Leadership, Training, and Mentoring

As an adult, to participate in the program, you must be registered. This isn't our troop's rule, this is a new rule nationally.

But registering isn't enough. We encourage additional training - from the online courses at Scouting.net to the weekend-long Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills. If you're on the Troop Committee, we encourage you to take that training AND the Scoutmaster Fundamentals training - and vice-versa.

Why all the focus on Training? Because it makes our program stronger. Visit enough troops and it won't be long until you hear the phrase 'boy lead'. Part of our role as adult leaders is to give our youth better tools for leading and working together in general. Mentoring is how we interact with our youth. Training, 1) gives us the tools to better understand the program activities and 2) to become better mentors.

But training is not for adult leaders alone... All scouts are encouraged to participate in Troop Leadership Training (TLT). TLT is offered twice annually after the Troop has elections and scouts assume their new Positions of Responsibility. We open this training to all scouts - from the newest to the most senior, regardless of their position because it serves as an excellent reminder as everyone shifts into new roles.

Once a scout becomes eligible (13 years old and First Class or 14 years old regardless of rank), scouts are encouraged to participate in National Youth Leadership Training. NYLT is a six day, five night course focusing on methods, skills and experiences to become better leaders in their unit. The course centers around the concepts of what a leader must be, what he/she must know, and what he/she must do – with a clear focus on how to accomplish all this.

Troop 2008 also sponsors first aid training for Webelos / Cub Scouts. Troop 2008 scouts teach this class and are trained Basic Aid Training Instructors in addition to being trained in First Aid and CPR. This is a great opportunity for the scouts to reinforce what they learned and apply it by sharing that knowledge with others.

In addition to training, we are involved in providing training. In the fall of 2011, two of our leaders offered council-wide Chaplain Aide Training and Den Chief Training.