Roster and recharter changes 

 Completed

It's not a big deal, but I know it really confuses a unit when they see a letter other than a "Y" or a "N" under the Boys Life column on rosters and recharters. Right now there are often "I" under that column. I'm not sure what the "I" means, but doesn't it make sense just to either have a "Y" or an "N" for "Yes" and "No" and not have any other letters?

The "Stat" column. I'm sure that means something to some people, but is it necessary? If it is, what do the codes mean?

There were a few other posts that talk about this, but adding an e-mail address on the roster for the adults if we have one on file.

What about adding the name or names of parents underneath the name of each boy? I do know sometimes I need to get in touch with a parent or perhaps want to recruit a parent to serve as a district volunteer, but if it is akward if I don't have a parent's name. I know you can find them if you look up each boy individuall or do a membership registrant print selection in ScoutNet. Something like "son of xxxxxxxxx" could appear under the name of each boy. This also will help because sometimes a parent's last name is different than the child's.

Is have the rank of the boy important to have on the roster? I've always been told to ignore the rank on the roster because the advancement system doesn't always talk to the membership system. If I really want an advancement report to know what ranks boys are, I would create a detailed advancement report.

Outdoor Leader Training 

 In Progress

I've had lots of leaders suggest that an updated version of the Introduction to Outdoor Leader Training be created. They have lots of ideas on how to improve it and add to it. Perhaps even an advanced outdoor leader training could be created. I do know there are lots of individual courses such as Climb on Safety and others have been created that deal with specific areas, but perhaps something could be created that incorperates GPS usage, basic survival, and other advanced programs. I even have a troop that has developed a very successful six stage survival program that starts very basic and the fifth and sixth steps are very diffucult. I can't speak for all leaders, but I know my leaders in my district want more out of outdoor leader training.

Where to go camping guide 

 In Progress

I am the new staff advisor for the Order of the Arrow and I thought of this idea. What if we were to create a national online "Where to go camping guide." It could be such that a person could click on a particular state and see the different camping facilities, both public and private that are available in that particular state. It could almost be like a Google map with camping facilities pointed out. The ones that are public would be easy to include. Those that are private might include some information like the owners contact information. I have a land owner near my community that is making his property available to any Scout group that wants it, he just needs a phone call to make sure someone else isn't using the property. Those that are private, but not willing to be made available to everyone you wouldn't include. There could be a filter function that would allow you to filter by state, type of ammenities available (water, sewer, showers, primative, boating, swimming, sking, rappeling, climbing, backpacking, etc.), BSA property, state park, and other such filters. There could also be the opportunity for those who attend those camps to give a reivew of them. Similar to other pages on the internet like when you stay at a hotel or purchase something online. It could also include photos of the properities. This could be maintained like they do with sites like Wikepedia where the users are the ones who help maintain the site. This would be a large undertaking by the National Office to do something like this, but if you had users update it, it wouldn't be nearly as time consuming. It would be a great way for our Packs, Troops, and Crews to find new places to camp throughout the country.

Group Cub Scouts and Webelos by Grade 

 In Progress

I've gotten this suggestion from several volunteers and I agree with it myself. On the unit rosters and on the internet rechartering, it would be great if the youth in Cub Scouts could be grouped by grade and then by last name. I understand that you might have some kids, that becuase of their rank, would be different, but to make it easier to search for a boy, it would be great if they could group them in this order: Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, and Webelos Scouts. Then within each of those, group them by grade and then by last name. It's not a big deal when you only have 3-4 boys in a particular grade, but when you get to 10-20 boys in a grade and the names spill over onto a second page, it makes it a little confusing to find them quickly.

Audio, Visual, Document, etc. - Site License 

 In Progress

I've seen a lot of suggestions on this site about having a Boy Scout You Tube channel and putting the audio/visuals online.

The challenge I see in doing this is that it costs the National Office who knows how much to put together every PSA, training DVD, and anything else that is produced. If everything is made available online, then how can the National Office recoup the costs associated with producing the material to begin with.

Well, here is my suggestion:
There could be a site, perhaps through MyScouting where not only the PSA's and training videos could be placed, but perhaps many of the items the National Office produces. Perhaps the leader manuals, training syllabi, District/Council Manuals, image library, radio/audio materials, brochures, flyers, etc. could all be put online. Then, for a fee payable each year, each council would then get access to that site. That site could also be made available to units as well for a site license fee.

Then, depending on the media and how it is to be used, the videos, images, audio, etc. could be burned to a CD or a DVD and used as it was intended.

By doing this, the councils, districts, and units would have access to the most current information. If you have to change a requirement or update something, you can just change it online rather than having to print out thousands of DVDs or thousands of new leader books.

The downside to doing this, however, would be that if enough people were to use it, it may make printing up hard copies of the materials more expensive.

I'm open to suggestions or ideas.

Adult Application - Suggested Changes 

 In Progress

Here are a couple of suggested changes to the adult application. If others have additional suggestions, post a comment.

The place for the e-mail is not longer enough. Many people have e-mail addresses that are longer than the space currently available, particularly after the @ symbol.

It would also be nice if there was space for multiple e-mail addresses.

The right-hand column is often missed when filling out the application. Would it be possible to move that from the right side to either the left side or perhaps just below their personal information and just above their signature.

Change Leader Positions During the Year 

 In Progress

We all have leaders that change position during the year within a unit, particularly those that go from being a Tiger Den Leader to a Wolf Den Leader or a Bear Den Leader to a Webelos Den Leader or any other host of combinations in Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturing. Right now the only way to change a leader's position is wait to do it at recharter time or have them fill out a new adult application.

I understand and completely support the fact that the Committee Chair and the Chartered Organization Representative as well as the Scout Executive or Designee need to sign off on that change. Is there a possibility of developing some sort of one page form that would allow a unit to change a leader's position mid-year without having to go through all the paperwork of filling out a new adult application? The appropriate signatures could still be on it as needed, but the form could be very simple and allow these sort of changes within a single unit.

My suggestion would only be applicable if a leader was changing positions within a single unit. If they were transferring to another unit, I could understand the need for a new adult application.

By doing this, the right leaders would receive the right information. As an example, when getting ready for the Webelos to Scout transition process, my Scoutmasters want to know who the 1st and 2nd year Webelos Leaders are. Unless they fill out a new adult application or wait till recharter, I won't know for sure who the Webelos I den leader is.

Unit Trained and Untrained Leader Status in MyBSA 

It would be wonderful if we would be able to look up a specific unit and see what leaders and trained and what leaders are untrained in a specific unit through MyBSA. It would also be nice to see what specific courses they've had and what one's they need. If it lists a course they've had there should be a date next to it as well saying when they took the course.

Right now you can look up an entire districts training statistics or look up a certain position and see who is trained and untrained, but no way to look up an entire unit.

I would like to easily print off easy-to-read reports to share with my units of which of their Top Leaders, Direct Contact Leaders, etc. have taken which trainings.