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Official
Boy Scouts of America ScoutReach Website
Mission: The mission of the ScoutReach
(Urban Scouting) Division of the Minsi Trails Council is to
ensure that Scouting is available for all youth, regardless
of who they are, where they live, their culture or economic
background.
History: The ScoutReach program began
in 1994, and had great success in attracting urban youth.
The program was revisited in 2001 after it was determined
that many of the initial groups were no longer meeting.
- Four key challenges or barriers to success
- Consistent leadership
- Quality of program
- Perception of Scouting in key neighborhoods
- Economic or transportation barriers
- Set up 3 independent committees (Allentown,
Easton & Bethlehem) to study how to more effectively
serve these neighborhoods, and their youth.
Strategies for Success: Our study
committees came up with 2 key approaches to better serve these
youth.
- After School Programs - Teachers provide
program to youth after school, with the help of college
aged youth. Teachers earn up to $25 per hour for serving
as leaders, and college students earn money towards their
tuition.
- Area Companies Sponsor locations - Companies
such as Coca Cola Bottling Co. & PPL allow their employees
to leave work in order to provide leadership for one of
our after-school programs.
Where do funds go: It costs approximately $300 per
year to keep a youth involved in Scouting through the ScoutReach
Program. This is in sharp contrast to the $100 it costs to
keep a "traditional" youth involved in Scouting! Funds
directed to ScoutReach go to support:
- Registration Fees
- Uniforms
- Scout Handbooks & Fieldbooks
- Activities & Field Trips
- Day & Resident Camp
- Program Support Materials
- Training & Leadership Support
Future of ScoutReach: Since its revitalization in 2002
our ScoutReach Program has doubled in size, now serving more
than 1,000 young people. In fact, it has been such a success
that ScoutReach is expanding to serve youth in Monroe
& Luzerne Counties, as well as the Lehigh Valley!
For
more information on the ScoutReach Program, please contact:
Matt Klutzaritz (610) 465-8557
Jim
Torres (610) 465-8562
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