Ward Merit badge counselor Training

1. It’s more than signing blue cards WardMerit badge counselorTraining Character • Fitness • Citizenship

2. Overview of Training • Understand the aims of Scouting • Understand BSA advancement & Merit Badge processes • Understand the role of MBC • Duties & Responsibilities to Scout and BSA • Buddy System • Understand/complete registration requirements • Methods of counseling and coaching • Be able to successfully guide a Scout through the merit badge process References: 2011Boy Scout Requirements, 2011 Guide to Advancement, Merit Badge Counseling pamphlet, Application for Merit Badge, Boy Scout Handbook, Purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood, www.scoutmastercg.com Character • Fitness • Citizenship

3. BSA Mission and Vision Mission: To prepare young people to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law Vision: The Boy Scouts of America will prepare every eligible youth in America to become a responsible, participating citizen and leader who is guided by the Scout Oath and Law Character • Fitness • Citizenship

4. AimsandMethods • Growth in moral strength and character • Participating Citizenship • Personal Fitness • physical, mental, spiritual, emotional • Ideals (Oath, Law, Motto, Slogan) • Patrols • Advancement • Adult Association • Personal Growth • Leadership Development • Outdoor Activities • Uniforms And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and Man – Luke 2:52 Character • Fitness • Citizenship

5. What is a merit badge American Business • American Cultures • American Heritage • American Labor • Animal Science • Archaeology • Archery • Architecture • Art Astronomy • Athletics • Atomic Energy • Automotive Maintenance • Aviation • Backpacking • Basketry • Bird Study • Bugling • Camping Canoeing • Chemistry • Chess • Cinematography • Citizenship in the Community • Citizenship in the Nation • Citizenship in the World • Climbing Coin Collecting • Collections • Communications • Composite Materials • Computers • Cooking • Crime Prevention • Cycling • Dentistry Disabilities Awareness • Dog Care • Drafting • Electricity • Electronics • Emergency Preparedness • Energy • Engineering • Entrepreneurship Environmental Science • Family Life • Farm Mechanics • Fingerprinting • Fire Safety • First Aid • Fish and Wildlife Management • Fishing Fly Fishing • Forestry • Gardening • Genealogy • Geocaching • Geology • Golf • Graphic Arts • Hiking • Home Repairs • Horsemanship Indian Lore • Insect Study • Inventing • Journalism • Landscape Architecture • Law • Leatherwork • Lifesaving • Mammal Study • Medicine Metalwork • Model Design and Building • Motorboating • Music • Nature • Nuclear Science • Oceanography • Orienteering • Painting Personal Fitness • Personal Management • Pets • Photography • Pioneering • Plant Science • Plumbing • Pottery • Public Health Public Speaking • Pulp and Paper • Radio • Railroading • Reading • Reptile and Amphibian Study • Rifle Shooting • Robotics • Rowing • Safety Salesmanship • Scholarship • Scouting Heritage • Scuba Diving • Sculpture • Shotgun Shooting • Skating • Small-Boat Sailing • Snow Sports Soil and Water Conservation • Space Exploration • Sports • Stamp Collecting • Surveying • Swimming • Textile • Theater • Traffic Safety Truck Transportation • Veterinary Medicine • Water Sports • Weather • Welding • Whitewater • Wilderness Survival • Wood Carving • Woodwork Merit badges represent nearly 130 hobbies, vocations, careers and life-skills “Surmountable” obstacles “In Scouting, a boy is encouraged to educate himself instead of being instructed.” – Lord Robert Baden Powell Character • Fitness • Citizenship

6. Why use MBCs? • Adult Association method • Exposure to outstanding adults: • Role models, examples, mentors • Meet leaders and experts • MBCs have the opportunity to shape lives • Enhances Scout’s self-confidence, growth Character • Fitness • Citizenship

7. What is a MBC? Four Parts of Advancement A Scout Learns A Scout is Tested A Scout is Reviewed A Scout is Recognized • Volunteer. Teacher. Mentor • Coach – helps over come obstacles, provides insights • Examiner • Maintainer of Standards • Requirements • Buddy system Character • Fitness • Citizenship

8. MBC Role • To bring about learning on the part of the Boy Scout • Advises Scout on steps to take to fulfill reqs • Evaluates each Scout’s performance • Determines whether the Scout has met the prescribed objectives • To be a coach and a friend as the Scout learns about a new field of interest Character • Fitness • Citizenship

9. MBC Requirements Register annually with BSA Be at least 18 years old Be of good character Be proficient in mb subject(s) Be able to work with Scout-aged youth Be approved by local Council Training – YPT and MBC Character • Fitness • Citizenship

10. SelectedYouth Protection Principles Two-deep Leadership No One-on-One Contact (Buddy System) Respect of Privacy Reporting All adults, regardless of registration status, are required to adhere to YPT policies when working with Scouts YPT training available at: http://www.scouting.org/Training/YouthProtection.aspx, and is also in the Guide to Safe Scouting, p1. Character • Fitness • Citizenship

11. Mb process • Scout gets MBC contact info and “blue card” from Scoutmaster • Scout contacts MBC, sets appt, prepares • Scout is responsible to bring buddy to each meeting • Scout and MBC plan a schedule • MBC helps Scout meet reqs as written • Scout and MBC stay flexible • Scout’s own rate of progress • MBC tests Scout’s progress until mb is complete • Final authority - Scoutmaster cannot rescind a badge Character • Fitness • Citizenship

12. Counseling techniques Create relaxed atmosphere – remember, he’s a probably a beginner Spend time helping him understand reqs Help him stay on track Keep it conversational, not a final exam If more work is needed, offer help, re-test More ideas on orientation handout Scenarios Character • Fitness • Citizenship

13. Scenarios – what do you do? Scout’s mom calls you to set appt A boy shows up alone to an appt It’s obvious the Scout has only done half the requirement A Scout shows up with a blue card already half-filled in by another MBC Character • Fitness • Citizenship

14. Scenario: Pets Scout is ready to finish Pets Merit Badge • Present evidence that you have cared for a pet for 4 months. Get approval before you start.* • Write in 200 words or more about the care, feeding, and housing of your pet. Tell some interesting facts about it. Tell why you have this kind of pet. Give local laws, if any, relating to the pet you keep. • Show that you have read a book or pamphlet, approved by your counselor, about your kind of pet. • Do ONE of the following: • Show your pet in some pet show. • Start a friend raising a pet like yours. Help your friend get a good start. • Train a pet in three or more tricks or special abilities. * Work done for other merit badges cannot be used for this requirement. Character • Fitness • Citizenship

15. Fast facts for mbcs Any MBC can counsel any Scout A MBC must be approved for each subject she volunteers to counsel Scouts are encouraged to work with multiple MBCs You can limit your service to just the ward troop, but must still be approved by the Council Scoutmasters are not automatic MBCs Group instruction is allowed, individual completion is required Only time constraint is 18th birthday Character • Fitness • Citizenship

16. Staying up-to-date • Requirements change from time to time • Dozens of booklets have been recently republished • Current Boy Scout Requirements (#33215) takes precedence • 2012 ed. now available • www.scouting.org • USSSP keeps tabs on changes, but is not official • http://usscouts.org/meritbadges.asp Character • Fitness • Citizenship

17. Summary of Training • Understand the aims of Scouting • Understand BSA advancement & Merit Badge processes • Understand the role of MBC • Duties & Responsibilities to Scout and BSA • Buddy System • Understand/complete registration reqs • Methods of counseling and coaching • Be able to successfully guide a Scout through the merit badge process Character • Fitness • Citizenship

18. The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions Other Questions? “I am an Eagle Scout. My Scoutmaster was B. Glen Smith. When I was a deacon, it didn’t matter if we were working on merit badges, doing a service project, or collecting fast offerings, it was all priesthood. It is with this vision that we need to utilize Scouting and the priesthood to help our young men reach their potential by learning NOW to do hard things!” – Elder Jeffrey R. Holland Character • Fitness • Citizenship

19. MBC Resources • Adult Application, no. 28-501 • Merit Badge Counselor Information Form, no. 34405 • A Guide to Merit Badge Counseling, no. 34532 • MB Application (Blue Card) no. 34124 • 2011 Guide to Advancement • Boy Scout Requirements, no. 33125C • Boy Scout Handbook, no. 3105 • Merit Badge Pamphlets • Scoutmaster Handbook, no. 33009 • Internet • BSA MBC pages: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/GuideforMeritBadgeCounselors.aspxhttp://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/MeritBadges.aspx • US Scouting Service Project MBC page (http://usscouts.org/meritbadges.asp) • http://www.meritbadge.org/ Character • Fitness • Citizenship

20. Answers Merit Badge Counselor Quiz Character • Fitness • Citizenship

21. 1 A merit badge counselor may be a counselor for only up to six merit badges. FALSE A counselor may be approved for as many badges as he or she is qualified. Since this is up to the members of the approving body to decide, they also may decide how many merit badges they feel it is necessary for a counselor to coach based upon need within the district or council. Character • Fitness • Citizenship

22. 2 A merit badge counselor may not coach his own son or close relative (i.e., nephew) unless he is part of a group of Scouts all working on the same merit badge. FALSE “…Approved counselors may work with and pass any member, including their own son, ward, or relative. But we often teach young people the importance of broadening horizons. Scouts meeting with counselors beyond their families and beyond even their own units are doing that. They will benefit from the perspectives of many "teachers" and will learn more as a result. They should be encouraged to reach out.” (2011 Guide to Advancement) Character • Fitness • Citizenship

23. 3 A merit badge counselor who works only with a single unit needs only the unit committee’s approval before being approved by the Scout executive. FALSE All counselors must be approved by the district/ council advancement committee. Character • Fitness • Citizenship

24. 4 Persons serving as merit badge counselors must be registered as a merit badge counselor with the Boy Scouts of America. TRUE Even volunteers who serve in multiple positions must fill out another form and show registration as a merit badge counselor. Character • Fitness • Citizenship

25. 5 A Scout may earn no more than five merit badges from the same merit badge counselor. FALSE A Scout may earn as many badges from a counselor as the counselor is qualified and approved to coach. However, since it is in the Scout’s best interest that he experience a diversity of adult contacts, it is not in the spirit of the program to do so unless conditions warrant. Character • Fitness • Citizenship

26. 6 Once a Scouter is approved as a merit badge counselor, he is approved for life and never has to be reapproved. FALSE Counselor approvals are for one year only. In the future, this will be electronically tracked; no mbc registration = no badge for the boy Bottom line, we owe it to the boys to keep our paperwork current Character • Fitness • Citizenship

27. 7 A Scout must complete all the requirements for a merit badge within 12 months or he must start over. FALSE There is no time limit except that all requirements work must be completed before the Scout’s 18th birthday. Character • Fitness • Citizenship

28. 8 A merit badge counselor may require the Scout to work beyond the specific requirements of the merit badge so he may discover more about the subject and continue the learning process. FALSE No additions or deletions are permitted. The requirements are to be completed exactly as written. However, a counselor may share additional information or resources in the hope of encouraging the Scout to challenge himself. Character • Fitness • Citizenship

29. 9 Due to the BSA policies related to Youth Protection and two-deep leadership, a merit badge counselor must have another adult present during all merit badge counseling sessions. FALSE There must always be a third person present, but it may be any other adult familiar to the Scout, a Scout’s parent, or a Scout’s “buddy.” Common sense dictates that two adult counselors alone with only one Scout should be avoided. Character • Fitness • Citizenship

30. 10 If the weather, locale, or some other condition makes meeting all of the conditions of the merit badge requirements impractical, the merit badge counselor may substitute requirements for those stated for the merit badge. FALSE No additions or deletions are permitted. The requirements are to be completed exactly as written. Character • Fitness • Citizenship

31. 11 Merit badge counselors must be at least 18 years old. TRUE Character • Fitness • Citizenship

32. 12 If the requirements for a merit badge differ between the merit badge pamphlet and the current edition of Boy Scout Requirements, the requirements in the Boy Scout Requirements book supersede all others. TRUE The Boy Scout Requirements book is revised annually and reflects any changes that have been made, whereas the merit badge pamphlets are not revised annually and may be outdated. Character • Fitness • Citizenship

33. These slides are posted online at www.voluntoldscouter.blogspot.comunder “Ward Scouter Training” Character • Fitness • Citizenship