Being Trained, requirement confusion

[ScoutBox]

Training others sure helps to learn old skills again.

 

 

[Jay K]

Well said, Scoutbox

 

[SaintCad]

Getting back to the OP, National has clarified the rules on being Trained while simultaneously making it more confusing.

 

Some Councils require a leader to be trained before taking a leadership position. For this, once trained - always trained so that your Cubmaster/ASM/SM etc. trained 10 years ago is always trained.

 

HOWEVER: In order to ensure that a leader has the most current training, a leader must have completed current training requirements to

1) Wear the "Trained" patch

2) Be considered trained for the purposes of Journey to Excellence

 

[ScoutBox]

My council just posted a list with dates that one would have to retake the courses.. IOLS isn't one of these course.

[kari_cardi]

SaintCad, thanks for your response. I did figure it out, everyone met training expectations, we are good!

[Eagle92]

SaintCad,

 

National Training Committee has backpeddled some on that. Check out https://www.facebook.com/BSAtrainingteam

 

here's the quote

 

A Message from the Volunteer Development (Training) Team Leader, Mark Griffin:

 

A Scouter is considered trained for his or her Scouting position and eligible to wear the Trained emblem when they have completed the currently prescribed courses for that position. At this time this includes Youth Protection Training, This is Scouting, and the Specifics training for their role. For Scoutmasters, Coaches, and Advisors of outdoor program crews, Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills is also necessary. These courses are also included in the unit Journey to Excellence.

The BSA desires that leaders take the current training because as BSA program, policies, and practices evolve it is important that leaders stay current to provide the best, safest, and most consistent Scouting program for youth.

However, the BSA has long believed that a tenured leader does not need to retake basic training every time there is a new course - because through supplemental training, roundtables, Scouting magazine, and participation in activities, they can stay up to date with the current methods and practices of the program.

With the approval of the district training committee, Scouters who were fully trained under a previous basic training for their current role (and of course have completed Youth Protection Training within the past two years) may be given credit as trained if, in the opinion of the training committee, the Scouter has continued to stay up to date with the current methods and practices of the program.

These Scouters would be eligible to wear the Trained emblem, be considered trained in the unit Journey to Excellence, and would meet the training criteria of the various training awards for their position. Entering the qualifying training courses and proper dates taken into the Scouters record in ScoutNET will also mark them as trained. ( all emphasi are mine)

It is the desire of the National Training Committee that leaders take the current training to be sure that they have the up-to-date information related to their role. While there may be a challenge getting tenured leaders to take the time to take a new course, in most cases these leaders can be excellent resources for the training committee to help put on Specifics or an outdoor skills course. As an instructor they should be given credit for completion of the course.

We can never be fully trained. There is always something to be learned, so we urge you to take advantage of training opportunities whenever they are available.

 

Mark Griffin | Team Leader | Volunteer Training

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

Council Operations/Program Impact

[Jay K]

Thanks Mark, and thanks for being there for me.

 

[SaintCad]

Thanks Eagle92 for the update but I do have one question and it is not a knock on you but rather National having such a decentralized way of communicating important information. The question is how current is your information and did it come before or after my information? The reason I question it is that your quote mentions "This is Scouting" as a requirement which has been specifically taken out as of 2012 as a training requirement (it is now only recommended). The list I pulled off scouting.org confirms that This is Scouting is not required.

[Eagle92]

St.C,

 

Good question. Here is the official website with Training Updates, and as you can see, this was just put in place this week. The Updates were once monthly, but pro and volunteer changes, it's now either bi-monthly or quarterly.

 

As to why FB, believe it or not there was a lot of negative feedback on the topic when it was announced. See some threads here and on other sites. Someone mentioned that the training folks have a FB page, and I joined. Very much coincidence.