SM Tip - Working with Scouts with Disabilities

One of the most inspiring stories from last summer’s Jamboree was about a participant named Sean Brame, who happens to be a quadruple amputee. Despite his disability, Sean is a Life Scout who participated in the full array of Jamboree activities. (The Jamboree Journal devoted a full spread to his story.)

Given its flexibility and self-paced nature, Scouting is a great program for kids with all sorts of disabilities. Often, all that’s required is a little knowledge and a little flexibility on the part of Scout leaders.

So what if you don’t have that knowledge. A great place to start is the “Scouting for Youth with Disabilities Manual” (#34059), which you can download for free from http://scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34059.pdf. This expansive manual (which replaces a number of smaller publications) includes general information, such as alternative advancement procedures, and specific information on a host of disabilities, including autism, ADD/ADHD, and language disorders. Download the book, heed its advice, and you too could change the future for a young man like Sean Brame. 

Republished with permission for more information, visit www.eaglebook.com.