Why LDS Young Women’s Presidents Need Wood Badge Training

In 2012 I was a Unit Commissioner in my LDS Stake Primary Presidency. I had been encouraged to go to Wood Badge by several leaders and finally I felt an overwhelming need to be at Wood Badge. I signed up for an August course at Krupp Hollow and bought a scout shirt. Off I went! 

The first three days I was excited to learn all the things that were presented. I bonded with my group, and I had a complete blast! Everything I had done as an adult had been geared towards building a great program for kids. This felt like I was learning so much about how to do it better, and it was all geared towards helping me. This was so fun and inspiring. We learned, had activities, ate fantastic food and made great friends. 

I went home from Week One and was asked to meet with my Bishop the following day. I was asked to serve as the Young Women’s president in our ward. I was excited by this opportunity and felt like the things that I had been learning at Wood Badge would translate really well to the girls. 

The 2^nd weekend of Wood Badge had an entirely new focus for me. As we learned about Venture crews and the things that the older Scouts do, I knew that I could use all of these resources for my girls. I made goals to give them Venturing Leadership training, take them on a High adventure, and really use the methods I learned to have the girls help create a program that they would be excited about. 

It is now 2016 and I am still the Young Women’s president in my ward. I took my girls, with the help of the Scouts in our ward, through the Tenderfoot to First Class requirements which correlate with the Girl’s camp requirements. Then we went out and practiced what we learned.  We have regular campouts and an annual Leadership retreat and High Adventure. The girls are confident cooking on and in a campfire, with backpacking stoves and with their ability to handle living outside of creature comforts. These activities really helped create a unified group as well. When the girls and leaders do difficult things together, they build a great bond. We have learned a lot together as a group.

I am grateful for all of the ideas and resources that opened up to me at Wood Badge. If I hadn’t gone, I would have just done the same old thing that I had seen other Young Women's presidents do. I have girls who are excited about our program because they truly have input and it is a youth led program.
 

I gained a whole new horizon and way of thinking at Wood Badge. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard from someone that they wished I could have been their Young Women’s leader, or that their daughter could have been a part of our program. This is not because I am figuring out new things, this is because I attended Wood Badge and learned to use resources that are already available. Scouting people are truly helpful and amazingly willing to share their experiences, ideas, tools, and time. 

So Young Women’s presidents…Come to Wood Badge, bring your counselors! You will always be grateful that you did. 

So You Want to Go to Wood Badge: Part 2 - What to Wear

For some, it's no sweat. For others, it's a big deal, but it should never be a deal-breaker! Regardless of whether you fall in the former or latter category, here's the skinny on what to wear to Wood Badge:

Boy Scout Leader Uniform

Preferred attire at Wood Badge is the complete Class A Scout Uniform...however, if all you have access to is a Scout Shirt, you will still fit right in! 

A complete uniform includes the official shirt for your current scouting position, official long pants, BSA socks, and an official BSA belt. You can view the BSA Uniform Inspection Sheet here.

When you arrive at Wood Badge, you will be provided with a special neckerchief, slide and a Wood Badge baseball cap.

Something else to think about: for our November Course, weather can (and usually does) vary widely, so it's a good idea to bring warm base layers, a jacket, a heavy coat and warm gloves! And if you have one, a mountain man capote makes frosty mornings much more comfortable. 

So You Want to Go To Wood Badge: Part 1 - First Things First

Congratulations! Making the decision to accept the invitation to go to Wood Badge is the first step in the experience of a lifetime. There are a few things you need to do to make sure you are up-to-speed and ready to go when you step "on the hill" for the very first time.

First Things First

They might seem like no-brainers, but it's pretty important to make sure you have three things under your belt prior to attending Wood Badge:

1. Register with the BSA - especially if you are just beginning your Scouting experience, or if you've been in semi-retirement for a while, it's important to make sure you are currently a registered adult leader with the Boy Scouts of America.
   
   If you're a new leader, grab an application at the local Scout Service Center, fill it out, and give it to your Chartered Organization Representative. It's not a bad idea to check in with them to make sure it's been signed and submitted to the local Council for approval. (Speaking from experience here...for some inexplicable reason, I had to submit that app three times before I was officially registered!)
   
   If it's been awhile since you've been actively involved in Scouting, you can call your local Scout Service Center to check your registration status. If they've got you on the books, you're good to go! If not...it's time to re-apply.


2. Youth Protection Training - BSA requires ALL adult leaders to do Youth Protection Training every two years. The training is pretty simple: go to www.my.scouting.org, set up a profile (or log in to the one you set up two years ago), click on the "Home" link which will bring up a dropdown list, click on "My Dashboard". If it doesn't take you directly to "My Youth Protection Training", click on "YPT" from the sub-menu at the top of the page. Click on "Take Course" and off you go! The training consists of video segments with periodic quizzes and takes approximately 35 minutes to complete. Print two copies of your certificate of completion: one for you and one for the Scout Office.
   
   Now, here's the kicker: your Council needs to connect your Member ID to your training profile so they can verify that you are current on your training. It sounds complicated, but it can be accomplished in one of two ways:
   
   Take a copy of your certificate of completion in to the Scout Office & they'll update your training status manually. -or- If you know your Member ID (you can call the office for it), go into your profile on my.scouting.org (click on the little person icon in the upper right corner of the website), click on "My Account" and enter your Member ID in "Account Details". Done!


3. Leader-Specific Training - Training...it kind of sounds like a big, bad, and maybe even boring word. But the reality is, there's a lot to know if you're going to do things right...and the training available through the BSA makes it so you don't have to re-invent the wheel and figure everything out from the ground up. The programs, for the most part, are laid out very clearly, but knowing how they work requires investing some time up-front to learn the ropes.
   
   So, which Leader-Specific Training do you need? Go back to my.scouting.org, click on 'My Dashboard", select "Training Center" from the top sub-menu, click on the program you're registered in (i.e. Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Venturing and Varsity, Other) , and take the "Fast Start Orientation Training" and any "Leader-Specific Training" listed there. Check with your Scout Office for other trainings that may be required but are not offered online.

Phew. That seems like an extensive list, but it's really not too bad. In fact, most of it can be accomplished in the same amount of time it took me to write this post. Most importantly, you'll have a firm grasp on your responsibilities as you prepare for your Wood Badge experience!