BALOO going away ? and what about OLS-WS ?

[Eagle92]

Ev,

I must also respectfully disagree. Base is correct in that we are getting more and more leaders with 0 outdoor experience, and BALOO is just that, a basic how to course to ease new CS leaders into camping. grant you I did't learn anything new, except how tie a new knot, others in my class did. And to be honest my class was mostly classroom bound, but it still benefited newbys.

 

I'll give you an example. Out of the 20 families that comprised my pack's TC dens this year, only 3 families had anyone with prior camping experience: 2 Eagle Scout Dads, and one dad who hunts. I gave two presentations on camping to the TCs and their partners: one prior to a fall camping trip, and again prior to a spring camp out. Both meetings were well attended, the kids loved the hands on aspect, and the parents wer taking lots of notes. In both cases, many families had new gear literally taking the gear out of the box at the campsite.

 

While I would love a BALOO or IOLS option for CS leaders only, again only for CS leaders as BS and Venturing Leader NEED the IOLS skills, I would not get rid of BALOO at all. It is needed.(This message has been edited by eagle92)

[bear dad]

as to welot/iols courses my council has them and I took one to just to have it done. was tod that you needed to have it to take webelos camping that from a district training chair, that being said other districts in our council has said it was not required, but highly suggested to take. not sure if I really needed it or not, but thought knowledge would be helpful for the future.

 

the one thing that did not like, is there was not a lot time spent on subjects, it was way to rushed in my thinking, it does no good to try train someone when you give them a short time frame to pick up info or demostrate things you learn in one of the classes i.e. knots, first aid etc... you get poor results, i rather been taught only 2 things all weekend and got good training then 6-7 with poor results

[EJCrimmins]

Its always great how much misinformation goes around about training. Currently there are three distinct outdoor training syllabuses for Cub Scouters or Boy Scouters from National, Im not clear on what exists for Venturing leaders currently.

 

The three courses are Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO), Outdoor Leader Skills for Webelos Leaders (OLSWL, although councils across the country use about a half dozen or more different acronyms all for the same course, OWLS, WOLF, etc), and Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills (IOLS, I've seen some councils that use different names for this as well or even take the syllabus and add significantly to it making the course almost as long as Wood Badge.)

 

BALOO is required for Pack Camping. There are some councils that require it for Webelos Camping as well although this is not a national standard and doesn't make much sense in my opinion. As already stated if following the syllabus it is a combination of planning, policy and program. The only outdoor cooking is the foil packs.

 

OLSWL isn't currently required for Webelos Den Camping but is encouraged, some councils may require it which would make a whole lot more sense than requiring BALOO. The only thing it is required for is to earn the Webelos Den Leader Award. There isn't a national provision to have IOLS be a substitute for this course, while it might be a local practice it also wouldn't be the first time that a DE was just wrong. In content it is however very similar to the IOLS course, there are differences, for example in woods tools a OLSWL covers pocketknife, camp saw, and earning the whittling chip. For IOLS it is expanded including axe use and the totin' chip replaces whittling chip. OLSWL also has a large Webelos program focus including the outdoor activity badges of Outdoorsman, Naturalist, and Forester.

 

IOLS focuses on a leader (SM or ASM) being able to teach others how to do all the T-2-1 outdoor skills (or at least not make fools of themselves while they let their scouts teach their other scouts.) If a council is currently running OLSWL and IOLS concurrently, great, they are not being rebels, the current syllabuses are designed to run the course separate or together with separate breakout sessions based on which course you are taking. But you don't get credit for both courses just the one you completed.

 

All that said, yes there are changes on the horizon. First, BALOO isn't going anywhere, at least not that has been announced. OLSWL and IOLS as they currently are will go away in their current form in favor of an single outdoor course covering Webelos Leaders, Boy Scout Leaders, and Venturing Advisors, not sure if it also includes Varsity since we don't have it locally I don't pay attention to it. This was supposed to happen sometime this year then National announced it wasn't happening until next year. Some training folks have mixed feelings on collapsing OLSWL and IOLS into each other but in the long run I like the idea, it seems so many places weren't offering OLSWL anyway, those that took it would then have to take another course that was about 75% the same in a year or two if they followed their scouts to a Troop as an ASM or SM. Volunteers time is valuable on so many levels, I believe folks should get as much training as they can but at the same time districts, councils, BSA ... shouldn't waste their time rehashing the same things over and over just to check a box and get another card.

 

[moosetracker]

Bear Dad - Never took Cub scout training, but I did feel that way when I took IOLS in Boy Scouts..

 

All Trainers must learn EDGE... Very nice..

Explain: The trainer explains how something is done.

Demonstrate: The trainer demonstrates while explaining again.

Guide: The learner tries the skill while the trainer guides him through it.

Enable: The learner works on his own under the eye of the trainer.

 

Now how are we suppose to follow the syllabus and the Edge program, and still get everything in the syllabus done in a timely manner..?

 

(have not taken EDGE yet (maybe Aug if not cancelled again), or seen trainers use it, so some of you trainers can explain that.)