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Training

Council Training Chair: David Hampton theonlyalabamakid@gmail.com

Lincoln Heritage District Training Chair: Stacia Kinman staciajayne@hotmail.com

Algonkian District Training Chair: Katrina Marshall katrinamarshall5@gmail.com

Native Trails District Training Chair:  Ted Stoen tstoen@me.com

For more information and training opportunities visit My.Scouting.org

Youth Protection Training

The Boy Scouts of America places the greatest importance on creating the most secure environment possible for our youth members. To maintain such an environment, the BSA developed numerous procedural and leadership selection policies and provides parents and leaders with resources for the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing programs.

As of June 1, 2010 every adult registered with the Boy Scouts of America in any position must complete youth protection training every two (2) years or they will be dropped at rechartering.  Each new leader must complete their youth protection training before their application is submitted.

If you are uncertain about the date that you last took youth protection, please contact the Eykamp Scout Center and someone will get that information for you or if you are a unit leader - your entire unit.

For more information, please call 1.800.264.423.5246 or       (812) 423.5246

Wood Badge

Wood Badge is designed to meet the advanced leadership needs of all Scouters, particularly unit level Scouters, such as Cub leaders, Scoutmasters and assistants, Venturing Crew Advisors, Committee Chairs and members. Additionally, Scouters serving at the district and council levels can achieve greater effectiveness through Wood Badge.

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Weekend 1: September 6-8, 2025

Weekend 2: September 27-28, 2025

CHANGES: Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) and

Outdoor Leader Skills for Webelos Leaders (OWL)

There have been a few important changes to the Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) and Outdoor Leader Skills for Webelos Leaders (OWL). These two courses have been combined and revised and are now simply referred to as BALOO. ​ BALOO stands for Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation. It’s designed to introduce Cub Scout leaders to the opportunities for pack overnight camping. This is an energetic training that will cover everything you need to know to plan and run a pack overnighter. It’s more than just camping—it includes ideas for outdoor activities, games and ceremonies; information on selecting and using camping equipment; how to run a campfire program; and hands-on Cub Scout  & Webelos cooking demonstrations! In short, everything you need to know to make your pack overnighter a fun, successful event! ​ BALOO training is comprised of two components – an online component, and a practical, hands-on component. Both components must be completed to qualify as a “Trained” Cub Scout outdoor leader, and to receive the BALOO recognition patch. The online component contains introductory and basic information, and must be completed prior to the practical component. The goal of the online portion is to make the best use of time to allow leaders to experience as much as possible during the practical hands-on training. The online portion of BALOO is available around-the-clock on the BSA Learn Center by logging into My.Scouting.org. Those that have completed BALOO in the past will not need to retake this new training and can take your Pack camping and if you have taken BALOO and OWL in the past, you can take their Webelos camping. However, if you have not completed OWL in the past, you must retake the new BALOO course in its entirety to take Webelos camping.      ​ Cub Scout leaders interested in adding a camping component to their Pack activities are required to have at least one BALOO trained adult on every Cub Scout den or pack overnight outdoor event - including Pack Camping and Webelos Den overnighters. If your Pack has an overnight activity without a BALOO trained adult, you are in violation of National BSA policy and will not be covered under the BSA Insurance Protections. BALOO training sets a unit up to carry out a successful camping experience for Scouts. Successful completion of BALOO training has a positive impact on the confidence level of a Cub Scout Leader, and promotes a willingness to plan a Pack overnighter. Camping activities and outings that are fun, based on the purposes of Cub Scouting, and successful, often whet the appetite Cub Scouts, parents, and leaders to desire more of the outdoors.

Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO)

BALOO is a fun, exciting and required training for all those in your Pack who are in charge of conducting a Pack family campout.  It is recommended that each Pack have at least two BALOO trained adults. BSA has made a number of changes to the camping policy for Tigers, Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts. Besides participating in council camps (day camp, resident camp), packs may now organize overnight campouts for Cub Scouts and their families. Adults leading a pack overnighter must attend BALOO training.

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Date: October 26-27, 2024

Introduction to Outdoor Leadership Skills (IOLS)

What skills are needed for a Boy Scout to advance from Tenderfoot Scout to First Class Scout?  What are the basic skills any Scout needs to survive in the great outdoors? Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills teaches you those skills. A practical, hands-on approach to basic outdoor Scout craft skills is a must for a Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster, and Venture Crew Advisor to be successful.

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Date: October 26-27, 2024

Leave No Trace Trainer Course

Leave No Trace is an educational, non-profit movement dedicated to the responsible enjoyment and active stewardship of the outdoors by all people, worldwide. This course is open to adult Scouters, Venturers, and Boy Scouts over the age of 14 who are interested in learning more about the 7 principles of Leave No Trace and how to effectively teach those principles and associated skills.  All participants who complete this course will be recognized as Leave No Trace Trainers by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics.

This course will allow participants to learn and practice the 7 principles of Leave No Trace.  This course will also focus on the effective presentation of these principles.  The course will pivot between both classroom and outdoor experiences and presentations.  Participants will learn both front country and back country information.

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Date: October 26-27, 2024

Trainer's Edge

The Trainer's EDGE is BSA's latest version of the Training Conference replacing the Trainer Development Conference (BSA 500) as the required train-the-trainer course for NYLT and Wood Badge staffs. It is meant to supplement the practice offered through Wood Badge and NYLT staff development, with a focus on the participant, while raising the level of skill a trainer brings to the staff experience. Only practice can polish these skills, but this course is intended to “train the trainer” on behaviors and resources while offering hands-on experience in methods and media. The primary target of this conference is Scouters who will be delivering training to leaders as well as to youth members in all parts of the Scouting program.

 

Who should attend?

 

 

  • NYLT Staff (required)

  • Wood Badge Staff (required)

  • FOS Presenters

  • District Training Teams

  • Council Training Teams

  • Pack/ Troop/ Crew Trainers

  • Round Table Staff

  • Merit Badge Counselors

  • OA Unit Election Teams

  • Pack Trainers

  • Anyone wanting to update their training skills

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Supplemental Training Opportunities

Be on the lookout for supplemental training opportunities at events such as Merit Badge University, and University of Scouting!

FastStart Training is a great opportunity to get a quick overview of your position in Scouting.

While this is a good training session, this DOES NOT consider you to be fully trained in your position. In order for you to be a fully trained leader in your position, you must complete the following training courses:

 

This is Scouting (replaces New Leader Essentials)

Leaders (Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturing)

 

Cubmaster Specific  .............................              Cubmasters

Pack Committee  ..................................              Pack Committee members including Chairman

Tiger Den Leader Specific  ..................              Tiger Leaders and Assistants

Den Leader Specific  ............................              Wolf and Bear Den Leaders and Assistants

Webelos Leader Specific  ....................              Webelos Den Leaders and Assistants

Troop Committee Challenge  .............              Troop Committee members including Chairman

*Scoutmaster Specific 1,2, 3  ...............              Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmasters

Intro to Outdoor Leader Skills  ...........               Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmasters

Venturing Leader Specific  ..................               Venturing Leader Positions

Supplemental Training  .......................               Programs Specific

 

 *NOTE:  Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmasters must take This is Scouting, Scoutmaster Specific 1, 2, 3 and Intro to Outdoor Leader Skills to be completely trained.

The following is a list of trainings that are available online. If you are a registered member of the BSA, be sure to provide your council and unit information. Your personal identification number (PIN), while optional, will help to ensure your training record is updated correctly when you complete the training.After completing the training(s), please print the card with your name and date the training was completed and take or mail the information to the Eykamp Scout Center, 3501 E Lloyd Expressway, Evansville IN 47715 for entry into the training records.

Click here to go to the online Training site

within My.Scouting.org

 

Youth Protection Training: Click on Training and then Youth Protection Training.

 

FastStart Training Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Venturing: Click on Training and then the FastStart Training program you wish to complete.

 

Safety Afloat / Safe Swim Defense: Click on Training and then Safety Afloat

or Safe Swim Defense.

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