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BALOO going away ? and what about OLS-WS ?


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The entire BSA training program is being shaken up.

 

I heard baloo was staying and they are combining the Webelo and boy scout Outdoor training. Seems logical to me.......Baloo is family camping and Webelos is the beginning of patrol/den camping.(This message has been edited by Basementdweller)

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BALOO is staying, there's nothing like it for cub leaders.

 

Webelos leaders will need to take IOLS soon, once the webelos material is written into the new syllabus.

 

That being said, we run them together now anyway, as the two curricula are written to be that way anyway.

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Ok, while we are sortof on this subject. Can someone tell me..

 

A) exactly what is BALOO.. Our district doesn't do it, but other districts do. I would like to start it up in our distict (considering it is required for tour permits.) I hear it is the paperwork for organizing outdoor events for committee, but I was invited to attend one, and the person talked like they did the outdoor cooking & it sounded like she had fun at BALOO, so it wasn't stuffy paperwork.

 

B) What is the difference between OWLS & WeLots? I know title wise, it is "Outdoor Weblos Leader Skills" and "Weblo Leader outdoor skills" but the course list has the training as

C33 Outdoor Ldr Skills for Webelos Ldrs which is neither OWLS or WeLots (but) OLSWL.. So is both abbrev. stating the same course??

 

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BALOO stands for Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation, and if run properly its a mix of paperwork and fun. The paperwork is tour permits, G2SS, organizing etc a trip for a pack. Fun stuff is being in the outdoors, cooking, etc. Again if done right.

 

WeLOT, OWLS, etc are the various names Webelos Outdoor Leader training has been called over the years. It will be combined with IOLS in the near future. It is not mandatory, yet anyway, for WDLs to take Webelos camping as a den. We have not done one in my district ever, and this year we are inviting WDLs to IOLS in August.

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Ok so I was right Baloo was a mixture. I will definately visit another district to learn more.

 

I knew what Owls was, that's what our district teaches, but when I saw WeLots I was unsure if we were up on the most current training. then I couldn't decipher which was newer or older as it seemed both were being taught in different Counsils.. So I was right they both stand for the same current course.

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Well -

 

I just took the OWLs (used to be WeLot) course 3 weeks ago, it was indeed combined with the IOLS for Boy Scouts and had a combo of Web Leaders and BSA Troop leaders.... so I guess the combo IS being done.

 

Maybe for once - our council is AHEAD of the curve on this one. It was a good course and very useful. Also, very good for the Web leaders to see / learn the Troop and Patrol methods of doing things so they can begin to cut the cords of adult ran campouts.

 

It was a very good 2 days - 1 night course with focus on patrol method and AIMS tools. Watch one, do one, teach one... we used to say in the hospital teaching environment.

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The Webelos Leader Outdoor syllabus is written in tandem with the IOLS. They have separate breakout modules/round robins, but most of the classes are meant to offer together.

 

The trouble is the 2 were sold separately, and you had to buy/study both to get it to work right. Not many trainer did that until recently when the changes were announced.

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a BALOO trained person is only required on a tour permit if the tour permit is for a Cub Scout Pack Overnighter.

 

It is not required on a tour permit for any other Cub Scout activity.

 

BALOO teaches you how to plan and run a Pack overnighter. It includes rules, regs, safety, equipment, and program.

 

We do not run BALOO training at the District level. We would not get enough registrants to make the class financially feasible. We run 2 Council wide BALOO's per year. One in Fall and one in Spring. Not only do we get plenty of attendees, but we also have a broader range of available training staff, and a better chance of getting enough folks to staff the course.

 

 

 

 

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Eagle92 - good thing I saw your thread this morning. I was about ready to write my Council training chair. I thought we were going renegade in trainings when I heard that our district had combined the OWLS -IOLS (they were even putting their own combo names to it.) What I found out, was "council sanctioned" they are really just doing the IOLS for Webloes & Boy Scouts and saying they are good to go with that... If your DE says you are good with that also, there must be some truth to it.. But, here is the kicker... (And I plan to start a new thread on it, so if you want to comment look for that.)

 

I found out there is a Grandfather clause to these trainings that is not all incumbant.. ie. if the course changes (as Outdoor leader training is about to.) you may not be "Trained" in the unit you are in, but not whane you switch units (ie cubscouts to boyscouts.)

 

 

I found this out when I looked over my district training reports (which are oh so, not good).. And for multi unit registered Leaders I was seeing they were trained in one unit with New Leaders Essentails and Untrained in another Unit and needed This is scouting..

 

Our Registrar at council sent me this in an email..

 

... New Leader Essentials and This is Scouting are the same, yet different at the same time. New Leader Essentials was phased out with This is Scouting taking its place last year. One problem that I think you are running into, and I have also run into, is who is grandfathered by New Leader Essentials for their various positions and who is not. ...

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Way too many training classes! BALOO is a waste!

 

All this type of training could be done in a couple weekends. Get everyone together and train on the stuff that applies to everyone. Then have breakout sessions for the specifics.

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