Not every community, church, school, or organization has a Scouting pack, troop, or crew associated with it. Sometimes, starting a new group is the best way to bring Scouting to your community. With a willing group of volunteers and interested youth, it’s easy to get Scouting started near you.
How Scouting Units Are Organized
Every Scouting unit requires adult leaders, youth, and a chartering organization. First the chartering organization agrees to adopt the Scouting program. Then you must recruit and train the leaders. Once you have trained leaders ready to start, recruit the youth. From there you can plan your program year, complete the paperwork, and hold your first meeting.
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What is A Chartering Organization?
A chartering organization, such as a church, school, concerned citizen’s group, agrees to work with the specific pack, troop, or crew. They’ll provide meeting space, help find and approve adult leaders, and appoint an individual as the Chartered Organization Representative. This representative works as a liaison between the organization and the Scout group.
Any organization can be a chartering organization and there are no special qualifications. The chartering organization falls under the insurance of the Boy Scouts of America.
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What Leaders Are Needed?
There are different leader requirements for different types of Scouting units. All units must have a Chartered Organization Representative. If a single organization sponsors more than one unit (like a Pack and a Troop), that representative must be the same person for both units.
For a Pack you need:
- Cubmaster (plan and lead the monthly pack meeting, keeping the youth and families engaged and excited)
- Committee Chair (lead behind the scenes administrative tasks and support efforts to run the pack)
Chartered Organization Representative (act as a liaison between the pack and chartering organization)
- Two Committee Members (work with the committee chair to run the pack in roles like treasurer or secretary)
- Den Leader (plan and lead the den meetings for one age group, helping the youth earn advancements)
- Not required but recommended: Assistant Cubmaster(s), Assistant Den Leader(s), additional committee members
For a Troop you need:
- Scoutmaster (support and guide the youth leadership as they plan and lead the troop meetings)
- Committee Chair (lead behind the scenes administrative tasks and support efforts to run the troop)
- Chartered Organization Representative (act as a liaison between the troop and chartering organization)
- Two Committee Members (work with the committee chair to run the troop in roles like treasurer or secretary)
- Not required but recommended: Assistant Scoutmaster(s), additional committee members
For a Crew you need:
- Advisor (support and guide the youth leadership as they plan and lead the crew meetings)
- Committee Chair (lead behind the scenes administrative tasks and support efforts to run the crew)
- Chartered Organization Representative (act as a liaison between the crew and chartering organization)
- Two Committee Members (work with the committee chair to run the crew in roles like treasurer or secretary)
- Not required but recommended: Associate Advisor(s), additional committee members
What Paperwork Needs to Be Filled Out?
For a new unit, you’ll need to turn in a new unit application, a signed charter organization agreement, and applications for every adult leader and youth member.
You get to pick your unit number, but we can’t guarantee that every number is available. Don’t get your hopes up about being Troop 123 without first checking to see if that unit already exists!
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William D. Boyce New Unit Organizer Award
Organizing a new unit can be hard work, between corralling people and filling out the paperwork. To recognize the volunteers who have dedicated their time and energy to expanding Scouting to new communities, we give out the William D. Boyce New Unit Organizer Award. William D. Boyce was the founder of Boy Scouts in America – he learned about Scouting in England and organized the first ever Scouting units here. In his honor, you’ll receive a certificate and a knot to wear on your uniform.
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Want to Get Started?
Contact your district executive or district membership team and they’ll get you started on your journey!