Volunteer
Thank You for being a volunteer leader for the Boy Scouts of America. Your dedication and enthusiasm is reflected in the everyday achievements of your Scouts.
Becoming a Volunteer
If you are over 18 years old, and are of good character, then here are the steps involved in becoming a volunteer:
Find a Pack, Troop, Crew, or Ship.
Go to https://beascout.scouting.org/ to find one in your area.
If you already have a unit to join, or you don’t want to be involved in one specific unit (like being a merit badge counselor), then you can skip this step.
Complete Youth Protection training
This is required before submitting an Adult Application.
Go to https://www.scouting.org/training/youth-protection/
Adult Application
https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/524-501.pdf — This form is required for all adult volunteers, including merit badge counselors. This form includes consent for a background check. Once you’ve filled out the application, turn it into your unit’s Committee Chair, or your district’s District Executive.
Merit Badge Counselors
If you want to become a merit badge counselor, then there’s an additional form to fill out – https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34405.pdf A merit badge counselor serves as both a teacher and mentor as Scouts work on a merit badge. Steps in Becoming a Merit Badge Counselor!
Every Scout deserves a trained leader.
There are a lot of good resources and events that will help you become a better leader. The first step is to take Position Specific Training. Here is a list of training programs that will benefit you — https://www.scouting.org/training/adult/
The Impact of Volunteers
“What can a single volunteer accomplish? Most of us think about our impact on a small scale, like what we accomplish at a single meeting or on a weekend. But have you ever stopped to think about the cumulative impact of a volunteer’s good deeds?
“I’ve got a den of of nine very cantankerous Wolf Cubs and sometimes I wonder what impact they’re going to have on the world apart from destroying the church basement where we meet. But really, one of them one day may go on to be a Secretary of State like Rex Tillerson.
“The interesting thing about volunteering is that we never really know what’s going to come of our young men and women when they grow up. I did a little homework and some math using real life data from Scouting volunteers I know, and the results just might surprise you.”
– Dr. John A. Hovanesian, Chairman, Orange County BSA
In this video, John Hovanesian, MD, chairman of the board of directors of the Orange County Council Boy Scouts, shows the impact and multiplier effect of a volunteer’s time in the Boy Scouts of America.