Thank you for your interest in the Wood Badge. The information about Wood Badge is presented in three sections: Wood Badge Overview, The Five Central Themes of Wood Badge, and The Objectives of Wood Badge. We encourage you to take your time and review all three sections.

21^st Century Wood Badge is the premier adult leadership development course for the Boy Scouts of America. Wood Badge teaches contemporary leadership and team-building skills in a comfortable outdoor setting, where learners become members of their unit. Wood Badge is open to all adult Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity, and Venturing leaders, district volunteers, and council volunteers, who have completed Basic Training for their position in Scouting. Wood Badge as an effective leadership development experience has been applauded by industry training professionals. Its positive influence on graduates is unparalleled in Scouting.

Wood Badge is, first and foremost, learning by doing. Incorporating leadership concepts that are used in corporate America, the course teaches participants the basics of listening, communicating, valuing people, team development, situational leadership, problem solving, and managing conflict. Once the skill is learned, each participant is given the opportunity to use the skill as a member of a successful working team. At the conclusion of the course, each participant develops a set of personal goals related to his or her Scouting role. Working toward these goals allows each participant to practice and demonstrate new skills.

Participants in the course are formed first into a Pack, bridge over into a Troop, and finally are inducted into a Venturing Crew, in the same manner as would a young person moving up through the Scouting program. The first part Wood Badge course reflects unit meetings, while the second part of the course uses a troop camping activity as its delivery model.

The Wood Badge syllabus was fully revised by nationally recognized training professionals and volunteers in 2001. A Wood Badge course utilizes state-of-the-art techniques and methodologies to improve participant's leadership skills and program delivery techniques. The syllabus continues to be updated every year. Wood Badge prepares tomorrow's leaders in Scouting to deliver the very best program possible to their youth. The courses now involves a one-day pre-course meeting, and two three-day weekends.

The Five Central Themes of Wood Badge Wood Badge for the 21st century is based around five central themes: Living the Values Aims and methods Values, mission, and vision Bringing the Vision to Life Listening to learn Communicating Giving and receiving feedback Valuing people and leveraging diversity Coaching and mentoring Models for success Team development model Situational leadership Tools of the trade Project planning and problem solving Managing conflict Assessing team performance Managing change Celebrating team success Leading to make a difference Leaving a legacy Learning the greatest leadership secret The Objectives of Wood Badge As a result of attending Wood Badge, participants will be able to: View Scouting globally, as a family of interrelated, values-based programs that provide age-appropriate activities for youth. Recognize the contemporary leadership concepts utilized in corporate America and leading government organizations that are relevant to our values-based movement. Apply the skills they learn from their participation as a member of a successful working team. Revitalize their commitment by sharing in an overall inspirational experience that helps provide Scouting with the leadership it needs to accomplish its mission on an ongoing basis.

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