The Wood Badge The Wood Badge Course StaffCourse Staff

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Required Staff PositionsRequired Staff Positions• Course DirectorCourse Director• Assistant Scoutmaster—ProgramAssistant Scoutmaster—Program• Assistant Scoutmaster—Support/Physical Assistant Scoutmaster—Support/Physical

ArrangementsArrangements• Assistant Scoutmaster—Troop GuidesAssistant Scoutmaster—Troop Guides• Senior Patrol LeaderSenior Patrol Leader• Troop ScribeTroop Scribe• Troop QuartermasterTroop Quartermaster• Troop Guides (one per patrol)Troop Guides (one per patrol)

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Optional Support Staff PositionsOptional Support Staff Positions• Mentor to the Course Director (if required by the Mentor to the Course Director (if required by the

Scout executive and council training chairman)*Scout executive and council training chairman)*• Assistant Senior Patrol Leader**Assistant Senior Patrol Leader**• Assistant Troop Scribe**Assistant Troop Scribe**• Assistant Quartermaster(s)**Assistant Quartermaster(s)**• Instructor(s) (specialized presenters)*Instructor(s) (specialized presenters)*• Professional Staff Adviser*Professional Staff Adviser*

*See clarifications on next slide *See clarifications on next slide **For larger courses**For larger courses

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ClarificationsClarifications• Mentor to the Course DirectorMentor to the Course Director

(if appointed) is not necessarily a full-time (if appointed) is not necessarily a full-time member of the staff.*member of the staff.*

• Instructor(s)Instructor(s) (if used) are selected for special teaching skills (if used) are selected for special teaching skills

in support of a particular presentation. They in support of a particular presentation. They may or may not be full-time staff members.*may or may not be full-time staff members.*

• Professional Staff AdviserProfessional Staff Adviser may or may not be a full-time staff member.*may or may not be a full-time staff member.*

*Further details in the *Further details in the Administrative GuideAdministrative Guide

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Other Staff AssignmentsOther Staff Assignments

• Religious coordinatorReligious coordinator

• Medical resource personMedical resource person

• Adviser to youth involvementAdviser to youth involvement

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The following assignments are additional The following assignments are additional duties assumed by full-time staff duties assumed by full-time staff members.members.

Qualities of a Staff MemberQualities of a Staff Member

• Participates as a team member Participates as a team member

• Is a role model who is well-respected Is a role model who is well-respected by volunteers and professionalsby volunteers and professionals

• Has a people-oriented, enthusiastic Has a people-oriented, enthusiastic personalitypersonality

• Is open-minded and flexibleIs open-minded and flexible

• Maintains a positive attitudeMaintains a positive attitude

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Qualities of a Staff Member, cont.Qualities of a Staff Member, cont.

• Exemplifies theExemplifies the• Cub Scout PromiseCub Scout Promise• Law of the PackLaw of the Pack• Scout OathScout Oath• Scout LawScout Law• Venturing CodeVenturing Code

• Demonstrates the ability to train, Demonstrates the ability to train, to counsel, and to perform the to counsel, and to perform the responsibilities of an assigned positionresponsibilities of an assigned position

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RequirementsRequirements• Is a registered member of the Boy Scouts Is a registered member of the Boy Scouts

of Americaof America• Is a strong supporter of the local council’s Is a strong supporter of the local council’s

and BSA’s ongoing programsand BSA’s ongoing programs• Has completed a Wood Badge for the Has completed a Wood Badge for the

21st Century course and received the 21st Century course and received the Wood Badge beadsWood Badge beads

• Has participated in a Trainer Development Has participated in a Trainer Development Conference within three years of the Conference within three years of the appointmentappointment

• Is approved by the Scout executive and Is approved by the Scout executive and council leadership training committee of his or council leadership training committee of his or her home council and by the regional officeher home council and by the regional office

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Expectations of Staff MembersExpectations of Staff Members

• Participate in staff development Participate in staff development meetings.meetings.

• Personally recruit Personally recruit “X”“X” participants.participants.• Support the course budget by paying a Support the course budget by paying a

staff fee.staff fee.• Be prepared to staff a future course if Be prepared to staff a future course if

the number of participants recruited for the number of participants recruited for this course does not require your this course does not require your position.position.

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The Diverse StaffThe Diverse Staff

• Includes Scouters from Cub Scouting, Includes Scouters from Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, and Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, and Venturing programsVenturing programs

• Includes Scouters with experience at Includes Scouters with experience at the unit, district, and council levelsthe unit, district, and council levels

• Has a mix of volunteer and professional Has a mix of volunteer and professional ScoutersScouters

• Represents the cultural diversity of the Represents the cultural diversity of the area from which the participants are area from which the participants are being recruitedbeing recruited

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Recruiting the StaffRecruiting the Staff

• Consider the development of new staff Consider the development of new staff membersmembers

• Desired staff ratio: 1/3 new to 2/3 Desired staff ratio: 1/3 new to 2/3 experienced experienced

• Include Scouters from all councils Include Scouters from all councils taking part in the coursetaking part in the course

• Major consideration should be given to Major consideration should be given to each Scouter’s skill as a trainereach Scouter’s skill as a trainer

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An important goal of An important goal of Wood Badge for the 21st Century Wood Badge for the 21st Century is to reduce the time commitment is to reduce the time commitment

required of staff members.required of staff members.

Staff DevelopmentStaff Development• Should not take on a life of its own or overtake Should not take on a life of its own or overtake

all other Scouting activities.all other Scouting activities.• Hold a staff orientation meeting about 120 Hold a staff orientation meeting about 120

days prior to the start of the course.days prior to the start of the course.• Organized staff development should begin no Organized staff development should begin no

more than 90 days prior to the start of the more than 90 days prior to the start of the course.course.

• Consists of three days of development Consists of three days of development sessions, which may include one overnight sessions, which may include one overnight stay.stay.

• May involve one or two small-group meetings May involve one or two small-group meetings in addition to the three days with full staff.in addition to the three days with full staff.

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Staff DevelopmentStaff Development• The most important objective is to develop The most important objective is to develop

the team.the team.• Staff development meetings should include:Staff development meetings should include:

• Reviews of staff assignments and the course Reviews of staff assignments and the course scheduleschedule

• Ensuring each staff member has a clear Ensuring each staff member has a clear understanding of team development, leadership, understanding of team development, leadership, and teaching modelsand teaching models

• Preparation of troop guides’ staff projectPreparation of troop guides’ staff project• Practice and evaluation of course presentations Practice and evaluation of course presentations • Practice of games, activities, and ceremoniesPractice of games, activities, and ceremonies• Review of the physical arrangementsReview of the physical arrangements

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Creating a Staff VisionCreating a Staff Vision

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Creating a staff vision will Creating a staff vision will strengthen staff development.strengthen staff development.

As a group, review the As a group, review the “Values, Mission, and Vision” “Values, Mission, and Vision”

troop presentation from Day One troop presentation from Day One of the course.of the course.

Creating a Staff Vision, cont.Creating a Staff Vision, cont.

• Discuss why you are doing what you Discuss why you are doing what you are doing.are doing.

• Discuss who your “customers” are Discuss who your “customers” are and what they want and need.and what they want and need.

• Discuss why what you are doing is Discuss why what you are doing is important.important.

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Have the staff define its purpose—Have the staff define its purpose—the reason for its existence.the reason for its existence.

Creating a Staff Vision, cont.Creating a Staff Vision, cont.

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Come to a clear understanding of the Come to a clear understanding of the values under which the staff will operate.values under which the staff will operate.

• Discuss how you will live.Discuss how you will live.

• Discuss what behaviors you will Discuss what behaviors you will demonstrate.demonstrate.

• Discuss how the staff’s values match Discuss how the staff’s values match those of the BSA.those of the BSA.

Creating a Staff Vision, cont.Creating a Staff Vision, cont.

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Draw a picture of what you want as Draw a picture of what you want as the end result.the end result.

• Focus on the participants’ needs.Focus on the participants’ needs.

• Define the desired end result.Define the desired end result.

• Focus on the end, not the route.Focus on the end, not the route.

Creating a Staff Vision, cont.Creating a Staff Vision, cont.

• Help each staff member Help each staff member understand how he or she will understand how he or she will contribute.contribute.

• Involve Involve everyoneeveryone in the group. in the group.

• Make sure all can see the picture.Make sure all can see the picture.

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Remind yourself of your vision regularly.Remind yourself of your vision regularly.

Additional Information Additional Information

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Further details on staffing a Further details on staffing a Wood Badge course, including Wood Badge course, including

position-specific job descriptions, position-specific job descriptions, can be found in the can be found in the

Administrative GuideAdministrative Guide..