Scouting During COVID
On May 3rd, 2021, new restrictions in the province of Alberta will take effect and they will have an impact on some Scouting groups.
The newest restrictions are targeted to areas deemed to be "Hot Spots." If your group is located in one of these "Hot Spot" locations, indoor meetings are NOT allowed. It is important to note, that given the fluid nature of the COVID situation in Alberta, the list of communities impacted by these new restrictions can change rapidly, so please check the provincial guidelines or contact your Relationship Manager BEFORE your group plans to meet inside.
Under these new restrictions, groups that are located in Hot Spots will still be able to:
- Meet in-person outside in groups of 10 people or less (maximum of 8 youth to meet the 2 Scouter ratio), with members of different households maintaining two metre distancing at all times.
- Scouters may volunteer with more than one Scouting cohort provided they are meeting on different days OR at different times
- eg. A Scouter cannot be part of two separate Scouting cohorts that are meeting at the same time
- Example 1: Scouter Sally and Scouter Rob work together to support two different patrols in the Cub Section. To meet the provincial guideliens, they decided that Patrol A will meet Tuesdays at 6 PM while Patrol B will meet on Wednesdays at 6 PM. The GC reviewed and approved their plan
- Example 2: Scouter Kris and Scouter Andrea work together to support two different patrols in the Troop Section. To meet the provincial guidleiens, they decided that Patrol A will meet on Saturdays from 10 AM until noon while Patrol B will also meet on Saturdays, but their start time will be at 12:30 PM. By staggering these start times, the Scouters are able to santize the equipment AND ensure there is no crossover between Patrols. Their GC reviewed and approved their plan
- Please discuss options with your Relationship Manager so our volunteers are not in violation of the PHO and subject to fines
- Masks are highly encouraged for outdoor meetings (please follow all provincial guidelines on this)
- All other guidelines of Stage 2 would need to be adhered to, including submission of a M-AAF to Group Commissioner
Newest Public Health Order (PHO): https://www.alberta.ca/assets/documents/health-cmoh-record-of-decision-cmoh-order-17-2021.pdf
For groups NOT impacted by the new provincial restrictions:
- Meeting in-person inside in groups of 10 people or less (maximum of 8 youth to meet the 2 Scouter ratio), with members of different households maintaining three metre distancing at all times--provided your group is NOT in a "Hot Spot"
We strongly recommend that all planning of activities continues to be done using technology and practices that do not involve meeting in person. While we can ease some restrictions, we must ensure we are following the provincial guidelines and doing our best to minimize the spread of COVID-19 by limiting our face-to-face social interactions. Please discuss options for meetings with your Relationship Manager.
Meeting in-person is at the group’s discretion as approved by the Group Commissioner and is not mandated by Council. A modified-AAF form will be required for all in-person meetings.
Our request to Scouters, families, and youth is to please keep Scouting open and accessible. While how we Scout is changing, why we Scout has stayed the same; you are still making a positive impact on the lives of our youth even when the delivery method is different.
Scouting is essential to the well-being of youth—now more than ever. Let's keep the Scouting spirit alive and continue to show our youth and the world why we Scout!
