Is It Service Hours To Help On An Eagle Project?

When I offered an analysis of the 2015 Eagle Scout class concluding calendar month, something didn't seem quite right to volunteer Earl Binder.

He read that "young men who earned Eagle in 2015 combined to record eight,503,337 hours of service on Eagle projects. That'south an boilerplate of 156.4 hours of service per Eagle project."

Binder, who sits on Eagle Spotter boards of review for the Greater St. Louis Area Council (one of his many volunteer roles) argues that the actual number of hours earned is much higher than 156.4 per Hawkeye Scout service project.

The numbers come up from Eagle Scout Rank Applications, so they're only as accurate as what the Scouts report. And that'southward where y'all, the Sentry leader, can help.

"1 matter I have noticed when doing final Eagle boards of review is that many of the Scouts didn't calculate the hours correctly," Binder says. "They merely put downward a total of their time plus the clock time it took to complete the project — regardless of how many Scouts, friends, Scouters, family unit, etc. helped."

Scouts don't understand that each helper's hours should be counted separately, Binder says. Ten people working for 4 hours should exist recorded as 40 hours, non four hours.

"When I sit on a projection proposal board, I try to call back to explain the difference to the Lookout," he says.

What should be counted

Mike Lo Vecchio of the BSA'southward Fellow member Experience Innovation team sits on Eagle boards of review in his volunteer time, and he advises Scouts to "count the time they spend on the telephone, and to count the fourth dimension of the person on the other terminate of line.

"I suggest them to count their travel time to and from meetings with individuals and the project site. If the Scout does non drive, he should count the driver's fourth dimension as well. It is recommended that the Sentry keep a log or ledger of anybody he spends fourth dimension talking to in person or on the phone, and all those who, in some manner, have assisted in planning, developing and implementing his project. These are project helpers."

How to summate time, including helpers' hours

Let'due south say the Scout himself put in 80 hours on the project — being sure to include fourth dimension spent planning, gathering materials, traveling and really working on the project.

On the outset Sabbatum of the bodily project, he had a group of 20 helpers who were there from 8 a.m. until noon. That's four hours times 20 workers, oreighty hours.

On the second Sabbatum, 30 helpers showed upward and worked from 8 a.thousand. until 2 p.thousand. That's six hours times 30 workers, or 180 hours.

Chiliad total: 340 hours. And he hasn't fifty-fifty counted all of the other time he spent, as Lo Vecchio outlined above.

This is something to keep in mind equally your Scouts are tabulating their hours worked.

"I am betting that a practiced number of the 54,366 new Eagle Scouts shorted themselves and that your counts are probably low," Binder says.

What difference does it make?

Reporting volunteer hours using the same counting method equally other volunteer agencies ensures that Scouting as a movement gets proper credit for all the keen piece of work our Scouts practice.

When we present that number to groups and families non affiliated with Scouting, we desire it to be as accurate as possible.

No minimum hours requirement

Ane more than thing.

The goal of an Eagle Watch service project is for the Lookout to plan, develop and give leadership — still long that takes. That's why there's no requirement for a minimum number of hours that must exist worked on an Eagle project.