>> I wish they could come up with a co-ed type of program, with all the ideal values of the Boy and Girl Scouts, where I could volunteer. <<

Have I got a deal for you... <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

BSA Venturing - 8th Grade / 14 thru age 20 - i.e., High School age thru early college age. IIRC, there are some pretty good Venture Crews generally in your area. Look for a high adventure crew and check it out.

It's darned hard to really make Venturing work well because youth in those ages have so many things competing for their time, so don't expect a regular-as-clockwork meet-every-week type of unit. But it's purposely coed (won't work worth a hoot if young men only - MUST have a solid mix of male and female for it to work; has nothing to do with boy-girl stuff, but rather the mix of ideas, attitudes, perspectives, etc).

And when it works, it is very cool.

OTOH, working with the youngsters in the traditional BSA program is flat out awesome and if you go aobut it purposefully, can really enrich the boys for life while being intrisically rewarding to you. Many of us really really want that to be coed like most other countries, but... BSA would put GSA out of business if it did that, even with the baggage I gripe about. Pick whatever theory you like about why they can't get together on it.

Traditional BSA would NOT exisit today if there were not many dedicated and talented adult female leaders. We currently have 2 ACTIVE female Assistant Scoutmasters that make most male counterparts look like nimrods - there are troops that would kill to have them. And we have at least a couple of female Scoutmasters who seem to be getting the job done just fine.

Boys and girls do need good role models outside the home as well as inside the family. I would not be in favor of an all-women leader team for a Boy Scout Troop, but a mix of male and female leaders seems to work extremely well. YMMV...

Check out venturing.

Regards,

Tom