The Scouting America places the greatest importance on creating the most secure environment possible for our youth members.

  • Safeguarding Youth Training is required for all registered volunteers.
  • New leaders are required to take Safeguarding Youth Training before they submit their application for registration. The certificate of completion for this training must be submitted at the time application is made and before volunteer service with youth begins.
  • Safeguarding Youth Training must be taken every year. If a volunteer’s Safeguarding Youth Training record is not current at the time of recharter, the volunteer will not be reregistered.

The Virginia Headwaters Council is 100% committed to keeping our youth safe and we appreciate the commitment of all our volunteer leaders to make this happen.

Safeguarding Youth Training is designed to help you keep our youth safe from abuse. You will learn Scouting America’s Youth Protection Guidelines, signs of abuse, and how to report suspected abuse. After each section of material, you will answer questions about that section’s topic. Click here for more information.

To maintain a safe environment, the BSA developed numerous procedural and leadership selection policies and provides parents and leaders with resources for the Cub Scout, Scouts BSA, and Venturing programs.

Get Trained Today

To take Safeguarding Youth Training, go to My.Scouting.org and create an account. From the My.Scouting portal, click on “New to Scouting?  Take training here” and Youth Protection icon in the upper right. Select “Safeguarding Youth Training” from the training menu. Upon completion, you may print a certificate of completion to submit with a volunteer application or submit the completion certificate to the unit leader for processing at the Virginia Headwaters Council office.

Youth Protection and Social Media

The BSA has recently updated its Youth Protection policies to apply to social and digital media. For more information on how to communicate via social platforms while complying with Youth Protection standards, please see this guide from the National Office.

BSA Social Media Guidelines