Family Den Pilot Program

Since the inception of the Family Pack concept, Cub Scout packs and Councils throughout the nation have requested BSA consider adding a Family Den option for Family Packs that would allow both boys and girls to participate within the same age/rank dens. Additionally, the recruitment of girls into Cub Scout packs has resulted in, on average, 1-3 girls in a family pack. Often, the girls are in different grades, making the formation of an all-girl age/rank den a barrier to joining or having a quality program experience.

 With a great deal of encouragement from members nationwide, the BSA will be testing the Family Den concept in councils for the 2022-23 program year.  Palmetto Council applied and was accepted as a pilot Council.  We are now offering the opportunity to participate in the pilot to all of our Family Cub Scout Packs.  Requirements for a pack to participate are as follows:

  1. Charter Partner and Pack Committee must agree to the pack’s participation

  2. Agrees to use ScoutBook to set up all dens

  3. Assign a registered adult leader in the pack as the representative to the council for the pilot. This representative agrees to participate in the Pack Pilot Kick-off Webinar on June 30th and if unable to attend the live webinar, to watch the recorded session by July 8th

  4. 5th grade dens (Arrow of Light) will remain single gender to properly prepare youth to join a single-gender Troop in Scouts BSA

  5. Agree to have a registered adult leader as the den leader for each den

  6. The pack must sign a memorandum of understanding by no later than June 24th

Please note that this change ONLY applies to the Cub Scout program. The BSA remains committed to the single-gender program design of our Scouts BSA program, and the Scouts BSA program will continue to only allow single-gender Troops. Chartered organizations always have the option to select from the numerous BSA program offerings; no single program or format is mandatory. The option for Cub Scout family packs to utilize family dens builds on the experience Scouts have had in our organization while at the same time ensuring every girl can participate in our time-tested programs with fewer barriers to participate.

If your pack is interested in participating please contact me at  (Taylor.Thomas@Scouting.org; 803-519-8262).