Interim Build an Adventure recruitment marketing materials are now available for early-adopter councils to help welcome girls into Cub Scouting this spring. To supplement the Build an Adventure campaign you already use to recruit boys, new materials are being developed that carry a similar look & feel. They are available now at:
https://scouting.webdamdb.com/bp/#/folder/3482216/. Please note, these are interim materials. A new recruitment campaign is in development for broad use by all councils this fall, which will be available in May. Please also note, additional materials will be added over the next few weeks that will highlight a broad range of ethnicities. Additional materials will become available as they are developed.
Scouts BSA Program Launch in February 2019
Q: If a chartered organization is not able to establish a new unit based on the required number of same-gender youth needed, can boy patrols and girl patrols be combined to form a troop? No. A new unit must be started using the current youth and adult requirements; however, chartered organizations can consider the linked troop model so that the newly-established girl troop will have the same COR and can share the troop committee.
Q: Can a boy troop and girl troop meet as one big troop? Opening and closing of the meetings can be together or separate, depending on space and desire of the chartered organization and unit leadership. The other components of the Scout meeting should be run separately.
Q: Can boy and girl patrols make up a troop?
No. Troops must be all male or all female youth members.
Q: Must the leaders of a boy troop be men and all the leaders of the girl troop be women? No. Adult leadership may be men, women, or both men and women together. All youth protection guidelines are to be in use no matter the make-up of the adult leadership.
Q: Can a boy troop and girl troop plan events together? Yes, they can plan events together, as troops currently do.
Q: Can courts of honor be held jointly? Yes, courts of honor can be held jointly if the chartered organization chooses.
Q: Can a council and district run camporees for boy troops and girl troops? Yes, a council and district can run council and district events for both boy troops and girl troops if they are following the Guide to Safe Scouting and all current youth protection guidelines.
Q: Will all current Boy Scout troops be required to offer a program for girls? Chartered organizations can decide which programs best serve the needs of their community, which means that the chartered organization can continue to offer Scouting for boys, or they may choose to add a unit for older girls.