The cost of attending WB.

[Eamonn]

Most of the courses in our area seem to be either a little over or a little under $200.00.

(For participants.)

National collects some of this to cover the cost of copyrighted materials.

When I was CD, we charged $200.00.

We gave everyone the neckerchief, two T-shirts, a baseball type cap, a 3 ring folder.

The course was held at our council camp (Both weekends) The Council didn't charge us for the use of the camp or any of the utilities.

A course I was staffing back in 1999, the SE charged us for everything. (The filter system on the pool was running and the electric bill was ginormas)

We made money selling extra shirts, photos and a CD of photos taken during the course set to music.

Looking back, I really think we could have spent more on food. Our QM was really a bit of a miser!!

I used the money from the non-returnable deposits ($50.00) to help people who needed a financial hand pay for the course. (And fill all the spaces!!)

I was surprised at how many people seemed willing to waste $50.00 without blinking an eyelid!!

I have never or at least I have tried never!! To tell anyone how to spend their hard earned cash.

OJ and Her Who Must Be Obeyed do at times tell me that I'm tight!!

I prefer to think of myself as frugal!!

Maybe I'm fortunate? But $200 for six days, didn't seem out of line to me.

$175 to attend the Course Directors Conference, which started Friday night and ended before lunch on Sunday, did seem over the top!!

Add to that a six hour drive each way, from PA to NJ and a day off work on the Friday.

$60.00 for the cost of the development weekends.

$300.00 spent on gifts for the staff and the course fee along with the costs of odds and end (Wood for signs, flip charts, postage and that sort of thing) Being a Course Director is a great honor, but it isn't cheap!!

Ea.

(Of course given the opportunity I'd do it again!!)

[emb021]

"$175 to attend the Course Directors Conference, which started Friday night and ended before lunch on Sunday, did seem over the top!! "

 

Wow. I spent $80-90 for a weekend CDC for PH/Kodiak that included stay at a conference center (bunk beds) and meals for the same time period. I thought that a reasonable cost, but I have seen weekend training events that cost more (over $100) mainly due to the conference center costs.

 

 

 

[Eamonn]

This weekend was at Camp Alpine.

Ea.

[Lisabob]

Around here the cost is in line with what Eamonn describes. I think it was $220 when I did it a few years back. That included a shirt, cap, notebook/binder, and an assortment of little items (WB soap...did we really need that?).

 

The real cost for most people was measured in time off from work, convincing spouses that this was a legitimate use of time and money, and in uniforming expenses (for me, anyway, as a fairly new cub leader from a pack that was light on uniform expectations at the time).

 

 

[John-in-KC]

My cost was a little less than Lisa'Bob's cost, and my timeframe is similar.

 

John

I used to be an Owl

C-40-05

[smilefrogs]

I am currently attending WB C-31-07 and it was $125 I know a few years ago it was around 200...I think for a 6 day course this is a steal...

 

I am enjoying the time, our 2nd weekend is coming up fast (next weekend)

 

Fox Patrol Rocks!

Ericka

Webelos Den Leader

Brooklyn Ohio

[SR540Beaver]

My council charges $185.00 which covers the course and materials, two t-shirts I believe, a hat, neckerchief, fantastic food, etc. The usual WB course stuff. I took the course in 2003 and staffed it in 2006. Our 2007 fall course is happening as I type. It was $185 in 2003 and it still is in 2007.

[fotoscout]

Our cost is $230, or, $210 if paid before the early payment deadline which was three months before the course date.

 

We had no problem filling the course and even had a wait list. Yes, I think it''s not cheap. But I do think that they get their money''s worth. The program is presented VERY well. Certainly it''s in a different league than our routine training programs, and comparable to any professionally given program that I''ve attended, maybe even better.

 

They get all the regular course stuff....tee shirts, pens, binders, mugs, etc... and we feed them very well. No routine camp food. Everything is upscaled to some extent. If you forget the fact that this is being done in a scout camp, and that the participant''s are sleeping in tents, I think our course is very comparable to similar programs given at a corporate conference center. It is polished and professionally delivered by our volunteers.

 

I''m very pleased with the product we provide as WB training, and proud to be staffer this year.

 

 

[CNYScouter]

The WB course that our council just did was $165 which was $20 less than the one in 2005.

 

The course in 2005 never ran as only 10 people signed up.

 

The course was held this year but had less than 30 participants.

 

I know that participants did receive a WB hat but I dont know what else was included.

 

[kb6jra]

Our courses this year were $235 if paid before the 30 day meeting and $275 if paid after. $20 isn''t quite the incentive for commitment as $40 seems to be. $100 staff fees, for food and materials.

 

Our CDC here in November is $90 early, $110 within 3 weeks or so. $175, I hope that came with room service and a massage!

 

On our course recently (WE4-45-1-07) we ate like kings, or QM is a great cook, and she had lots of help. Staff got a copy of the syllabus and Course Directors guide, 2 t-shirts, WB patches, etc. Our participants got 2 shirts, 1 binder, 1 hat, 1 necker, 1 piece of rope to make a woggle...ha!, a PEN, a photo cd after course, a special patch with a course number rocker.

 

IMHO $235 was cheap. I have a friend who paid $3000 for he and his father to go through similar training over 1 weekend at a hotel to help improve their business and their relationship in the company. The training was similar to the things we do in WB (less sleeping out of doors).

[eagle-pete]

What about the costs of NOT attending Wood Badge?

 

I often hear about the complaints of those who have never attended a Wood Badge course. Inevitably, one of the first things people say is (1)the fee is too high and (2)I can''t afford to take that much time off work.

 

Every year, somehow, hundreds of participants and staff seem to figure out ways to go to Wood Badge. There are many ways to help with costs. Personally, I used my vacation time this year for Wood Badge. It may seem unreasonable to some people, but my family understands how important it is.

 

Often this is boils down to a question of priorities. Like Eamonn says... it is surprising how many people seem willing to waste $50.00, and then baulk at the idea of spending $200 and taking a week out of their life for something worth while.

 

The truth is, if the fees for attending Wood Badge doubled there would still be courses held with participants eager to get in. It''s just that valuable. Heck, corporations spend 20 times the cost of a Wood Badge course for similar material that isn''t presented with near the amount of fun as Wood Badge. For me, $200 is an extremely cheap 1 week vacation.

 

 

Eagle Pete

[ScoutDadof5]

Do all WB participants including Staff pay the same amount? I guess I am asking if the Staff pays just as much to be on staff to help out with the course.

[Eamonn]

ScoutDadof5,

Don't know if this holds true everywhere!

Years back when I was first on staff, we didn't pay the course fee.

When I asked "Why?"

I was informed that the staff had to pay for the little extras that went along with being on staff and pay for the development weekends.

When the 21st Century course came along things changed and the staff were expected to pay the course fee and all the extra money for development weekends, along with paying out for things like flip chart pads and the like.

Depending on your location and the location of the course and where the development weekends are being held? With gas at over $3.00 a gal. Being on staff can turn out to be a costly little number.

Most of the people I have staffed with are happy to pay their way and don't mind spending their hard earned cash.

The sad thing is when after spending a lot of cash a course is canceled due to not meeting the minimum number of participants.

Of course this explained to all the staff from the get go and they are strongly encouraged to go out and recruit as many people as they can.

Ea.

 

[Gold Winger]

Paying for the privelege of volunteering, doesn't make sense to me.

 

Paying $200 to burn up two tanks of gas and give up two weekends to train others doesn't make much sense to me. That's like asking the professors at Rutgers to pay tuition for the courses that they are teaching.

 

I was asked to work at the last Jamboree and that sounded like a great idea until I heard the price.

 

Maybe I have the wrong attitude but volunteering shouldn't send me to the poor house.

[ScoutDadof5]

I don't care one way about the cost, I just need to budget it. 6 days off and way from kids and wife at about $40 a day...that is a deal =)

 

Our WB is in the neighborhood of about $250 or so and I wanted to get a take on what the norm is there. Granted with 5 kids, I have to budget that out as far in advance as I can.

 

Now if is less, that is good too. Again, just trying to get a take on it is all.

 

Peace.