The Northeast Illinois Council of Scouting America (NEIC) strives to be an inclusive organization. In recent years, Scouting has made tremendous strides nationally, eliminating many exclusionary policies. We are proud of that progress and committed to making our programs as inclusive as possible.
I want to take this opportunity to reconfirm NEIC’s principles and reintroduce the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee. The IDEA Committee was started in 2021, but it was inactive last year due to a leadership gap. I stepped forward to take on the role of NEIC’s Vice President of IDEA this year, because I believe strongly in Scouting’s mission and in our community-building efforts.
It’s a mouthful to say our committee’s name. Each of the four key terms has its own meaning, as described in these excellent pieces on inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility written by IDEA members and previously published. Visit the IDEA channel.
But, in my view, the common thread that runs through all of these terms is “inclusivity.” At heart, Scouting is meant for every youth. We want all youths to see themselves in Scouting, to understand that they can belong to an organization that welcomes them. We don’t want anyone to feel left out.
What Scouting America and NEIC are seeking to do is bring more young people of all shapes, sizes and identities into the program; no one will be excluded as a result. There is no limit on the number of youths who can be Cub Scouts, SBSA Scouts or Venturers. There is no limit on the number of packs or troops or crews that can exist. There is no limit on the number of Scouts who can earn the Eagle rank.
Scouting is not a “zero-sum” game. Everyone can participate, and everyone can succeed Scouting has a system that accommodates youths of many different levels of ability and backgrounds; we want to ensure that prospective Scouts and their families understand that they belong in Scouting.
NEIC’s Executive Board stands firmly behind these inclusive values. It unanimously approved this IDEA statement in 2023.
If you would like to join the IDEA Committee, we would be delighted to include you! Don’t hesitate to contact me at kpmtroop5@gmail.com.
Inclusivity is, indeed, the IDEA that motivates NEIC to grow its program. Watch this space for the ways in which the IDEA Committee will be working—with units, with other council- and district-level committees, with outside organizations and with others—to increase our inclusivity.
By Ken Morrison
Vice President, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility