Training

Youth Protection

Scouting America Youth Protection Mission Statement

True youth protection can be achieved only through the focused commitment of everyone in Scouting. It is the mission of Youth Protection volunteers and professionals to work within Scouting America to maintain a culture of Youth Protection awareness and safety at the national, territory, council, district, and unit levels. 

Leadership Selection

Scouting America takes great pride in the quality of our adult leadership. Being a leader in Scouting America is a privilege, not a right. The quality of the program and the safety of our youth members call for high-quality adult leaders.

The adult application requests background information that should be checked by the unit committee or the chartered organization before accepting an applicant for unit leadership. While no current screening techniques exist that can identify every potential child abuser, we can reduce the risk of accepting a child abuser by learning all we can about an applicant for a leadership position—his or her experience with children, why he or she wants to be a Scout leader, and what discipline techniques he or she would use.

Scouting America has a multilayered adult leader selection process that includes criminal background checks administered by a nationally recognized third party and other screening efforts. Click here for information on the selection process.

Required Training

• • Safeguarding Youth training is required for all Scouting America registered volunteers and is a joining requirement.
  • Safeguarding Youth training must be taken every year. If a volunteer’s Safeguarding Youth training is not current at the time of annual registration renewal, the volunteer will not be re-registered.
  • Click below to take the training in English or Spanish
    
     

    English Language Version

    Spanish Language Version

 You do not have to be a registered member of Scouting America to take Youth Protection training.

To take the training, go to My.Scouting.org and create an account. You’ll receive an email notification with your account information, including a member ID/reference number.

From the My.Scouting.org portal, you can launch the Safeguarding Training from the home page. Upon completion, you may print a training certificate to submit with a volunteer application, or wait for an email with your certificate to be sent to your email address. Your training will automatically be updated in our system and associated with the member ID/reference number issued when you created the account.

When your volunteer application is approved, you will receive a Scouting America membership card that includes your member ID number.

Scouting America places the greatest importance on creating the most secure environment possible for our youth members. To maintain such an environment, Scouting America developed numerous procedural and leadership selection policies and provides parents and leaders with resources for the Cub Scout, Scouts BSA, and Venturing programs.

EVERY VOLUNTEER.  TRAINED TO POSITION.

Every Scout deserves a trained leader. Beginning with rechartering in 2023, Mecklenburg County Council requires all volunteer leaders to be fully trained in their registered position. Volunteer leaders not trained to their position will not recharter with their units. Every registered adult within Mecklenburg County Council must be currently certified in BSA Youth Protection training before participating in any unit, district or council events.

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