Well, they've gone and done it....

[DanKroh]

I just got word from our Committee Chair yesterday that come February, they would like me to step up as Cubmaster, when the current CM will be crossing over the BS with his son.

 

Unfortunately, we just had our University of Scouting in October, and I was taking the Tiger Den Leader training that I missed the first time around (my older son started as a Wolf, now younger son is a Tiger).

 

So my questions are:

 

What training will I need as Cubmaster, that I don't already have (have NLE, YPT, den leader specific training)?

 

Is there a way to get this training other than waiting until the next UoS in October, when I will have been in the CM position for 6 months already?

 

Finally, are there "prerequisites" to the Wood Badge course? The next course is starting in Spring of '07, and I am planning on signing up, but I want to be adequately prepared.

 

Thanks in advance for your help, everyone.

[SeattlePioneer]

At least around here, a Cubmaster needs YPT, NLE and the Cubmaster specific training. So the last is presumably all you need to be considered trained.

 

I'd check with your District Executive, District Training Chair or atten a Cub Roundtable and ask when the next Cubmaster Specific Training is offered. In our district, it's offered several times per year.

 

In addition to that, you can take this training through another district or even another council. Most Councils and Districts have websites that have information on training on them, so you should be able to find a district offering training before too long.

 

Around here, you have to be "Trained" to be eligible to participate in Woodbadge. These requirements are detailed on the application form for Woodbadge in our Council ----you might obtain a Woodbadge application for your Council and see what they ask for.

 

 

 

Seattle Pioneer

[Lisabob]

You'll need the CM specific training. Around here, leader specific trainings are offered by various districts in the fall, winter, and late spring. This is separate from UoS. Also, as a former pack trainer, I've arranged for new leaders to go to training at other nearby districts in cases where our own district isn't going to do a session anytime soon. So you may have additional options there and it pays to inquire of your own and other councils and districts in your area. You can also ask your unit commissioner and/or pack trainer (if you have one) to locate upcoming training sessions.

 

For Wood Badge, cub leaders need to have done all "required" training for their position. That includes NLE, YPT, and (for you) CM specific. Personally I think it makes sense to do BALOO and possibly OWLS (outdoor webelos leader training - it goes under a variety of names these days) or OLS (which is really for boy scout leaders but many rising bear and current webelos leaders take it around here) too, but these are not requirements. The reason I say this is two-fold. First, the troop leaders who attend WB will all have completed OLS as one of their pre-requisites and it can be helpful to have that same background so you know what they're talking about. Not to mention that OLS is both fun and useful in terms of honing your own outdoor skills. Second, the majority of people in your WB course will probably not be familiar with Cub-related camping requirements and policies (because they'll mostly be troop leaders and not cub leaders), but that won't stop some of them from venturing strongly held opinions about what cubs are or aren't allowed to do. Having taken BALOO will put you in a position where you can distinguish myth from reality in terms of what some people will assert regarding cub camping policy. Of course it will also help you run even better pack outdoor programs, which is an even better reason to do BALOO.

 

Good luck with your new position!

 

Lisa'bob

A good old bobwhite too!

[ScoutNut]

You have taken the Cub Specific training for Den Leader positions. You need to take the Cubmaster/Ast Cubmaster Cub Specific session.

 

Check your councils training calendar. They might still have some training dates for January. Otherwise, training usually starts again in March or April. Remember, you can attend any training in any district. You are not limited to just the trainings in your own district.

 

To attend Wood Badge you have to be trained for your current registered position. This means that by Spring of 2007, if you are still the registered CM, you need to have taken CM specific training.

 

[DanKroh]

Thanks, I'm pretty excited about the new position.

 

I'll definitely look into BALOO and OWLS/OLS sooner, rather than later. I was planning on doing it when my Tiger boy got closer to Webelos, but since I'm usually tagging along with the older son's troop on campouts, I can see the advantage of doing them sooner.

 

I'll check with the council about the CM specific training.

 

Thanks again.

[evmori]

Dan,

I was a CM for three years & loved it! Enjoy!

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Greying Beaver]

And if your district isn't having CM Specific Training, call your council training person, tell him/her that you need CMS, and is there another district that has scheduled CMS in the near future and can you sign up for it (Watch them say "No" and refuse any monies for the course!). Last resort is to call the next council over and speak totheir council training person and ask the same thing. Somebody is having the CMS course in the near furture. And don't let the training person in the next council over give you a hard time; We are all in the same organization, ya know!

Good Luck and Have Fun!

G. B.