Frequently Asked Questions
- Wood Badge is Scouting's PREMIER TRAINING PROGRAM for all adult leaders.
- Wood Badge is LEADERSHIP TRAINING, applicable to all scouting positions.
- Wood Badge is a TOOL FOR IMPROVING all scouting programs, including yours.
- Wood Badge is a six day course, conducted over two three day weekends.
- Wood Badge was started by Baden-Powell who recognized the need for trained leaders.
Topics include Managing Conflict, Communicating, Listening to Learn, Valuing People and Leveraging Diversity, Stages of Team Development, Situational Leadership for teams and individuals, Coaching and Mentoring, Project Planning, Servant Leadership, 360 Degree Self-Assessment and much, much more.
Every scout deserves trained leaders.
- You will gain a better understanding of scouting’s programs.
- You will gain a better understanding and useful tools for the challenges you face as scout leader.
- You will set achievable goals in your primary scouting position.
- You will have fun, make new friends and enjoy your scouting job more.
Wood Badge is a MOUNTAINTOP EXPERIENCE.
Many previous participants describe Wood Badge as one of the most enjoyable and meaningful scouting experiences of their lives. Quite likely, you will grow as a human being.
The course is six days long and will be held Friday, February 16, Saturday, February 17, & Sunday, February 18 and Friday, March 16, Saturday, March 17, & Sunday, March 18, 2018.
The course fee is $250.00, paid in full by (TBA). A $50 deposit is required to hold your spot.
No one will be denied participation due to money. That said, there are limited scholarship funds available. We ask that participants pursue all available resources. Can you find a sponsor? Will your employer pay? Could you ask a civic organization or union to help? Can you make a partial payment? Please feel free to contact the Course Director for details.
To attend a Wood Badge course, Scouters must:
- Be registered members of the Boy Scouts of America. There is no minimum tenure!
- Have completed the basic training courses for their scouting positions
- Have completed the outdoor skills training programs appropriate for their scouting positions
- Be capable of functioning safely in an outdoor environment.
- Successful completion of the BSA Health Form is required for all participants.
- Individuals who have attended Wood Badge previously may attend this Wood Badge. Certain conditions apply. Contact the Course Director for details.
This may seem a little confusing, but the gist is that all leaders need to have taken New Leaders Essentials (or its previous equivalent). Then, the required training depends on your primary scouting position. As to "Scouting's Outdoors Skills Training", the only positions that require that are Scoutmasters, Advisors, Skippers, etc. (and their assistants).
- Scouting's Basic Leader Training Courses
- New Leader Essentials – All adult leaders
- Leader specific training for:
- Den leaders, Cubmasters, Webelos leaders, Tiger Cub leaders, Pack committee members, Troop committee members, Scoutmasters, Varsity coaches, Venturing leaders.
- Commissioner basic training for commissioners
- District committee training for district committee members
- Council committee training or executive board orientation for council volunteers
Note: "Assistants" take the same training as the primary. i.e Assistant Cubmaster takes Cubmaster training.
Note: Previous versions of leader training courses are acceptable prerequisites.
For everyone - Youth Protection Training is mandatory.
How do I apply?
Fill out an application form and send it to the address on the form.
Where do I find an application form?
Application forms are available at the
How to Join page of this website.
If I send in an application, does that guarantee me a slot on the course?
No. The process is as follows. You send a completed application. The Course Director will send you an invitation that includes an “Acceptance of Invitation letter”. You are then encouraged to fill out the “Acceptance of Invitation questionnaire” and send it with a $50.00 deposit to the council office. A condition of acceptance is that you complete any required position-specific training prior to the course. It is OK if you have not completed that training, but you must complete it prior to the course. The $50.00 deposit and commitment to complete your training holds you a slot on the course. Final acceptance is contingent upon full payment and completed training.
I am only in my second year as a scout leader and did not do scouts as a youth so I was concerned about having a lack of experience as compared with the other people who would be taking the course. Is that a problem?
On the contrary, we wish every new leader would take Wood Badge as early as possible. Wood Badge is leadership training. Wood Badge will help you understand what this scouting movement is all about, how the different scouting programs tie together, how you can make a real difference and will provide you with many important and useful leadership tools.
The result that will come is that you will understand your job better. You will be better at your job, which means you will enjoy it more. Since you will be better at your job and enjoy it more, your scouting program will be improved. The better program we offer, the longer the scouts remain scouts. What a great concept!
Wood Badge is for ALL scout leaders in ALL positions. Wood Badge reflects the latest leadership and business models for leadership training.
There is still a lingering perception that Wood Badge is a "Scoutmaster Course". The "old Wood Badge" was primarily aimed at Scoutmasters. The modern Wood Badge is predicated on the position that we all participate in teams. We are members of teams; we lead teams. Some are long term teams and some are short-lived single purpose teams. How do teams develop? What leadership style is best used at the various stages of a team's development? What characteristics do the best performing teams have? These concepts are not limited to Scoutmasters.
Participants in the course will be asked to "write a ticket". In this context, a ticket is a set of (5) goals related to your primary scouting position. Each participant will create a “Vision”, a picture of future success, and choose (5) goals that lead towards that vision. You will be given 18 months to complete your ticket. There will be a lot of discussion about this during the course.
Realistically, you do not know what your ticket will be yet. Your ticket will be developed as part of taking the Wood Badge course. The development of your personalized ticket will progress naturally as part of the course. Writing a meaningful, effective ticket is a major element of the Wood Badge course. Your ticket will be greatly affected by what you hear, learn and experience at the course. You can take no credit for any work "towards your ticket" prior to having your ticket approved at the course.
I took the "old Wood Badge" before the turn of the century, can I take this course?
Yes. Beginning in 2006, individuals who attended Wood Badge in the previous century may attend Wood Badge. Certain conditions apply. Contact the Course Director for details.
Help can come in many forms.
Recruit, recruit, recruit.
Let’s fill our courses every year. The quality and future of our scouting movement
depends on it.
Can you sponsor someone? Big help!
Can you offer to be on a support staff? Contact the Course Director. (Limited)
Do you have access to equipment, services or other resources? (Keeps costs down.)
Wood Badge is scouting's premier training program. The staff members are held to extremely high standards. The staff is recommended by the Course Director and requires the approval of both the Gulf Stream Council and the National Council via the Southern Region.
Staff Qualifications:
To serve on a Wood Badge staff, a Scouter must:
- Be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America and a strong supporter of the local council
- Have received their Wood Badge beads.
- Have taken or been on staff of Wood Badge.
- Have participated in a Trainer's EDGE Training within three years of the appointment.
- There are other qualifications related to being a role model, exemplifying scouting's ideals and demonstrating other leadership skills.
If you see yourself as someone who meets these requirements and exemplifies these standards, contact the Course Director and let that person know of your desire to serve. Future Course Directors will be informed of your interest.
There are steps you can take to better prepare yourself to be considered for a staff position in the future.
- Take the Trainer's EDGE Training.
- Volunteer for training staffs in your district and council.
- Take on positions of increasing responsibility in your unit, district or council.
- Be a positive role model.