Wood Badge

What is Wood Badge?

Wood Badge is the advanced leadership training in the BSA Training Continuum. It is for registered adults in all areas of Scouting: Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturing, Commissioners, District, and Council. The only requirements are basic training for your registered position and the desire to learn and have fun.

The course is designed to help you become the best leader you can be — at home, at church, in your community, at work, and, of course, in Scouting. You will gain skills you can use your entire life. We expect the best from our Scouts and they have the right to expect the same from us. Your Scouts need your help now to become the leaders of tomorrow. Wood Badge is a great way to ensure that you are ready to show them the way.

Why Take Wood Badge? 

Wood Badge is designed primarily to further the training of adult leaders in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).  By continuing the training of these adult leaders, Wood Badge enhances the overall program offered to the youth members in the BSA and facilitates BSA’s goals of youth leadership development.  Participants learn techniques that make them better leaders, and they learn how to lead groups to achieve objectives.  

Who Should Attend?

Wood Badge is high-powered leadership training for adult leaders in all of Boy Scouting’s programs – Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Venturing, and Sea Scouting – as well as Council and District leaders.  This includes all assistants and committee members.

There are no minimum tenure requirements.  In fact, leaders are encouraged to attend Wood Badge as early in their Scouting careers as they can, preferably within two years of becoming involved.  But long-time Scouters will benefit equally.

Participants must have completed the basic training requirements for their Scouting position. Click here to get additional information on what the basic requirements are.

Spots are very limited. Only 48 of the W.D. Boyce Council’s 4,500+ Scout leaders can be accommodated.

Staffing Opportunities

Think you have what it takes to make a great Wood Badge staffer? Let us know by filling out our Staff Interest Survey. (Coming soon)

Course directors will review surveys as they are developing their staff. Each director strives to make their staff as diverse as possible, so don’t be upset if you are not selected for the next course – you may be a perfect fit for a future one. Surveys will be held over for future course directors to evaluate. If you have updated information you would like to share with us, please fill out a new survey.

Interested in being a future course director? In addition to the above requirements, and a few others, Wood Badge Course directors must have served on the staff of a Wood Badge course as a troop guide as well as in at least one additional required Wood Badge staff position or in an adult NYLT staff position. The Council Training Chair and Wood Badge Coordinator recommend a Wood Badge Course Director for approval by the Scout Executive.

Download and fill out the Course Director Application if you are interested.