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New Volunteer Onboarding

Step-By-Step, What You Need to Know!

Welcome and congratulations on becoming an adult volunteer in Scouting America! This page is for new volunteers and current unit leaders. These are the steps a volunteer and a unit leader must take to fully ensure compliance with Scouting America membership standards.  Thank you for playing a big part in shaping the leaders of tomorrow!

Adult Leaders Using Dutch Ovens at LEAD 2023
Adult Leaders and Dutch Oven Delights at L.E.A.D. 2023

All New Volunteers Must*:

STEP 1 - Create a My Scouting Account
(Important: click each step for additional info)
To obtain a BSA member ID:

1) Register for an account on my.scouting.org.
2) Login and write down your Member ID.

You will need your Member ID number for future steps.
Click here to go to my.scouting.org
STEP 2 - Complete Scouting America Youth Protection Training
Take the full Youth Protection Training course:

1) Overview & Policies
2) Sexual Abuse
3) Bullying
4) YPT Certification test

You will need to be logged into My Scouting.
Click here for YPT
STEP 3 - Complete CA AB-506 Mandated Reporter Training
Create an account on the California Mandated Reporter Training site. The zip code for GGAC is 94588. Follow the instructions to complete the training. This is a "one and done" training, meaning it does not expire. Your Certificate will be automatically filed by the training vendor. You do not need to upload or send it to Council.

Fee issue: If prompted to pay $7.99, you have accessed the wrong site. Click the 'Help' button and indicate you are with the Golden Gate Area Council to resolve the issue. .
Link to Mandated Reporter Training
STEP 4a - Complete Background Consent Form
Download the online Background check consent form using the link button, complete the form. Save the form on your computer. See next section for instructions to upload the completed form.
Background Check Consent Form
STEP 4b - Upload Background Consent Form
After completing the Consent form, click the the link below to upload it. Scroll down the page to ITEM 2, Upload Background Consent Form and then click on: Choose File.
California Scouting
STEP 5 - Obtain LiveScan Fingerprinting
Use the button link below to complete your LiveScan request, schedule a fingerprinting appointment at a location near you, and complete initial payment ($26 rolling fee, $17 FBI fee) for the service request.
LiveScan Applicant Services
STEP 6 - Apply to Your Unit, Provide Verification
Discuss your application with your unit leader. You should show them your YPT certification, AB-506 training certificate, and LiveScan Application.

Apply online at the link below. If your unit is not accepting online applications, your unit leader may ask you to fill out a paper application. Complete the application and return the form to your unit leader.
Apply Online Here
*You must complete YPT training in order to submit an online application. If you do not complete AB-506 requirements within 60 days, your membership will be suspended until the steps are completed. All volunteers must be compliant with BSA and State of California youth safety guidelines. This page is updated frequently - AB-506 requirements are evolving and may be adjusted by the State of California.
STEP 7 - Join the GGAC Communications List
Stay informed! Join the GGAC Communications List.

Our twice monthly eNews covers the latest Scouting updates and provides information about upcoming training, camping, and other general program events. Don't miss out on important info!
Sign Up for eNews
STEP 8 - (Ongoing) Complete Position Specific Training
These instructor-led courses are designed to help Scout leaders learn how to be effective in their Scouting roles. In most cases, after completing the course a leader is “trained” for the role(s) covered in the course. E-learning versions of some courses may be found on My Scouting.
BSA Position Specific Training

When a New Volunteer Completes an Application, the Unit Leader Must:

STEP 1 - Verify YPT and AB-506 Compliance
Confirm that the adult applicant has a valid BSA YPT and Mandated Reporter Training certification valid through the end of their registration period and has completed LiveScan fingerprinting. Although YPT is valid for 2 years, GGAC requires it to be valid through a registration period and may need to be updated annually. Mandated Reporter Training, required by the State of California, is a 'one and done' certificate and does not expire.

Verify compliance with the BSA ID number and last name:

To verify YPT, login to My Scouting and click the blue circle at the bottom right of the page. Click the option to check YPT status.

For AB-506 verification, leaders should review the AB-506 report for their unit using the link below.
AB-506 Report
STEP 2 - Accept the Adult Leader Application
The COR and a COR delegate have the necessary permission to login to My Scouting in order to accept an adult leader application in Application Manager.
My Scouting
STEP 3 - Address an Adult Leader with "Suspended" Status
If an application is processed for a leader that is not compliant with YPT and AB-506 requirements within 60 days, their membership may be moved into a 'Suspended' status until they become compliant.

If the unit leader has any questions or concerns about a volunteer's AB-506 compliance, please escalate to your district staff. We hope to have an automated process that allows a unit level search in the future and will update this page accordingly if the process should change.
Professional Staff Directory

General Information

GGAC Refund Policy

The Golden Gate Area Council has instituted a refund policy to ensure our Scouts receive high quality programs & activities.  A great deal of advanced planning and purchasing takes place for programs and events of the Golden Gate Area Council during the months and weeks prior to an event.

 

The Council will refund up to 100% of the costs for any event it cancels. In order to maintain the most cost effective and positive program impact activity, camping, and event refunds of 100% cannot be given.  Refunds are not given for No-Shows, schedule conflicts, weather conditions, or behavior issues occurring before or during the event. Refunds are considered based upon the following criteria and timeline and are returned to the person or entity and in the manner in which they were received. 

 

Time Until Start of Event

Percentage Refund

Up to 14 days prior

80% refund

Up to 7 days prior

60% refund

7 days or less

No refund*

*Participants who cancel from an event within 7 days will be considered for up to a 60% refund if the refund request is accompanied by a Doctor’s note.  Requests under these circumstances will not be considered if not received at the Council Service Center less than 14 days after the start of the event.

The Golden Gate Area Council believes each Scout should be given every opportunity to attend Camp. At times it can be hard for a family to raise the money, and Camperships can help cover part of the cost of a week of Camp for Golden Gate Area Council members attending one of the Golden Gate Area Council Camps. Campership applications are due by March 27th for continuing Scouts and May 29th for newly bridged Arrow of Light Scouts.

Due to the need for Staff time off, Saturday arrivals are NOT allowed.

ALL of our Camps are CLOSED and the Staff is off duty from 11:00 AM on Saturday to 11:00AM on Sunday each weekend. 

No Troop……..No Problem! You don’t have to miss out on all the fun just because your troop isn’t going to summer camp or because other summer plans mean you won’t be able to go to camp with your Troop. You may even want to do an additional week of camp just because you had such a great time.

 

New Friends…….New Experiences!  Provisional Camping is just like camping with your home troop, except you’ll have the opportunity to camp with new friends as you join Scouts from all over the council and beyond. You’ll meet new people and have the opportunity to develop friendships that can last a lifetime. Provisional Scouts will partner with a selected Golden Gate Area Council Troop with an experienced leader. You’ll have a full time Scoutmaster for the week that, just like your Scoutmaster back home, will make sure you have a safe and fun camp experience. Provisional scouts can participate in all of the camp’s exciting programs including advancement, competitions, and patrol events. It’s a great way to finish additional Merit Badges, or to try a new part of the program that you weren’t able to try before.

NOTE:

  1. First-year summer campers cannot attend as Provisional. Youth must have attended at least one Summer Camp at the camp prior to this year.
  2. We will contact you after receipt of your reservation to coordinate registration into specific camp programs, get health forms, emergency contact info, permission slips, etc…
  3. Adults attending with provisional Scouts must pay a leader fee.

SO, sign up now if you’d like to attend camp as part of the provisional camping program!

Provisional Camping is the creation of a temporary Troop or an opportunity to work with another unit. Provisional camping allows youth to attend camp without their home unit. Provisional camping is not new; it is used during many different Scouting events including National Jamborees and High Adventure trips.

The Scout’s family is responsible for transportation to and from Camp. Please contact the Golden Gate Area Council Camping and Outdoor Programs Department ([email protected]) for questions or more information.

How to verify an out of Council Merit Badge Counselor.

First, try to connect the Scout and counselor in Scoutbook. If that is successful, the counselor is registered and qualified. If unsuccessful, go to the counselor’s home council and search for their Advancement Administrators. Most will have an email address for either the Council Advancement Committee or Professional Advisor. Send an email asking if the counselor has been registered and qualified for the merit badge(s) in question and the status of their Youth Protection Training. Ask California councils if the counselor has completed AB506 training and LiveScan. The unit leader’s “blue card” signature verifies their counselor credentials verification.

Venturing

Sea Scouts

Exploring

International

Highlander

Shooting Sport

STEM

Scouting for Food

Order of the Arrow