Jump to content

Menu

Anyone with girls starting Cub Scouts?


City Mouse
 Share

Recommended Posts

I am interested to learn about any experiences so far. I do not have any little girls, but come from a long time scouting family, and I am curious. Our BSA council posted some pictures on Facebook of the first pack in our councils to have a den of girls.

 

The pack in a our town is planning to start the girl den(s) in the fall. The committee chair isn't happy about it, but there is at least one family that will push the issue, so there will be at least 1 girl den.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, each Pack can decide if they will accept girls. For example. you'd be hard-pressed to find an LDS Pack that would. It's up to the Chartering Organization. It's going to be hard for those Packs as they will have to find female leadership. And maybe in a bigger town it will work, but how are you going to have a den of mixed Tigers and Webelos????

 

Just curious, but why would an LDS pack not take girls?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My good friend's daughter started a Den with (just) girls, including her daughter.  They live in Seattle and I think are one of the first in the nation. MGF's daughter's daughter is also a Girl Scout. She didn't want to give that up! lol She's really a cute, smart, fun little girl, and, while I'm not totally sure how I feel about the whole thing, I can't help but wish all those little girls the very best. 

Edited by Chris in VA
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, each Pack can decide if they will accept girls. For example. you'd be hard-pressed to find an LDS Pack that would. It's up to the Chartering Organization. It's going to be hard for those Packs as they will have to find female leadership. And maybe in a bigger town it will work, but how are you going to have a den of mixed Tigers and Webelos????

 

 

I thought the dens would still be gender segregated?

 

Just curious, but why would an LDS pack not take girls?

LDS packs coordinate with other church programming for boys. There are separate parallel programs for girls.

 

Any decision to create girls cub dens would come from the top of the church hierarchy and be implemented homogenously, this is the way programs are directed in the LDS church. I doubt that will happen as the church has already started separating its teen boy program from scouting (no longer sponsoring troops/crews for the over 14 set) partly in an effort to standardize youth programs internationally.

Edited by maize
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, each Pack can decide if they will accept girls. For example. you'd be hard-pressed to find an LDS Pack that would. It's up to the Chartering Organization. It's going to be hard for those Packs as they will have to find female leadership. And maybe in a bigger town it will work, but how are you going to have a den of mixed Tigers and Webelos????

 

1. Boys and Girls will be separate

 

2. Half our leaders are women. Do your Boy Scouts not allow female leaders?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, each Pack can decide if they will accept girls. For example. you'd be hard-pressed to find an LDS Pack that would. It's up to the Chartering Organization. It's going to be hard for those Packs as they will have to find female leadership. And maybe in a bigger town it will work, but how are you going to have a den of mixed Tigers and Webelos????

I live in a very, very small town, and often the dens end up mixed due to low numbers anyway, so having a girl's den of mixed levels will not be a big deal. (At least the mixed level part will not be a big deal)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just an international perspective. Scouts Canada has been co-ed for 20 years (voluntarily co-ed from 1994-1999, then manditory co-ed from then on. Exceptions are made for groups sponsored by a religious orgamization that on a national level require single gender... mostly the LDS groups.

 

My whole family does scouts. My son is a Scout, soon to be a Venturer. I have 3 daughters, one is a Scout, one a Cub, one a Beaver. Groups are entirely mixed. My oldest 2 (remember, one is a girl), has attended a BSA scout camp every year they have been a Scout.... so my daughter has been 1 of about 5 girls at a BSA camp with about 800 boys.

 

We are LDS, so I can discuss that a bit. My family chose to do scouting with a community group, partly because of issues with the program in our (congregation's) church's scout program, and partly so our family can participate together. There can be female leaders in LDS groups - I have been one a few times - but only with cubs or the 11 year old scouts. Cubs and the 11 year old scouts are under the church primary program. Scouts and older are under Young Men's program in the church. Just this year the church is moving away from sponsoring the 14+ programs, but will provide support for boys that want to complete Eagle Scout ( Chief's Scout / Queen's Venturer in Canada).

 

Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just an international perspective. Scouts Canada has been co-ed for 20 years (voluntarily co-ed from 1994-1999, then manditory co-ed from then on. Exceptions are made for groups sponsored by a religious orgamization that on a national level require single gender... mostly the LDS groups.

 

My whole family does scouts. My son is a Scout, soon to be a Venturer. I have 3 daughters, one is a Scout, one a Cub, one a Beaver. Groups are entirely mixed. My oldest 2 (remember, one is a girl), has attended a BSA scout camp every year they have been a Scout.... so my daughter has been 1 of about 5 girls at a BSA camp with about 800 boys.

 

We are LDS, so I can discuss that a bit. My family chose to do scouting with a community group, partly because of issues with the program in our (congregation's) church's scout program, and partly so our family can participate together. There can be female leaders in LDS groups - I have been one a few times - but only with cubs or the 11 year old scouts. Cubs and the 11 year old scouts are under the church primary program. Scouts and older are under Young Men's program in the church. Just this year the church is moving away from sponsoring the 14+ programs, but will provide support for boys that want to complete Eagle Scout ( Chief's Scout / Queen's Venturer in Canada).

 

Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk

We are also LDS with boys attending in the community. I can understand the church's push for Scouting but sometimes we people get in the way. My oldest getting ready to move to a BSA troop as he's finished his webelos and AOL son one year. My younger son is only a Tiger and loved the opportunity he has to participate in scouts when he otherwise wouldn't be able to. My 4yo talks with great excitement about how he will do scouts when he's five. So with choice of girls participating, my 8yo is very enthused about the chance she has to join. I just some adults step in to help out. My husband is already advancement chair and I lead the Tiger den.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've been doing AHG, our sponsoring church also has a Pack and Troop on the same night. I've heard that the Pack will have girl dens but am not sure, if they do that will hurt AHG numbers. The Pack imploded last year going from 130 members, to 30, so I don't know if they have the manpower for it but I know they do have some femaile leaders. I'm torn because I'm in deep with AHG but I prefer the BSA organization, especially for the upper levels. I know for sure when all girl Troops are allowed I will be starting one but my little girls may just stay with AHG for the time being (unless it just totally folds).

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dens will be separate but Packs will be integrated. So, once a month, Packs with girls will have all their Dens together. Or so I'm told by National. 

 

Oh, that will be nice.  As it is all the boys sisters hang out in the back during Pack meetings :/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm still wondering where they're going to get all these new den leaders. It's so hard to get parents to participate! My dh was a Cubmaster and I was a den leader for my son from Tiger to Webelos. In many cases, it'll be sisters of existing Cubs who want to join and those parents may already have a volunteer position. There is no way I'd be also be doing a girl den just because my daughter wanted to join. I was already doing tons of work for my son's den and my daughter would've been at a completely different level. National keeps telling us that the girls will bring parents who will volunteer and I want to remind them that many of those girls have parents who *already* volunteer in other positions.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our pack is registering our first girls this week.  We've had a lot of excitement around girls in scouting, the response in our specific pack has been overwhelmingly positive.  Several parents have volunteered to help so far, many of which have girls too young or too old to participate - they're just excited and want to lend support.  Our pack works closely with both a scout troop and a venturing crew, and the crew helps run our Lion den.  Our venture crew is more than 50% girls, and I think the great experience we've had with them has really given people a positive view of girls in scouts.  I'm excited for our scout siblings (who are already there and joining in) to have a chance to participate officially.  

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm still wondering where they're going to get all these new den leaders. It's so hard to get parents to participate! My dh was a Cubmaster and I was a den leader for my son from Tiger to Webelos. In many cases, it'll be sisters of existing Cubs who want to join and those parents may already have a volunteer position. There is no way I'd be also be doing a girl den just because my daughter wanted to join. I was already doing tons of work for my son's den and my daughter would've been at a completely different level. National keeps telling us that the girls will bring parents who will volunteer and I want to remind them that many of those girls have parents who *already* volunteer in other positions.

 

I cannot agree with your post enough. Some councils are letting girls in this spring 2018 instead of waiting till Sept. 2018. This email from council lists all the steps a volunteer must do to begin girls in the spring. I'm always shocked at the level of work council expects from volunteers. 

 

Get started NOW by adding one or more dens of girls.  Here are the requirements:
  1. Limited to packs that achieved 'Gold' level in 2017 Journey to Excellence (JTE)
  2. Charter organization and pack committee approve early-adopter participation
  3. Pack to be represented at Early-Adopter Kickoff to be held in late February
  4. ALL leaders in your pack are trained in their position and current in Youth Protection Training
  5. Recruit:
    a.      the necessary leadership (den leader and assistant) by February 28
    b.      at least 6 girls into an all-girl den by March 1st
  6. Utilize the BSA's online registration for the girls
  7. Commit to:
    a.      following the program AS DESIGNED AND APPROVED by the BSA
    b.      an accelerated program plan allowing participants to earn Bobcat and as many awards as possible by May 31, 2018
    c.      participating in summer program including Cub Scout Day Camp and Family Camp
    d.      providing feedback on the program to the council and national organization as requested.

 

Edited by amyx4
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...