Official Home of the Capitol Area Council Boy Scouts of America / Thunderbird District

The Four Levels of Training

1. Orientation/Fast Start Training

Fast Start training is designed to be used at the point of recruiting, to get a new leader off to a fast start. It can also be used as parents' and chartered organization leaders' first exposure to Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting or Venturing. Its purpose is to acquaint families, new leaders and others with the program of the Boy Scouts of America and give specific information about the program phase involved. It is completed by viewing the appropriate Fast Start video, available from your unit or the Council office, or by completing the interactive computer-based training available at the National BSA website.

2. Basic Training

New Leader Essentials is the initial training for adult leaders serving youth in units. Through a series of lively presentations, the 90-minute training presents an overview of the core elements of Scouting, including the organization's missin, aims and methods. It also provides new leaders with a look at the resources available to them through the Boy Scouts of America, and a clear understanding of Scouting's expectations of its adult leadership.

Who attends New Leader Essentials? All new adult leaders of Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, Webelos Scouts, Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts or Venturers should attend. A Scout leader needs to attend New Leader Essentials only once.

Upon completion of New Leader Essentials, volunteer leaders take part in leader specific training to prepare them for the opportunities and repsonsibilities relating to their leadership positions with the Cub Scout program, the Boy Scout program, or the Venturing program. Leader-specific training is also an opportunity for new leaders to get answers to questions they may have about their roles and about the BSA in general.

Cub Scout Leader Specific Training is available for Cubmasters, Tiger Cub den leaders, Cub Scout den leaders, Webelos den leaders and pack committee members.

Boy Scout Leader Specific Training is available for Scoutmasters & Assistant Scoutmasters. This includes three classroom sessions and Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills, a hands-on program to give adult leaders the practical outdoor skills they need to lead Scouts in the outdoors.

Venturing Leader Specific Training is designed to introduce adult Venturing leaders to the basic information needed for operating a crew.

3. Supplemental Training

This includes a variety of courses given on a district, council, area, regional or national basis. They are designed to give additional information on specific areas of Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting and Venturing.

Some of the methods touched upon in basic training are treated in greater depth in supplemental training courses. Some courses are held on a regular basis as a continuing source of information. Examples of supplemental training courses are:

Cub Scout leaders: Pow Wows, Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO), Webelos Leader Outdoor Training, Roundtables.

Boy Scout leaders: Troop Committee Challenge, Outdoor Skills Instruction, Roundtables. There are also a variety of training opportunities for Junior Leaders to receive training.

Venturing leaders: Venturing Leadership Skills Course, Sea Badge, Roundtables.

Supplemental training is also offered in conferences at the Philmont Training Center.

4. Advanced Training

Leaders desiring a deeper dedicated involvement in the program, and who are otherwise qualified, will find advanced training highly rewarding. Wood Badge serves as the advanced training program for Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, and Venturing.

Successful completion of basic training (New Leader Essentials and the Leader Specific course for your position) is a prerequisite for advanced training.