Welcome to the New Training Website


Every Youth Deserves a Trained Leader
The new Basic Leader Training program is the culmination of more than two years of work by professionals and volunteers from throughout the nation. Their goal was to revise and update the volunteer leader train ing materials for the Boy Scouts of America. The result is a seamless training program that helps leaders easily graduate through the courses quickly and with little duplication. It begins with the existing Fast Start training, continues through New Leader Essentials, and is followed by Leader Specific training for each adult's role in the unit.

Here is a brief overview of the components of the training continuum.

Fast Start Training
Fast Start training remains essentially unchanged. It continues to provide an immediate comfort level for new leaders and enables them to say, "1 can do this!" Fast Start training is the first step for any new volunteer and is to be delivered immediately after a new leader registers and before he or she meets with any youth member.

Basic Leader Training
The new Basic Leader Training comprises two parts: New Leader Essentials for all unit-level leaders and Leader Specific training, which is based on the leader's unit-level position. Basic Leader Training is designed for maximum flexibility. The sessions can be delivered over time—training on one or more evenings a week or month—or in a one-day training event that incorporates all program areas. It is suitable for large or small groups and may be presented to leaders of one or more units each time. Each council and district may decide the appropriate delivery method, keeping in mind that the focus is to remove roadblocks and achieve 100 percent trained leaders.

· New Leader Essentials
New Leader Essentials is an introductory session that highlights the values, aims, history, funding, and methods of Scouting. It addresses how these aims and methods are reached in an age- appropriate style within Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, and Venturing. Videos, discussions, and hands-on reinforcement are presented during the 90-minute training session. Ideally, all unit-based volunteers—Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, and Venturing leaders—take this session at the same time, so they understand that they are all striving for the same results with the youth they serve. Each leader completes New Leader Essentials training only once.

· Leader Specific Training
Once a volunteer has a solid overview of the BSA's values-based program, he or she can begin training for a specific Scouting position through Leader Specific training. This training provides the specialized knowledge a new leader needs to assume a leadership role. Because each course is designed for a specific leadership position, the training time varies. Leader Specific training has been developed for the following positions and their assistants:

Cub Scout Leaders

Tiger Cub den leaders

Cub Scout den leaders

Webelos den leaders

Cubmasters

Pack committee members

Boy Scout Leaders

Scoutmasters

Assistant Scoutmasters

Troop committee members

Venturing Leaders

Venturing committee members

Venturing Advisors

Venturing Assistant Advisors

Click on the position above, to learn more about the training for that position.


Training Progress Card- PDF


Midwest Scouting Homepage