| Youth Service Plan |
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Each youth with a disability in the council that requires assistance in barrier accommodations, whether physical, attitudinal or programmatic, will be assigned a mentor from the Adaptive Task Force. The "A Team”, as we like to call it, is a team of unit service commissioners, scouting professionals and paraprofessionals specially trained and equipped to mentor and serve geographical units, scouts, scouters and families in accommodations, advice, expectations, program adaptations, etc. Step one of this process obviously requires identifying the various youth requiring assistance. Experience shows that the more unit leaders that become aware of special services for youth with disabilities, the more requests for assistance are made. Even after 10 years of operating this district in some form, a month does not go by where we don’t hear “I didn’t know we did this”. The education of families and the training of Adult Leaders at the unit level is key to the successful implementation of the program, as well as, creating the most enjoyable environment and experience for the scout. To these ends, Wunita will be offering Adult Leader Training at periodic Council and District sponsored training events. In addition, The Guidebook for Scouting with Disabilities offers numerous tools to assist unit leaders. The focus of any mentoring relationship must focus primarily on the training of the unit leaders to assist the youth in question. If that unit can be trained to predict, define, understand and assist in barrier accommodations, the functional goals of the task force are multiplied going forward. Often, this may just be a case of our assisting with one case, then allowing them to manage future cases of scouts with disabilities, if necessary. Tools available include, but are not limited to: Pre-joining Conferences A task force member can facilitate this meeting where the scout, the parents and the unit leader(s) all come to mutually understood expectations of the youth’s ability, AND the unit’s expectations. Behavior Contracts A tool that works well even with non-disabled scouts is the behavior contract: a letter of agreement that details behavioral expectations AND consequences of not meeting those expectations. Often, this is a restatement of any unit guidebook or rules, with the youth, guardian and leader signatures for future discipline reference. Individual Achievement Plans At the heart of inclusionary scouting lies the Individual Achievement Plan (IAD). This is a document created by various actors, including the Wunita coach and/or staff advisor (if properly credentialed), a licensed health care of mental health care professional, the parents, the unit leader(s) and the scout. It can be used in Cub Scouting (though may not include the Cub’s input), Boy Scouting and Venturing. The basis methodology assumes the plan will encourage, within reasonable guidelines and accommodations, each scout with the opportunity and avenue to achieve his or her personal goals and chosen level of success. It also ASSUMES each scout is a candidate for Arrow of Light, Eagle or Venture Silver. The IAD acts to remove, through creative thinking through brainstorming and experience, any and all barriers that stand in the scout’s way to achieving. (See appendix later). Application for Approval of Modification of Requirements/Application for Alternative Eagle Scout Rank Merit Badges A common misconception of unit leaders is that only the council can approve ANY adaptation in the program. But a simple review of the Advancement Committee Booklet (BSA publication 33088D) will reveal that the District and Council Advancement functions come into play ONLY when ALTERNATIVE requirements are being requested. In other words, a unit leader is free to make appropriate accommodations for a youth in his/her unit. For instance, a child who cannot speak may write his answers to a Board of Review. One who cannot read adequately may be read to, etc. The Wunita District is available 24/7 to make recommendations to these adaptations. However, if a replacement Merit Badge or Scout Skill criteria is being sought, district advancement and council advancement are required. The Task Force can assist with this process. All applications for modifications and replacements must be attached to the IAD. Wunita maintains a list of suitable Eagle Required Merit Badge replacements based on standard disability limitation. Cub Scouting is a little different. As the standard for Cub Scouting is doing one’s best, and not mastery, a Cub Master alone my decide a Cub has met any particular rank requirement and award the rank, pin or loop. It is recommended the Cubmaster still coordinate with his/her Task Force mentor. Record Keeping A file for each scout with a disability identified in the council requiring Wunita expert assistance will be maintained by the Wunita Director of Scouting with Disabilities. As this will likely include information that falls within the Health Information Personal Protection Act (HIPPA), these files will be locked and accessible only to appropriate district or unit personnel as approved in writing by the parents (see IAD). Files may include, but not be limited to, Health Forms (a class three is recommended for diagnostic confirmation), the IAD and any and all applications for modifications, advancement records, a copy of any professional certifications of disability, etc. Much of this information is too sensitive to be retained by many units. Parents should play an active role is policing this information. Boards of Review Task force members are encouraged to volunteer to sit on the scout in question’s boards of review, if the Troop or Crew wish. Lone Scouts Although we have not yet encountered many circumstances where Lone Scouting is appropriate in a close community like Mecklenburg County, it may be that certain disabilities suggest lone Scouting as the option. There have been parents who have requested this option in the past and been denied. Wunita can assist these cases greatly if: · The child’s disability prevents them from attending regular meetings (frequent hospitalizations, severe cerebral palsy, etc). · The child has a life threatening communicable disease. · The child attends a special school or group home and has limited access to transportation for meetings. · Other reasons of appropriate nature on a case-by-case basis. In these cases, the Task Force will oversee the Lone Scout and act as co-Lone Scout Counselors with the guardians. The Scout will be registered in Wunita. Registration of a Lone Scout will require the approval of the Director of Scouting with Disabilities. |
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