After that we focused on the importance of Scout Camp. This series of posted focused on the excuses parents commonly use for not letting their son attend camp and how the Aims of Scouting tie into the Summer Camp purpose and program. also at the end of the first post and the first part of the second post in this series we focused on what the purpose of Scout Camp is and some of the common mis-conceptions about the purpose of Scout Camp. Finally we come to the third and final post about the importance of Scout Camp in which we focused on giving a brief introduction to the Patrol Method and then we tied the Patrol Method back to how it relates to camp and why the Patrol Method which is the only way to run Boy Scouts has a impact on the importance of Scout Camp.
So now that we have briefly reviewed what we have covered in these recent posts about summer camp we can move onto a new subject. That new subject is defining and exploring how Scout Camps are typed or a easier way to say this is that we are looking at the general categories in which Scout Camps can be labeled as. For the sake of sanity and trying to keep these posts from getting so long I will first be covering Cub Scout Summer Camp categories. Wait I thought your primary focus was on Boy Scout Camp, yes it is and it will continue to be that way but before we discuss Boy Scout level Types of Scout Camp facilities we really should focus on the Cub Scout Camp types. Im doing it this way to help people understand some of the primary differences between Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts which is something that is not clearly understood, accepted, or known to all the various parties in your Scout Unit. Differences in Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts and the transition from one program to the other program is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. Its also a subject that tends to be very complicated and is easily turned into something its not intended to be.
One quick thing to mention is that this is most definitely not a official system used by the Boy Scouts of America National Council to categorize Summer Scout Camp facilities. The idea though is to get people to start thinking about the fact that there are many different ways to run Scout Camping facilities. In general for Cub Scouts there is usually two major groups of Camp facilities which include resident camping and day camping programs. Many people are probably wondering why I did not start out the Cub Scout Camp typing flow chart with family camps and non-family camps. The reasoning behind this is because either we would have family and non-family at the top under which each would have resident and day camp types or vice versa. So yeah it could go either way but that really isn't a very important topic or item to discuss.
Well now we will take the time to define Resident Family Cub Scout Camp, Resident Non-Family Cub Scout Camp, Family Day Camp for Cub Scouts, and finally Non-family Day Camp for Cub Scouts. To make this a simpler process the two category of terms will be resident or day camp and family or non-family camp. Resident Camp as it names in implies is a type of Cub Scout Camp that has a over-night component to it. On the other hand we have Non-Resident Cub Scout Camp or as many more know it Day Camp for Cub Scouts is a program that spans over multiple days where the parents drop-off and pick-up their Cub Scout each day repeating the process until the end of Cub Scout Camp. Resident Camp for the majority of Scout Councils usually only has a Webelos Scout Component to it but it can also include resident camp where Webelos and Bears and Wolfs Cub Scouts. The only group that can not do resident camp is that of Tiger Scouts. For Tiger Scouts the decision of whether or not to let them participate in Day Camp or not is left to the Scout Council based on the facilities, resources, and staff availability. Generally speaking Tiger Cubs are usually allowed to go to Day Camp but remember that the parent of the Tiger must attend all portions of camp in order for the Scout to be allowed to stay at day camp.
Family camp and Non-Family Camp Cub Scout Camps are the next two terms we have to cover. Family Camp as it name implies is a camp program that encourages the Cub Scout and the rest of the family to come to camp. With Non-Family Cub Scout Camp family members are not encouraged to bring other kids to camp. Finally one thing to mention is that Day Camps for Cub Scouts can be held by Districts or by the Council, no individual unit may have or do a residential or day camp program. Remember the only group outside of a District-Sponsored or Council-Sponsored that can go camping is that of Webelos Scouts. Webelos Scouts even then are only granted the opportunity to do weekend overnight campouts with the preferred length being only 1 night or two days.
Well that pretty much covers Cub Scout Camp programs there are exceptions and changes to these categories or terms based on a Council by Council basis but in general all of these terms are pretty much universal in nature. Cub Scout Camp during the summer is a essential part of the Cub Scout experience with all Packs being highly encouraged to participate in this part of the Cub Scout Program. In the next post we will introduce Boy Scout Camp Types but due to the longer and more complex nature of Boy Scout Camp Types this will require more than one post. During the first post the focus will be a introduction to Boy Scout Camps. In the next post Boy Scout Camp Types for Younger Scouts will be covered while the final portion covering Boy Scout Camp Types for older Boy Scouts. Usually the dividing line used to divide older and younger Scouts is that of 14 years old.
Just another quick note about this post is that my signature block has been change slightly to update recent changes in what I am participating in.
Yours in Scouting Service
Mark West
Assistant Scoutmaster/Summer Camp Chairman 2012
Troop 1316, Troop 1616(aka 669)
Tustumena District & Eklutna District, Great Alaska Council
NSJ '05 Youth Participant NSJ '10 & '13 Subcamp Staff
WSJ '07 Youth Participant WSJ '11 International Service Team(IST)
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Honor Big Horn Denver Area Council NYLT QM Philmont AA '08
If you are paid to do Scouting, you are called a professional. If you are not paid to do Scouting, you are called a Volunteer. If you pay to do Scouting, then you are called a Scouter.
