Required Training is Coming

[WVBeaver05]

As predicted (and IMO needed) it looks like BSA is going to require training. Maybe not exactly the way that I would do it, but it's coming. Pilots are running in some Councils now.

Here is the way that I understand it. Training will be required for all "direct contact leaders" or the Unit will not be able to recharter. Effective date will be end of 2012. I think there may be some sort of a phase in by the end of 2011, but that isn't certain yet.

Direct contact leaders will be Den Leaders(including Tiger and Webelos), Cubmasters, Scoutmasters, Venture Crew Advisors, etc. and the assistants for each of these positions. Training to be required will be Fast Start, This Is Scouting, Youth Protection, and Position Specific training - plus, Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills for Scoutmasters and ASM.

Anyone else heard this and/or in a Council that is one of the pilots?

YiS

[FrankJ]

Some councils already require it (pilot program). Atlanta Area Council is one of the phase in & will be required for the 2011 charter year. We recharter in Dec. so it will be required by Dec 2010.

What you heard was essentially the same as what I was told in trainer's Edge today.

[wagionvigil]

Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[WVBeaver05]

Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought you might say something like that.

I wish they had incorporated some required training for Committee Members, too. Some of the recent discussions here have shown that the committee needs training.

Phased in starting 4 or 5 years ago our Council has required the top Unit leader to be fully trained and then the CC the next year. Failure to do so was supposed to mean that the Unit could not recharter. We geared up the training efforts and offered more classes, but I'm not sure that I ever heard of this being enforced. This is one of the things that we hear will be different about the National requirement. It will be automatically enforced. (As was the recent requirement for a criminal background check.)

Since it is still in pilot, there is a chance that MC training will be added to the requirements, but I'm not expecting it.

YiS

[wagionvigil]

If This is a National Requirement it will be enforced which it should be. The next thing will be enforcement of Tour Permits. Failure to file one will result in leadeship removal. Most training is now online and there is no excuse for not having that training. The outdoor training wellit cannot be online . Our council does two a year one in the fall and one in the spring. The dates are announced way in advance. I remember the days when each district woud have two. WHat is amazing to me is more people were trained 30 years ago then today. It was assumed that you joined and got training. Not today. SO now we make it required or else. Again I say Yeah!

[ThunderingWind]

Our Troop CO, IH and Insurance REQUIRE any registered adult to take the on-line training if they want to remain a registered adult regardless of position. Any one who is an SM/ASM has 18 months to complete the OLS because of the Council Training schedule.

So we are now getting a very laarge "registerd and trained" group of committee members. Four of the new and newer Dads are going through the SM/ASM training next weekend.

[RWSmith]

I wish they had incorporated some required training for Committee Members, too. Some of the recent discussions here have shown that the committee needs training.

Troop committee required training per training matrix:

Fast Start (VFS)
Youth Protection (YO1)
Troop Committee Challenge (S10)
This Scouting (WAO1)
Intro to outdoor leader skills (S11) (recommended)

[biglou]

It's about time! I am glad to see this. I would like to see required training for the Troop Committee as well. Especially because the members of my Troop's Committee have no clue as to what they are supposed to do. Let me rephrase that. One person on the Troop Committee knows what she needs to do and is taking the online training as she is able to. The rest have not even bothered yet!

[WVBeaver05]

Troop committee required training per training matrix:
Fast Start (VFS)
Youth Protection (YO1)
Troop Committee Challenge (S10)
This Scouting (WAO1)
Intro to outdoor leader skills (S11) (recommended)

That wasn't in the presentation that we just saw, but I would support it.

YiS

[FrankJ]

That wasn't in the presentation that we just saw, but I would support it.

YiS

It is what our council training chair presented to us. It is consistent with the training umbrella on scouting.org. (troop committee challenge is the leader specific training for troop committee members.) Different councils may have different interpretations on who is required to be trained.

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/train ... an2009.pdf

[DadScout]

Our council is one of the councils and the way it's working is supposed to be:
2009: start getting all the training info for those registered. (Here's where we have the scoutnet vs reality disconnect)
2010: All unit leaders get trained. Unit leaders are SM, CM, Crew Advisors
2011: All direct contact leaders get trained. These are ASM, DL, WDL, etc.

There's no mention at this time regarding committee members. When the pilot councils are in the 2011 phase it's expected that the rest of the councils would be in the 2010 phase, basically one year behind.

The biggest challange by far has been the records. We're all whipping out our little training cards to back up Dist/Council records. What I haven't heard is grumbles about requiring the training. Though I must admit I'm going to meetings with people who are fully trained and are cheering the initiative.

All in all I think nothing but good can come from this. A little bit of time spent on training is a small price towards delivering the program the way it should be.

[jr56]

Yes, I agree that commitee members need to be trained as well. Most of my problems as an adult leader have been the result of untrained committee members.

[evmori]

This is a good thing! All committee members should be trained since it seems we are reading about more committees run amok!

[committee member]

Please tell me if "Wilderness First Aid" certification will soon be required? In our council it is listed as recommended. "Someone should be trained in first aid appropriate to the type of trek and the environment." That is a strong recommendation for Wilderness First Aid for backpacking trips but most of our backpacking is really pretty close to civilization. Do you have recommendations for the people who should have priority for getting this type of training since it costs $165 per person in our area. I am the Committee member who tracks our troops training and it is difficult to find out what exactly is required other than what our Council publishes. They have been pretty good about telling us what is coming up but it was difficult for me to translate old course names to the most recently published names for those who have been doing this for quite a few years. Now this new question has come up.

Thanks

[wagionvigil]

Please tell me if "Wilderness First Aid" certification will soon be required? In our council it is listed as recommended. "Someone should be trained in first aid appropriate to the type of trek and the environment." That is a strong recommendation for Wilderness First Aid for backpacking trips but most of our backpacking is really pretty close to civilization. Do you have recommendations for the people who should have priority for getting this type of training since it costs $165 per person in our area. I am the Committee member who tracks our troops training and it is difficult to find out what exactly is required other than what our Council publishes. They have been pretty good about telling us what is coming up but it was difficult for me to translate old course names to the most recently published names for those who have been doing this for quite a few years. Now this new question has come up.

Thanks

We paid 75.00 last fall. BSA Recommends that someone have it when help is more than 30 minutes away. It is required for Philmont,Sea Base and Northern Tier That one adult in each crew have it. I would like it to be a mandatory requirement for those that are in Youth Contact.

[Quailman]

Once training is required, we can start the discussion about requiring retraining. I know of a couple of scouters with two or three rows of knots, who've been to lots of training including woodbadge, who need to be retrained in what the goals and methods of scouting are.

[wagionvigil]

eveery 5 years like camp school would work

[Lynda J]

My one regret about training is with YPT. I think the first time an adult takes this training should be a classroom setting where they actually see the film. Then renew online. The first time I taught this class one new Cub leader cried and said she thought this type of thing only happened in lower class homes. She had no idea that there is a higher incident of abuse in middle class homes. Yes it is easier for adults to take it on line but I don't think the online has as much of an impact.

[smtroop168]

Unfortunately now that a new adult voulnteer must complete YPT prior to the application is processed, trying to get them to a sit down course is a problem.

[WVBeaver05]

Latest update - just advised that National will delay required training. Following up to get more details but looks like at least a year. Doesn't mean that Councils can't require it earlier.

Some people seem to think that the delay is because of problems implementing in some of the pilot Councils.

Let you know more when I find out.

YiS