Recognizing outstanding youth

While this topic isn't exactly in regards to youth leadership development it kind of is...

I recently learned that there is no way to formally recognize youth who step up and serve the movement. We talk about giving the youth more meaningful involvement in th organization (as they should have) but those who really do this and go beyond their usual activities cannot be recognized.

BP&P section 9000 states that the certificate of commendation can be issued to youth 16 and older. All other outstanding service to scouting awards are restricted to adult volunteers. This means we're saying one of two things: 1) youth less than 16 years old can't perform outstanding service to scouting, or 2) the service performed by those who do is not worthy of being recognized. Youth members can be recognized for meritorious conduct or gallantry but I would submit that it is more likely that a youth will perform outstanding service.

Now there is the Medal of the Maple which could handle some of what I'm thinking of. However, why only one award for outstanding service? Adult volunteers can receive at least four different awards for service to scouting with an increasing level of 'outstandingness'. Also, in regards to the MM award, why is there a restriction that a youth must be a member for three years? Can't a youth who perhaps just joined Scouts or Venturers, having never been in a younger section, perform outstanding service to the movement in their first or second year?

Garth
Alberta

Garth,

Don't forget about the honours for character or courage.

We recently honoured two youth in our Venturer Company with a Certificate for Meritorious Service. They were involved in a situation with a school friend who was involved in a dangerous activity and due to their quick thinking (along with a third, non-Scouting friend) helped the friend in danger.

And another of our Venturers, who has a higher-functiong autism-spectrum disorder, was honoured with an Award for Fortitude.

(A word of disclosure - one of the youth given the Certificate for Meritorious Service and the youth with the Award for Fortitude are my own two children. But I kept out of the awards process to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest).

Robert

Hey Robert,

As I mentioned in my post I acknowledge that there are awards for gallantry and meritorious conduct. The instances of those happening are, hopefully, rare. However, I'm referring specifically to outstanding service (Cert. of Commendation, Medal for Good Service, Medal of Merit, Silver Acorn). I have a whole troop I want to nominate but I can't because there's no award for them and they're too young for Cert. of Commendation.

Garth
Alberta

Garth,

You raise several good points. We are currently in the process of initiating a review of our volunteer development and recognition processes to ensure alignment with our aim of engaging more young volunteers in all areas of the organization. If we ask them to volunteer, we need to be in a position to train and to recognize them for their contributions. As far as the Medal of the Maple is concerned, I will let our National Youth Commissioner comment further.

If you have any specific suggestions on how to improve our recognition system, I encourage you to send them to me via e-mail or post them here for further discussion.

Thanks,
Andrew
DNC Volunteer Services
aprice@scouts.ca

Well Gentlemen, here comes the "wet blanket". In MPNSHO Scouting is NOT about Awards and Recognition. Awards and Recognition are granted for going that "extra" bit and not for years in the harness.
As far as the young members of Scouting are concerned; IF they are qualified to be Leaders, then they are also eligible to receive the Leaders' Awards. IF NOT; then not.
I believe that we are giving the wrong single to our Youth if we "reward" them for doing what they are supposed to be doing.
ANDREW SAID, and I agree :

We are currently in the process of initiating a review of our volunteer development and recognition processes to ensure alignment with our aim of engaging more young volunteers in all areas of the organization. If we ask them to volunteer, we need to be in a position to train and to recognize them for their contributions.

And that Training and recognition should be the same for ALL volunteers.


(Just as a by-the-by: I am proud to say that in all my 66 years in Scouting, the only recognition I ever received was King's Scout, Knight of Tamara, Trainer III and C.C.M.; I am not in Scouting for the tin, but for the recognition I get so many years later when Cubs/Scouts/Rovers recognize me on the street and say "Hi")

Errol,

The awards are for Outstanding service...not regular and typical service. A leader who is doing their normal work and meeting the quality standards generally does not get nominated for an award. Along the same lines, a youth wouldn't either. But awards are designed to recognize the outstanding service that members perform over and above their usual stuff. If someone is going beyond the norm they deserve to be recognized.

Garth

Garth said:

Re: Recognizing outstanding youth
Errol,
The awards are for Outstanding service...not regular and typical service. A leader who is doing their normal work and meeting the quality standards generally does not get nominated for an award. Along the same lines, a youth wouldn't either. But awards are designed to recognize the outstanding service that members perform over and above their usual stuff. If someone is going beyond the norm they deserve to be recognized.
Garth

OUCH!!! That's hard Garth, but perhaps you are right, in all my 66 years I guess I have only done what was expected of me. You might also want to consider that not everybody is ready to nominate some one who is above them...

Sure I agree that if some one is doing outstanding service a recognition is deserved. BUT I am beginning too think that too much emphasis is being placed on awards. I thought that the

The Medal of the Maple for Distinguished Youth Service
I. Description of the Award
The Medal of the Maple for Distinguished Youth Service is an award created by the
members of the National Youth Committee, designed to honour those youth who have
significantly contributed to the Movement and the spirit of Scouting through community service,
extraordinary Scouting participation and a solid system of personal values.
The Medal of the Maple Award is to be launched in our Centennial year (Fall 2007), to
symbolize the importance of youth involvement in our Movement’s success. It will remain one of
the national awards.

was created for Youth recognition.

I am not against Recognition, just against making that the goal.

Hello Everyone,

Sorry I'm a little late joining in on this conversation.

When the National Youth Network had it's earliest discussions around Youth Recognition and the creation of the Medal of the Maple there were a lot of conversations around all the Community Service that is built into the programs already. The sense was that through the Scout Badge system, particularly the citizenship awards, the leadership awards and the required community service for the Chief Scout, there were already mechanisms for recognizing youth for community service. The Medal of the Maple stands to recognize the occasional youth who's distinguished service goes beyond what their program would expect of them.

Like Andrew, I am more than willing to discuss this further. Do you have any specific ideas or suggestions on how we can better recognize our youth for their service to scouting? I would love to hear from you either on this forum or by email.

Cheers!

Hey Dylan,

My concern (perhaps observation is a better word) is that the Medal of the Maple is for super duper, way above average, honest to goodness "outstandingness"! I have nominated youth in the past who truly met this. They went far and above the efforts that would typically be expected and, in my opinion, really met the intent of the award's prestige.

However, I have a number of youth this year that I would like to nominate for an award but who's efforts just don't match those of the youth I previously nominated. These new youth have put forth effort beyond that typically expected but I would categorize their efforts as somewhere between really good and great...but probably not outstanding. The issue is that there is only one award so where is the cutoff? As I mentioned in my original post, adult volunteers have at least four awards to handle the different levels of 'outstandingness' (I'm starting to like that word!) but youth only have one.

If I were to nominate these new youth, and they received the award, I believe it would diminish the prestige of it, especially when compared to my previous youth who received it. I think what I would like to see is the Certificate of Commendation opened up to those less than 16. Why do we restrict awards for outstanding service but not restrict those for meritorious service or gallantry?

Garth

How about the new Certificate of Appreciation, Garth. There is no age limit mentioned in the notice I received... Nor is there any age limit mentioned on the website.
http://www.scouts.ca/dnn/scouters/Recognition/tabid/294/Default.aspx

Don't get me wrong, I am NOT against recognition, just against TOO much emphasis being placed on recognition. If it is earned, great more power to the earner...give something to recognize the achievement.

If I were to nominate these new youth, and they received the award, I believe it would diminish the prestige of it, especially when compared to my previous youth who received it.

Unfortunately I believe you have to ignore this and just do the best for the current youth. If the original youth felt good receiving the award and you think the current youth will feel good receiving the award then that is the best you can do. Many of awards that I see presented are the result of nepotism and "who you know". Yes it does devalue the award when someone deserving receives it, but what can you do? Yes, people like to be recognised, but I think most people do what they do because they enjoy it, not in the hope of receiving an award.


Allan.

The sense was that through the Scout Badge system, particularly the citizenship awards, the leadership awards and the required community service for the Chief Scout, there were already mechanisms for recognizing youth for community service. The Medal of the Maple stands to recognize the occasional youth who's distinguished service goes beyond what their program would expect of them.

Makes sense. To strengthen the idea that the the medal is for service "beyond what their program would expect", the Queen's Venturer Award or Gold Duke of Ed. should be a prerequisite to the Medal of the Maple.

YIS
Liam

I agree with Errol on this. I am seeing a great amount of recognition given for leaders and youth just furthering the movement. It seems that recognition is losing it's meaning when 'lifers' are nominating other 'lifers' for longevity. Recognition is almost being used as a form of currency. It may seem strange to say, but society has lowered itself to rewarding mediocrity. I think someone has mentioned it above, but for youth, there are program goals. No Scout should get an award unless they have the Chief Scout, same for Venturers. Beaver should not be (but are) receiving awards. Of course there are outstanding circumstances in some cases, but there needs to be separation between the standard program, or furthering the movement, and truly being exception in furthering the movement. The question for me is what is a truly outstanding youth? Maybe a list of examples would be helpful. I can give you a list of reasons why youth and others have gotten recognition, but I would consider none of these as outstanding.

No Scout should get an award unless they have the Chief Scout,

This really doesn't help as there is no systematic review or control over whether the Scout actually earned the award. The same is true for the Queen's Venturer award, and even the Duke of Edinburgh award. They can all be handed out like candy. Though at least for the DofE each youth must write and submit a report of their adventurous journey.

For these awards to have consistency and real meaning, a roving panel needs to interview each candidate and have the candidate prove they have met all the criteria and done all the work. I suspect that many of these youth couldn't even tie a bowline.


Allan.

I agree that we must scrutinize the CSA and QVA much more. There is simply no quality control.

However, to make them mandatory before a service award can be given is silly. The badge program is simply a means to an end and is entirely optional. Outstanding service can be given without a youth having earned a single badge. That's like saying the lifesaving badge should be mandatory before a youth can receive an award for saving a life!

Garth