Faith Development through Awards

Youth/Scouts

The objective of scouting award programs is to provide program, witness and encouragement in a nurturing environment so that the Youth/Scouts may grow significantly in their faith. Development in faith is the process by which one's relationship with God, as the Father, becomes more like Jesus. This means we become more “Christ-like” as we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Faith is a continual, growing experience—a lifelong endeavor. It is important for the counselor/parent to be very familiar with and aware of other, often conflicting developmental processes that are part of being a youth or teenager, including:

• Biological (or bodily) maturation as the Scouts start to grow both physically and mentally.

• Emotional and affective maturation, more attention to other attractions (sports, cars, etc.)

• The Scouts capacity for moral and social responsibilities and how they handle them.

All of these processes are occurring at different rates in different Scouts with great variation from one individual to the next. Often the Scouts do not understand what is occurring or why. They are experiencing a growth in ability of thought and judgment and are naturally questioning what they have been taught about values and their religion, among other things. This may result in potential for conflict with adults or authority figures or within the group, but this conflict also may place you as their religious mentor in a unique position to help them grow in knowledge and understanding of their Catholic faith. As a Counselor, it is especially important to know how much and in what ways the religious message is understandable and relevant in the life of each Scout. The counselor must assess the maturity of the Scouts. Each youth is unique and not all youth have the maturity to participate in complex discussions about their faith and beliefs. If the youth is not ready he will gain nothing from the program. We often ask younger less mature Scouts to wait a year.

The following are some characteristics and responses that may be found at this stage. (I attempted to arrange in order increasing age for appearance of the traits.)

• • Importance of peer group increases

  • Increased facility for reflection and rational judgment

  • Re-evaluation of their own life, especially religion

  • Need to make and learn from their own mistakes

  • Willing to explore and push dimensions of their faith

  • Idealistic, do not tend to compromise well

  • Increased capacity to think in the abstract

  • Ability to reason

  • The search for self-identity

  • Self-conscious, negative self-image at times

  • Full of energy but awkward

  • Emotions are deep and intense

  • Testing and challenging of behavioral limits, ideas, values, adult authority

  • Developing capacity for philosophical thinking (in older Scouts)

  • Need to develop their own identity and personal moral code

  • Interest expands beyond family and a few close friends

  • Need for greater freedom complexes with need for security and comfort from adults

  • Often explore by taking stance of challenging opinions, beliefs, values, lifestyles of parents and adults

Youth will observe your Christian adult lifestyle to see if you practice what you preach!

By presenting a program and the corresponding materials in a faith based, but fun atmosphere, the Youth/Scouts will not only grow in their faith, but grow to use what they have learned in their everyday lives.