Scouting for Youth With

Special Needs Paul Lubeski

Assistant Scoutmaster Troop 350

Madison, AL

James Milam - Netopalis Clagacheu Tetuptschehellak

"Warrior on Wheels"

Wa-Hi-Nasa Vigil Honor Class of 2010

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An Historical Precedent

• Since it’s founding in 1910, the Boy Scouts of America has included fully participating members with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities

• Dr. James E. West, the first Chief Scout Executive, was a person with a disability.

• The Boy Scout Handbook has developed Braille editions. Merit badge pamphlets have been recorded on cassette tapes for blind Scouts; and closed-caption training videos have been produced.

• In 1965, registration of over-age Scouts with intellectual or developmental disabilities became possible—a privilege now extended to many scouts with disabilities.

• Today, approximately 100,000 Scouts with disabilities are registered with the BSA in more than 4,000 units.

Significant Dates

1923. A special award is created for Scouts with disabilities that are unable to meet certain requirements without modifications or supports.

1962. Boys’ Life begins printing in Braille. 1965. Individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities age 18 and over are permitted to register in Scouting. 1971. A grant from Disabled American Veterans enables the BSA national office to establish a professional position of director,

Scouting for the Handicapped. 1971. The Scouting for the Physically Handicapped pamphlet (revised in 1994) is published. 1972. An improved Scouting program goes into effect with more flexible advancement requirements. 1973. Scouting for the Hearing Impaired (revised in 1990) is published. 1974. Scouting for the Blind and Visually Impaired (revised in 1990) is published. 1975. Understanding Scouts With Handicaps, Understanding Cub Scouts with Handicaps, and Exploring for the Handicapped

training manuals are published. 1977. The Signing for the Deaf interpreter strip is approved. 1978. The National Executive Committee approves the removal of age restrictions on advancement for all members with severe

disabilities. 1979. The National Executive Board approves the substitution of merit badges for the Eagle Scout rank by Scouts with disabilities. 1980. Scouting for the Handicapped (revised in 1984), a resource manual, is published. 1986. In-School Scouting Training Course for special education teachers is published. 1987. Scouting for the Learning Disabled manual is published. 1991. Scouting for Youth with Mental Retardation manual is published. 1992. Camp Director’s Primer to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 manual is distributed to local councils. 1993. Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Exploring divisions each establish a national subcommittee on Scouts with disabilities. 1994. Explorers with Disabilities Program Helps, designed to involve all posts with Explorers with disabilities, is released. 1995. Scoutmaster’s Guide to Working with Scouts with Disabilities is published. 2007. Scouting for Youth With Disabilities manual is revised and includes all previous editions of the manuals dealing with specific

disabilities and includes program ideas for leaders to use in their programs

Since 1910, Scouts with disabilities have participated fully in Scouting. Significant dates in Scouting’s program for youth with disabilities include the following:

Scouting Is a Program of Opportunities

• The basic premise of Scouting for youth with disabilities is full participation. Youth with disabilities can be treated and respected like every other member of their unit. They want to participate like other youth—and Scouting provides that opportunity.

• Many of the programs for Scouts with disabilities are directed at (1) helping unit leaders develop an awareness of people with disabilities among youth without disabilities and (2) encouraging the inclusion of Scouts with disabilities and special needs in Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops, Varsity Scout teams, Venturing crews, and Sea Scout ships.

Scouting Is a Program of Opportunities

• There are many units composed of members with similar disabilities—such as a Boy Scout troop for Scouts who are blind or a Cub Scout pack for Scouts who are deaf. These Scouts should be encouraged to participate in Scouting activities at the district, council, area, regional, and national levels along with other units. Many of these disability-specific Scouting units are located in schools or centers for youth with disabilities that make the Scouting program part of their curriculum.

• Many local councils have established their own advisory committees for youth with disabilities and special needs. These committees develop and coordinate an effective Scouting program for youth with disabilities and special needs, using all available community resources.

Scouting usually succeeds best when following an Inclusion Model approach

The basic premise of Scouting for youth with special needs is that every boy wants to participate fully and be respected like every other member of the troop. While there are, by necessity, troops exclusively composed of Scouts with disabilities, experience has shown that Scouting usually succeeds best when every boy is part of a patrol in a regular troop.

Eric Schultz -- Huntsville Times Deeb Habchi, who has Down syndrome, earned 21 merit

badges and did a community project to earn his Eagle Scout

badge.

MADISON, AL - Six months ago, Bob Jones High School student Deeb Habchi became a member of an exclusive club when he earned his Eagle Scout badge as a member of Troop 350 in Madison. Only 4 percent of all boys who join Scouts become an Eagle Scout, which requires earning 21 merit badges and completing a community project before reaching their 18th birthday. Deeb's merit badges ranged from computers and communications to camping and crime prevention. Then he embarked on his Eagle project - building a sidewalk from a classroom to an outdoor patio area for Bob Jones special needs students to prevent their shoes, walkers and wheelchairs from getting muddy when it rains. He finished the project less than a month before his 18th birthday - April 18. He was presented his Eagle Scout badge at a ceremony Sept. 26 at St. John Catholic School where Troop 350 meets. By the way, Deeb Habchi has Down syndrome.

Deeb Habchi is a special Eagle Scout Published: Monday, October 12, 2009, 6:20 AM

"I just want other kids with Down to know they can do it," said Deeb, who also learned to snow ski while on a Scouting trip to West Virginia.

Scouting is for all!

• The scouting program welcomes everyone

• Parents and their youth with special needs should “shop around” and find a Pack, Troop , Crew, Ship or Team that is right for them

• Questions to ask:

– How can I get started?

– Where do I go from here?

– How do I obtain a list of local packs, troops or crews?

– How do I select a Pack, Troop or Crew?

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Resources - Boy Scouts of America

2007 Scouting for Youth With Disabilities Manual (includes all previous editions of the manuals dealing with specific disabilities and includes program ideas for leaders to use in their programs)

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34059.pdf

• General Scouting Information: http://www.scouting.org/

On Line: Youth Members With Special Needs http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Special_needs

Greater Alabama Council , Talakto District

2211 Drake Ave SW

Huntsville, AL 35805

256-714-7455

- Cubs Scouts (Tiger, Wolf, Bear and Webelos (44 Packs)

- Boy and Varsity Scouts (44 Troops and 6 Teams) - Venturer and Sea Scouts (7 Crews and 2 Ships)

- Learning for Life Explorers (3 units)

Curtis Hunt, Sr. District Executive

(256) 883-7071, chunt@1bsa.org

Summary

Conclusion . . .

• Diversity of youth and youth needs is a given in the world today;

• Exposure to other youth and youth leadership is a powerful resource in the scouting program;

• The scouting program can be an important tool for youth with special needs, especially when part of an inclusionary program

The Talakto District Map

The Talakto District Map