The Scoutreach Division gives special leadership and emphasis to urban and rural Scouting programs. Scoutreach is the BSA's commitment to making sure that all young people have an opportunity to join Scouting, regardless of their circumstances, neighborhood, or ethnic background.
Today, young people are faced with many challenges including fragile families and disintegrating neighborhoods. Scoutreach meets the developmental needs of youth in urban settings as diverse as the Latino neighborhoods of South Central Los Angeles and the housing developments of Washington, D.C. The program also focuses on the U.S. rural population, which constitutes approximately 25 percent of the total U.S. population. Some rural communities are stable and growing, whereas others are characterized by decentralized, low-density populations and/or poverty.
Scouting, by emphasizing ethics and moral values, addresses many of the social concerns of parents and youth in our country. Scouting prepares urban and rural youth to be leaders, to accept responsibility, and to care about principles and causes beyond their own self-interest.
Our biggest asset in urban and rural neighborhoods is a well-defined program based on values, learning by doing, fun, and positive role models.
Cub Scouting. This part of the BSA program is for younger boys. Boys who are in the first grade or are 7 years old are Tiger Cubs; boys in the second and third grades or who are 8 or 9 years old are Cub Scouts; and boys who are in the fourth and fifth grades or are 10 years old are Webelos Scouts. The emphasis is on family-centered activities, group activities, learning, and fun.
Boy Scouting. This part of the BSA program is for boys and young men not yet 18 years old, and who are at least 11 or have completed the fifth grade. Boy Scouts advance through Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, and Life ranks to Eagle Scout. The emphasis is on outdoor activity, learning skills, developing leadership ability, and service.
Venturing. This youth-development program of the BSA is for young men and women who are 14 (and have completed the eighth grade) through 20 years of age. Venturing's purpose is to provide positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults.
Venturing is based on a unique and dynamic relationship between youth, adult leaders, and organizations in their communities. Local community organizations establish a Venturing crew by matching their people and program resources to the interests of young people in the community. The result is a program of exciting and meaningful activities that helps youth pursue their special interests, grow, develop leadership skills, and become good citizens.
To recruit strong adult leaders and to develop solid relationships with chartered organizations in urban and rural communities nationwide to ensure that culturally diverse youth have the opportunity to join the Scouting program.
The Scoutreach Division designs literature, audiovisuals, training workshops, and awards to assist local councils in delivering the Scouting program to youth in urban and rural communities.
Literature and Audiovisuals. A variety of books, pamphlets, and videos are being developed to assist councils in marketing Scoutreach programs.
Training. Professional and volunteer training workshops on how to market and serve urban and rural areas, and on working with foundations and corporations to help fund Scoutreach programs are conducted through the four BSA regions.
Scoutreach Web Site. Introduced to local councils in January 2005, www.scoutreachbsa.org was designed to give both professional and volunteer Scouters, as well as the general public, an up-to-the-minute overview of the latest resources provided by the Scoutreach Division. Resources include current Scoutreach training conferences, the Scoutreach Newsletter, literature and audiovisual resources, and target-marketing success stories.
The Scoutreach Division has secured national letters of endorsement, which prove valuable to unit-serving executives as they call upon organizations to support Scouting.
For a list of Scoutreach endorsements, please contact the Scoutreach Division at 972-580-2449.
The Merits of Marketing (marketing.scouting.org) is a resource for local
councils, developed by the Marketing &
Communications Division of the National Council, Boy Scouts of
America.