Glen Pounder, Chief Safeguarding Officer of Scouting America, joins Chance Seales to explore how traditional scouting remains vital for boys' development in a modern world marked by isolation.

From building resilience and real-world skills to creating lasting friendships and positive male role models, discover why this 115-year-old organization continues to transform young men.

Key Topics

🏕️ The Power of Real-World Experience

• Why boys need controlled risk and outdoor adventure

• The magic of Jamborees and high-adventure bases

• Trading TikTok for tent stakes: disconnecting to reconnect

👥 Fighting the Loneliness Epidemic

• 15% of young men have zero close friends (5x higher than 1990)

• How scouting builds unbreakable bonds that last decades

• The importance of male mentorship and positive role models

🎯 Building Essential Life Skills

• From knot-tying to problem-solving: mastery through practice

• Learning to fail safely and bounce back stronger

• Merit badges as pathways to real-world competence

🧠 Mental Health & Resilience

• Evidence-based research showing better mental health outcomes for scouts

• How outdoor time and group activities combat isolation

• Teaching boys it's okay to fail and ask for help

🛡️ Safeguarding & Safety

• Modern approaches to child protection in youth organizations

• The "no one-on-one contact" rule and other safety measures

• Why youth-serving organizations are safer than many alternatives

⚖️ Single-Sex vs. Coed Opportunities

• The value of boy-only spaces

• How Scouting America accommodates different family preferences

• Maintaining brotherhood while welcoming girls

Chapters

00:00 Lifelong Benefits of Scouting

06:56 The Modern Value of Traditional Scouting

16:20 Controlled Risk in Scouting

18:16 Mental Health and Scouting's Impact

20:33 Navigating Online Risks for Youth

22:21 Mastery and Self-Discovery in Scouting

25:38 Building Resilience Through Failure

28:38 The Importance of Male Connection and Role Models

31:39 Inclusivity in Scouting: Religious and Outdoor Preferences

32:42 The Role of Male Mentorship in Scouting

34:37 Safeguarding and Child Protection

41:33 Empowering Parents in the Scouting Journey

Guest Bio:

Glen Pounder serves as Chief Safeguarding Officer for Scouting America, bringing decades of international law enforcement experience to youth protection. Originally from the UK, Glen became an American citizen just one year ago. His journey with scouting began through watching his own son's development in the UK program, leading to his current role protecting over one million youth and 500,000 adult volunteers across America.

Resources Mentioned:

• Find Local Troops: BeAScout.org

• Philmont Scout Ranch: 140,000-acre high adventure base in New Mexico

• Youth Protection Training: Available for all parents and volunteers

Programs for Different Ages

• Squirrels: Ages 4-5 (new program for very young children)

• Cub Scouts: Ages 5-10 (parent involvement required)

• Boy Scouts: Ages 11-17 (increasing independence)

• High Adventure: Specialized outdoor experiences for older scouts

Notable Quotes:

- "Boys need risk... everything in scouting is perceived and controlled risk. The kids have the perception that they're taking risks because in their world they are." - Glen Pounder

- "Scout leaders are like mental health professionals in disguise." - Richard Reeves, American Institute for Boys and Men

- "We have over a million sheepdogs. We have no sheep for you." - Glen Pounder on preventing predators

- "A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent." - The Scout Law

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