Webelos Outdoor Training

[Stosh 3452]

Many years ago when I was a WDL (doing my WB ticket). I got involved with teaching the Webelos Outdoor Training for the council which I continued on for many years.

 

The number one problem the leaders had was experience. I found that many of those that signed up for the course had never camped before and had become WDL's by default. The challenge for them was their ability to take the next step up to taking the boys camping.

 

The majority of trainees I taught had little or no outdoor experience. They either stopped at WalMart on the way to camp and picked up a tent or they were borrowing someone else's sleeping bag for the weekend training. One or two even showed up with suitcases for their gear. My job was, how do I get these people trained well enough to take boys out into the woods when they themselves have never done it?

 

I stopped training when the council decided they could get the training without having to spend the night sleeping in a tent. This actual sleeping in the woods was the #1 barrier for WDL's not getting the outdoor training. I'm still in amazement as to how difficult it is to get BALOO trained personnel together to get the boys off the sofa and out into the woods.

 

I find some of the culture shock that is associated with Webelos crossover boys is that they are intimidated by the thought that their non-camping parents/WDL's haven't properly inspired, let alone prepared these boys for the the outdoor adventures of Boy Scouting.

 

Has any of this changed in the past 10 years?

 

Stosh

[rjscout 11]

Stosh,

 

This is exactly why I am pushing to get the WDLs to IOLS. I think there is a breakout session for the Webelos part, but I have not done that training, yet. I was in a BALOO class in Oct '07 that was integrated into the IOLS class. I was disappointed only in that I hadn't signed up for the entire weekend. I did take my BALOO training to increase the camping that we did as a Pack (Pack camping, Council Camping, District Camping, and Summer Camp). Our Webelos have done a little camping with Troops, but not much and not most. It had been over 30 years since I did any Boy Scout camping (one year of scouts with only two camping trips... not enough so I lost interest). I have spent a lot of time doing a lot of reading and I am excited for our IOLS training in May. We actually have a Webelos District event two weeks later where Bears are invited (since they will be Webelos in just two weeks after that). We will get to experience our first Webelos camping. I plan to soak up all the knowledge that I can. I have done some other camping in the past, and I want let my son, and the others, experience the great Outdoors.

 

I don't agree with Outdoor Training without being outdoors. How can you teach someone to camp without actually camping first. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

Thanks for all of you great advice.

[scottteng 11]

The syllabus calls for an overnight for Webelos outdoor training. When I was on the team doing it we had the Webelos leaders come for one night of the two for IOLS. This has the added effect of starting some relationship between the troops and the WDL's.

[Stosh 3452]

Under the Webelos Outdoor Training syllabus, it was considered optional to stay overnight. When the council insisted on the program going with optional, they had to find a different corps of teachers. What has happened since then, I haven't keep up with. None of us wanted to put our stamp of approval on leaders taking the boys out into the woods and camp who had never done it themselves.

 

Stosh

[CubPack28 10]

I did outdoor trainingas an Instructor and Leader when I was involved in GS, and we had the same problem with getting leaders to take outdoor camping.

I am signed up , along with three other adults in our Pack to take Baloo and Webelos Outdoor training in April here. We had a whole den of Webelos this year who did not get outside to hike or camp and we will not have that happen again. It's a shame that it did this year, but we had a leader who isn't interested in the Outdoors and the Den has suffered for it. We are hoping to get them outside in the spring and early summer, before summer camps, so that they at least get some experiences. After all, that's what Scouting is all about....