Advancement in Summer Camp

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Revision as of 09:04, May 23, 2008

(See #33088, p. 34)

In developing council procedures for handling Advancement Reports and distributing badges, remember that many Boy Scout advancement opportunities take place in summer camp. Special attention should be given to ensure that the procedures include summer camp.

The procedures for advancement in summer camp are established by the council advancement committee in cooperation with the committee responsible for summer camp, the camp director, and the program director. These procedures must be approved by the council advancement committee prior to the opening of camp. This procedure must include the four processes of advancement -- learning, testing, reviewing, and recognition.

The camp director will organize program staff, specialists, commissioners, and department heads in such a way that the program in camp is completely operative from the beginning of the camp season. These procedures should be given to each troop as part of precamp orientation.

The program director is responsible for assuring that all program equipment relating to advancement is available for use.

Camp staff members should be prepared and available to assist unit leaders in teaching and testing Scouts on Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class requirements.

Camp merit badge counselors must be qualified (see "Qualifications of Counselors" above). Camp staff members who are qualified in the subject and are younger than age 18 may assist the merit badge counselor with instruction. The merit badge counselor or instructor in a particular subject should be available to both individuals and groups. Because of the need for continued practice in some subjects, it will be necessary to meet candidates at a certain time each day. For other subjects, it may be necessary to meet as a group once or twice during the week.

Each counselor must maintain the exact standards as outlined in the merit badge requirements -- nothing deleted, nothing added -- and make himself or herself available at the time most convenient to the Scouts. Partial completion of merit badges should be credited to a Scout on the Application for Merit Badge and given to the Scoutmaster at the end of the week.