Wood Badge For The 21st Century
Wood Badge is Scouting's premier training course. It's the ultimate leadership training experience designed to meet the leadership needs for all Cub Scout, Scouts BSA, and Venturing leaders as well as Council and District leaders and Scouting professionals.
Lord Baden-Powell originally 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.
Wood Badge has evolved into the core leadership skills training course for the BSA. The Wood Badge For The 21st Century course focuses on strengthening every volunteer's ability to work with and lead groups of youth and adults and is less focused on outdoor skills, which are more effectively addressed in other courses.
History of Wood Badge
Baden-Powell took the first steps in the training of Scouters by organizing a series of lectures for Scouters in 1911. He made great strides by devising and instituting Wood Badge Training in 1919. Wood Badge recipients now number more than 100,000 throughout the world.
The object of the Wood Badge course is to demonstrate, as practically as possible, the aims and methods of Scouting. Upon successful completion of the course the participant receives a certificate and the Wood Badge - two wooden beads worn on a leather thong around the neck. These beads replicate the beads found by Baden-Powell during a campaign in Africa in 1888. They belonged to Dinizulu, an African chieftain. In searching for a suitable recognition for those who completed the first course in 1919, Baden-Powell remembered the beads and decided to present a bead to each participant. At that time, the course was called Wood Badge.
The Wood Badge may be worn only with the official field uniform of the BSA. The Scouter to whom it has been awarded may also wear the tan neckerchief with its patch of MacLaren tartan at the back. The Wood Badge neckerchief may only be worn with the accompanying leather neckerchief slide or woggle.
Learning Objectives
As a result of attending Wood Badge training, participants will be able to
- View Scouting globally, as a family of interrelated, values-based programs that provide age-appropriate activities for youth.
- Recognize the contemporary leadership concepts utilized in corporate America and leading government organizations that are relevant to our values-based movement.
- Apply the skills they learn from their participation as a member of a successful working team.
- Revitalize their commitment by sharing in an overall inspirational experience that helps provide Scouting with the leadership it needs to accomplish its mission on an ongoing basis.
Curriculum and Leadership Skills
Wood Badge training consists of two parts - a practical phase and an application phase. The practical phase is conducted as a troop in a camping setting over 5 days, typically during two weekend sessions. During the course, leadership skills can be learned and practiced as part of life in a troop. The application phase happens at the conclusion of the practical phase for a period of not more than 18 months. During both phases of the Wood Badge course, five central themes are focused on and developed:
- Living the Values
- Bringing the Vision to Life
- Models for Success
- Tools of the Trade
- Leading to Make a Difference
Course Delivery
The practical phase of the Wood Badge course reflects unit meetings and also uses a unit camping activity as its delivery model. During the course the model Scout unit will serve as the foundation for training purposes.
It should be noted that although this foundation is utilized, the course content and leadership principles introduced apply to Scouters in all leadership positions and will provide a common foundation of leadership skills to be used throughout all program areas.