Wood Badge Staff or Powder Horn? A dilemma

[Koda]

I took WB in '05 and earned my beads this spring. I'm a Venturing Advisor and our district training chairman. I've been asked to be Wood Badge staff for a course next fall. A neighboring council is offering a Powder Horn training on the same weekends as WB. This is the only Powder Horn offered in my state in '07. As a benefit to the Venturing Crew I would like to take Powder Horn, but as a benefit to my district and loyalty to WB I want to be Wood Badge staff.

 

What would be the pros and cons to taking Powder Horn instead of being a Wood Badge staffer?

[Owl62]

My opinion:

 

Pros of Powder Horn instead of Wood Badge:

 

1. Powder Horn is a "resource" course that introduces attendees to subjects and activities that are of value to Scouters and their units especially Venturing Crews.

 

2. Powder Horn usually provides for hands-on experience in the resources presented.

 

3. Combined with your Wood Badge training, going to Powder Horn would provide your with information from both for the benefit of your unit.

 

4. Usually Powder Horn courses are less available than Wood Badge Courses.

 

5. I found Powder Horn to be well run, interesting, very informative, hands on, relaxed, and fun.

 

6. Generally Powder Horn is a bit less expensive.

 

Cons:

 

1. Since Wood Badge Staff is invited, you may not be invited again (but if you explain to the Wood Badge folks that you want to attend Powder Horn for the benefit of your unit - they might - should understand)

 

2. Your Wood Badge knowledge and experience would be a bit dated if you go to Powder Horn and staff Wood Badge later (but the staff development session should bring you current)

 

 

 

Since Scouters basically exist for the benefit of the Scouts (Every Scout deserves a trained leader), my opinion is that you should take Powder Horn so that you can bring the knowledge of both Wood Badge and Powder Horn to your unit. You can probably staff Wood Badge and maybe even Powder Horn later.

 

Personally, I attend far more training as a student that I staff. I like to staff, but I figure my primary responsibilty to to provide skills and knoweldge to the unit and Scouts. Staffing courses to me is not really a big deal - I do it sometimes, but I don't live for it. Course the flip side of that is if you staff, you are helping supply knowledge to lots of other Scouters who should take that back to their units.

 

I had a similar dilemma. I had already attended Wood Badge - but I opted to attend Powder Horn rather than staff Wood Badge or other courses at the time. I have not yet been invited to staff Wood Badge since, but I have been asked to staff Powder Horn (If we can get a course going).

 

Again, just my opinion.

 

 

[John-in-KC]

Listen to the voice in your heart. It will tell you where the greatest need is.

 

To me, a big question in getting ready to listen to the voice in yor heart is: Which is the bigger need in your own District and Council:

 

- Leaders in all 3 programs who have solid networks they can rely on?

 

- Venturing youth and leaders who need to know how to find and leverage program resources?

 

They can both be important questions. I wish you well in sorting them out! Let us know how you do decide

[Eamonn]

I think I go along with John-in-KC.

Please don't take this as being unkind, but I don't think if I was the Wood Badge Director that I would select someone who has just completed their ticket to be on staff.

At the course so much information is given, that it is hard to take in. After the course participants are busy working on their tickets. I think taking some time to allow the course to sink in is a good idea.

Wood Badge is going to eat up a lot of time. You need to find out how much time? How will this effect the Crew?

I might add that I don't see any reason for me to take a Powder Horn course. I know and have used just about all the resources in our area that a course would want to introduce me to. While I know the adults who attend have a lot of fun participating in the activities, I think my attending would be taking away from the time I might better spend with the unit I serve. - But that's just me.

You do need to talk with the CD and find out what his /her plans are for the course development. It can and does take a lot of time and you need to look at how this will fit in with the Crew.

Staff members are now supposed to pay their own way!! So with the weekends, uniforms, course fees and other costs it can prove to be a lot of expense.

Eamonn.

 

[SueM]

If this helps you decide on time constraints...with the latest syllubus for WB-21st, Staff development can not begin until 90 days before the course start date and they are limited to 3 days (really 2 days and one weekend). The course I staffed was the first of Sept so we had one orientation meeting in April which took a couple of hours..we got our syllubus and assignments (TG, ASM, etc)..talked generally about how the CD wanted to run the course, got to know the other staffers a bit. Then we had a SD day in May, June and our weekend 30 days before the course in August. In the meantime, you'll need to be opreparing your presentations physically though. 30% of the staff has to be first timer staffers and honestly, though I had just gotten my beads, working through the presentations really helped me to understand what we were taught a lot better. The course is so fast paced when you're going through it, sometimes it's hard to take everything in and in my course, we got no summaries or handouts so you couldn't even go back over it later.

 

I don't know much about Powder Horn..we have not had one in this area for many years I'm told, but one is in the planning stage.

 

Do which ever one seems like it will offer you the most help right now.

 

sue m

[Koda]

I made a decision to take Powder Horn. I spoke with the Wood Badge course director tonight at a council committee meeting. He understands my reasons for wanting to take Powder Horn instead of being WB staff. Since Venturing Advisor is my primary position I have to do what's best for the crew. There will be other WB courses in the future, I'm confident I'll be on the roster for the next one.

[eagle-pete]

Eamonn wrote: "I don't think if I was the Wood Badge Director that I would select someone who has just completed their ticket to be on staff.

At the course so much information is given, that it is hard to take in. After the course participants are busy working on their tickets. I think taking some time to allow the course to sink in is a good idea."

 

I couldn't agree with you more. It does take time for the course to sink in, even after completing the ticket. I personally know a couple staffers who were selected to serve on staff shortly after completing their tickets and, quite frankly, they felt overwhelmed.

 

I will be serving on staff next fall and I can see the benefits of taking time after Wood Badge. I am looking forward to the experience, rather than feeling rushed into it.

 

Eagle Pete