Service Project Guidelines
Service Projects
A service project is a special Good Turn that puts Scout spirit into action. Projects can take many forms. You might take part in a community cleanup; repair a place of worship, a museum, or the home of an elderly person; improve a wildlife habitat; volunteer at a hospital or with a public safety group; organize a recycling effort; or conduct a clothing pickup or food drive."[1]
Service projects become more challenging with each rank, culminating in the Eagle Project. These are the service requirements by rank:
Tenderfoot rank
7b) Participate in a total of one hour of service in one or more service projects approved by your Scoutmaster.[2] Explain how your service to others relates to the Scout slogan and Scout motto.
Second Class rank
8e) Participate in two hours of service through one or more service projects approved by your Scoutmaster.[2] Tell how your service to others relates to the Scout Oath.
First Class rank
9d) Participate in three hours of service through one or more service projects approved by your Scoutmaster.[2] The project(s) must not be the same service project(s) used for Tenderfoot requirement 7b and Second Class requirement 8e. Explain how your service to others relates to the Scout Law.
4) While a First Class Scout, participate in six hours of service through one or more service projects approved by your Scoutmaster.[2]
4) While a Star Scout, participate in six hours of service through one or more service projects approved by your Scoutmaster.[2] At least three hours of this service must be conservation-related.
These projects need to help the community. Examples include: collecting food for a food bank or soup kitchen, helping an elderly neighbor, volunteering at Meals on Wheels. You can be creative and come up with your own idea.
Service projects required for ranks other than Eagle must be approved according to what is written in the requirements and may be conducted individually or through participation in patrol or troop efforts. They also may be approved for those assisting on Eagle Scout service projects. Service project work for ranks other than Eagle clearly calls for participation only. Planning, development, or leadership must not be required.[3]
2015 Guide to Advancement
Double dipping
It is troop policy that service done for a Scouting rank or badge requirement may not count twice within Scouting (i.e. no double-dipping).[4]
It is troop policy that service done to satisfy another requirement outside of Scouting (e.g. SSL hours, National Charity League required hours, a class assignment, or terms of probation), may not count as credit towards a rank or a badge (i.e. double-dipping).[2] All Scouting-related service hours may count toward SSL hours, providing scouts submit the proper paperwork for signature.
Approval process
Before working on a project, Scouts working on Tenderfoot, Second Class or First Class ranks should confirm with the Scoutmaster that their project will satisfy the requirement.
It is troop policy that each scout working towards Star or Life must submit a written proposal that states the service project they intend to do, who it will benefit from the work and how long the project will take. The written (on paper or via email) proposal must be presented to the scoutmaster for approval prior to starting work on the project. A summary of the finished work, including what was learned from the service, should be prepared and presented to the scoutmaster for the requirement to be recorded as completed.
Service for the TPPC, eagle projects, and how we give credit
All work done for the benefit of the Takoma Park Presbyterian Church, or for Eagle projects, may be counted towards a badge or a rank. Alternately, Scouts can also earn SSL hours for working on these projects. All Scouts are expected to work for the three projects the troop does for the Church: the garden cleanup, Bazaar cleanup, and snow removal. These are how we give thanks to the Church for being our sponsor for almost 100 years.
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