Finished my Ticket - What next?

I finally connected with my TG a few days before Christmas.

We discussed my ticket goals and he said that I finished my ticket within the 18 month deadline.

He then told me he had paperwork to complete and that I would get something from National within a couple of weeks.

Its been almost 6 weeks and I havent heard anything.

I thought maybe the SM might send me an e-mail saying congrats but nothing yet.

What should happen next and how long does it take?

Well done.

Finishing the ticket isn't always easy.

Not sure how things work in your Council.

Here in our neck of the woods.

As part of the fee for the course all the WB regalia (Woggle, beads and necker) were bought and paid for out of the WB course budget.

The certificates were also bought and paid for.

The Troop Guide was the go to person on the course and he or she approved the ticket.

Meanwhile back at the Bat Cave.

The Course Director working with the Council Training Committee came up with a list of Trained Ticket Counselors.

They tried to find the best match or best fit, matching the right participant with the right Ticket Counselor. Someone who understood the job the participant was doing.

In some cases this might be the person who was the Troop Guide on the course. There are lots of reasons why it might not be: Location, Specific role in Scouting, availability.

When a participant had his or her ticket approved by the Troop guide, when I was course director. I made two copies. The original was sent to the Ticket Counselor, a copy was kept by the participant and I kept a copy.

Participants were informed that they would be contacted by their Ticket Counselor, they were given contact information and were asked if contact wasn't made within a couple of weeks to get back to the Course Director.

I mailed the Tickets to the Ticket Counselors, with contact information for the participant they were working with.

There was at that time a little confusion as to who could approve changes to the ticket? Some said it was the Course Director. I couldn't see that!! I hadn't approved the Ticket so I didn't see how I could approve changes to it. We settled on the idea that the Ticket Counselor could approve changes, but would notify the Course Director.

Once the Ticket Counselor was satisfied that the Ticket had been completed, he or she informed me. I let the Council Service Center know. They filled out the certificate and the information that the participant had completed the course was put into the computer. - This as far as I'm aware is all the information and only involvement that National has in this.

I would contact the participant. Congratulate him and ask to be informed when and where the beading ceremony was being held and who was doing it? Once I knew that I made arrangements for the person in charge of the ceremony to have all the regalia so it would be at the ceremony.

National isn't involved, so don't expect anything from them.

Courses are approved and administered by the Region, the Region (At least the NE-Region) seems happy to let the Council do their own thing and most Councils seem happy to leave it all to the Training Committees, who seem happy to leave it with the Council Wood Badge coordinator (If you have one) or the Course Director.

You might want to give the Course Director a call and ask him how things are done in your Council, maybe tell him what plans you have for your beading?

There could be reasons for the delay.

If the course didn't pre-order the regalia?

It being around the holiday?

Maybe the Ticket Counselor hasn't contacted who ever it is in your Council that needs to be contacted?

I do think a quick phone call will help fix what needs to be fixed.

Hope this helps.

Again Well Done - Sea Badge here you go??

Eamonn.

CNY,

Congrats Fellow Critter!

Eamonn is correct. Most councils pre-order enough recognition and ceremony Wood Badge regalia for each course participant.

It may be possible that your council is purchasing these items for each Wood Badge participant from National Supply Center, after their TG reports ticket completion. This may be the reason for "I would get something from National within a couple of weeks."

The regalia usually includes the beads, beige neckerchief, woggle, a wallet participation card and a 8x11 certificate. I've been told there really is no paperwork to Region, except completed participants names and completion statistics/ratios. (All I've ever done as TG was to report the entire ticket completion to the CD, as the CD requested all TGs to submit either email and/or verbal. The CD's have usually seen most of the participant work anyways)

Not for Wood Badge, but I have seen special tooled leather belt buckles and other regalia. Maybe your council special ordered extra recogintion items, or creates special plaques, or leather belts/buckles or more (which may take time).

Also, in most councils, the "Scoutmaster"/Course Director, Troop Guide, and staffers would attempt to present the Wood Badge regalia when the participant request. At the Troop COHs, Pack Blue and Golds, unit campouts and etc.

However, as important as this is..... People are people, and we all get busy.

Here is my advice...

I would recommend reconnecting your TG again; and asking the TG if you can be presented the Wood Badge regalia at your next unit Court of Honor (or other ceremony).

That would give your TG a targeted deadline, and you may inquire the status of your regalia.

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

CNY!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

I see no one has really mentioned the real "What Next?" It's time to start working your NEXT ticket...

As others have mentioned, I'd re-contact your TG. Give him a date or event you want your Beading. I'd also contact your Patrol members and invite them.

Keep having fun in Scouting!

CNYScouter - I am confused by your question.

Unless your Troop Guide (TG) is your Ticket Councelor (TC), you contacted the wrong person. Your TC is the only person who determines that your ticket is complete and signs your paperwork, not your TG. The TC then sends the paperwork to your SM for the course and he/she signs it and then submits it to council for processing. Then your SM will get your WB beads, woggle, necker and certificate and then contact you for scheduling the ceremony.

Best of luck and keep on scouting.

Eagles soar above all other critters!

In my course, in only a couple of cases, did the TG not carry over to be the TC. CD/PD logic was they had come to know the Scouter the best.

John,

"logic was they had come to know the Scouter the best"

It might seem that way? But..

There are lots of reasons why this might not be the case.

Our Council is part of a WB cluster. So TG and participants come from different Councils.

Could be that the TG is not the best person to be the Ticket Counselor for the position that the participant holds in Scouting.

I was a TG for a Beaver Patrol,at a course 200 miles from where I live, none of the participants were from my home Council. Most of the Patrol were in Boy Scouting, one was a Cub Scouter, had they lived a little closer to home I think I could have done OK as their Ticket Counselor, but one was a Vice President of Venturing in his home Council. His ticket had a lot to do with Council goals for Venturing and working with the Executive Board in his home Council.

I had never heard of a VP for Venturing!! The Council I serve doesn't have one and never has. While I didn't comment on the position, my thinking was it was a little odd!! We don't have Council Vice Presidents for Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting. But that just wasn't my call.

When I served as Course Director, our SE was a participant. We needed to find someone who knew the workings of a Council and had some idea of what the job of a SE was. His TG was a great Boy Scouter, who had been part of the Training Team and active in the OA for a very long time. He had never served on the Executive Board and knew little about the workings of the Council and beyond. Working with our Council WB Coordinator, we came up with your's truly being his Ticket Counselor.

To be very honest I had put in a lot of hard work getting the course ready and pulling it off. I was ready to move on and the idea of another 18 months working with this guy wasn't my idea of fun!

As it turned out it wasn't that bad, we really got to know each other. We didn't always see eye to eye on how things should be done -I helped him see the error of his ways!!

As it happened his ticket was mainly about membership and the Good Turn for America, so we were both on the same page.

As to the "Real What's Next"?

I hope that Dave is invited to serve as a Staff Member. Having the opportunity to go over the course again, look at it and break it down so that others can understand it, is by far the best way of really understanding it yourself.

Ea.

E,

Have to agree with all your examples.

That said, the one who came in from 500 miles away... there was some CD/CD cross coordination to find a local person for ticket counseling.

Question: In my neck of the woods, WB is something a Professional has to earn if he wants to make it to Senior DE. How did someone get to be an SE without it???

I just didn't go into detail what I meant by a "couple cases".

To bring this back to topic:

CNY: GOOD ON YOU!!!! :-D

J(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

John,

I'm a little surprised to hear that a Council requires WB training.

In fact this is the first I have heard of it.

I have been led to believe that at one time there was such a thing as a "Professional Wood Badge", I never as yet have met anyone who has taken the course.

I was told that when the new course came along, this Professional course was discontinued, but was then brought back again.

As I'm sure you are aware professionals do have their own trainings Professional Development. I know there is a PDL one and two, I'm unsure what comes after that!! (3?)

A good pal of mine who works for our National Office (He works in the Relationships Division)has been involved in these PDL trainings for a long time.

PDL One is very intense.

Of course the goals for a new DE are very different than those of a volunteer.

My friend tells me that in later training's they spend a lot of time training the pros how to deal with people like me!!

Ea.

Sorry for the confusion I should have typed TC instead of TG.

I planned on making the calls but wanted to know if the time I have been waiting to hear something was normal.

I've been working my next "ticket" since I actually finished my goals last March.

My TG was not my TC.

Myself and one other person in my WB course were Venturing Leaders as was my TC.

He was also the TC for the other Venturing Leader.

I have had little or no contact from anyone in my WB course.

When I talked with my TC in December he did say that there were only two others beside myself who hadnt gotten their beads.

I didnt even get invitations to the rest of my patrol members beading.

I took this in another council and with my experience I would not suggest to anyone to do this.

It just seems that no one was really interested if I finished my ticket or not.

It just seems that since I was from anther council and not around I was forgotten about.

The lack of response has really diminished my WB experience and at this point I feel like brianbuf and just want my beads mailed to me.

I dont think Ill ever get the chance to serve on WB staff.

I dont know many people from this other council.

From what I am seeing I dont think my council will be doing another WB course for quit some time.

Weve only done WB 3 times since 1994.

It was almost canceled again this fall as only 28 had signed up.

We havent done an SM/Outdoor skills training in 1 years as no one is willing to be the CD.

Our last Cub Leader training only had 1 person show up.

No one showed up for the last Venturing Leaders training.

I dont think we will have enough trained leaders to even hold a WB course for many years.

And Eamonn - Sea Badge I will this year if you will!

E,

Yes, they do PD 1, 2 , and 3... and so much more, between Irving and PTC... and grad school, and...

I think the point of running them through WB is so they have a volunteer's perspective on much that they do, and they see the impacts some of their "good ideas" cause.

"And Eamonn - Sea Badge I will this year if you will! "

Do you know the details??

I'm away a lot this year.

Going to Hong Kong to see my sister and Ireland to see if it's still there!!

My brother is getting remarried so that will be a quick trip across the pond.

This year I have lots of vacation time -But funding could be another matter.

Sea Badge seems to run about $200.00, which really isn't a big deal. Problem is that it always seems such a long drive just for a weekend.

If you run into a big problem with your Wood Badge, give your Council Training Chair a call -While you are talking to him you might want to let him know that you are interested in being involved with WB Staffing.

Cluster Councils do ask Council Training Chairs to provide a list of qualified people who might be interested in serving on staff.

If as it seems he is really not on the ball? You might want to have a word with the Pro in your Council who looks after training. (He can give Doug a call in the Regional office.)

How much snow do you have up there??

Ea.

NE Region Seabadge is tentatively the 3rd weekend in October on Cape Cod.

Details and registration packet will be out some time next month.

I think it would be great if our council got involved with a WB cluster.

But from what I have heard the WB elite still run our course and wont even consider joining a cluster.

As far as snow, we are way below normal with lots of bare spots.

However hour north of here got almost 48 in. last week with most of it coming down in one night.