Training Opportunities

Texas Trails Council

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Training

General Opportunities
Boy Scout | Cub Scout | Venturing | Youth Protection | Scouting Safely

Training is very important to the success of a Boy Scout unit! The council is continually offering training opportunities to you. Some opportunities are:

Safe Swim Defense / Safety Afloat

Youth Protection

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.

Benefits of New Leader Essentials

Assistance in implementing the full Scouting program with chartered organizations
A better understanding of the advantages of encouraging youth and adult volunteers to move through the traditional program as their youth mature
An awareness of the different aspects of the Scouting program, which may result in leaders taking advantage of those programs for a child in a different age group

Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster Leader Specific Training

Introduction to Outdoor Skills Instruction

Venturing Fast Start
Venturing is the young adult program of the Boy Scouts of America for men and women who are 14 (and have completed the eighth grade) through 20 years of age.

Its purpose is to provide experiences to impact the positive development of youth at a critical stage in their lives and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults

Boy Scout Fast Start
Computer-based Boy Scout Leader Fast Start Training has been developed and is now available here. It does not replace the current video-based Fast Start but is an additional method of gaining this important information. There are five specific training sessions:

The Troop Meeting
The Troop Committee
The Outdoor Program
Basic Concepts of Scouting
The Scout Uniform

It also includes a form you can fill out and turn in to the Council office to get credit for the training.

Timber Tag
Timber Tag is adult Boy Scout leader basic training for the Texas Trails Council. The course takes place approximately three weekends in six weeks. I have never heard of any one coming away from Timber Tag without have tons of fun! This course incorporates New Leader Essentials, Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster Specific Training, and Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills.

Wood Badge
History of Wood Badge

In 1911, four years after Scouting began in Great Britain, Lord Baden-Powell began training Scouters through a series of lectures. This led to the first Wood Badge training course for Scoutmasters, held eight years later at Gilwell Park near London. In 1936, an experimental Wood Badge course was conducted in the United States at the Schiff Scout Reservation. Then, in 1948, the first American Wood Badge course was introduced in the United States as advanced training for trainers of Boy Scout leaders. Later, the program was extended to include troop committee members, commissioners, and Explorer leaders.

Experiments began in the late 1960s with a leadership development Wood Badge course emphasizing 11 leadership skills or "competencies." This program was launched in 1972 in support of a major revision of the Boy Scout phase of the program. In 1978, an evaluation of the Boy Scout Leader Wood Badge course revealed a need for greater emphasis on the practical aspects of good troop operation. The result was the development of a course that would provide a blend of Scoutcraft skills and practical troop operation, mixed with a variety of leadership exercises..

In 2001, the new Wood Badge for the 21st Century was introduced. It was developed for all Scouters: Cub Scout leaders, Boy Scout leaders, Venturing leaders, and council and district leaders. The focus is on leadership skills, not outdoor skills. The first part of the new Wood Badge course reflects unit meetings, while the second part of the course uses a troop camping activity as its delivery model.

The new Wood Badge course is administered nationally by the Boy Scout Division.

Purpose
As a result of attending Wood Badge, participants will be able to

View Scouting globally, as a family of interrelated, values-based programs that provide age-appropriate activities for youth.
Recognize the contemporary leadership concepts utilized in corporate America and leading government organizations that are relevant to our values-based movement.
Apply the skills they learn from their participation as a member of a successful working team.
Revitalize their commitment by sharing in an overall inspirational experience that helps provide Scouting with the leadership it needs to accomplish its mission on an ongoing basis.

Cub Scout Fast Start
Computer-based Cub Scout Leader Fast Start Training has been developed and is now available here. It does not replace the current video-based Fast Start but is an additional method of gaining this important information. There are specific training sessions for new Cub Scout den leaders, Webelos den leaders, Cubmasters, pack committee members, and Tiger Cub coaches. It also includes a glossary of Cub Scouting terms that can be printed.

Akela's Kiva
This is basic training for all Cub Scout leaders and is open to all adult pack leaders. Registration fees are usually minimal and cover the cost of materials. Please call the Scout Office for more information.

Pow Wow
Akela’s Pow Wow is designed to be a day of learning, while having fun. Simply stated, it is the finest one-day supplemental training offered in the BSA - guaranteed to give you confidence and skills necessary for an exciting program. There is something for everyone, whether you’re a Cubmaster, Den Leader, Committee Member, Tiger Den Leader or just an interested parent/guardian. It is usually held once a year.

College of Commissioner Science
This course is open to all Commissioners and people who want to be commissioners and is a three level training course.

Cub Scout Leader Specific Training
This training is required to receive the Trained strip and complete your Cub Scout Leader's training requirements. It include training for Den Leaders (Tiger Cub Leaders/Cub Scout Den Leaders, and Webelos Leaders) and Cubmasters.

Troop Committee Training
This training is for all Boy Scout Troop Committee members. You will learn how to be "behind the scenes" to support the Troop make Scouting fun.

Patrol Leader
Scouting takes pride in giving youth members unique leadership opportunities and training. Patrol leaders may have the opportunity to participate in many training and leadership opportunities.