Re: Woodbadge Training

I have one other caution about Wood Badge training for non-Scouters.

If we start letting people outside of Scouting take Wood Badge, are we ready
for the time when some Council decides to open up a course to Corporate
America?

It's been stated many times that this is the best team building, problem
solving, leadership and "executive training" class going and that "my company
paid many thousands of $$$ to send us through something no where near as
effective," in the past.

I fear that once we open Pandora's Box, we will see less and less offered to
Scouters, and more to "the guys who pay the bills" as part of Friends of
Scouting or some such corporate Council fund raising drive. I can see it now.
Some DE or SE sitting down with the CEO of my company, offering him a week
long management training class that his staff will get more out of than
anything like it in the nation. After all, it's taught in every state, with
many thousands of successful leaders having gone through it. For only a
one-time, tax-deductable donation to the Council of your choice, you can send
your top managers to the best course of it's kind offered anywhere...

I don't want to see this excellent course turned into a non-Scouter activity
just because a Council somewhere decided they can make a buck running a course
for executives. If you think they can't, don't kid yourself. Many, MANY
companies spend dozens of thousands of dollars on courses like this each year.

Remember, Scouting is a youth program, and it's not about us, it's not about
fundraising for Council, but about the boys. It's my opinion that Wood Badge
should be offered only to people who are _actively_ participating in the
Scouting program, directly - yes directly - helping the boys, in the Boy
Scouts of America.

YiS,

-Tim

--
Tim Hewitt, Scoutmaster
Troop 350, Old Orchard Beach, Maine
"I hope to someday be a Beaver"
Eagle '74

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