Help needed

[riverwalk]

OK, this has come up some, but I don't recall the forum. And if this needs moved to Advancement, please do so and I'll understand.

We have a frustrated family, trying to get answers. Their wheelchair bound son is as active as he can be. He's one of those Scouts with that passion to be a Scout. Since some requirements can't be met traditionally, they want some alternate suggestions. They've been told everthing from "can't have alternates" to "here are the alternate requirements". But they need suggestions...and I've tried to tell them to recommend what he can do, as they relate to the advancement requirements.

[WeeWillie]

See either your District Advancement Chairperson or District Executive. If they can't help you, go to Council. There should be a professional Scouter responsible for Scouting with Disabilities. There are also booklets in the Scout Store on various catagories if disabilities.

[riverwalk]

Thanks Mike, Apparently, this has been the effort thus far (since last year per the family). So they are getting frustrated. Shame too, as this Scout has more Scouting desire than some others. Good news is that his patrol rallies around him, and make sure they all get to do things. So that's part of what the team idea is anyway, haha.

I learned of this at this past Roundtable, and just can't rest until someone local is helpful to them. I'm telling the family, I think local officials don't want to commit to an answer. But I think the Scouting program intends that the spirit of Scouting is met, and that people are safe. Therefore I'm planning to suggest to them some alternatives and tell them it counts because we say it counts. Only the family and Doctors know what an alternative could be for the Scout.

But I'll look for the Disabilities booklets as a guide to resolving this. Thanks.

[cballman]

Listed on the merit badge site and also on usscoucts.org it has listings for the alternate req. Also they have to be approved by the either district or council advancement befor the scout can use them. they are listed as BSA requriments publication #33215. with this I would call the local council office and ask to speak with the district executive if he then cant answer I would then ask to speak to the council scout excecutive.

[riverwalk]

Great suggestions. In this case, all that has been asked for, but a clear result hasn't emerged. But we'll keep it on their table. It's good to have this larger roundtable for questions.

[PPC_NYLT]

The district or council advancement committee should be able to assist with alternative req's for disabled scouts. If they offer a solution and the scout can't do them due to disability , represent to council/district committee then move up the ladder as needed. But if scout just won't do them b/c he things they're to hard b/c he's disabled, then tough monkey junkie, he'll have to get over it or not advance. This is what I have been told (just not in these exact words ).

[wagionvigil]

I believe the scout must do everything he can within the regular requirements .Then Work outside those requirements later.

[Double Eagle]

I went through this process this past year with a scout. First I sat down with the scout, his parents, and the troop advancement chair. We explained what the process was, and gave them a copy of page 42 from the BSA publication Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures. This page explains the process for alternate requirements.

The scout then worked for several months completing all of the requirements that he was physically able to complete for Second and First Class ranks. His issue was with swimming due to multiple physical handicaps that he had from birth.

The scout’s parents obtained a statement from his doctor explaining the exact nature of the scout’s disability and what activity he would not be able to improve at. When the scout had completed all of the requirements that he could complete we requested that the council advancement committee supply alternate requirements. The committee asked us to draft our own alternate requirements and to submit them to the committee for approval.

A set of replacement requirements were drawn up that remained very close to the Second and First Class requirements. The scout would still have to swim the required distances but he would be allowed to use a flotation device, take rest breaks as needed, and would not be required to do the backstroke.

This boy is now a First Class Scout.

[riverwalk]

Thanks, that's sounding useful. We're talking motorized wheelchair bound youth here. No use of legs whatsoever. So we'll have to make some suggestions.