Troop 208 - Service Projects


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Troop 208 - Service Projects

This document outlines the Troop 208 policy regarding individual service project hours that a scout may earn towards rank advancement. The intent is not to introduce a lot of policy and formal procedures, but to clarify how service project hours are to be earned and recorded, and what constitutes a valid service project. This policy is especially needed to guide scouts earning service project hours on their own—outside of the scope of official troop sponsored service projects (such as Eagle Projects, which have already been validated).

DEFINITION

A service project is an activity that benefits a religious institution, school, community or non-profit organization (as defined by the IRS).

SERVICE PROJECT EXAMPLES - GOOD & BAD

Examples of valid service projects include (but are certainly not limited) to the following:

church / park / roadway maintenance/cleanup/landscaping;
volunteering at recognized charities such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, Dorcas shop, local hospital, Meals on Wheels, soup kitchen, homeless shelter, etc.;
constructing and installing bird/bat houses for a park/trail;
help construct a wheel chair ramp;
assist in constructing a footbridge in a public area to provide safer access;
participate in a toy drive to donate toys to a charitable organization

Examples of good deeds that are not service projects include the following:

chores done around the house, setting up chairs at church;
assisting in the nursery at church;
visiting an elderly relative;
gathering clothes from the household and taking them to Goodwill;
fund-raising activities of any kind;
any work performed for a for-profit organization;
activities performed as part of another role within scouting (example: a den chief assisting cub pack in an activity such as pinewood derby, rifle range, summer camp, etc.)

APPROVAL PROCESS

Troop 208 provides an adult leader to coordinate and record service project hours. All scout service projects done outside of the scope of an approved troop project (and the number of projected hours), must be pre-approved by this coordinator. The scout must provide to the coordinator proof that the work was done—certificate, letter of commendation, or informal note from parent/guardian. After the fact submission can be accepted provided this documentation is given and the service project meets the criteria outlined above.

Click here to e-mail the Service Project Cooridinator; please provide the number of projected hours and a detailed description of the service project.

SERVICE PROJECT COORDINATOR DUTIES

Ensures that accurate service project hours are recorded for each scout in our TroopMaster database. The information includes the date, a description of the service project (including the beneficiary), and the number of hours.
Ensures that attendance at troop sponsored service projects is taken and that hours are recorded for these (for Eagle Projects, the Eagle scout candidate is responsible for providing this information to the coordinator)
Actively pursues additional service project opportunities for the troop, acting as the liaison between the troop and service organization for a project.