Scoutreach
by John Anderson
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Three levels of recognition
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The purpose of the Scoutreach program is to ensure that all young people have an opportunity to join Scouting regardless of their circumstances, neighborhood, or ethnic background. The specific target population of this proposal is to take the Scouting program to those youth residents, ages six to eighteen, of local housing projects. Our goal is to provide a mentoring program using the Scouting program to youth residents in the targeted housing projects. Community leaders have stated that these students need the character building, citizenship training and personal fitness that are the aims of the Boy Scout program.
The concern of the local housing community leaders is to give their children an opportunity to be successful, and they feel that Scouting can provide a program to prepare their children for the future.
The role of the Westmoreland Fayette Council is to provide the Program Coordinator, program resources and the support of the National Office of the Boy Scouts of America provide literature, audiovisuals, and training workshops.
The weekly programs are conducted at each community center. The staff to operate the Scouting units is the program coordinator, the housing leadership, and parents. We started Scoutreach operation in 2002. The program is a yearlong program, with weekly den and troop meetings being held. A cooperative effort can take place to accomplish our mission that all of the children will have an opportunity to participate.
The program coordinator has developed lesson plans for the weekly meeting and uses existing Scout program helps and developed new twists aimed at the disadvantaged youth being served by the program. The other partners have shared their resources and they have been used for the program. Social issues that have been addressed are: Crime Prevention, Leadership, Teamwork, Conflict resolution, and Violence prevention. Citizenship has been taught through Community Service projects, which include neighborhood beautification.
At a recent executive committee meeting, Wagion Lodge #6 learned about the Scoutreach program. Lodge members are being asked to consider assisting with the Scoutreach program in their communities by offering their expertise in a Scout craft skill that can be taught to Scouts in a Scoutreach troop or pack. If you are interested in helping a Scoutreach unit, contact Ray Tennent, Council Field Director at the Council Service Center, 724-837-1630, or your District Executive.
