How does your district fund training?

[Big_Dog]

Hey, folks.

 

We are trying to get a training committee going in our district and we need things like videos, training manuals, teaching aids, and so on...

Does the council expect the trainers to purchase all of their own materials?

I hear some of you saying, 'what have you been doing in the past?'

Well, I don't know, I wasn't in this district. But we've enlisted volunteers to get training going right and now we need materials. I've been told that the district can't keep funds, so where do they come from?

 

Charging for training will probably have to happen, but we need stuff b4 then.

 

Any suggestions?

 

bd

[Fuzzy Bear]

F.B.'s Hints on obtaining free Training Materials and assistance:

 

a. Speak with your District Executive about this problem There may be materials on loan from the Council office.

 

b. Your D.E. may know of other D.E.'s that might be able to loan you materials from other Districts in the Council.

 

c. Speak to the District Training Chairman and get the District Training Chair to speak to the Council Training Chairman. They may have materials to give or loan.

 

d. There are other Districts near you that might share not only materials but personnel.

 

e. Find out what is available On-line.

 

f. You may be able to get and make copies of any of the printed materials. Most of the Scout materials are not print protected.

 

g. Check with the last Woodbadge SM to find if any of the participants need any "Ticket items" to help with training.

 

h. Check within your District for those who have been there for any length of time. Some will have accumulated a wealth of materials and would be happy to share them with you and most likely would volunteer to help out.

 

(Your credit card is now being charged for a minimum fee, remember nothing is free.)

 

FB

 

[Eamonn]

You have hit on a very soft spot.

Of course every Council will have its own way of doing things. So you need to meet with your Council Training Chair and the Staff Advisor.

I have to admit that I am very surprised that your District doesn't have a Training Committee.

You will find that a lot of the materials that you need can only be ordered through the Council. Most Councils I know, have no problem ordering the stuff once.

I used to make copies of all the video tapes and keep the originals. Members of the Training Team had the option of either buying a copy of the syalabuss or borrowing one, which they had to return when the course was over. Keeping track of who has what is a real chore. But one that needs to be done. Our Council pays for all that and if there is a need for extras we ask the Training Committee to see if more can be made available.There are good times and bad times to ask. Now is a bad time in our Council as money will be tight until the popcorn money starts to come in.

The Council does have some AV equipment, but we found that picking it up and getting back was a pain. We found a hospital that was replacing all the TVs, so a few of us bought and donated cheap VCR's. I bought my own overhead projector and LCD projector, the Council does have this stuff but I like to see how things look when they are projected sometimes how they look on a laptop and how they look when they are projected is very different.

The can be money spent out of the trainers pockets. We have never paid for Flip Chart pads or paper. If someone is near the Council Service Center and copies handouts that is fine.If not they are on their own. Most people do it at work. I would hope with the OK from the boss!!

We do charge for training and do sell soda pop and refreshments.

Eamonn.

[Bob White]

In the Council where I serve as a district training chairperson the council supplied every District with a complete training kit for every Basic Training course.

 

We do not charge for any of the following courses.

 

Fast Start-Videos (supplied to every unit)

New Leader Essentials

Cub Basic Training Courses

Youth Protection

 

We charge only for food for

BALOO

Scoutmaster Leader Specific Training

 

We charge $20 For Introduction to Outdoor Education and for Webelos Leader Outdoor

 

There is no right or wrong to this. Each council is different and needs to do what works best for them to provide quality training experiences.

 

[scoutldr]

To each District, our council supplied the basic training "box set"...a large box that contained the Training syllabi, posters and video tapes for eact level of training. These materials are NOT available on the internet. They must be purchased or duplicated from existing copies. The current materials are fast becoming dated, so my council will not invest in new ones at this time.

 

The district training chairs are instructed to turn in their receipts for any other expenses, like Kinko's and flip chart (I mean "turn chart") paper. Even council charges me 9 cents a copy to use the Xerox machine. I have turned in receipts once or twice, and had no problem getting reimbursed. Mostly, the receipts go in my wallet and by the time I remember they are there, they are too faded to turn in. I borrow a laptop and LCD projector from work, and pray the bulb doesn't blow while I'm using it ($500 each).

 

Each course should be "budgeted" to determine how much to charge. The Council training committee should do this to set the fee for each training course for the year. Then that amount is charged to each attendee (usually $6-10), which is to cover cost of handouts, refreshments, insurance, "council administrative overhead fee", etc. This year, training is free to any unit who sold popcorn. Additional charges can be made to cover food for overnight events, such as IOLS and WOE. If a unit hosts the training at their location, they are expected to cover expenses and no charge is made by council.

 

Trainers are NOT expected to fund the training budget out of their pockets, although some do voluntarily to some degree.

[Big_Dog]

Great ideas, all!

 

Keep 'em coming

 

bd

[Eamonn]

Wood Badge tickets should be written for the area in which the person holds their primary registration. If they hold two they should choose one.

So if a person is a member of a training team he or she can write their ticket on training. If they are a Scoutmaster their ticket should be about what their vision is for the troop.

Eamonn.

[FScouter]

You hit a real hot button with me.

 

Our council does not financially support training at all. All materials including syllabi, posters, videos, handouts, flip charts, supplies, TV, VCR, projector, food, certificates, patches, publicity flyers etc., etc. must be paid for from the revenue generated from the training program.

 

The council does not provide these materials. The training chairman is responsible to identify what training materials BSA produces, and to order them. Most items can be purchased from national supply, but you need to know the item numbers first. Get these from the resource list found in the syllabi. Some items (bin items) are free, but can only be ordered by the council. It is almost impossible to get our council to order bin items for training.

 

A detailed budget must be submitted prior to the training event. Revenues must exceed expenses by at least 15% or the budget will be rejected. It is possible to get an advance from the council to pay for the budgeted expenses, but the process is a bureaucratic nightmare involving purchase requisitions, approved vendors, and multiple signature approvals. Its far easier for the volunteer to pay for everything up front, and request reimbursement later.

 

It is not proper to pay for expenses out of the training fees collected at the training. Training fees should be paid with advance registration directly to the council. Paying at the door is discouraged, apparently because the training staff would be involved in handling money.

 

I like to set up a book table at training events where we sell items like program helps, handbooks, song books, advancement charts, etc. that are used by unit leaders. Neither the council nor the Scout Shop will support this. I must buy everything at full retail price plus tax up front, and hope it all sells. The shop wont accept returns.

 

When the training event is over, the original budget form must be submitted, with the actual revenues and expenses. There must be at least a 15% surplus for the event, or expenses will not be reimbursed.

 

The official word from the council is that volunteers are not expected to pay for training expenses out of their own pockets. But they have established multiple hoops to jump through to get reimbursed, and the reimbursement process may take months. Many volunteers have decided it is too cumbersome to deal with and pay for everything themselves.

 

The council has an LCD projector and VCR available for loan. We are not permitted to use the council copy machine.

 

Good luck.

[buffalo2]

FS - You're not alone - but there are usually ways to get it done without involving (too much of) your personal discretionary income. Honest.

[eisely]

Our district training is all financed with fees charged to trainees. The money goes through the council and there is a separate process for accounting for the funds. In a start up situation I would think that the council would front the money for the syllabi or at least lend materials to you.

 

AV equipment is also a sore spot with us. Our council has AV gear but it is difficult to get sometimes.

 

Individual trainers also provide a lot of stuff. I know that I have accumulated materials that I use for Outdoor Leader Skills. Anything that I buy for which I am not reimbursed I treat as a donation for tax purposes. It is legitimate to do so.

[Fuzzy Bear]

FScouter,

 

I have summarized your help post by cutting out all of the items that do not apply, so let me quote you again. (It may be harshly true but it is the funniest help I have ever seen offered)

_________________________________________________

'Our council does not financially support training at all. All materials etc., etc. must be paid for from the revenue generated from the training program.

 

The council does not provide these materials. (bin items) are free, but can only be ordered by the council. It is almost impossible to get our council to order bin items for training.

 

A detailed budget must be submitted prior to the training event.

 

It is not proper to pay for expenses out of the training fees collected at the training. Training fees should be paid with advance registration directly to the council. Paying at the door is discouraged, apparently because the training staff would be involved in handling money.

 

I must buy everything at full retail price plus tax up front, and hope it all sells. The shop wont accept returns.

 

When the training event is over, the original budget form must be submitted, with the actual revenues and expenses. There must be at least a 15% surplus for the event, or expenses will not be reimbursed.

 

The official word from the council is that volunteers are not expected to pay for training expenses out of their own pockets. But they have established multiple hoops to jump through to get reimbursed, and the reimbursement process may take months. Many volunteers have decided it is too cumbersome to deal with and pay for everything themselves.

 

We are not permitted to use the council copy machine'

___________________________________________

 

That is not a hot button, it is more like issues to install a rage button.

 

These are the kind of expectations that must be found in most Post Offices.

 

I wouldn't offer this kind of help to my best enemy.

 

Now as far as getting people to respond anywhere on the face of the earth to such requests, I think we must remember that a Scout is helpful but it does not mean that he is just plain ole stupid too.

 

FB

 

[buffalo2]

FuzzyBear - Take a deep breath! I'm laughing and crying at the same time.

Remember that training doesn't start for another month or so...