The Merit Badge Counselor Rolls Will Fall?

[fred8033]

Create a new "General MBC" registration?  Perhaps we need to rethink MBC registration.  A "General MBC" acknowledges they will not be the subject expert, but rather commit to supporting the scout by finding knowledgeable people who can pass on knowledge; attend meetings to fulfill YPT and then be the signer that acknowledges the scout fulfilled the MBC requirement.  

IMHO, it's not a big change.  We already have most troops with warm bodies teaching badges without any special connection to the topic.  Many troops I knew could cover 30+ merit badges internally and always 100% of the Eagle required.  

[RememberSchiff]

5 minutes ago, fred8033 said:

Create a new "General MBC" registration?  Perhaps we need to rethink MBC registration.  A "General MBC" acknowledges they will not be the subject expert, but rather commit to supporting the scout by finding knowledgeable people who can pass on knowledge; attend meetings to fulfill YPT and then be the signer that acknowledges the scout fulfilled the MBC requirement.  

IMHO, it's not a big change.  We already have most troops with warm bodies teaching badges without any special connection to the topic.  Many troops I knew could cover 30+ merit badges internally and always 100% of the Eagle required.  

My unit does this informally. Allows the unregistered knowledge expert to focus on teaching scouts and not BSA paperwork.

[fred8033]

35 minutes ago, RememberSchiff said:

My unit does this informally. Allows the unregistered knowledge expert to focus on teaching scouts and not BSA paperwork.

IMHO ... it's what scout camps do and many specially offered MB programs.  Heck, that's how scout camps have 17 year old scouts teaching MBs.

The only big danger is it could put much more control of the scout's advancement in the unit's hands.  Not a good thing as the MB concept is not part of unit advancement program.  It's supposed to be scout owned. 

Edited August 31, 2023 by fred8033

[Jameson76]

In our council they have decided to limit the number of merit badges an MBC can be registered for.  In GTA it advised that National does not limit the number but local councils can.  Not sure why they want to do this, assume it's a money grab to get that $25 fee from more folks.

I know, let's drive more people away from the program 

[NDW5332]

45 minutes ago, Jameson76 said:

In our council they have decided to limit the number of merit badges an MBC can be registered for.  In GTA it advised that National does not limit the number but local councils can.  Not sure why they want to do this, assume it's a money grab to get that $25 fee from more folks.

I know, let's drive more people away from the program 

I don't see it as a money grab, but when you do have some Eagle Factory troops in your council, with several leaders that are registered as counselors for literally every merit badge, and whose troop has a number of Scouts that have earned every merit badge, it does raise some eyebrows.  

[mrjohns2]

1 hour ago, Jameson76 said:

Not sure why they want to do this, assume it's a money grab to get that $25 fee from more folks.

I think it is to eliminate “outsiders” that have no other connection to scouting besides merit badges. Quite the change from when I was a youth in the ‘80s. 

[InquisitiveScouter]

On 8/31/2023 at 11:58 AM, mrjohns2 said:

I think it is to eliminate “outsiders” that have no other connection to scouting besides merit badges. Quite the change from when I was a youth in the ‘80s. 

Yes, I think this will lead to a little more isolation of Scouting from the community at large.  We have several MBCs locally that have nothing to do with Scouting other than being a MBC.

We do have a few parents who signed up to counsel who are now dropping, after their kid finished Eagle.  At least they counseled several other Scouts on the badges the were signed up for, instead of only for their own kid. 

Still think the optics on that will be really bad if word gets around, but it won't come from me 😜

 

Edited September 1, 2023 by InquisitiveScouter

[curious_scouter]

update:  Our council is now charging $25 for MBC registration.  To cover the CBC.  It's understandable, but will def impact our MBC roster council-wide.  I guess the "good news" is that it seems to be ensuring the people who are left are really motivated counselors.  My recent experience is when a scout uses SB to "connect to" a MB counselor - they get rapid contact back.  So, that's pretty awesome and possibly a silver lining.

[mrjohns2]

On 10/20/2023 at 7:41 AM, curious_scouter said:

update:  Our council is now charging $25 for MBC registration. 

In addition to the $25 that national is charging? 

[Timbuktu]

On 10/20/2023 at 5:41 AM, curious_scouter said:

update:  Our council is now charging $25 for MBC registration.  To cover the CBC.  It's understandable, but will def impact our MBC roster council-wide.  I guess the "good news" is that it seems to be ensuring the people who are left are really motivated counselors.  My recent experience is when a scout uses SB to "connect to" a MB counselor - they get rapid contact back.  So, that's pretty awesome and possibly a silver lining.

What’s “SB”?

[MikeS72]

11 hours ago, Timbuktu said:

What’s “SB”?

Scoutbook - BSA web-based program to track a scouts career, I use it primarily to record advancement

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