Volunteering and Training
Welcome to Pack 39
Welcome to our pack! You are now part of an exciting family. I would like to especially thank you for your interest in volunteering as a leader. Without you, we would not be able to provide an exciting and enjoyable program. Cub Scouting relies on volunteers to be pack leaders. Volunteers come from all backgrounds and experiences. Plumbers,lawyers, homemakers, teachers, doctors, janitors, and scientists—people from just about every occupation imaginable—are involved in leading youth to become responsible, caring, and competent citizens. They also quickly discover that Scout volunteering lets them learn new skills and build lifelong friendships while having fun.
The Benefits of Leadership
Volunteering with the Boy Scouts of America is a way for adults to work with youth to build a better future for everyone. Besides giving valuable service to youth in their communities, volunteers find that they reap many personal benefits from being a leader in Cub Scouting.
Parenting Skills. Scout volunteering helps adults develop closer connections with children. Volunteers agree that their experience in leading youth has helped them learn to relate to young people and inspire them. Almost nine of 10 volunteers say Scout volunteering has helped them become better parents.
Ethical and Moral Character Development. Scouting promotes ethical and moral character development in youth. Volunteers become role models for these traits as they lead and participate in activities with youth and other adults. Through their leadership, volunteers enhance their own ethical and moral decision making. They feel the experience makes them more honest and trustworthy.
Management and Leadership Skills. In member recruitment, fund-raising, leader recruitment, and program planning, volunteers get opportunities to set and achieve goals. Volunteers say these experiences carry over into their work life, making them better managers and employees.
Conservation. Scouting teaches young people and adults to live by the Outdoor Code: Be clean in one's outdoor manners, be careful with fire, be considerate in the outdoors, and be conservation-minded. Many volunteers come to Scouting with a strong commitment to the environment, and most indicate that through volunteering they have heightened their environmental awareness and developed or improved their conservation skills.
Community Spirit. Volunteers agree that Scouting encourages them to become involved in other organizations. Two-thirds (66 percent) of Scout volunteers also volunteer for other youth groups. Scout volunteers give time to religious youth organizations, youth sports associations, parent-teacher associations/organizations, Girl Scouts, 4-H, YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Citizenship. Volunteering leads to greater participation in community service activities that range from collecting food and clothing for local shelters, to planting trees, to picking up trash in local parks. Scout volunteering also builds leaders' pride in their communities and in being Americans. An overwhelming majority (90 percent) feel that volunteering for Scouts has helped them become a better citizen.
Communication Skills. In their many roles, volunteers are called upon to communicate with Scouts, other volunteers, community leaders, and parents. Not surprisingly, many volunteers say this experience has helped them become better listeners and communicators.
Physical Fitness. Scout volunteers believe the activities they do in Scouting help their overall physical health. Volunteers report that they have developed or improved their camping, hiking, and swimming skills because of Scout volunteering.
Enjoyment. Scout volunteering is just plain fun: "you get to be a kid again in a way," said one volunteer. More than a fourth of the volunteers agree that their Scouting activities help them reduce the stress and anxiety in their lives. More than 1.2 million adult volunteers give their time and skills to the development of youth through the Boy Scouts of America. An overwhelming majority (96 percent) of these volunteers say their experience has been so positive that they would recommend volunteering for the Boy Scouts of America to others.
What Training Do I Need?
That’s a very good question. Boy Scouts of America offers several different levels of training. The number of training courses you need depends upon which position you hold. No matter if you are committee member or Cubmaster, every leader needs to take basic leader training. Basic leader training goes into great detail on youth development and boy behavior, program planning, activities and the purposes of the program. For leaders running dens or seeking additional training, advanced courses are available. Advanced training allows leaders to hone their skills. Courses offered varyfrom den leadership to the most advanced courses including Wood Badge and Philmont training.
Every Cub Scout Leader should complete basic leader training. It prepares leaders to deliver a quality, fun-filled program. Leaders who understand the whys and hows of the program are more effective in their roles. They know how to use available resources to provide an exciting and worthwhile program for boys. Trained leaders have confidence in carrying out their responsibilities and, along with the boys, have more fun. The two courses available are This is Scouting, and Youth Protection Training. They are offered via the Boy Scouts of America web site and can be taken at home.
Fast Start Training lays the groundwork for success in leadership roles. This training helps new leaders understand what is expected and establishes effective meeting patterns so that the boys and their families can enjoy a quality program from the start. The training is designed to provide all the information and resources for new leaders to conduct their first meeting, along with guidance for the meetings that follow. All new leader receive the Fast Start Materials should complete this soon as they join. Self-study, rather than group training, is the preferred method for Fast Start Training. All of the courses are offered via the Boy Scouts of America web site and can be taken at home. The courses offered include committee member, tiger den leader, wolf/bear leader, webelos leader and cubmaster.
For leaders seeking advance training, the Boys Scouts of America offers a variety of courses. They are helpful, packed full of information and I recommend them. Some are required for specific pack functions. They are:
Leader Specific Training: gives a leader the knowledge and skills needed for a specific position. Leader Specific Training is available for the following positions in Cub Scouting: tiger cub leader; cub scout den leader and assistant; webelos den leader and assistant, cubmaster and assistant and pack committee members. Basic Leader Training goes into greater detail on youth development and boy behavior, program planning, activities, and the purposes of the program. It is usually presented in one or two group sessions, but can be delivered to small groups or even individuals through personal coaching.
Hazardous Weather Training: This is a new class. It presents safety precautions for eight different types of weather and well as planning, preparation and traditional weather signs.
BALLOO (Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation): This is a one-day training course that introduces leaders and parents to the skill needed to plan and conduct pack outdoor activities, particularly pack camping. Participants who complete this training course will: a) Understand the focus of the Cub Scout level of the BSA outdoor program; b) Gain the skills needed to plan and carry out a successful Cub Scout-level overnight activity; and c) Learn more about the resources available from the BSA for carrying out this activity. This training is required for any adult who is in charge of planning a packcampout.
OWL (Outdoor Webelos Leadership): Designed specifically for Webelos den leaders and their assistants, the Outdoor Leader Skills for Webelos Leaders course teaches outdoor-related skills through demonstration and hands-on practice. Webelos den leaders should attend this training before conducting Webelos overnight camping with the boys and parents of the den. In addition to covering basic camping skills, this training features planning campouts and finding resources.
Wood Badge:
Wood Badge is Scouting's premier training course. Baden-Powell designed it so that Scouters could learn, in as practical a way possible, the skills and methods of Scouting. It is first and foremost, learning by doing. The members of the course are formed into patrols and these into a troop. The entire troop lives in the out-of-doors for a weekend, camping, cooking their own meals, and practicing Scout skills.
Roundtables: Cub Scout leader roundtables are held monthly. Den and pack leaders join for fun and fellowship while learning new tricks, stunts, games, crafts, ceremonies, songs, and skits related to the Cub Scout theme and Webelos activity badges for the following month. There are also opportunities for sharing ideas and activities with leaders from other packs.
Pow Wow - University of Scouting: The Pow Wow / University of Scouting is an annual get-together of Cub Scout leaders from an entire council or district a Cub Scout leader’s learning extravaganza! It’s a training conference that takes place in a festive atmosphere. Cub Scouting leaders increase their knowledge, improve their skills, and gain enthusiastic attitudes about Cub Scouting.
An overview of all the training courses can be found through the BSA web site, http://www.scouting.org. On the main web page you will see various topics to choose from including I am a Parent, Benefits, The Advantage of Scouting, Volunteer, Training and FAQ. Click on the “Training” button and it will take you to the Adult Training Page. This page provides a host of information about training. The “What is a Trained Leader” section offers an overview of the training programs. The “Training Umbrella of Scouting” lists all of the training courses available, both online and course provided by the Council and National programs.