National Camping School

[ScoutDadof5]

What is this? I have heard of it and seen people wearing the patch for having attended, but have never seen it listed as a training event anywhere.

 

Curious. Anyone have any info or experience on that?

[insanescouter]

This is the training that those running day camp, summer camp, etc have to attend to be camp master or program director ... at least the last time I heard thats who attends ... the course is ran by Regional not the Councils...

 

Hope my wacky 2 cents is helpful...

 

Scott Robertson

http://insanescouter.org

Helping leaders one resource at a time ...

 

[scoutldr]

As far as I know, attendance is by invitation only, and the Council pays your way (at least here). There are different schools depending on your camp staff job...Day Camp, BS Summer Camp, Aquatics Director, etc.

[gwd-scouter]

I have been to National Camping School as Camp Director for Cub Scout Resident Camp. Attendance is by invitation from your Council and is held regionally every year. It is required for anyone asked to work in a director position at Cub Scout/Boy Scout Resident Camps and Cub Scout Day Camp: i.e., Camp Director, Program Director, Aquatics Director, Ecology Director, etc.

 

At least when I took the course, certification was good for four years.

[OldGreyEagle]

it is usually only for Summer Camp Directors, however, while planning Council Venturing Activities we kept getting stymied by having events at the Council Camps and not being able to use the rifle range because we didnt have qualified personnel. So, I decided to become one. I looked around and NRA certification is not cheap, between registration costs and driving hither thither and yon to get the right classes. Then I thought, as a Camp School Trained Shooting Sports Director, I could be the qualified person. I took Camp School at Hawk Mountain and got NRA certified in Rifle, Shotgun and Muzzleloading and certified in Archery as well. I had to pay for it and have to have the Council Exec sign my application but that part was easy. I got four certifications and a week of summer camp, it was great!

[mk9750]

I know that in our Council the person who certify others as Climbing Instructors and Climbing Merit Badge counselors must attend National Camp School. He has the title Climbing Director. In our Council, Council pays for camp registration, and the person attending pays expenses.

 

Mark

[Beavah]

Yah, NCS is the employee training program for the director and assistant director levels (including directors and assistant directors in program areas like Aquatics, COPE, etc.) in BSA-run camping programs (summer camp, council high adventure programs, etc.). BSA camping activities run under a different set of rules than unit camping activities, and therefore have different training requirements.

 

Yeh need to be recommended/sponsored by a council to attend NCS.

 

As OGE and others point out, it's less expensive than the alternative recognized training in most cases, and if you're signed up to be a camp employee it's usually paid for by your employer council.

 

B

 

[Sir_Scoutalot]

I attended one before serving as a Cub Scout Day Camp director. I highly recommend it.

[milwscout580]

Has anyone been to Health Officer NCS?

 

I saw that there was one (I was HO this past summer) but Council didn't send me. I had all the right certifications, so I didn't really need to go, but I was wondering what it was like...

[Tami the Mom]

I went to Northeast Regional in 2006 for daycamp director. It was fantastic! We learned a lot, but mostly had the most fun ever. It was from early Friday morning until Sunday afternoon, so we went down on Thursday evening.

 

My certification is good for 5 years. My council paid the whole deal. I had so much fun, I jokingly asked the DE if I could go every year. He said sure, if I wanted to pay the $350 out of my own pocket. Um, no. It was fun, but I can wait 4 more years to go back!