Parent vs. Scout Responsibilities

What is a Parent's Role in Scouting?

As a parent, you are a primary role model for your child. Scouting provides a time-tested structure that helps bond parent/child development through group and individual activities, recognition, and advancement. Your child needs your encouragement, guidance, and participation along his or her Scouting path.

Scouting also recognizes that the makeup of a family or who plays a parental role can vary greatly. We are a program for Dad, Mom, Grandparents, Uncles, and any other individual who is active in the boy’s life.

Unlike in Cub Scouts, parents do not assist scouts with advancement or merit badges.  Parents may not sign off on any advancements for their scout, even if they are an adult leader in the troop.

Parents can be involved by attending troop and committee meetings, going on campouts, supervising events, and of course, volunteering.   

Required training for ALL parents

Per BSA regulations, all adults attending scouting events (merit badge classes, campouts, service projects) MUST complete Youth Protection Training every two years.  Additionally, all parents who wish to attend campouts must be a registered adult with the troop. 

Volunteering

New volunteer leaders in Scouting can explore additional training at the BSA’s Online Learning Center (OLC) at www.my.scouting.org. 

The OLC brings together essential volunteer learning in a single package and allows volunteers to take courses at their convenience at home, and to download and print a certificate of completion. It also keeps a personal training history for each volunteer, showing courses completed, started, and unfinished courses.

Want to Volunteer? Just Ask!

We cannot run our troop without adult leaders.  There are many volunteer positions in Scouting that parents can help fill, working directly with Scouts or in support roles to the unit. Here’s a partial list:

Activity Leader, Assistant Scoutmaster, Advancement Committee, Board of Review Member, Fundraising Coordinator, Medical Officer,  Merit Badge Counselor, Patrol Advisor, Summer Camp Coordinator,  Training Coordinator, Unit Webmaster 

Scout Responsibilities

Scouts are responsible for their pathway in scouting.  While adult leaders, along with parents, will help guide newer scouts, the expectation is that the scouts are responsible for the following:

• Bringing their scout books to meetings and asking adult leaders to sign off on advancement requirements

• Serving in patrol and troop leadership positions during the school year, at summer camp, and on campouts

• Planning meals (budgeting, shopping, assigning roles) for car campouts and participating in preparation and cleaning at the campsite

• Packing their own gear for campouts and summer camp

• Setting up their own tents and equipment on campouts

• Signing up for, attending, and completing merit badge classes;  submitting blue cards to the advancement chair upon completion

• Asking adults to serve on their board of review team when they complete rank requirements and scheduling a scoutmaster conference

• Selecting and planning events:  service projects, merit badge offerings, camping locations, etc.