How Are Wood Badge Staffers Selected in Your Council?

[mt_goodrich]

One of my goals is to serve on Wood Badge staff. Since attending Wood Badge last year and completing my ticket, I have had a desire to serve on an upcoming course. Wood Badge has brought me out of my shell as far as getting up in front of people and teaching/instructing/making presentations and I think it would be one way I could give back.

In the Longhorn Council, I have been told that the staff is selected by the assigned course director. The first staff assignment available to anyone is Troop Guide. After serving as a Troop Guide on a course, other staffing opportunities will open up to you.

I have been told that one way to better the chance to be selected is to "get your face out there". This is done by attending as many Wood Badge course preparation days. This is usually the Saturday before a course begins where tents are set up and the camp is readied. I've been able to assist with this on three of the past four courses. I actually have fun working and helping get things ready.

Along with that, other Wood Badge staffers can make recommendations.

Yesterday, while I was on staff for teaching SM/ASM Specific course, I was asked I had attended the Trainer Development Course yet. I have and did so this past March. The person who asked has previously served as a WB Course Director that past Spring and is very involved with WB and said "great". That was it...nothing else. Maybe he'll put in a good word for me.

I know it is a lot of work and takes a lot of time and dedication. But it is something I would like to do.

Is this the basic procedures for other councils or does it vary?

[WVBeaver05]

That is the same process that has been described to me for our Council. I do think the Course Director takes a great deal of input from the Council Training committee as well.

There may not be much difference in Councils on this since Wood Badge courses are "regulated" by Area/Regional Wood Badge coordinators. At one time, I think, Course Directors had to submit a list of potential staff members and have it approved and then pick the actual staff from the list of approved people.

Attending the Wood Badge setup isn't really an option in our Council since that work is combined with Staff preparation meetings and is done by the selected staff.

YiS

[wagionvigil]

Each Participant is evaluated by the staff during the course and recommendations are made from that.

[scoutaholic]

In our council, the main focus is grooming potential WB Course Directors. With 8+ courses every year, there a tons of past participants who want to staff, but few are chosen. They focus more on getting past staff to volunteer in a different position. By the time they are asked to be Course Directors, they have already staffed 5+ times. At least 5 of the staff from my course have now served as Course Directors. I put in my staff application over a year ago, and have never been contacted.
Another of the staffers from my course is scheduled to be Course Director in August. She said she would put me on her list of potential staff. Apparently they turn in a long list, and then the council tells them who they can have.

[ThunderingWind]

Each Participant is evaluated by the staff during the course and recommendations are made from that.

Then I hoped I am deemed "good enough to staff," but I know from experience that I do not do well in front of adults. I am very comfortable teaching/leading youth.

[wagionvigil]

There are a few problems with WB courses at least in the CLuster I am in and I am sure it is not alone in these problems.

In Our Area we think there are too many courses and the participation suffers
There are too many permanant staffers. There should be a restriction as to how many courses you can serve on.

The Area I am involved with is about to start doing something about both of these. I hate t see the same faces at WB year after year. It limits the number of new staffers.

[FieldSports]

The course director does have to offer the list of potential staffers to both the Scout Executive and the Regional area for approval. It is from this list that you can ask if people would like to serve. As a recent Course Director I was looking for people who are comfortable presenting material, have a pleasant demeanor, are willing to work their tails off and have a desire to teach/help others. I had no time to babysit a person who just wanted a third bead.

You are asked by the Course Director (but names can get added to the list later!). To improve your odds of getting asked:

Take the 21st Century Wood Badge Course
Take Trainer Development Course
Volunteer to help training staff in your district and council
Ask for feedback on your teaching skills from both partcipant and other staffers
Recruit people to attend the current course even if you are not staffing (but let the current course director know)
Volunteer to help with promoting the course in your unit, district and council
Find out who are the most likely up and coming Course Directors. Offer to help them and let them know you would like to staff
Let your district training chair know that you want to staff and have them promote you to the Course Directors
Attend any council WB reunion events

Unfortunately there are Councils still "old school" on staffing. My staff was 2/3 new and 1/3 experienced. The book says they are suppose to have a 1/3 new 2/3 experienced staff ratio. They should also balance staff with Cub, Scout, Varsity and Venture leaders. They should balance male and female (or at least be close to the participant mix). Staff should reflect "diversity"

Our council pretty much gives you about max of 3 times to serve, and if you are not on the short list for Course Director you are done.

[mt_goodrich]

You are asked by the Course Director (but names can get added to the list later!). To improve your odds of getting asked:

Take the 21st Century Wood Badge Course - Completed and Earned Beads May 2008
Take Trainer Development Course - Completed in April 2008
Volunteer to help training staff in your district and council - Been on training staff for two years
Ask for feedback on your teaching skills from both partcipant and other staffers - I am told I do very well and I am getting better each time.
Recruit people to attend the current course even if you are not staffing (but let the current course director know) - Recruited seven people for current course and have three signed up and they have paid in full for Spring 2009 course. I have two signed up and paid for the Summer course and have four that will be taking the "Sunday Observant" course next Fall
Volunteer to help with promoting the course in your unit, district and council - Carry applications with me all the time and hand them out.
Find out who are the most likely up and coming Course Directors. Offer to help them and let them know you would like to staff - The list of directors for all courses next year have been posted.
Let your district training chair know that you want to staff and have them promote you to the Course Directors - I've mentioned it to him several times
Attend any council WB reunion events - We have ours in February and I've attended all but one work Saturday before a course.

I am the only one on our district training staff who has not been on staff for a course. However, one of the guys I work with on training staff is currently one of the Asst. Quartermasters on current course and has been named ASPL on the upcoming Spring course. He knows I am interested in serving on a future WB course.

I have mentioned before WB helped me come out of my shell. I seek opportunities now to get up in front of people and speak or teach.

[FieldSports]

Take the list of CD's for next few course and tell them about your desire and skills. List out all the above, and if they don't take you: I would be real surprised

Good luck

[FrankJ]

For those of you who want to staff wood badge and have not been selected. How about volunteering to staff your councils NYLT? You do not get the extra bead, but after all it is for the boys. You do get a cool patch though.

[FieldSports]

Frank J,

You just rang my bell on something. The new sylabus for WB says to look at NYLT trainers for WB staff!!!

[mt_goodrich]

I have sent in an application for our council's NYLT (Twin Arrows). The best times I ever had was attending these courses as a youth. I learned a great deal and was able to carry those those things back to my troop.

I am having two of our boys attend next year.

[FrankJ]

NYLT is great for the youth. Properly done it is run by the youth. I have seen a marked difference in the scouts that have attended both as participants & staff.

The only problem is they always seem to come back with these strange ideas about a youth run troop...

[mt_goodrich]

My troop definately needs to get away from the "adults do everything for us" mentality. Not really the boys' fault. The previous Scoutmasters never took the time to get trained and figured it was just easy to do everything themselves.

We went on a campout and the boys stood around the troop trailer half asleep one morning. I was sitting there and they are all looking at me. I ask "What's up?" One boy said he was hungry and wanted to know when I would have breakfast ready. Imagine their shock when I told them that the days of the SM cooking for them was over. Oh...and the days of paper plates and plastic wear was over too.

We are slowly, but surely, getting there.

[9009scoutmaster]

Way to go Mike.

I just had 3 scout go threw a 2 weekend NYLT course.
It is now sink or swim time, all 3 are very excited about having a true boy lead troop.
Some times we as adult leader do not allow our youth to fail. Some of my best learding experinces as a youth in scouting was being allowed to learn from my mistakes.

Also I will be a member of WB course SR-942 as a Quartermaster. Our local council only has a WB course every 2 years.

[riverwalk]

Best to become known as a regular Trainer perhaps, and one they recognize as doing a good job. Not everyone is the best instructor type. I wish I had the new WB behind me already, so as to be considered for Staff too. Oh well, thank goodness it's only an hour a week.

[WVBeaver05]

For those of you who want to staff wood badge and have not been selected. How about volunteering to staff your councils NYLT? You do not get the extra bead, but after all it is for the boys. You do get a cool patch though.

Let me strongly second this!!!

Yes, you may get selected to staff WB, the new syllabus does say to give consideration to NYLT staff members.

You might even be able to get another bead. There was a presentation that I saw about a new program to potentially award an additional bead to NYLT staff members if the course and the Scouter meet some rigorous requirements. Haven't seen them yet, but I'm told they are coming.

Even if neither of the above apply - IT IS STILL WELL WORTH IT!! One of the Area folks spoke to our last WB course at lunch. He advised (and I strongly agree) that the most important/valuable course that BSA provides is NYLT. It is about training the youth and that is what NYLT is about.

Others have mentioned, and I can confirm, you can see a HUGE difference in the youth that attend. And, also mentioned, the ones that come back and work as Youth Staff (they present something like 90% of the material to the attendees) show an even greater improvement. There is really nothing like seeing that NYLT attendee that drove you crazy two years before as ASPL or SPL at a Camporee a couple years later and realize that he really did "get it" (eventually).

YiS

[WVBeaver05]

NYLT is great for the youth. Properly done it is run by the youth. I have seen a marked difference in the scouts that have attended both as participants & staff.

The only problem is they always seem to come back with these strange ideas about a youth run troop...

This is very true.

The unfortunate consequence is that I have had SMs tell me that they don't send Youth to the course because they come back and want the boys to run the Troop. I just hate that and wish there was something that I could do about it.

YiS