Designing A Church-Based Replacement For Scouting -- Thinking Outside The Box

[reubendunn]

I lived in the United Kingdom for over 18 years, and have raised my two children there.

 

There is no scouting program in the Church there, at least in the Stake where I lived. The interest just wasn't there.

 

IMO, this is more of an American/Utah thing. I put Utah in the mix as it appears that the majority of the LDS Scouting program is centered in Utah.

 

There was no "special" or any newly modified programs that replaced Scouting.

 

As Young Men President for our ward in Coventry, my weekly Wednesday night Young Men meetings were a mixture of either service activities, activities in general, e.g., sports or other gaming activities, or some training on the priesthood. I was in a good position as all but two of the young men were newly ordained Deacons by the time I was called.

 

Scouting does have a place I suppose. However, the concept that the LDS youth will spiral into the abyss because the Church may walk away from the BSA just won't happen.

 

Half of the YM in the Church do not have a Scouting program. They are still active. Still serve missions, and are as strong a lot as the faithful YM who was in the Scouting program.

 

 

[Senator]

I lived in the United Kingdom for over 18 years, and have raised my two children there.

 

There is no scouting program in the Church there, at least in the Stake where I lived. The interest just wasn't there.

 

IMO, this is more of an American/Utah thing. I put Utah in the mix as it appears that the majority of the LDS Scouting program is centered in Utah.

 

There was no "special" or any newly modified programs that replaced Scouting.

 

As Young Men President for our ward in Coventry, my weekly Wednesday night Young Men meetings were a mixture of either service activities, activities in general, e.g., sports or other gaming activities, or some training on the priesthood. I was in a good position as all but two of the young men were newly ordained Deacons by the time I was called.

 

Scouting does have a place I suppose. However, the concept that the LDS youth will spiral into the abyss because the Church may walk away from the BSA just won't happen.

 

Half of the YM in the Church do not have a Scouting program. They are still active. Still serve missions, and are as strong a lot as the faithful YM who was in the Scouting program.

Bravo!! Edited August 8, 2015 by Senator

[Scott Lloyd]

I lived in the United Kingdom for over 18 years, and have raised my two children there.

There is no scouting program in the Church there, at least in the Stake where I lived. The interest just wasn't there.

IMO, this is more of an American/Utah thing. I put Utah in the mix as it appears that the majority of the LDS Scouting program is centered in Utah.

There was no "special" or any newly modified programs that replaced Scouting.

As Young Men President for our ward in Coventry, my weekly Wednesday night Young Men meetings were a mixture of either service activities, activities in general, e.g., sports or other gaming activities, or some training on the priesthood. I was in a good position as all but two of the young men were newly ordained Deacons by the time I was called.

Scouting does have a place I suppose. However, the concept that the LDS youth will spiral into the abyss because the Church may walk away from the BSA just won't happen.

Half of the YM in the Church do not have a Scouting program. They are still active. Still serve missions, and are as strong a lot as the faithful YM who was in the Scouting program.

What you describe here sounds like scarcely anything other than a stripped down version of Scouting as presently practiced in the U.S.

Maybe that's all that's needed; I don't claim to have the answer.

I'm just saying that perhaps, if we are to be freed from the confines of an expensive, administratively top-heavy, increasingly secular association, now is a good time to try to design something new, relevant, effective and efficient, applying to the task our best thinking, vision, creativity and experience gained over the past hundred years.

There are some wards where all they have for Young Men on Mutual night is basketball week after week. If that's all we are left with once the Church disengages from Scouting, it would be a shame indeed.

I think we can figure out something that emulates the good from a program that has had much to commend it but has become way too expensive and unwieldy and ultimately too vulnerable to societal trends and forces that clash with our values.

Edited August 10, 2015 by Scott Lloyd

[TJane]

I've not read the whole thread, but my thought was for them to take the personal progress program they have for the YW, change and gender specific wording, print it in a blue cover and let the YM do activities in all the areas the YW do. After all, young men could use developing in Faith, Devine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue as much as the YW.

I suppose they wouldn't want a medallion necklace at the end, but I'm sure we could think of something.

[Calm]

A tie pin perhaps....

[Scott Lloyd]

I've not read the whole thread, but my thought was for them to take the personal progress program they have for the YW, change and gender specific wording, print it in a blue cover and let the YM do activities in all the areas the YW do. After all, young men could use developing in Faith, Devine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue as much as the YW.

I suppose they wouldn't want a medallion necklace at the end, but I'm sure we could think of something.

The current counterpart for Young Men to Personal Progress is the Duty to God program. I believe some are thinking that what will replace Scouting in the Church is some sort of modification if not expansion of Duty to God.

Perhaps there could be some integration of Personal Progress and Duty to God.

[Stone holm]

I've not read the whole thread, but my thought was for them to take the personal progress program they have for the YW, change and gender specific wording, print it in a blue cover and let the YM do activities in all the areas the YW do. After all, young men could use developing in Faith, Devine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue as much as the YW.

I suppose they wouldn't want a medallion necklace at the end, but I'm sure we could think of something.

 

Yeah, I suspect something like that will happen, we will downgrade the activities of the boys to that of the activity program for the girls, rather than raising the activity program for the girls up to that of the boys.  This reminds me of the struggles we had and still have in the public school systems to get the athletic programs for the girls up to the same resource commitment as the athletic programs for the boys.  At some point we need to get past this gender discrimination.

[toon]

I think one thing that may be difficult to duplicate is the missionary aspect of the program itself.  In some areas, the LDS Scouting program is an attractive option for nonmembers who wanted to participate in scouts.  While nonmembers recognized the distinctive LDS religious component of the program, at least portions of the program retained a sufficient nonsectarian appeal that they felt comfortable letting their kids participate.  Growing up, I we had I believe 5 nonmember kids regularly participate in our program.  Two eventually joined the Church and served missions.  And I'm still in touch with two of the others.  While they never joined the Church, they both have very positive opinions and feelings about it.

 

While I've long though the CHurch's scouting program had its flaws, one being that it wasn't a good fit for all members as not everyone wants to be in scouts, the missionary potential of the program itself and its attraction to even nonmembers is one thing I suspect would be difficult to maintain.

[Scott Lloyd]

I think one thing that may be difficult to duplicate is the missionary aspect of the program itself.  In some areas, the LDS Scouting program is an attractive option for nonmembers who wanted to participate in scouts.  While nonmembers recognized the distinctive LDS religious component of the program, at least portions of the program retained a sufficient nonsectarian appeal that they felt comfortable letting their kids participate.  Growing up, I we had I believe 5 nonmember kids regularly participate in our program.  Two eventually joined the Church and served missions.  And I'm still in touch with two of the others.  While they never joined the Church, they both have very positive opinions and feelings about it.

 

While I've long though the CHurch's scouting program had its flaws, one being that it wasn't a good fit for all members as not everyone wants to be in scouts, the missionary potential of the program itself and its attraction to even nonmembers is one thing I suspect would be difficult to maintain.

This is a very important point.

 

Could and should a replacement program be kept non-ecclesiastical (for want of a better term) enough that non-members might be attracted to it? Would they want to join an LDS-sponsored program that was not affiliated with a national association of the stature and reputation of BSA?

 

That would be just one of a number of goals, considerations and priorities that need to be kept in mind going forward.

 

Time will tell, I suppose.

[KevinG]

I just returned from a week long conference with the Boy Scouts Order of the Arrow membership.  15,000 Scouts representing the country and ex-patriots were there, and we heard from our Chief Scout Executives, National Youth Leadership, and others.

 

I was struck once again at how well the BSA values, oath and law, align with the teachings of the restored gospel and the values we want our Priesthood to exhibit.  There is incredible value of exposing our youth to those of other beliefs, who share common principles of Duty, Faith, Cheerful Service, Loyalty, etc.   

 

If we decide as an organization to insulate ourselves from some of the influences we prefer didn't exist, we would lose a large voice of influence we have on the world, and a huge opportunity for our youth to learn the value of honoring their own beliefs while relating positively with others who are different.

 

The best comment I've read on this subject was on a blog where someone commented.  The only thing I'm interested in knowing about another Scouter is that they are openly Scout.

[toon]

This is a very important point.

 

Could and should a replacement program be kept non-ecclesiastical (for want of a better term) enough that non-members might be attracted to it? Would they want to join an LDS-sponsored program that was not affiliated with a national association of the stature and reputation of BSA?

 

That would be just one of a number of goals, considerations and priorities that need to be kept in mind going forward.

 

Time will tell, I suppose.

 

I don't think it could be kept nonecclesiasti to anywhere near the same degree as a BSA program.  The BSA name itself was largely the attraction.

 

To answer your initial question, here are some things I'd like to see in a program:

 

1.  Overnight activities, once every couple months.  Could be camping, hiking, etc., but doesn't have to be.  It's in these activities where youth bond with each other and with their leaders.  There is so much learning and growth that is hard to quantify.  I'd add that some of the most spiritual experieces I had as a youth were when sitting around a campfire with the bishop and other priesthood leaders and parents.

 

2  A significant service component. A significant group service project, on at least a quarterly basis.  (Could be combined with an overnight activity.)  In addition, each youth would also be asked to develop, coordinate, and lead his own service project at age 16 or 17, something similar to an Eagle Scout project.

 

3.  On a quarterly basis, youth would choose a subject or topic and plan activites and lessons around it.  Thes ecould even be topics assigned by the Church, or the Church could have some required topics and then a list of optional ones, but it would still be up to the ward to decide how they're going to approach the topic.  This would be in lieu of merit badges, but the topics that could be chose would be similar. The idea would be a three-month somewhat in depth approach to the topic.  For example, if the topic were auto mechanics and maintenance, certain activities and lessons would be geared toward that.  Some of the focus could even be on home economics like topics, like cooking, personal finances and budgeting, handywork, etc.  Others could focus on recreational ones, like climbing, cycling, etc.  (This woujld be contrasted with merit badge fairs, where youth attend with the goal of "earning" as many merit badges in as little time possible, all the while learning very little that they will ever retain -- a complete waste of time in my opinion.)

 

4.  Each youth would, after consultation with leaders, pick an annual topic or project and develop a plan on how to become proficient during that year.  The leaders would then help the youth meet with ward members, professionals and others that could help guide him to achieving the goal.  At the end of the year, there would be a presentation cerermony, where each youth would present his projecet and what he learned to the other youth and parents.  This would be an individual project for each youth, but others could also participate or combine if they wanted.  And the key is that while the youth would be responsible for developing the plan, he would get lots of guidance and assistance from the adult leaders.

 

That would be my idea for the more secular side, and then combine that with the current Duty to God program.

Edited August 10, 2015 by toon

[Scott Lloyd]

I just returned from a week long conference with the Boy Scouts Order of the Arrow membership.  15,000 Scouts representing the country and ex-patriots were there, and we heard from our Chief Scout Executives, National Youth Leadership, and others.

 

I was struck once again at how well the BSA values, oath and law, align with the teachings of the restored gospel and the values we want our Priesthood to exhibit.  There is incredible value of exposing our youth to those of other beliefs, who share common principles of Duty, Faith, Cheerful Service, Loyalty, etc.   

 

If we decide as an organization to insulate ourselves from some of the influences we prefer didn't exist, we would lose a large voice of influence we have on the world, and a huge opportunity for our youth to learn the value of honoring their own beliefs while relating positively with others who are different.

 

The best comment I've read on this subject was on a blog where someone commented.  The only thing I'm interested in knowing about another Scouter is that they are openly Scout.

I will here reiterate that the Scouting movement has had much to commend it over the past century.

 

In a personal vein, one of the most memorable and formative experiences of my youth was when I was a patrol leader in our Scout troop. We had a very cohesive patrol, and our adult leaders were wise enough to give us a degree of autonomy that made for a very beneficial experience. I can't recall a time before or since when I was more energized about an endeavor, and whatever I possess today in the way of leadership skills was honed and developed back then at the ages of 13 and 14. It took me out of my natural shyness and brought forth assertiveness and social skills that I don't think I or anyone associated with me realized that I had.

 

I look back on that period with great fondness.

[The Nehor]

I think they should just play basketball once a week.

[KevinG]

I think they should just play basketball once a week.

 

That program is already in place for the older young men.  We would improve mission preparation by leaps and bounds if we replaced the basketball hoops in the cultural halls with a tool shed and an expanded kitchen.