True youth protection can be achieved only through the focused commitment of everyone in Scouting. It is the mission of Youth Protection volunteers and professionals to work within Scouting America to maintain a culture of Youth Protection awareness and safety at the national, territory, council, district, and unit levels.
Scouting America takes great pride in the quality of our adult leadership. Being a leader in Scouting America is a privilege, not a right. The quality of the program and the safety of our youth members call for high-quality adult leaders.
Scouting America has unveiled a new comprehensive Safeguarding Youth Training (SYT) program, reinforcing its unwavering commitment to creating the safest possible environment for young people. This updated training represents a significant step forward in Scouting America's multi-layered approach to youth protection.
The new training is mandatory for all registered adult volunteers and has been developed with insights from leading experts in child safety, law enforcement, and child psychology. It incorporates the latest strategies for recognizing, responding to, and preventing various forms of abuse, including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.
Key Features of the Updated Training:
- Comprehensive Focus: Our new Safeguarding Youth Training (formerly Youth Protection Training) program reflects the more comprehensive nature of the training and its focus on safeguarding youth from all threats.
- Inclusive Content: The training covers a wide range of topics, ensuring volunteers are well-informed about potential risks and best practices for youth protection.
- Annual Refresher Courses: Recognizing the ongoing need for education and awareness, Scouting America will now require annual refresher courses, estimated to take 15-20 minutes, to keep youth protection knowledge current.
- Alignment with Best Practices: Scouting America regularly consults with experts to ensure its policies and training reflect the most up-to-date knowledge and prevention techniques in the field of youth safety.
- Focus on Prevention: The training emphasizes proactive measures to prevent abuse and create a culture of safety within Scouting.
Your existing Youth Protection Training remains valid until its expiration date, at which point the new Safeguarding Youth Training will be required.
Scouting America's proactive approach to youth safety underscores its dedication to providing a secure and enriching environment where young people can learn, grow, and thrive. The launch of this enhanced Safeguarding Youth Training demonstrates a continuous effort to adapt and improve safety measures, ensuring the well-being of all Scouts remains the top priority.
Accessing Safeguarding Youth Training:
Access Safeguarding Youth Training at my.scouting.org.
If you have an existing my.scouting.org account, please DO NOT create another account. Instead, use the forgot password link. Creating another account will cause an additional profile on the council side.
- If you have never created a my.scouting.org account, you will need to create one. This can be done with or without your Scouting America membership ID.
- If you enter your membership ID, your training records will be updated at the Council Office.
- After your account is created you will receive an email with a link. Click the link to activate your My.Scouting account. This must be done before you can log in. If you do not receive an email, check your spam/junk folder.
- Once you log in to my.scouting, click the english or spanish Safeguarding Youth Training logo, then click the start button for each of the 4 modules. Your training will show complete after you take all 4 training modules.
- Once your training is complete, an email will be sent to you with a copy of your certificate. Please allow up to 72 hours for this email to be delivered.
How to check your Safeguarding Youth Training date and expiration:
- Log in to my.scouting.org
- Click Menu in the top left.
- Click "My Training" and then "Youth Protection Training"
- Note the completed date and the expire date.
How to print your Safeguarding Youth Training certificate:
- Log in to my.scouting.org
- Click "Menu" at the top left
- Click "My Training" and then "YPT."
- Once you click on the "Print Certificate" link, your browser will open a PDF where you can print and/or save your certificate.