blw2 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Just attended a MB counselor training session for our CO's troop. Responding to an appeal for a need to help some boys finish some partials for summer camp. I signed up for several based on my profession and hobbies. tempted to sign up for many more that I have interest and experience with.... but stopped at bugling drafting engineering aviation scuba hiking pulp and paper and I think I listed orienteering Really have mixed feeling about offering to help everywhere I can.... but also don't want to over extend either.... could also likely help kids with many others But where do you stop? I'm guessing it's very unlikely I'll ever get called for most of these, but still.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christineka Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Congrats! How in the world did they do a merit badge counselor training? Is there some set curriculum or something? I went to a training meeting, asked for merit badge counselor training and they insisted there was no such thing. The only boy I've ever counseled is my own. I keep trying to tell people I'm a counselor for various badges, but no one ever asks me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenD500 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I recommend joining the mailing list for "Counselor's Compass". It's an online document for Merit Badge Counselors that the BSA Advancement Committee puts out. link to current issue In this issue, you'll find another link to "Essentials of Merit Badge Counseling" power point. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pargolf44067 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I recommend joining the mailing list for "Counselor's Compass". It's an online document for Merit Badge Counselors that the BSA Advancement Committee puts out. link to current issue In this issue, you'll find another link to "Essentials of Merit Badge Counseling" power point. Thanks @@KenD500. I've been a merit badge counselor for 11 years and SM for over 7 and never knew about this publication. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwazse Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 @@blw2, cut the callers off at 50 sessions a week. That'll leave plenty of free time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blw2 Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 Congrats! How in the world did they do a merit badge counselor training? Is there some set curriculum or something? I went to a training meeting, asked for merit badge counselor training and they insisted there was no such thing. The only boy I've ever counseled is my own. I keep trying to tell people I'm a counselor for various badges, but no one ever asks me Yes, there was a PP presentation. I remember her saying that it was available online, council or district, can't remember which.... but searching for 2 minutes I couldn't come up with it to respond with a link.... Basically a pretty good orientation of the process, blue cards, sign offs, etc... Need YPT, don't add requirements, etc.... Oriented to parents or I suppose other adults willing to help fill out the paperwork, yet another Adult APPlication, and a sign up of which badges I'm willing to do, etc.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blw2 Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 I recommend joining the mailing list for "Counselor's Compass". It's an online document for Merit Badge Counselors that the BSA Advancement Committee puts out. link to current issue In this issue, you'll find another link to "Essentials of Merit Badge Counseling" power point. and in that current issue is a link to the presentation she used! nice @@KenD500 ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blw2 Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 @@blw2, cut the callers off at 50 sessions a week. That'll leave plenty of free time. well that's kinda my point... very unlikely to get any calls, so it's not like too much of a burden and looking at the list of merit badges, there are a whole lot of them covering topics that I have experience with &/or that I'm very interested in. i would imagine there are some scouters out there that could easily council almost all of them.... but where do you stop? One things for sure, at least at this point.... I'm not in it for the group classes, the badge fairs, the whole troop things.... If an individual or a small group of buddies get together and want to work on a badge together, that is something I am interested in. I'll be happy to mentor them, or even just check up on their work and sign them off..... but I'm not interested in spoon feeding or "teaching" anyone. Am I off base? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John-in-KC Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 (edited) The training is designed for adults. The youth get what they need to know in BSA Requirements, or here at Scouting dot org. Personally, I would prefer you counsel out of troop. The kids in your troop will figure out how to push your buttons. Within the ADULT ASSOCIATION method, one of the best things a MB counselor does is get the boy used to a cold call interview ... which he will have at 16 or so when he goes out to get his first JOB!! Edited September 2, 2015 by John-in-KC Moved the topic to Advancement Forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blw2 Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 Don't think I implied that it was for the boys, but apologies if I did??? Also don't think I ever addressed signing up for in troop or out of troop..... but that is an interesting point that did come up briefly. Our troop Training Chair (the one leading the class) said, when asked, that most folks do sign up for "in troop" only but we discussed that even when folks do that they are still on the council list and most are willing to go "outside" if really needed. Regardless, you're probably right about the out of troop boys.... but in my case I don't know most of the boys in the troop, and those that I do i don't know very well..... so for the short term anyway, this is not much of an issue in my case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andysmom Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I am a councelor for Family Life. Most of the boys, but not all that I council are in troop. The training I took was at our Pow Wow/University of Scouting event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jr56 Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 I've been doing MB Counseling for 20 years plus now. Maybe once or twice in the time period, I have been contacted by scout from another troop to work with them on a badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfolson Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 Out of curiosity, what SCUBA agency are you certified as an instructor with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blw2 Posted September 3, 2015 Author Share Posted September 3, 2015 SSI, but not instructor... I'm a Divecon.... which is an Assistant Instructor + Divemaster (seems nobody has ever heard of divecon, or Dive Control Specialist) I also hold certs from IANTD as Trimix Diver, Technical Diver, Mixed Gas Blender, Equipment Tech.....and a whole bunch of other little recreational specialty certs. I used to do quite a bit of it. Had a lot of fun but then it seems life got in the way so I haven't been active in a while, but I figure with my experience I could help mentor some young scouts that might be interested in the sport... Are you a diver @@dfolson? This whole thing has me thinking of taking my son for his Jr Certification and getting wet again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenD500 Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 @@blw2 - I'm guessing the reason he is asking about your certifications is that SCUBA merit badge counselor is one that requires particular certs in order to be an approved counselor. From the Guide to Advancement Section 7.0.1.1 Qualifications of Counselors Scuba Diving. All phases of scuba instruction—classroom, pool, and open-water training—are limited to instructors trained and certified by one of the BSA’s recognized scuba agencies as found in the Guide to Safe Scouting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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