Q: Who should
attend Wood Badge?
A: Wood Badge is for any
registered Scout leader who had attended training for his or her primary
registered position that qualify him or her to wear the "trained" emblem on
their uniform. For a Committee Chair, this may mean attending New Leader
Essentials and Troop Committee Challenge. For a Scoutmaster, it means attending New
Leader Essentials, Scoutmaster Position Specific Training and Intorduction to Outdoor
Leader Skills. If you have questions about the training requirements for your position,
contact your District Training Chairman.
ALL Scout leaders-- from
Den Leaders to District Committee members-- can benefit from Wood
Badge!
Additionally, since the course
content has changed so dramatically anyone who has attended Cub Trainer or Boy Scout
Leader Wood Badge is invited to return to Gillwell and experience Wood Badge for the 21st Century.
Q: I don't have strong
outdoor/camping skills and they are not required for my position. Will this be
a problem?
A: While outdoor skills are
always helpful, there will be others who can share their knowledge with
you. You may learn some outdoor skills while at Wood Badge, but it is not
the primary purpose of the course. The purpose of Wood Badge is to
teach leadership and team building.
Q: Where can I learn more about
outdoor skills?
A: You can attend Introduction
to Outdoor Leader Skills (even if it is not required for your primary position), or you
can attend Outdoor Skills Institute or PowderHorn. While these are excellent
training opportunities, they are not a prerequisite for attending Wood Badge.
Q. What if I cannot afford the Course fee?
A. We want Wood Badge to be available to all Scouters. Often, participants are partially sponsored by their units or their chartered organizations. Fundraising opportunities might be available through
units. Some partial camperships may
be available from the Council for a portion of the fee if required.
Opportunity Fund applications are at the Council Service Desk. The best way to manage the course fee is to register
early, and make small monthly payments until the fee is paid in full. In addition,
the AFL-CIO and VFW have Scholarship programs, and many Chartered Organizations will
assist with the cost.
Q. How does Wood Badge training relate to the Council Junior Leader Training
programs, Polaris and Sogus?
A. They are very related. All teach the same leadership skills. Wood Badge is
designed to teach adult leaders Team Development. Polaris and Sogus teach the leadership
skills at a youth. Both teach through a combination of presentations and practice, using
the patrol as the team to be developed. With this in mind, for a Boy Scout and Varsity
leader might find it advantageous to encourage their youth to attend Polaris or Sogus.
Q. How can I find out what patrol I will be in? Can I choose? Should I prepare
anything before the course?
A. The patrol
method is a very important part of Wood Badge. It is the forum
for practicing the Leadership and Scout skills on course. You will likely develop a
special fondness for your patrol and members. Patrols will be assigned by the Course
Director, based on many criteria including balancing the experience and background of the
participants, and distributing people from the same district or units to different
patrols. The Course Director will
rarely, if ever,
honor specific requests. It is best to not get too concerned about which patrol you will
join. Some enthusiastic Wood Badge participants
like to make or collect specific items reflecting their patrol. If so, this can occur
during or after the course -- you do not need to prepare anything in advance.
Q: You said that Wood Badge
is for all Scout leaders, including Cub Scout leaders. Why is the patrol
method used?
A: Wood Badge doesn't
teach "Boy Scouting". Wood Badge teaches leadership. In order to
teach leadership skills, the patrol method is used as a vehicle for teaching
leadership during most of the course. Cub Scout leaders and Venturing leaders
have much to offer others who may be more familiar with the patrol method. The key
to learning to work together with a team is to leverage the diversity of the members of
the team. Everyone has something to offer, and some of the strongest Wood Badge
patrols are those who have Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, Venturing, and District
leaders all in the patrol. Utilizing the strengths of each member contributes to the
strength of the whole. Remember-- the patrol method is simply the vehicle used to
teach leadership and team development.
Q. How much should I prepare my ticket before the Course?
A. You need to have a clear description of your job in Scouting, and your
goals for the course. These are critical so that as you learn the leadership skills you
can identify ways to put them to use in your current role. Please do not develop your
ticket prior to the Course --on Course you will learn more about the leadership
skills you personally want to practice. Only after that will you be
able to write your ticket. Prior to the course, you
will receive a set of 20 questions. You will have a more meaningful experience
if you answer these questions before arriving for the course. These
are personal questions, and you will not be asked to share them with anyone. The
intent is for you to take the time to think about your answers. These questions form
the basis for preparing your "ticket".
Past Wood Badge courses may have
suggested talking to someone about ticket possibilities before attending the course.
While this may have been appropriate for people who attended Cub Scout Trainer Wood Badge
or Boy Scout Wood Badge, the ticket process for Wood Badge for the 21st Century is very
different. You may have a friend who attended a course in the past who offers
suggestions. While their advice may be valuable to you, please remember that the
ticket process has evolved and that your ticket will not look the same as those prior to
2001. (If your friend attended Wood Badge prior to 2001, invite them to come along
with you to the "new" Wood Badge!)
Q. Are there any internet Wood Badge resources?
A. Try starting at www.woodbadge.org
