Service Project

The Scout Oath says that a Scout promises to do his best to "help other people at all times." The Scout Law expects a Scout to be helpful. And the Scout Slogan asks him to do a good turn daily. All this item asks is that a troop do a good turn for the community annually.

While the standard of one service project in a twelve-month period seems light, the concept of service to the community is a basic element of Scouting. Unfortunately, many troops rarely plan service projects unless they have a Scout trying to earn his Eagle rank. A quality troop, with a quality program should at least repay their chartering organization with a bit of community service.

It is, of course, getting much easier for troops to plan and conduct service projects. Many middle schools require a set number of hours of community service for graduation, as do many high schools. With these requirements hanging over their head, and the comparatively light community service requirements for Star or Life, many Patrol Leaders and Senior Patrol Leaders jump at the chance to add a service project to their program. But, we want them to plan them because service to the community is good, and it makes them feel good, not because their school requires it.

Setting a goal for service projects is difficult. It depends on the members of the troop, the community they live in, and the resources available to them. Whether it's one a year, one every six months, one a quarter, or whenever the opportunity presents itself, the number of projects should be determined according to the makeup of the troop. Your goal, however, should be to make service projects something your Scouts enjoy and look forward to, rather than simply something they need to do to pass a requirement.