Wood Badge Chief Seattle Council Boy Scouts of America Scout Leader Training for Real Life

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This page tells you when and where our Wood Badge courses are, and gives you some information to help you decide whether you should participate. Other pages on this site have more information related to Wood Badge, and they are linked at the top of the page. The when-and-where information and a short comment on why to go are first things below. Information for people who already signed up is here in participants.htm. Here is what else is on this page:

Who is eligible to attend?
What is Wood Badge?
What does it cost?
Financial Aid
Being on staff

Why Go To Wood Badge?

The purpose of Wood Badge is to develop skilled leaders who can strengthen Scouting units in achieving the mission of the Boy Scouts of America.
The Mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

You go to Wood Badge to improve your leadership of small groups, and your understanding of how teams develop. The heart of Wood Badge is small group leadership. It is great fun too. This training is not only for Scouting. It also helps people at work, in church and other groups, and in families.

Who Is Eligible To Attend Wood Badge?

You may attend Wood Badge if you are registered as an adult in Boy Scouts of America, trained for your position, and medically able to handle the program. (Scouters who attended an earlier version of Wood Badge are welcome to come again, with the understanding that you will participate fully and work your ticket. Talk with a course director about the special requirements for you.) Here are some more details:

Tenure

You do not have to have been a Scout leader for any minimum number of years.

Trained

If you are eligible to wear a "trained" patch, that meets this requirement. That means outdoor skills are required for Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmasters, and Varsity coaches, but not for others. If you have questions about this, call the course director.

Medical

The course includes some walking around the camp. The second half of the course involves camping out, but it is in the camp, not hiking into the wilderness. If you are medically unable to do it (or it would be unwise), talk to a course director. ALL participants must turn in the BSA "Medical and Health Record" form, which is available online at http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34605_Letter.pdf. 

What is Wood Badge?

Wood Badge is advanced leadership training for adult leaders. It teaches skills that are useful in Scouting, at work, in families, and elsewhere.

The program is for Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, and Venturing leaders, as well as council and district leaders.

The five central themes of Wood Badge

Living the values

• Values, Mission, and Vision

Bringing the Vision to Life

• Listening to Learn
• Communicating
• Inclusiveness
• Valuing People and Leveraging Diversity
• Coaching and Mentoring

Models for Success

• Stages of Team Development
• The Leading EDGE / The Teaching EDGE

Tools of the Trade

• Project Planning
• Leading Change
• Decision Making and Problem Solving
• Managing Conflict
• Self-Assessment

Leading to Make a Difference

• Leaving a Legacy

Wood Badge Elsewhere

In case you cannot attend the Chief Seattle Wood Badge course, we have a list of coming courses in neighboring councils, and we will add to that as we learn of more courses that have been approved. We also know of a few courses for 2010.

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What Does It Cost?

The fee for the course is $225. You pay at least $75 deposit when you register, and that is usually not refundable. The balance needs to be paid 60 days before your course starts, or earlier.

The fee includes all meals during course, a place to sleep in the camp (tent or Adirondack), all the training, handouts, and such. It does not include the uniforms you will want, items at the Trading Post, etc.

Financial Aid

There is financial aid available for attending Wood Badge. Talk to a course director. Also, VFW and AFL-CIO offer scholarship aid; the forms are at the links, and the deadline to apply each year is March 31. 

Staffing

We have some information about being on Wood Badge staff. We also have information on the "Course Director Conference" for all course staff.