Scouter Article October 2009
Advanced Training for Scouts and Scouters
I had the opportunity to observe the Youth Leader Training Conference (YLT) recently completed in August at Camp Pomperaug as well as the Wood Badge course that just wrapped up in the beginning of October at Camp Sequassen. Our Council “graduated” over 40 Scouts from YLT and nearly 50 Scouters from Wood Badge.
The two programs are far more alike than different. In fact, we often refer to Wood Badge as “YLT for Adults” (and vice versa). Great Scout Spirit, enthusiasm, excellent staffing, and a top notch program are but a few of the common links between these two outstanding programs. And the food is pretty good, also.
But more importantly, each of these programs helps build the future leaders of our Council, one Scout and one Scouter at a time. The lessons that each Participant takes home to his (or her, in the case of Wood Badge, and soon to be YLT) units are invaluable. Not that we don’t have great youth and adult leaders in our units already. We do. But YLT-trained and Wood Badge-trained leaders have participated in the best training that BSA has to offer, and that training is reflected in the quality of leadership and programs that our units have to offer.
Let me make one “small” request of unit leaders: please take full advantage of these two training programs (and all of the others that our Council and Districts have to offer). Send a couple of your Scouts to the next YLT course. And send yourself and a couple of your Scouters to the next Wood Badge course. They will come back better leaders as a result, and your unit will reap the rewards. If you don’t agree, please tell me so.
You can make a difference. We all can make a difference. We all do make a difference.
Jay Lubin
Council Training Chair
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
~ Margaret Mead