What? Sea Scouts? Here?

Learn how this program can help with recruitment and

retaining your youth.

Objectives

Scouters will:

1. Examine “nuts & bolts” that keep a Ship afloat

2. Review resources that will support their program

3. Explore opportunities, advancement and recognition unique to Sea Scouting

Agenda

• Sea Scout History• Sea Scout Core Values• Resources• Program Design

– Planning & Organization– Advancement

• Ship 378, The Dawn Treader’s Program

• Recruiting & Marketing

Sea Scout Mission Statement

• “To develop, enhance, and expand the Sea Scouts BSA program in a manner that emphasizes the purposes and achieves the objectives of the Boy Scouts of America, working to help local councils improve their membership and programs.”

Founder of Scouting’s Vision

Robert Baden-Powell – 1908:• “…A Scout should be able to

manage a boat, to bring it properly alongside a ship or pier…”

Brother of Founder’s Vision

Warington Baden-Powell – 1911:• “Sea Scouting is simply a brand of Boy

Scouting.”• “Scouts first, seamen afterwards.”• “Sea Scouting is not necessarily a

scheme for turning out a boy as a ready-made sailor with a view to his going to sea. But rather to teach him, by means which attract him, to be a handy, quick and disciplined man, able to look after himself and to help others in danger.”

Lord Baden-Powell

Founder of Boy Scouts

and Sea Scouts

History

History

History

“Teaching values

through seamanship since 1912”

History

History

Sea Scout 4 S’s

• Scouting

• Seamanship

• Service

• Social

Program Objectives

• Sailing & seamanship teach critical decision making skills as few other activities can.

• Teach leadership, critical thinking skills, teamwork, & community involvement, while having fun.

• Retaining teenage Scouts.

Sea Scout Differentiators

• Uses naval customs & courtesies

• Team focused w/ chain-of-command

• Structured program

• Quartermaster is the highest rank available to a Sea Scout – Equivalent to Eagle Scout.

Relationship to Venturing

• Membership & units are measured as a part of Venturing

• Sea Scouts continues to be a part of the Venturing program

• No change anticipated in allowing Sea Scouts to earn the Venturing awards

Resources - People

Ship: Youth

Resources - People

Ship: Adults

Resources - People

Council

Resources - People

Community

Resources - People

Region

Resources - People

National

Local Area Ships

• Atlanta Area Council– 6 Ships

• Flint River Council– Ship 378, Newnan, GA– McDonough, GA

Resources - Information

www.seascout.org www.scouting.org www.usps.org – US Power Squadrons www.cgaux.org – US Coast Guard

Auxiliary www.navy.mil – U.S. Navy www.uscg.mil – U.S. Coast Guard www.prestigeflag.com moritzembroidary.com – patches, etc.

Resources - Assets

What do you have? What is available?

Storage

Marinas

Camps: Council? National?

Designing Your Program

1. Analyze the ship’s strengths – youth, adults, resources

2. Analyze the ship’s weaknesses – youth, adults, resources

3. Develop a plan – capitalize on strengths, set goals and develop program to overcome weaknesses

Needs Assessment: Strengths? Weaknesses?

Designing Your Program

Boats?

Will you have:

•Chartered Organization or ship-owned vessels?

•Privately owned vessels?

•Council owned vessels?

Required Training

• Training for Everyone!• BSA requirements

• Safe Swim Defense / Safety Afloat• Float Plans• Vessel safety examinations /

checklist

• Local requirements• See SHAC for an example

PlanningThink about it: It pays to plan

ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.

Planning - 12 Month Ship Op Plan

Things to consider:•Achievement Worksheet•Council Activities•Regional events•Meetings•Superactivity•SEAL, Koch Cup, etc.

Planning - Super-activity

Things to consider:•Purpose•When to start •Where to go•How long a trip•Details, details, details•Long Cruise badge

Planning - Structural

• Youth developed• Provides a common set of

expectations• Allows most discipline to be

handled by the youth

Code of Conduct

Planning - Structural

• Youth developed• Rules that govern the ship• Includes membership, dues,

election procedures, etc.

By-laws

Planning - Meetings & Activities

Decisions, decisions…

Weekly meetings or Bi-weekly meetings

Monthly activities:

All Sea Scout or variety

Boatswain Boatswain’s Mate

Assistant Crew Leader

Crew Leader

Purser Storekeeper Yeoman

Planning - Youth Leadership

Petty Officer Organization

Petty Officer Ship Leaders

Sharing the Helm - Skipper

“The Skipper is the key adult leader and is responsible for training Ship’s Boatswain.

“The ultimate responsibility for the Ship rests with the Skipper.”

BSA Policy as outlined in the Sea Scout Manual

Sharing the Helm - Organization

Sharing the Helm - Youth

• Sea Scouts are young men and women ages 13-21.

• Sea Scout officers lead the ship’s programs and are responsible for coordinating the process of planning and implementing their ship program.

Pre-quarterdeck – Skipper and boatswain

(Empower Hour)

Planning - Quarterdeck Training

Quarterdeck Meetings

•Run by the Boatswain

•Long range planning

•Goal setting

•Appoint activity chairs

Planning – Quarterdeck Meetings

Apprentice Ordinary Able Quartermaster

Advancement - Traditional

Advancement - Opportunities

SEALSea Scout Advanced Leadership

Advancement – Non-Traditional

Advancement - Ceremonies (Landships)

• Bridges of Honor• Installation of Officers• Landship Ceremony• Provides nautical

flavor• Can be tailored for

the occasion

Uniforms

Uniforms are not required in the Sea Scout program; however, youth and adults participating in national events will be required to wear the national standard uniform.

Ship 378: The Dawn Treader

• Raison d'être– Scouts need to be prepared for

environmental emergencies• Land• Water

• Focus– High adventure, Christian-life based– Conservation– Assist Scouts in finishing Eagle

S378: Land & Water Scouting

• Coed

• Land & Water Agility

• Council Service

• Boy Scout Development

• Camp Bel-Tel Conservation

S378: Council Service

• Project COPE– Low COPE & High COPE Instructors

• BSA Lifeguard– Flint River canoe trips

• Northern Tier Preparation– Northern Tier weekends

• Flag Ceremonies• Boat Maintenance

S378: Membership

• Crew– Leadership– Advancement

• Passengers– Participants at any level short of Crew

• Ship Outings• Working on Eagle• Busy Scouts• Venturers & Scouts of other units for an

event

S378: Annual Program

• Spring Break– Long Cruise, Boating

• Spring– Recruiting, Organizational Advancement

• Summer– Boating, SEAL, Water Mania

• Fall– Regatta, Seamanship Advancement

• Winter– Life Saving, Wilderness First Aid, Survival

S378: Meetings & Outings

• Weekly Training & Admin Meetings– Wednesdays (2 hours)

• Saturday Meetings Most Weeks (5 hours)

– Projects– Boating– Advancement– Service

• Monthly Outing

S378 Advancement Program

• Eagle Scout

• Sea Scout Rank Advancement

• Venturing Ranger

• Venturing Awards

S378: Venturing Ranger

• ½ Ranger (Venturing Outdoor Bronze)– 4 Core

• First Aid, Cooking, LNT, Land Navigation

– 2 Electives• Project COPE, LifeSaving

• Ranger– 4 Core

• Communication, Emergency Preparedness, Wilderness Survival, Conservation

– 2 Electives• Wilderness First Aid, Watercraft

S378: Venturing Awards

• Venturing Bronze– Sea Scouts (Ordinary)– Outdoor (1/2 Ranger)

• Venturing Gold– 1-Year Personal Improvement– Six Areas

• Venturing Silver

Recruiting

• Must be on the minds of all adults all the time

• Youth must be reminded to bring their younger friends regularly

• We accept members any time• We allow for activity conflicts

Recruiting - Start Early

• Start recruiting in 8th grade(for graduation)

• You keep them longer• You get them before high school

fills their program

Who’s Interested?

• Marketing our program to share the fun of Sea Scouts with…– Sisters of Boy Scouts & all Girl Scouts– Venturing Crews– Boy Scout Troops– Order of the Arrow (OA) members– Youth groups involved in nautical

activities– Friends– Private high schools & all middle schools– Home schooling groups

Marketing

Plan it!

Do it!

Tell everybody how much fun you had!

What did you do last weekend?

Fair winds

and following seas.

Set Sail!

Sea Scouting

If Scouting brings out the best in youth,

Sea Scouting brings out the best in Scouting.