Leader Specific Training

[Pack212Scouter]

Has anyone seen the new Cub Scout Leader Specific training that has come into effect this year? How is it different from the one that we've been doing? And does anyone know if National is going to require all leaders be retrained with this to be constidered "trained"?

[ScoutNut]

I have not seen it yet, but I have talked to others who have. My Scout Shop does not have it in yet. They said possibly in mid-late July. You can order it from National Supply, although it is not on ScoutStuff.org yet.

 

From everything I have read, the new Specific training (which would come BEFORE NLE) is much more hands on and addresses the concerns of new leaders that they were not getting any help with how to actually run den meetings.

 

Since training is not mandatory, I do not see how National can "require" leaders, who are already trained, to re-take Leader Specific. The new syllabus will simply replace the old one.

 

BTW - If you do order the training from National Supply, ask them if it has the "old" defective DVD, or the "new" corrected one. If it has the old one, make sure that they will ship you the corrected one as soon it becomes available.

 

[scouter.claude]

Reference is made to New Leaders not existing leaders in the syllabus. There will be three parts to the program, first being Intro to Cub Scouting, second being How We Have Fun each being 45 minutes in duration. Finally there is the Leader Position Specific training which is 1 hours long. The six positions being trained are Tiger Cub D. L., Cub Scout D. L., Webelos D. L., Cubmaster, Pack Committee and Chair, and finally Pack Trainer. New Leader Essentials is not mentioned as a training course, only Fast Start, Youth Protection, the three parts listed above and Outdoor Leader Skills for Webelo Leaders. Baloo also wasnt mentioned. Several options for training are listed. Group training along with Boy Scout and Venturing Leaders but it says the Cub Scout Leaders will begin with Intro to Cub Scouting. This is different from the old New Leader Essential where all leaders were started together. They also suggest splitting up the training into several evenings with the first evening dedicated to Intro and How We Have Fun. District and Packs can put on the training in conjunction with each other, or the whole program being put on by a Pack Trainer. The idea isnt how do we get more leaders to training but how do we get more training to the leaders. I also read somewhere in the syllabus, but at this time I cant find it, that the leader must complete all of the training to be considered trained. From what I have reviewed it seems to be very good, most of the program is what was taught in the past just a different format.

[scottteng]

http://www.bacarrowhead.org/training/CSLeaderSpecific_34875.pdf

 

Copy of manual courtesy of Baltimore are council arrowhead district. Not my council not responsible for any of the copyright violations involved just FYI. Caution is a PDF that will download to your computer then you can save, print or view as you wish. The same district offers the old one if you want a side by side comparison.

[infoscouter]

The syllabus does not mention New Leader Essentials. However, per an item in Scouting Magazine this spring, NLE is still part of the Cub Scout leader training scheme. In fact, the article says that as of Jan 1, 2008, in order to be considered "trained", a Cub Scout leader must have completed all four of these courses: Fast Start, Position Specific training, New Leader Essential AND Youth Protection. http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/issues/0805/d-news.html

(Scroll down to the bottom)

 

As for the new course - it looks very good. There are no longer any video segments. Everything is instructor led. The first sections (Intro to Cub Scouting and How We Have Fun) are supposed to include elements of a Pack meeting (skits; songs; morale features; opening, closing and awards ceremonies - the learners earn a "mock" Bobcat badge).

 

The PST for den leaders includes hands on parts of the den meeting, as well as planning a meeting, and for Tiger Cubs, a Go and see it. Cubmasters plan a pack meeting, and explore their cooperative relationship with the Pack Committee. Committee members go through the annual program planning process AND make a budget. Pack Trainers learn about all the different kinds of training, discuss making a leadership training inventory, and learn about conducting Parent Orientation meetings.

 

the DVD can be run from a computer and projector OR from a TV/DvD player. Either way, you can progress through the slides for the section you are teaching one slide at a time, at your pace.

 

Our district has used a "train" theme in the past for our meetings. We will continue this theme, with actual hands on songs, skits, crafts and games - plus decorations and costumes, in order to more fully model the meeting parts and how the den meetings tie to the theme of the month.

[infoscouter]

Oh, and to answer your final question, as far as I know, you don't have to go through the whole thing and be "retrained", although I'm going to suggest that people come and check it out. As in the past, if you change positions, you have to go through the new 1.5 hour position specific session.

[scouter.claude]

I have been comparing "NLE" and the new "CSLPS" syllabus, all of the info covered in NLE is covered in the first two parts of CSLPS without the references to Boy Scouting or Venturing. At the start of the training the "Scout Laws" are reviewed but there is no other mention of Boy Scouts. I know what Scouting Mag. says but that was 6 months ago and the latest vervion is just now out. All I know is what the chart states in the very first section of the syllabus. I have been reviewing it for several days now making comparisons between the two. If NLE is reruired after taking CSLPS than you would be covering the same material over. It is all included in the first two parts.

[infoscouter]

Some of the material in NLE is touched on in the new Cub Scout PST, but it is not covered in the depth it is in NLE. For instance, while the PST talks about advancement being age and grade based, it doesn't explore the state of development, as in the Ages and Stages section of NLE.

 

I would say new Leader Essentials is still necessary, since it does explore those topics more fully.

[Joni4TA]

I personally think Fast Start is a waste of time if you are already going to do Position Specific training, New Leader Essentials AND Youth Protection, but that's my opinion. Luckily fast Start can be taken online at one's convenience.

[ScoutNut]

Usually new leaders are not able to take the council training immediately after registering. They often have to wait 1-2 months or even longer. Unless they postpone leading any Scouting activity until after they are completely trained (not very practical), they are expected to jump right in with both feet right away.

 

The whole point of Fast Start is to give new leaders a quick, easy, jump start on their training. It gives them some idea of what the program is and how it should be run. It gives them some tools to use for their first meetings so they don't feel quite so much like they are in over their heads.

 

Not a "waste of time" in my opinoin.

 

 

[John-in-KC]

One thing my Council has done is mandate each District do a "training blitz" each Fall for the Cubbing program. This was proposed by the SE and mandated by the Executive Board. District Training Committees, from August to October, run weekly sessions of NLE and Tiger/Wolf-Bear/Webelo DL Position Specific, to support newly signed up DLs. It's one of the tools which has helped us turn our Cub attrition rates around.

[Pack212Scouter]

Thanks for the responses, they have been really helpful. I don't like leaving things until I have a room full of new leaders in July/August with that "what do I do now" look!

[John-in-KC]

Get them started with the stuff they can do at MyScouting now , as well as reading much of the Cub-specific info at Scouting.org .

 

That'll help avoid the deer-in-headlights mode

[infoscouter]

I know what you mean Pack212. I am planning a staff development day for our district trainers to work out the kinks in the new syllabus with a practice run. The last thing I want is people stumbling through the new material the first time we teach it!