Wood Badge Ticket Items

[ThunderingWind]

As I am preparing for my April/May Wood Badge course, I am reviewing all the documentation, reading the course outline, schedule, staff bio's, packing list, etc....(I am already packed except the uniform and sleeping bag is still hanging).....A big question arose as to the Ticket Items.

I have heard some tell me what their items were and frankly I was surprised at how minimal they were. I expected more.

Examples:

Clean up District/Council MBC list(s), remove expired registrations, type new list
Council 5 boys in MB ABC123
Review Unit adults rooster and identify those that are behind in training and recommend they attend the next District/Council training session

Should have been:

Assist Council staff and Advancement Committee with review of current MBC list, recruit appropriate individuals to be MBCs for MB ABC123 and be geographically spaced across the entire Council, contact those that have expired registrations and ask if they still want to be MBCs

Hold an MB Class for MB ABC123 and have it open to District X or Council (depending on size of Council)
or
Identify MB in Council that needs more Counselors and become proficient enough to be approved as an MBC for said Merit Badge

So I ask...What were some of your ticket items?

[FieldSports]

TW,

Ticket items are the practical application of the WB course material. They are specific to your current position and your position's needs. So, what may appear as simple to you, may be critical for someone else. Also, what may be simple for you, may require a lot of "stretch" for someone else. Also, it one ticket items may be part of an overall larger plan.

Your ticket items should challenge you, apply what you have learned, help reach your vision of what you see as a need in your position, and be able to be completed in less than 18 months.

I have told everyone to first start with your vision of what you would like to do or what the needs are. Look to what has impact and can be accomplished. As for my ticket items....honestly do not remember them from seven years ago. BUT, I continue to do "ticket" items to this day. Recently built a rifle range on the scout property and it is used every weekend!!

This is the point of WB. Learn the skill (the course), apply the skill (ticket items), teach the skill (to the youth or WB staffing is a blast) and live the skill for the rest of your life.

Good luck with your course.

[ThunderingWind]

The documentation I am reading now states: The five ticket items will be focused on:

1) Building a better leader (person taking WB) Must be some measurable training, preferable nationally recognized for a Merit Badge, or going to Philmont/Sea Base Training Center, NCS, earn another college degree, learn a second language to help with #5 below

2) Building a better unit - provide dues, books and uniforms to all new members of your unit, employ any of the various FCFY programs with 90% success rate or better, recruit and retain a new den/patrol or 5 Crew youth for two years

3) Building a better District - fill some role not already filled on District Council, Day Camp, Camporee, provide assistance to a new unit, start a new unit

4) Building a better Council - recruit corporations to donate $$ support or goods, donate time and goods to build a better facility at your Council camp, be staff at Camp for no pay

5) Diversity In Scouting - help start a new unit that is outside the normal racial mix of your geographical area, recruit a leader of another race for your unit, recruit youth of another race for your unit

The above are just examples listed in the stuff I have.

[scoutaholic]

TW,

From what I remember the ticket requirements of my course were not so specific. They should be things you can do in your current position. One of them had to something in the diversity category. One of them could be a feedback survey getting feedback on one of your other ticket items.

They wanted us to be careful that we not put measures on the ticket that were not something we could do. For instance, helping to plan/carry out a training and/or encouraging your fellow leaders to attend training is good. Basing your success on whether everyone actually attends is setting up for failure, and putting the measure of your success in the hands of those other leaders.

They wanted the tickets to require some effort, but no so much that they couldn't be completed within 18 months or less. Your #2 mentions doing something for 2 years. This would clearly be impossible to complete within 18 months.


My tickets included:
1) encouraging adult leaders to get trained
2) providing training for youth leadership
3) recruiting (inviting) youth not part of our current demographic
4) improving some parts of the troop program
5) providing resourses for other leaders

[FrankJ]

If you are active in your position, the ticket items are things you would be doing anyway. The vision & ticket are ways to focus your energy to be more effective.

[ronin718]

I'm also looking at tickets for a spring WB course. Here's my "dilemma"... I'm an LDS Scouter in a non-LDS troop. Very active, fully trained, pretty knowledgeable in both sides of the "fence". I'd like to try to get the LDS folks in my area more active in the areas they should be (training, participation, RT attendance, etc.). Can I do a split focus between my home troop and the LDS environment that still focuses on my core?

[FrankJ]

At my woodbadge they were rigid about your ticket focusing on your primary position. I tried to split my ticket between ASM & COR for our pack, nothing doing. I was able to some of what I wanted by writing ticket towards the cub as they related to the troop. (Planning a troop event that catered to hosting webelos.)

I attended a presentation that a LDS scouter did as part of his ticket. The presention explained the LDS flavor of scouting to the non LDS scouters.

[ThunderingWind]

My tickets included:
1) encouraging adult leaders to get trained
3) recruiting (inviting) youth not part of our current demographic

Both of these fail the "Measurable" part of the S.M.A.R.T. Ticket Preparation Guide.

Measurable is defined as dollars, hours of service, bodies attending, signed commitments, certificates of completion etc...

I can offer invitations all day, but if no one shows up I have failed.

The way you define it, I can cheat and just say I invited them.

[wagionvigil]

You are Overthinking it. STOP NOW!

[WVBeaver05]

You are Overthinking it. STOP NOW!

I agree.

Relax. Your WB staff will guide you in the preparation of appropriate ticket items. The process is built into the course and builds from step to step as you go.

YiS

[scoutaholic]

My tickets included:
1) encouraging adult leaders to get trained
3) recruiting (inviting) youth not part of our current demographic

Both of these fail the "Measurable" part of the S.M.A.R.T. Ticket Preparation Guide.

Measurable is defined as dollars, hours of service, bodies attending, signed commitments, certificates of completion etc...

I can offer invitations all day, but if no one shows up I have failed.

The way you define it, I can cheat and just say I invited them.

I don't know the details of the 'S.M.A.R.T...' guide.

Measurable can be defined as 'x number of adult leaders have been made aware of and encouraged to attend y number of training events.'
Measurable can be defined as 'An invitation/information document has been created and x youth have been personally contacted and recieved invitations and information about the troop'. Or it could be 'Jimmy, Johnny, Jeremy, Jordan, Jamie, Justin and Jack have been invited.'

They wanted us to be careful that we not put measures on the ticket that were not something we could do. For instance, helping to plan/carry out a training and/or encouraging your fellow leaders to attend training is good. Basing your success on whether everyone actually attends is setting up for failure, and putting the measure of your success in the hands of those other leaders.

If you want to argue about my ability to 'cheat and just say I invited them', it is probably true that I could. However, I subscribe to the same scouting values we expect of the boys, and trustworthy comes in there somewhere. Measurable doesn't mean I have to have signed and notarized written documentation.

[scoutaholic]

You are Overthinking it. STOP NOW!

Why are talking about tickets that won't even be written or started until April/May? There is time planned in the course for you to make these plans AFTER they have told you the details of what to include.

[ThunderingWind]

You are Overthinking it.

I will agree to disagree.

Why are you talking about tickets that won't even be written or started until April/May?

Because the April start date is ONLY 4 months away. I must be prepared.

And in my preparations, I thought I would ask those of you who have done WB, what your ticket items were.

The WB Ticket Workbook I was given is the one where the S.M.A.R.T guide is published.

Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Timely

[Mrw]

We currently have two leaders working on ticket items, but I have no idea what they might be. Our SM two years ago had collecting , cleaning and delivering uniform pieces to an inner city troop whose boys could not afford to buy their own.

As far as over tihinking it, once you have some ideas, they will get talked over so you can flesh them out at the course. It is not like you suddenly have to complete these before you go!

[lifescoutforlife]

I went to wood badge in Sept of this year. I didn't even have 1 goal before I went there let a lone 5. Enjoy WB for what it is and every thing will fall into place.

[ThunderingWind]

It is not like you suddenly have to complete these before you go!

While I understand what you are saying, I was taught (and required since 7th grade) that when one takes a class..

you read the book for the class the semeter before the class (for math and science - read the theory book)
you read the first 10, middle 5 and last 5 references used by the author
read all foot note books/works not found in the books in step two above

In other words - BE PREPARED.

I am trying to do just that. I have downloaded every WB document I could find on all Council sites, sorted them and am in the process of reading them.

[kwildman]

The ticket is a personal thing and you will be assigned a mentor. Since I have not attended the WB course i don't think it is appropriate to judge other peoples tickets because something that is easy for one scouter could be quite challenging for another. There is nothing wrong about wanting to be prepared and asking for ticket ideas but lets keep the discussion positive and not question other peoples work.

[Mrw]

It is not like you suddenly have to complete these before you go!

While I understand what you are saying, I was taught (and required since 7th grade) that when one takes a class..

you read the book for the class the semeter before the class (for math and science - read the theory book)
you read the first 10, middle 5 and last 5 references used by the author
read all foot note books/works not found in the books in step two above

In other words - BE PREPARED.

I am trying to do just that. I have downloaded every WB document I could find on all Council sites, sorted them and am in the process of reading them.

Wow! Considering how fast new editions of text books come out now, you would be spending an absolute fortune in college!

I get the whole being prepared thing, but you are not researching a doctoral thesis. A large part of leadership training program like wood badge is what you learn by doing and interacting with your instructors and fellow students.

I know it is easier for me to tell you to just relax a bit and enjoy the process than it is for you driven Type A personalities to do, (I have this same discussion regularly with a friend of mine) but try to slow down and enjoy the process as you go!

[cballman]

A couple of years ago when I took WoodBadge I had one ticket item when I went to the course. That one was the easiest one that I could do and understand. I taught a class at our University of Scouting on " How to deal with kids with ADHD and Scouting". That was my diversity item. It was also oked in Jan. of the year I took WB in the fall. Just to be able to get it on the college course list for that fall. My other four was a BEAR to do because where I have been involved in scouting a little longer than most people. One of our kids who took the course did the BSA Lifeguard to be able to help out with his troop and camp. One of my others was to go into the scouting community and did a blood drive to help out our local Blood Center. These are just three that I can think of without working to find all my stuff. The reason I hard a hard time with my ticket items is that I wanted to do something that I have not done yet. I wanted to do new and different things. Ah another item I did was teach a merit badge that has never been earned by anyone in our troop. I had to also teach parents the same thing because they didnt understand the merit badge which was Auto Mechnics at the time. I understand that people want to be prepared but like was said in a earlier post dont sweat about it so much, take the time and enjoy the people that you will be around. The people who are teaching and the people who are taking the course are a few of the most valuable people you will EVER meet. To be able to call some of these people friends and scouters is just the most awesome feeling that you can have. So to sum it up in a little space. Just relax, dont over do anything just be yourself, learn, bring back memories that will last a lifetime, remember if you are not a BEAR then your just snackfood.

[PGH]

My tickets included:
1) encouraging adult leaders to get trained
3) recruiting (inviting) youth not part of our current demographic

Both of these fail the "Measurable" part of the S.M.A.R.T. Ticket Preparation Guide.

Measurable is defined as dollars, hours of service, bodies attending, signed commitments, certificates of completion etc...

I can offer invitations all day, but if no one shows up I have failed.

The way you define it, I can cheat and just say I invited them.

You'll have at least one session at Wood Badge where you discuss this kind of thing.

Just going from your example; a ticket item that says "I will mail 100 invitations..." is both measurable and entirely in your hands. A ticket item that says "I will get x number of attendees at some-event by mailing 100 invites" is not. Wording your ticket so that you are able to complete it is not "cheating," it's part of the course. Whether or not the ticket item is challenging enough is between you and your ticket counselor.

Also, be forewarned that your ticket items can change over the 18 months if necessary. I'm in this boat right now. Flexibility, Thundering Wind, flexibility.