scouts with disabilities cherokee district ne georgia council alternate advancement requirements
TRANSCRIPT
Scouts with DisABILITIES
Cherokee DistrictNE Georgia Council
Alternate Advancement Requirements
Perspective
Quality of Lifeof a youth with a disability
The power of belonging
Mission Aims
Character Development – To build self-reliance, self-discipline, self-confidence and self-respect
Citizenship – To foster love of community, country and world, along with a commitment of service to others and an understanding of democratic principles.
Personal Fitness – To develop social, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual fitness and physical health that will stay with a Scout for the rest of his life.
It is the mission of the Boy Scouts of America to serve others by helping to instill values in young people, and in other ways to prepare them to make ethical choices over their lifetime in achieving their full potential. The values we strive to instill are found in the Boy Scout Oath and Law.
Scouting is A Values Based
Program
Rules & Regulations
Clause 20, Article XI, Section 32
Scouting is for all boys……
History
The first Chief Scout Executive, James E. West, had a disability
Scouting has had fully participating members with physical, mental and emotional disabilities since it’s founding in 1910
Advancement
• Self confidence is developed by measuring up to a challenge or a standard
• Peer confidence develops when the same measuring system is used for everyone - when all must meet the same challenge to receive equal recognition
• Confidence in leaders comes about when there is consistency in measuring - when leaders use a single standard of fairness
Building confidence through measurement
On my Honor….
….I will do MY BEST
Expectations
What is a Disability?
• physical or mental
• permanent rather than temporary
• statement by a licensed physician
• statement by an educational administrator
• cannot complete the requirement(s)
What is a Disability?
• Attention Deficit• Autism• Cerebral palsy• Developmental
disability• Down’s syndrome• Emotional disability• Learning disability• Mental retardation• Multiple sclerosis
• Muscular dystrophy• Physical disability• Hearing impairment• Seizures• Speech/language
disorders• Spinal cord injuries• Traumatic brain injury• Visual impairment
Issues
Specialized Troops vs
Mainstreaming
Issues
How we react to a person with disabilities
Issues
Over protective parents
Disinterested parents
Issues
Activities in which
the Scout can not
participate
Issues
Individualized Game Plans
Issues
Encourage Advancemen
t
Resources
ParentsPre-joining Conference
Define abilities/limitationsTransportation
Attend meetingsDiscipline
DietLiving skillsMedication
Emergency procedures
Resources
Professionals
PhysiciansVisiting nurses
EducatorsCounselors
Physical therapistsAgencies
Resources
Older Scouts
Resources
A Scoutmaster’s Guide to Working with Scouts with
DisABILITIES
BSA Publication#33056A
Resources
Scouting for Youth with Physical Disabilities (WW33057B)
Scouting for Youth with Emotional Disabilities (WW32998A)
Scouting for the Learning Disabled (WW33065A)
Scouting for the Hearing Impaired (WW33061A)
Scouting for the Blind and Visually Impaired (WW33063A)
Resources
Handbooks in Braille and on cassette
Closed caption videotapes
Merit badge books on cassetteSpecial Needs Library of Northeast Georgia
Athens-Clarke County Regional LibraryAthens, Georgia
http://clarke.public.lib.ga.us/specialneedslibrary.html
Advancement Guidance
Common Sense
Alternate Requirements
Age
Membership beyond the normal age
Personal Health and Medical Record Form
Determined at unit level
Approved at Council level
Advancement requirements should not be watered down or eliminated for boys with disabilities
The standard for every boy is “Has he done his best?”
Cub Scouts
May be given permission by the Cubmaster and Pack committee to substitute electives for a few of the achievement requirements that are beyond his capabilities.
Cub Scouts
It is best to include the parents in this process of determining substitutions since they are most familiar with their son’s abilities.
Tenderfoot, Second Class,
and First Class Ranks
• written request to Council advancement committee
• explain the suggested alternate requirements in sufficient detail so as to allow the advancement committee to make a decision
• submitted to and approved by the local
council prior to completing alternate requirements.
Tenderfoot, Second Class,
and First Class Ranks
• complete as many of the regular requirements as his ability permits before applying for alternate requirements
• alternate requirements as demanding of effort as the regular requirements
• alternate requirements involving physical activity must be approved by physician
Tenderfoot, Second Class,
and First Class Ranks
• unit leader and board of review must explain that a candidate is expected to do his best in developing himself to the limit of his resources
• decision of the council advancement committee should be recorded and delivered to the Scout and his leader
(NOTE: The substitution of "trip" for "hike" in the footnote to
Second Class requirement 1b does NOT require the procedure listed above. That substitution may be permitted by the unit leaders based on their understanding of the Scout's physical condition. )
Eagle Scout Rank
May be achieved by a Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, or qualified* Venturer who has a physical or mental disability by qualifying for alternate merit badges.
This does not apply to individual requirements for merit badges. Merit badges are awarded only when all requirements are met as stated. *must have achieved the First Class rank as a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout.
Eagle Scout Rank
The candidate must earn as many of the required merit badges as his ability permits before applying for an alternate Eagle Scout merit badge. The candidate must complete as many of the requirements of the required merit badges as his ability permits
Eagle Scout Rank
The Application for Alternate Eagle Scout Merit Badges must be completed prior to qualifying for alternate merit badges.
The alternate merit badges chosen must be of such a nature that they are as demanding of effort as the required merit badges.
Eagle Scout Rank
Eagle Scout Rank
When alternates chosen involve physical activity, they must be approved by the physician.
The unit leader and the board of review must explain that to attain the Eagle Scout rank a candidate is expected to do his best in developing himself to the limit of his resources.
Eagle Scout Rank
The application must be approved by the council committee responsible for advancement, utilizing the expertise of professional persons involved in Scouting for the disabled.
The candidate's application for Eagle must be made on the Eagle Scout Rank Application, with the Application for Alternate Eagle Scout Award Merit Badges attached.
Varsity Scouts
Varsity Scouts follow the same advancement
policies as Boy Scouts
Venturing/Sea Scouting
Alternate requirements for Venturing/Sea Scout
advancement can be determined at the unit
level Charles Holmes & Brad Harris, BSA National
Venturing/Sea Scouting
Can earn Eagle if they earned First
Class in a Boy Scout or Varsity unit
Alternate merit badge requirements used for Boy
Scouts apply
Summary
Scouting is for all boys……