Citizenship in Society Merit Badge

CITIZENSHIP IN SOCIETY MERIT BADGE GUIDELINES

in the NWGA Council

The BSA has recently introduced the new Citizenship in Society Merit Badge. The National Council has described the purpose of this new merit badge as follows:

The goal of the Citizenship in Society merit badge is to help educate Scouts on what diversity, equity, and inclusion are; why they are important; and how to lead ethically and inclusively to contribute to the cultivation of an environment of belonging for all Scouts. This merit badge is one of the educational and awareness initiatives the BSA is implementing to ensure every youth feels welcomed and wholly included, to achieve a sense of belonging with the Scouts, and to prepare them for success in our ever-evolving world. This merit badge is like no other in that there is no merit badge pamphlet, and no other prescribed instruction materials. Rather, the scout is expected to explore the merit badge requirements on an individualized basis with an approved merit badge counselor.

In order to facilitate the introduction of this merit badge within the Northwest Georgia, the Council Advancement Committee has adopted the following additional guidelines, effective July 2022 in the council:

· Each Scout BSA unit in the NWGA Council should within a reasonable time have at least one leader that will become a Merit Badge Counselor for the Citizenship in Society merit badge.

· Complete a BSA adult application and criminal background check authorization form.

· Complete a Merit Badge Counselor Information Form, and indicate that you are applying to counsel the Citizenship in Society merit badge. Do not put any other merit badges on this form. (Click Here https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34405.pdf )

· To be approved as a merit badge counselor for the Citizenship in Society merit
badge the scouter must show proof of successful completion of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
in Scouting online course (SCO_1800) in the BSA online training center and the Merit badge Councelor training found in BSA online training.

· In considering merit badge counselor approval the Council advancement committee
shall ensure that the scouter seeking to be a merit badge counselor for the Citizenship
in Society merit badge has first reviewed the current version of the Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Counselor Guide(Click Here https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/diversity_equity_and_inclusion/Citizenship-in-Society-Merit-Badge-Counselor-Guide-2021.pdf  )

· The Council advancement committee shall ensure that applications to be approved as a merit badge counselor for the Citizenship in Society merit badge demonstrate that the prospective merit badge counselor has the skills required by the National Council’s Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Counselor Guidelines.

· Upon receipt of all documents above, complete an interview with a NWGA Council Advancement Committee at nmkitchens@gmail.com You will be contacted to schedule the interview.

We hope you and the Scouts will appreciate the level of training and thoroughness of the consideration being put into the candidates being selected to guide our Scouts in completing this merit badge. These are strict requirements as the Advancement Committee feels we need to ensure the merit badge is offered in an extraordinary way to our youth.