Understanding and Protecting Youth

1. Understanding and Protecting Youth

2. BSA Mission Statement The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

3. What is the purpose of Venturing? • High adventure • Leadership skills • Citizenship • Community service • Social experiences • Fitness

4. Understanding Young Adults • The first things we notice about young people: • Size • Behavior • Teenagers deal with opposing emotions: • They fear and crave independence. • They face a constant struggle for power and independence. • They want to be unique, but are affected by peer pressure.

5. Normal Adolescent Development • Movement towards interdependence • Future interests and cognitive changes • Sexuality • Morals, values, and Self-direction

6. Middle School and Early High School Years

7. Movement towards Independence • Struggle with sense of identity • Feel awkward or strange about one’s self & one’s body • Focus on self, alternating between high expectations and poor self-concept • Interests and clothing style influenced by peer group • Moodiness • Improved ability to use speech to express one’s self • Realization that parents are not perfect • Less overt affection shown to parents, with occasional rudeness • Complaints that parents interfere with independence

8. Future Interests and Cognitive Changes • Mostly interested in present, limited thoughts of future • Intellectual interests expand • Greater ability to do work

9. Sexuality • Display shyness, blushing modesty • Increased interest in the opposite sex – are they attractive? • Frequently changing relationships • Worries about being normal • Develop ideals and select role models • Experiment with sex and drugs

10. Morals, Values, and Self-Direction • Rules and limit testing • Develop ideals and select role models • Experiment with sex and drugs • Capacity for abstract thought

11. Later High School Years and Beyond

12. Movement towards Independence • Firmer sense of identity • Ability to think ideas through • Increased emotional stability • Increase concern for others • Increased self-reliance • Peer relationships remain important • Work habits more defined • Increased concern for the future • Feelings of love and passion • Development of more serious relationships • Greater capacity for setting goals • Interest in moral reasoning

13. Future Interests and Cognitive Changes • Work habits more defined • Increased concern for the future • Feelings of love and passion • Development of more serious relationships • Greater capacity for setting goals • Interest in moral reasoning

14. Sexuality • Feelings of love and passion • Development of more serious relationships • Firmer sense of sexual identity • Greater capacity for setting goals • Interest in moral reasoning

15. Morals, Values, and Self-Direction • Greater capacity for setting goals • Interest in moral reasoning • Capacity to use insight • Social and cultural traditions regain some of their previous importance

16. Concern Getting good grades Getting a good job Getting along with parents Not fitting in Nuclear war Getting AIDS/STD Parent’s relationships with each other Hunger and poverty Family finances Pregnancy Pressured into doing drugs % of Teens worried 97.0 82.2 79.0 76.2 67.4 64.8 62.2 62.0 60.2 56.4 54.4 Issues Facing Today’s Teens

17. Leadership Styles for Advisors • Be a mentor • Be a coach • Walk your talk • Be understanding of the teenage years and their search for autonomy • Be able to relate • Show mutual respect as a team member • Develop and demonstrate conflict management skills

18. Safety • Guide to Safe Scouting • Video - Youth Protection Guidelines: • Training for Adult Venturing Leaders • Personal Safety Awareness • Venturer driving qualifications • 6 months driving experience as a licensed driver (learner’s permit time does not count) • No record of accidents or moving violations • Parental permission granted to leader, driver and riders