Scouting University

[Xtreme 10]

Hello everyone. I was just wondering if anyone has ever went to Scouting University, which is a day of classes that offer training events for adults. It is being offered through our council, and I wasn't sure if other councils do it as well. If so, what was your experience like? Did you learn from the classes? Thanks in advance for the thoughts.

[AnaMaria 10]

I LOVE University of Scouting. I've been able to learn things applicable to my role in scouting as well as my general interests. (Last year I went to a knot tying class to learn how to tie a monkey's fist. I couldn't seem to follow the directions in a book well enough on my own. That's not something I'm likely to teach to an 8 year old in cubs, but very satisfying.)

 

Ours also has a "midway" with vendor booths which had some great resources.

 

Ours also has a CD available with the handouts and the outdoor cooking class I went to had a CD full of public domain recipes.

 

I say go (and take a friend) - take a mix of what you think you need and what grabs your interest.

[emb021 16]

MANY council have a "Scouting University".

 

However, they vary greatly.

 

Some are just all day events, some are weekend events.

 

Some council just use it as a forum to provide basic training, some offer national supplemental training, others go further and organize more original training. And so go even further to organize a degree program to encourage participants to come back and take further courses.

 

But however your council does it, you'll probably get something out of it.

 

[click23 66]

Our district held one a couple of weeks ago for training. Weld held training sessions from 9 am to 3 pm, and had pretty good turn out. The official training that we offered was cub leader, scoutmaster and venturing specific training and training the chartered organization representative. We also offered several original class: pack and troop Alliances, cub awards and ceremonies, planning events (cub), the cub outdoor programs, using commissioners, how to train youth leaders (boy scout) putting FUN in the program (boy scout), and selling the sizzle of summer camp.

 

This is the first time that we have done this in our district and it went great. The leader enjoyed the training, especially some of the original courses. Us on the district training staff have already penciled in the last Saturday in September next year for another training day. The specific leader training will stay the same next year, but we will have some different original training courses.(This message has been edited by click23)

[GKlose 24]

I attended our council's first U. of Scouting event this last spring. The next one is scheduled for January, and I am very excited about it.

 

My first one was great...I had been through no other training at that point, and attended sessions on annual troop planning, patrol method, youth leadership training, outdoor leadership skills (basically just an outline of what is taught in the regular weekend course; it was the weakest session I attended), and two sessions on Webelos-to-Scout transition (one from the den point of view, and one from the troop point of view).

 

There was also a "midway" of vendors, and that was interesting too. Lots of program ideas, and I've heard this next time around that area will be greatly expanded.

 

For $20, lunch provided, I think it was great value.

 

Guy

[Gunny2862 11]

Our is also a one day event and caters to the new Scout leader who may not have experience (insert Scouting activity i.e. backpacking) and needs some borrowed experience with what is/isn't allowed, what does/doesn't work well locally. And lots of other classes on other various topics i.e., how the Life to Eagle paperwork flows.

 

Single block classes are the rule lasting about an hour per but upcoming NLE etc. sessions are usually heavily publicized.

 

At $20/$25 ours is an excellent value for new leaders(for at least 4-5 years worth of sessions based on the one I have attended), especially those who don't have a youth Scouting Career to draw on.