Volunteer Opportunities for Adults
Skippers Staff
If you are age 21 or older, you can become a member of our Skipper’s Staff if you have the time and dedication to do so. Members of the Skipper’s Staff attend most Ship meetings (two Saturdays per month), most of our other weekend outdoor activities and trips (there are at least six per academic year). Skippers receive training and spend a lot of time advising our young adult members. The full complement of the Skipper’s Staff will grow to one Skipper and eight Skipper’s Mates. This is an iconic, satisfying service to young people in our City.
Ship 25 Committee
The Ship 25 Committee is a group of about 15 adults who meet once a month via Zoom for one hour. The Ship Committee has several officers, including a Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Advancement Chair, and other positions allowing a volunteer to concentrate on a particular support activity. We operate efficiently and will provide you with the training you need to do your job. Membership includes active duty Coast Guard and Navy officers, leadership of the Coast Guard Auxiliary for metropolitan Washington, DC (called “Division 25” in Coast Guard Auxiliary organization terms), Scouters with deep levels of experience in the Boy Scouts of America in the District of Columbia and parents of youth interested in Sea Scouting. We do not over-work our volunteers.
Program Consultants
We are gathering a number of volunteers who will focus on providing program experiences to the Sea Scouts on a one-off or annual basis. An example would be a commercial shipping commander who will expose Sea Scouts to the careers available in the commercial maritime industry. Another might be a maritime attorney who would similarly provide career information. Other consultants will be recreational boaters who would provide experiences on how to handle paddle, motor and sail craft.
You Do Not Need Scouting Experience
We will arrange for you to be trained, which is often done on-line through Sea Scouting’s national training website. If you have youth service experience in organizations like Scouts BSA, GSUSA or American Heritage Girls, we are especially interested in your becoming part of our Skipper’s Staff or Ship 25 Committee. Please share your experience with us on our volunteer sign-up form.
Complete Youth Protection Training
People who are interested in becoming registered adult volunteers in Sea Scout Ship 25 must first complete online Youth Protection Training. Members of our current Ship Committee and Skipper’s Staff report that viewing the program, which includes experts discussing this important subject matter, was quite worthwhile. It provides the viewer with a good understanding of BSA procedures to prevent instances of inappropriate behavior toward and among youth. It also discusses the behavioral traits of abusers and the abused — and what to do when these are noticed.
To take the course, follow these steps:
- Access the BSA national training website at my.scouting.org and establish an account. Make note of the account information, because you will use it for other training and information purposes as you become more involved with Ship 25.
- Go to https://my.scouting.org
- Click on “Create Account.”
- Walk through the application process to establish an account on the website.
- After you have established your account application, you will be directed to the my.scouting.org Dashboard Page.
- Click on the Youth Protection shield on the right of the page and take the training.
When you are done, print out the completion certificate, keep one and give a copy to the Ship 25 Committee Chairman or Skipper. This will qualify you to become a registered adult leader in Sea Scouting. After you have registered as an adult leader, the national Sea Scout training site at www.SeaScout.org can provide online training for specific Ship positions you might accept.