Merit Badge counselor

[rjscout 11]

Is there a link online to show what the requirement is to become a MBC for some of the more restrictive Merit Badges, like swimming, scuba, snorkeling, etc... I have seen the requirement for someone to run a swim test bfor summer camp. Is there a similar qualification for a swimming merit badge counselor? We have some boys who missed summer camp and we would like to get the swimming merit badge before next summer. Does a scuba MBC need to be a scuba instructor, or just work with an instructor to meet the certification requirement. I haveen unable to find such qualifications.

[frankpalazzi 62]

No, there is no national requirement for any of the badges; MBC training and certification is left up to your local council. In our council: When you undergo MBC training and sign up for the badge you want to counsel, the trainer/staff will usually ask about your background or what your proficiency is in the area of the badge you wish to counsel. You don't have to be an expert in that area, just proficient enough to help the scout satisfy the requirements, as well as learn a few things! (no more, no less). A good swimmer can be a Swimming MBC, a recreational snorkeler can be a snorkeling MBC. For some badges such as riflery, archery, lifesaving, I'm sure the MBC trainer staff would like a little more such as completion in range safety, lifeguard certificates, etc. It's all at the discretion of the trainer/staff who is certified for what badge. Don't worry about the swimming MB, find a counselor and a pool and let the boys have fun and advance!

[Basementdweller 608]

rjscouter.....but more importantly why do you need to find the requirements to be a merit badge councilor?????

 

 

I would get either the council or districts merit badge councilor list, I am fairly certain there will be a qualified councilor on the list and most have access to a swimming pool to do the check out.

 

 

I would like to discourage being a troop only merit badge instructor, what good is that???

 

Our district had a bunch of Rifle shooting councilors, but they are troop only...very unscoutlike.

[Lisabob 13]

basement, you should try contacting a few of those "troop only" folks. In some areas, that is the default assumption, and the MBCs may not even know that they are appearing on the list that way. Or, they may not have thought about the implication of all MBCs checking "troop only" and might be happy to work with a kid from another troop, if asked.

 

Then again, maybe not. But I bet a call from an SM saying "Johnny really wants to learn X skill, and you're the only/closest/best/etc MBC in the area. Could Johnny contact you?" would get a positive response more often than not.

 

 

[Basementdweller 608]

it is not my place to contact them, it is up to the boys to contact the councilor.....

 

My son and a few others from the troop decided to work on the merit badge. He made the calls, I am stuck driving an hour to the the councilor that would see them......more than a couple said no.

[Lisabob 13]

basement, you are the SM for your troop, right?

 

If that is the case, and since it is the SM's duty to assign MBCs, it would be within the scope of your authority to call an MBC who is listed as "troop only" and ask whether you can refer boys from your troop to them. If they say yes, then you as SM know that you can give that MBC's contact info to the boy(s) in question. Whether the boys follow through and actually contact the MBC to set up a meeting is a separate issue.

 

If you are not the SM then you could suggest the above to your troop's SM. Whether the SM chooses to follow through with such a suggestion is up to them, of course. However, nowhere have I read that the SM's job of assigning MBCs should be fulfilled by the SM simply handing the boys a list of all registered MBCs in the council or district and telling the boys to start calling until they get a live one. Is that what's happening in your troop now?

[Basementdweller 608]

Nope ASM.

 

The SM in our troop hands the boy a list of councilors to call. There were no merit badge councilor for our district so I called council and got a list for the council and gave it to my boys to find one.

[rjscout 11]

Basement,

As you have shown, it isn't always easy to get a MBC, so the troop is trying to see who might fit is as MBC for carols MB topics. I think we will get our feet wet in the troop, but open to district and council after some experience.

 

[Basementdweller 608]

Sure it can be difficult.....but that is part of the experience in my book.

 

Who learns more?

 

The boy who shows up to the troop meeting and is spoon fed the subject by a troop adult, who may or may not have more than a passing knowledge of the subject or teaches straight from the merit badge book.

 

Or

 

The boy who calls a merit badge councilor from the list and goes to met the counselor who either has professional experience or an enthusiastic hobbyist.