Excited about Woodbadge!

[AwakeEnergyScouter]

Signed up for Woodbadge together with two other scouter friends from our pack. The course director is a commissioner who was formerly den leader and current pack parent, so I expect this to deepen existing friendships as well as build new ones. Can't wait to go. Just need to get that part C done and get a new tetanus shot...

[SSScout]

Hoot, hoot, hoot....

Get your tent set up in your back yard.  Make sure the mice haven't got to it, it has all the ropes, stakes, RAINFLY  (we had one new Scouter show up with a "new" tent he just bought at a yard sale,  "oh, is that why it has all that nice ventilating screening on top!" ), it is still RAINPROOF, and you remember how to set it up.  New boots, broken in?  Gear check list checked?  Questions answered?  Uni complete?  Comfy (!) camp chair ready?  Pencils sharpened?  Smile and singing voice ready?

See you on the trail ! 

[AwakeEnergyScouter]

Thanks for the reminder about stakes - I'll need the Texas summer tent the weekend before for a pack campout, so the gear and list check will be quite complete (I'll do the campout laundry and immediately re-pack it all, I figure), but we ended up leaving a lot of stakes behind last time we used it because I let the cub scouts use it as a hangout tent to get them some bonus practice with setting up and taking down a tent without adult help. They were less diligent in remembering the stakes it turned out! I need to replace them or I'll be sorry if there's any wind.

Boots are broken in already. Camp chair is ready. Practicing scales and reminiscing over old scout songs now...

See you on the trail!

[qwazse]

You’re right. Networking is one of the great benefits.

[AwakeEnergyScouter]

On 9/22/2024 at 1:39 PM, qwazse said:

Networking is one of the great benefits.

I found my people! Now I can reach out to people in the area to talk about scouting instead of the Internet. I came here to connect with other scouters in the time that I have - the in between times and late nights. Now I can text people I know personally instead.

I quite enjoyed WB, and would recommend. The brief format made it a great reminder of things I already knew, I learned a few new things, but above all I got plugged into engaged scouters nearby.

[OaklandAndy]

I finished mine last fall, one of the better trainings that I've been to so far. Volunteering dynamics became a LOT easier once I networked with other leaders and focused in on what I needed to do to be a better leader for our scouts, volunteers, and parents. 

[AwakeEnergyScouter]

Exactly! Adding to my satisfaction is that two of my fellow leaders went at the same time, so now we're working on improving how our unit runs at the same time. By the time our tickets are finished, we will have significantly improved operational efficiency and have incorporated all the new adventure requirements into the operations in a scalable, repeatable way.

And now when we need something, we have contacts at council as well as other units. Much better situation to be volunteering from.

[Eagledad]

9 hours ago, AwakeEnergyScouter said:

Exactly! Adding to my satisfaction is that two of my fellow leaders went at the same time, so now we're working on improving how our unit runs at the same time. By the time our tickets are finished, we will have significantly improved operational efficiency and have incorporated all the new adventure requirements into the operations in a scalable, repeatable way.

And now when we need something, we have contacts at council as well as other units. Much better situation to be volunteering from.

 

What are your Ticket Items?

Barry

[Double Eagle]

Since Eagledad brought up the ticket items, I'd like to see them too.  I've been troop guide and ASPL for WB, so learner's course makes it 3 WB courses in 3 different councils.  Ticket writing was the worst part for troop guides and participants.  One course wanted them to cure cancer and save BSA in every way.  I'm not a fan of the dancing, so glad to see it went away.  Critter pride is not emphasized as much either, but always an Eagle and honorary Fox (red dog).   

[C7Scouter]

It has been interesting to see the changes through the years.  As with anything, some of the changes have been great and others raise the eyebrows of some.  The one constant though is the ticket.  I cringe when I hear courses that have had a very tough time developing ticket items.  It can really cause undue stress for participants that is just not warranted.  When I was allowed to steer the boat  in 2021, I made sure that the TG's and an assigned senior staffer were the approvers.  I only asked for two questions to be answered before sign off.  First, does the goal have a positive and direct impact on our youth?  Second, is the participant happy with the goal?  Turned out that buy in was better, overall ticket completion was high as well.  The second weekend was much more enjoyable for the participants since they could focus on their patrol and not worry as much about writing ticket items.

[Eagledad]

I asked because I believe when done correctly, the ticket experience has the most impact for the participants. I agree tickets can get out of control and add very little growth to the scouter’s scouting career.

I also was given ticket items approval responsibility and was able to counsel participants and TGs to simpler Ticket Items that enhanced their volunteer experience more directly. I was glad to help and counsel any participant who felt stress with their tickets. The experience really should be fun and something that add excitement. Many folks aren’t creative and struggle with Ticket Items, so I had enjoyable discussions with them to learn about their goals for scouting and then we discussed simple ideas for growing towards their goals.

One new SM was struggling with his role for PLC meetings, so he created a ticket item to visit and observe PLC meetings of 5 other troops. One CM  was also the Webelos leader and Tiger leader. So we created a Ticket item to recruit a Tiger and Webelos leader so she could focus on what she wanted to do, Cubmaster. I know sounds obvious to many that she should have done that in the first place, but things often happen that complicate our lives in such a way we done see it happening. Then suddenly we are overwhelmed and the fun is gone. When the fun is gone, scouts suffer the most. Most scouts leave because of boredom.

Many districts use WB ticket items to source event leaders like camporees, which often lead to inexperienced adults planning complicated events that give scouts a terrible experience. I didn’t approve any event planning unless the participants could prove they had previous successful experience, and it would be a fun growing experience for their future scouting career.

Scouting is supposed to be fun and the WB ticket items experience should be a highlight of growing as a Scout Leader.

I had motto for both the scouts and adults; If it’s not fun, change it.

Barry

Edited 2 hours ago by Eagledad