UPDATE: BSA Young Adult Registration Effective 1 March 2015 and Program Participation
In 2014 the BSA National Executive Board approved a resolution to establish consistency in the registration requirements across all programs, regardless of participant age. The purpose of this resolution is to ensure that moving forward, participants who are 18 but not yet 21 register as adults. However, this does not affect their eligibility to participate in programs such as Venturing and Sea Scouting.
The primary purpose of the change is to ensure that all persons legally considered adults meet adult membership requirements, including undergoing a criminal background check and meeting the BSA’s Youth Protection requirements and membership standards. The changes are required to allow the performance of criminal background checks in connection with the registration process.
New Venturing and Sea Scouting participants 18 but not yet 21, must complete an Adult Application and Criminal Background Check Disclosure/Authorization form.
To support this change, the youth and adult applications have been revised. The new Youth Application, No. 524-406 (SKU 619506), and the new Adult Application, No. 524-501 (SKU 619504), should be used starting March 1, 2015. Spanish versions of the Youth Application, No. 524-423 (SKU 619507), and the Adult Application, No. 524-502 (SKU 619505), are also available.
Position code for young adult Venturers and Sea Scouts (age 18 but not yet 21 years old) is “VP”.
Venturers and Sea Scouts under age 21 will still be considered to be youth members (“Scouts”) in crews and ships (and also in the Order of the Arrow). These young adults may continue to serve in youth leadership roles, such as Crew President, Sea Scout Boatswain, etc., and will still be eligible for Venturing/Sea Scout advancement and youth recognition. They will still not be eligible to hold the adult positions listed above in the address line (on the application), which will still require members to be minimum of age 21.
As of March 1, 2015, the BSA local councils will not be able to accept BSA Youth Applications for member applicants age 18 and older, as those forms do not contain the required information and consent agreement language needed to conduct a criminal background check.
Scouting Forms from the National Council: http://www.scouting.org/s…forms.aspx