Blue Card Process and Social Distancing

We don’t really want paper Blue Cards handed back and forth - again for now - right?
So with today’s Social Distancing in place, are there recommendations in place or do some of you have a flowchart of how your units are handling the Blue Card Process?

Assuming a unit leader discusses (phone, skype etc) with the scout the merit badge and mb counselor, If a unit leader approves a scout working on a given MB and connects the scout with the MBC - is that considered “good enough” for a signed blue card for now? Does anyone have a process IN PLACE for us to review to see how it might work for us?
Thanks in advance!
Tevia

Connect to Scout in Scoutbook to the MBC - AS an MBC - and they will only have access to the Scouts MBs that they are MBCs of. It is pretty clean - there is a little learning curve but things are coming out next week to help that

1 Like

My current process as an ASM is:
(1) Video/phone conference with scout to discuss new MB and provide scout with contact info for MBCs I know are currently working with scouts over the 'net (if possible), or who are on the council list (if I don’t already know one working remotely).
(2) I start a new blue card for the scout, sign it, and send a picture to the scout.
(3) The scout is responsible for arranging a tracking method with their MBC, and coordinating with me if they need my support (e.g. connecting the MBC to the scout in Scoutbook).
(4) If the scout completes a badge, the scout is responsible for getting notification from the MBC to me. I accept emails or phone calls from the MBC to log as complete in Scoutbook, assuming the MBC isn’t connected on Scoutbook, plus a counselor-signed blue card in the mail to the scout or to me (to be opened later) if the MBC has them. I have had mixed results getting MBs for scouts without a signed blue card in the past.

My current process as a MBC is:

(1a) If scout already has a blue card, scout sends me a photo of the card.
(1b) If scout is starting the badge new, scout sends me approval “signature” from SM/ASM, and I start a new blue card (I keep several on hand as an ASM).
(2) We meet virtually (phone/video conference) to discuss whatever requirements.
(3) I sign-off either virtually (if my council ever fixes their MBC list) on Scoutbook, or on a hardcopy blue card. I send photos of the signed blue card after each meeting to the scout & parent
(4) I retain the hardcopy blue card until we can meet, unless the scout requests that I send it to them or a leader sooner.

2 Likes

This is pretty much what I am suggesting we do -
I like your point about the tracking being between the MBC and the scout and them asking for support from you as needed - our council also has a bit of a problem with the MBC list so scoutbook is not always the answer.

When you say “I have had mixed results getting MBs for scouts without a signed blue card in the past.” do you mean at the scout store ? We DO use scoutbook so we CAN create advancement reports - and I believe the scout can print their own advancement report too to show they earned the MB. or did you mean something else?

Thanks CharleyHamilton!
Tevia

Correct. Sometimes we are able to purchase with just an Advancement Report, sometimes they insist on seeing the blue cards. I think it’s person-specific in this case.

This topic was automatically closed 7 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.