Welcome!
If you're here it's likely because you have just become a Scouter! A Scouter is an adult volunteer like yourself.
If you're an experienced Scouter and want to take care of business on behalf of your Unit, jump to the Quick Links in the footer. Those links are meant to get you to where you need to be quickly.
Otherwise, here is a primer for newer Scouters.
1. Complete your Safeguarding Youth Training.
This is done online at my.Scouting.org.
You will need to set up an account on Scouting.org to track completed training modules.
2. Complete your application on BeAScout.org or paper application
Each Unit will handle this differently but ultimately, the Safeguarding Youth Training Certificate, and the paper application along with the background check release on page 6, will need to make its way to the Council Service Center. Mailing address: Greater Hudson Valley Council, 18 Westage Drive, Suite 19; Fishkill, NY 12524. **Please be sure that the unit has reviewed the application and applied the necessary signature and unit information on the form first.
3. Complete your Position Training.
Find Council training sessions on our calendar.
Organizational Structure
Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is a national organization made up of numerous Councils; think of it as a franchise! The Greater Hudson Valley Council is further organized into eight Districts for the purpose of allocating resources to support Units, i.e. Cub Scout Packs, Scouts BSA Troops, Venturing Crews, and Exploring Posts.
What BSA provides
BSA provides the standards for things like rank advancement, some insurance and notably, training modules for Scouters.
You will likely interact with BSA when completing online training.
For general information on Scouting and Scouting guidelines, visit Scouting.org. This way you're getting the latest information right from the source.
What the Greater Hudson Valley Council (GHVC) provides
GHVC is the local Council that services Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Westchester Counties in New York and part of Pike County in Pennsylvania. We own four camping properties.
From these properties, we offer camping facilities as well as on-site training for adult volunteers and youth.
GHVC and the Districts often hold Camporees to provide programming and Scouting fun for Units within the Council. You can find upcoming events on our Calendar page.
Where To Go With Questions
District and Unit Commissioners
Even after you've completed your training, you will likely have questions. Your first, best resource is the "Commissioner Corps."
Commissioners are district and council leaders who help Scout units succeed by coaching and providing guidance to adult leaders.
Each Unit, i.e. Cub Scout Pack or Scouting BSA Troop, is assigned a Unit Commissioner. The Unit Commissioners work with the District Commissioners (volunteers) and District Executives (staff) who provide additional support to Units.
Roundtables
District Commissioners hold Roundtable meetings for the purpose of information sharing, discussing best practices and building relationships between Scouting units. Each District will hold their own Roundtables.
