Community Service Project Policy

Boy Scouts of America (BSA), Troop 93, Brentwood, Tennessee

Community Service Project Policy

(Current as of July 2015)

 

A fundamental principle of Scouting is service to others.  Troop 93 encourages Scouts to participate in community service projects as well as Eagle Scout Leadership Service Projects.  Scouts are required to participate in service projects for certain scout rank advancements.  The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance with regard to service projects for rank advancement within Second Class, Star, and Life ranks.  An Eagle Scout candidate's Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project requirements are not addressed in this policy.

 

Basic Policy Statement

In order for a Scout to receive credit in scouting for participating in a service project, the service project should be with a tax-exempt, nonprofit, civic, religious or charitable organization, or a governmental body or agency thereof.  Further, the service project must be approved by the Scoutmaster or the Troop Committee's Community Service Project Chair prior to the Scout performing the service.  A Scout can also receive service credit for assisting an Eagle Scout candidate with his Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project. Activities, in which the scout is participating as a member of an organization, club, etc., are not eligible for BSA service hours.  Examples include, but are not limited to, church youth group mission trips, Vacation Bible School programs, school club volunteer activities, etc.  Scouting service projects are those where the scout is participating as a representative of the troop, wearing the Scout uniform, and performing the service, individually or with other scouts, in furtherance of the scouting ideal of service to others. 

 

In all instances in which a Scout is participating in a service project to receive credit in scouting, the official BSA uniform shall be worn.  Depending on the work associated with the service project, the troop's Class B (utility/field) uniform may be worn. 

 

Troop-wide Projects

From time to time, opportunities for service will be presented to the entire troop by the Scoutmaster or the Community Service Project Chair.  Prior to a troop wide service project being presented to the troop, the Scoutmaster or the Community Service Project Chair of the Committee must assess and determine whether to approve the service project.  Upon the conclusion of an approved troop wide service project, the Scoutmaster, Community Project Chair or either of their designees (which should be an adult leader of the Troop) shall promptly provide a report of all Scouts participating in the service project and the hours of service of those Scouts participating, to the Activities Chair of the Committee for entry into the troop's activities database.  The Scout should also record his service in his Scout handbook.

 

Individual or Non Troop-wide Projects

Any Scout or group of Scouts that desires to participate in a service project to receive credit in scouting in which the project is not pre-approved as a troop wide project must obtain prior approval to participate from the Scoutmaster or the Community Service Chair. 

The Scout participating in an approved service project should seek to obtain from the subject organization written confirmation of the hours the Scout participated in the project and a general description of the tasks performed by the Scout on the project.  The Scout must deliver such written report to the Scoutmaster or the Community Service Chair promptly after participating in the service project.   If such a report is not available from the subject organization, the Scout must prepare and provide his own written report to the Scoutmaster or the Community Project Chair promptly after participating in the service project.  Upon receipt of a report, the Scoutmaster or Community Service Project Chair shall review the report, and if deemed acceptable, shall promptly provide the report to the Activities Chair for entry into the troop's activities database.  The Scout should also record his service in his Scout handbook.

 

Scouts Participating in an Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project

Eagle Scout candidates leading their own Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project are expected to register and maintain records of time of service for all Scouts participating in that Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project.  Further, Eagle Scout candidates are expected to provide that information to the Scoutmaster or the Community Project Chair promptly upon completion of the service provided by those Scouts participating in the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project.  It should also be the responsibility of the Scout participating in an Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project to ensure he is registered with the Eagle Scout candidate leading the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project and that the participating Scout's time of service is accurate. 

If a Scout is participating in an Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project of an Eagle Scout candidate in a troop other than Troop 93, the participating Scout is responsible for causing such Eagle Scout candidate to provide information of the participating Scout's participation to the Scoutmaster or the Community Project Chair promptly upon completion of the service provided by that Scout in the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project

Upon receipt of the information regarding a Scout's participation in an Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project, the Scoutmaster or Community Service Project Chair shall promptly provide the information to the Activities Chair for entry into the troop's activities database.  The Scout should also record his service in his Scout handbook.