youth services activity in the future and bring your experience and ambitions to continue upgrading the prospects of the girls who live in our area.     
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