The Future Public Health Workforce: Engaging Youth Through Boy Scouts of America

Presenters and Authors

Sang Nguyen, Mercer UniversityFollow

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to increase youth engagement in understanding the scope of public health and spark curiosity for the profession. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Boy Scouts Public Health Merit Badge was among the top ten least earned badges, but this trend has completely changed, and our youth are more curious about the public health profession. The demand for this badge has increased; therefore, the supply of public health merit badge counselors must also increase. The COVID-19 aftermath has provided conditions to effectively engage our youth so that our public health infrastructure grows and remains strong, as identified by Healthy People 2030

To be a Public Health Merit Badge Counselor, we must apply to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) organization as adults, complete the Youth Protection training, and the merit badge counselor application. Boy Scouts of America provides the objectives that Scouts need to meet. These objectives can be satisfied through a three-hour presentation, which is usually how long merit badge counselors are given to teach their badge. Supplementary engagement activities were also added throughout the presentation. Some of these activities include applying the social-ecological model, investigating a foodborne outbreak, and learning how to properly wash your hands. Offering Scouts this badge can expose them to environmental health, infectious disease, public health philosophy, and various other principles. The number of badges can be used as a measure to determine uptake by Scouts. By engaging our youth to learn about public health, we can encourage greater appreciation for the profession and spark curiosity.

Keywords

youth engagement, future public health workforce, Boy Scouts of America, Merit Badge

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The Future Public Health Workforce: Engaging Youth Through Boy Scouts of America

The purpose of this project was to increase youth engagement in understanding the scope of public health and spark curiosity for the profession. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Boy Scouts Public Health Merit Badge was among the top ten least earned badges, but this trend has completely changed, and our youth are more curious about the public health profession. The demand for this badge has increased; therefore, the supply of public health merit badge counselors must also increase. The COVID-19 aftermath has provided conditions to effectively engage our youth so that our public health infrastructure grows and remains strong, as identified by Healthy People 2030

To be a Public Health Merit Badge Counselor, we must apply to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) organization as adults, complete the Youth Protection training, and the merit badge counselor application. Boy Scouts of America provides the objectives that Scouts need to meet. These objectives can be satisfied through a three-hour presentation, which is usually how long merit badge counselors are given to teach their badge. Supplementary engagement activities were also added throughout the presentation. Some of these activities include applying the social-ecological model, investigating a foodborne outbreak, and learning how to properly wash your hands. Offering Scouts this badge can expose them to environmental health, infectious disease, public health philosophy, and various other principles. The number of badges can be used as a measure to determine uptake by Scouts. By engaging our youth to learn about public health, we can encourage greater appreciation for the profession and spark curiosity.