merit badge counselor requirements

[optimist]

Messages moved from MeritBadge.com

frauggy
Guest

Posted: 18 Jul 2004 05:16 pm Post subject: merit badge
counselor requirements

I am wondering what exaclty are the requirements for a merit
badge counselor for swimming and lifesaving. Are there special
requirements that need to be met before a person can be a
counselor for these badges?

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Firefish
Life

Joined: 05 Jul 2004
Posts: 145
Location: Beaver, Pa
Posted: 18 Jul 2004 05:26 pm Post subject:

I dont think so

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Firefish
Life

Joined: 05 Jul 2004
Posts: 145
Location: Beaver, Pa
Posted: 18 Jul 2004 05:26 pm Post subject:

you have to be eighteen and proficient in those subjects

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Kobalt
Star

Joined: 12 Jul 2004
Posts: 98
Location: Louisville, KY
Posted: 18 Jul 2004 10:26 pm Post subject:

I've got to check on that age requirement. I just had a
15-year-old kid teach my Geology Merit Badge.
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John Baunach
Troop 42
"If it were easy, it would have been done before." -Jeana
Yeager, co-pilot of Voyager

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BM_Crawford
Life

Joined: 12 Jul 2004
Posts: 131
Location: PA W/F Council
Posted: 18 Jul 2004 10:39 pm Post subject:

that should never happen. he must have just been a staff
member.
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Brian Crawford
Troop 251

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Kobalt
Star

Joined: 12 Jul 2004
Posts: 98
Location: Louisville, KY
Posted: 18 Jul 2004 10:41 pm Post subject:

He was a full staff member, not a CiT, and he knew his stuff.
I'm not sure why he was teaching; he was probably the only one
qualified.
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John Baunach
Troop 42
"If it were easy, it would have been done before." -Jeana
Yeager, co-pilot of Voyager

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BM_Crawford
Life

Joined: 12 Jul 2004
Posts: 131
Location: PA W/F Council
Posted: 18 Jul 2004 10:42 pm Post subject:

Staff can teach and may know alot but only an 18 years or
older person may be the councilor. What I'm guessing is the
person incharge of the nature area or something was the
councilor.
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Brian Crawford
Troop 251

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Kobalt
Star

Joined: 12 Jul 2004
Posts: 98
Location: Louisville, KY
Posted: 18 Jul 2004 10:49 pm Post subject:

Yeah, the staff at the Eco Lodge probably signed off for the
badges last. Thanks for clearing that up.
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John Baunach
Troop 42
"If it were easy, it would have been done before." -Jeana
Yeager, co-pilot of Voyager

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BM_Crawford
Life

Joined: 12 Jul 2004
Posts: 131
Location: PA W/F Council
Posted: 18 Jul 2004 11:01 pm Post subject:

Sure no problem
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Brian Crawford
Troop 251

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frauggy
Guest

Posted: 19 Jul 2004 09:43 am Post subject:

thanks all

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Kobalt
Star

Joined: 12 Jul 2004
Posts: 98
Location: Louisville, KY
Posted: 19 Jul 2004 10:04 am Post subject:

No problem, frauggy. You know, you should join the boards.
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John Baunach
Troop 42
"If it were easy, it would have been done before." -Jeana
Yeager, co-pilot of Voyager

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ScouterJohn
Guest

Posted: 20 Jul 2004 08:53 am Post subject: Re: merit badge
counselor requirements

Greetings-

The BSA rqmts state a counselor must be GT/E 18 yrs, be
proficient in subject by vocation, avocation, or spec. trng.
However in all my years of scouting the age rqmt gets waived
for summer camps.

frauggy wrote:
I am wondering what exaclty are the requirements for a
merit badge counselor for swimming and lifesaving. Are
there special requirements that need to be met before a
person can be a counselor for these badges?

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optimist
Advancement Chairman

Joined: 27 Jun 2004
Posts: 146

Posted: 20 Jul 2004 06:50 pm Post subject:

No, this is a common mistake (which I made myself the other
day).

The age 18 requirement for merit badge counselors applies year
round under all circumstances.

When a Scout under 18 is assisting with merit badges at summer
camp, they are not the merit badge counselor. They are working
with Scouts on behalf of an adult 18 or over who is the
official merit badge counselor.

I realize there is not much of a difference but I just wanted
to make sure the rules were clear.

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BM_Crawford
Life

Joined: 12 Jul 2004
Posts: 131
Location: PA W/F Council
Posted: 20 Jul 2004 06:58 pm Post subject:

Thats what I've been trying to say
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Brian Crawford
Troop 251

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Guneukitschik
Life

Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 162
Location: Waynesboro, PA
Posted: 05 Aug 2004 09:49 pm Post subject:

Back to the original question.... I don't think that to be a
mbc for swimming and lifesaving you actually need to be a
certified lifeguard (although it probably wouldn't hurt) you
should be proficient enough in the subject matter to
understand the requirements and be able to properly instruct
the scout on the material and make sure that the requirements
are completed properly and fully.

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[optimist]

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mang_kiko
Counselor

Joined: 01 Aug 2004
Posts: 6
Location: Torrance, Ca
Posted: 06 Aug 2004 08:14 pm Post subject:

BSA Guide to Safe Scouting provides an entire section on
aquatics safety. Although it did not mention anything about
the qualification of a swimming and/or lifesaving mbc, it is
expected that all aquatics activity, including swimming and
lifesaving merit badges must follow these policies.
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Jay Lee
ASM Troop 785, Torrance, CA
"He must become greater; I must become less" John 3:30 (NIV)

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Guneukitschik
Life

Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 162
Location: Waynesboro, PA
Posted: 11 Aug 2004 09:14 am Post subject:

I was reading elsewhere on this site and there was a scout who
said that his father who was a master plumber but was turned
down as a merit badge counselor.

I think as long as you have completed the necessary Merit
Badge Counselor training and Youth Protection training and you
are proficient in the subject matter (Which, a Master Plumber
is more than proficient in plumbing!) I can't understand why
this person would be denied a counselor position?
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http://www.bsatroop88.org

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wagionvigil
Counselor

Joined: 21 Jul 2004
Posts: 191
Location: PA
Posted: 11 Aug 2004 09:53 am Post subject:

It is funny but some Districts in some councils do their own
thing.
_________________
Action Center D Rappel Tower Director 2001 and 2005 National
Jamborees
Northeast REgion Area 4 Venturing Chairman
Wagion 6 Lodge Advisor 96-99
"If you ain't A bear you're a Meal"

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Guneukitschik
Life

Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 162
Location: Waynesboro, PA
Posted: 11 Aug 2004 10:37 am Post subject:

In our council....you can never have too many counselors!

You never know when one will be on vacation, work, whatever...
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[ASM-142]

I know (and agree with) the requirement where an individual needs to apply to be a MBC by completing a MBC Application. I know (and agree with) the requirement where the MBC must also submit a complete Adult Leader Application.

However, my council is now requiring that a "new" Adult Leader Application be submitted each time a MBC Application is submitted. For instance, I am a registered leader in my troop and also an approved MBC for a number a MBs. I am in the process of submitting a MBC Application for approval for anotehr MB and was told that I need to complete a new Adult Leader Application with the MBC Application.

Is there any other council's that require a new Adult Leader Application be submitted each time a MBC Application is submitted?

[Fibonacci]

Is there any other council's that require a new Adult Leader Application be submitted each time a MBC Application is submitted?

Our District Advancement Chair says this is a new requirement for us. I'm going to try to give him a copy of the original BS Adult application rather than ask volunteer adults to fill out the paperwork AGAIN! I don't know if my idea will work, but I'm going to try.

[scoutaholic]

Is there any other council's that require a new Adult Leader Application be submitted each time a MBC Application is submitted?

Our District Advancement Chair says this is a new requirement for us. I'm going to try to give him a copy of the original BS Adult application rather than ask volunteer adults to fill out the paperwork AGAIN! I don't know if my idea will work, but I'm going to try.

A copy should work as long as it is the copy of the front page. The carbon copies don't have the social security number on them, which is the thing they need for running background checks.

I don't know why councils can't get their act together and do just one application and background check for each adult. At $50 per background check, they must have paid for a really good check on my background by now. I'm registered in multiple positions with multiple units. They've probably done my background check 20 times.

[ASM-142]

I have been told ny the council Registrar that they will not accept a copy of the Adult Leader Application.

[WVBeaver05]

If National is in fact performing multiple background checks on multiple registrations they are wasting the money that we send them and should have their hands slapped!!

The requirement for a new adult application for a Scouter who is already registered is just poor management. It isn't that hard for Scouters to do, but it should not have to be done. It does show any Scouter who is paying attention that there are some serious organizational issues within Scouting.

I see way too many of these types of things to be comfortable that the National organization is being run well. I am sure that many of you do as well. However, I (and probably most of you) are too busy focusing on the local Units to do anything about how National works.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

YiS

[Lynda J]

I handle the MBC for our District and a copy will not be accepted by Council. We have had a lot of problems in the past with applications getting lost. I now make a copy of everything before I turn it into Council. This way if it goes into one of those deep black holes what we all know exist at Council I have copies. I also make the person I turn them into sign that they have received them.

[jr56]

I believe my council is the same, more paperwork is better seems to be the current motto.

[scoutaholic]

I handle the MBC for our District and a copy will not be accepted by Council. We have had a lot of problems in the past with applications getting lost. I now make a copy of everything before I turn it into Council. This way if it goes into one of those deep black holes what we all know exist at Council I have copies. I also make the person I turn them into sign that they have received them.

When I was trained in doing our recharter, the DE told us they will accept photocopies (of the front page that includes the SSN). We have many cases where the same person serves as COR or MC for 3 or 4 units (pack, troop, team, and/or crew). A single original application is sufficient if we do photocopies for the others. I know I have turned in photocopies and they have been accepted by our district and council.

It is a waste of time, effort, money, and paper to do multiple applications (originals or copies). I wish they would figure out how to get this process right.

Lynda - what good is the photocopy you are making if your council won't accept it?

[FrankJ]

Leader apps are now available on PDF. Fill it out & make copies. Sign them as required. If the form has a original signature, it should be counted as an original.

According to our district training committee member in charge of MBCs, the leader app only has to be done once for MBCs. I have had other people in the district tell me other things so obviously to policy varies. He also ask that apps be sent directly to him so they do not get lost in the black hole at council.

[WVBeaver05]

Where can you get the PDF version of the app?

[Nuts4Scouts]

National has had many of their forms on-line for years now.


Here is the original (old) Adult Leader Application :
http://www.scouting.org/forms/28-501.pdf


Here is the current (new) Adult Leader Application :
http://www.scouting.org/forms/28-501D.pdf


There are not fillable, but you can print them off & then fill them in.