D76 Merit Badge Counselor Training. Shawnee District Shenandoah Area Council

Transcription

1 D76 Merit Badge Counselor Training Shawnee District Shenandoah Area Council

2 Training Objectives 1. State the purpose of the merit badge program for Scouts 2. Explain the role of the merit badge counselor 3. List some methods of counseling and coaching 4. Use the buddy system for counseling

3 Merit Badge Counseling: Overview

4 Requirements to be a Counselor Register annually with the Boy Scouts of America Have current BSA Youth Protection Training Be at least 18 years old Be of good character Be proficient in the merit badge subject by vocation, avocation, or special training Be able to work with Scout-age youth Be approved by the district/council advancement committee

5 Registration Process To register with the Boy Scouts of America, a potential merit badge counselor must complete the BSA s Adult Application form and submit it along with the BSA Merit Badge Counselor Information form to the BSA local council office Renewal of this registration annually is necessary to continue as a merit badge counselor

6 Youth Protection Merit badge counselors must receive BSA Youth Protection Training During any sessions with the Scout, he must have a buddy, which may be another scout, family member or friend No one-on-one contact is permitted Youth Protection training is available online at: My.Scouting.Org

7 Tips A merit badge counselor can counsel any Scout, including his own son although this is discouraged in order to offer a Scout the chance to meet a diverse group of outstanding adults A counselor may be certified in unlimited merit badge subjects, but he or she must be approved for each one There is no limit on the number of merit badges that a counselor may counsel with one Scout However, the Scout will benefit the most from working with a variety of outstanding adults A Scout s work prior to officially starting a merit badge may be used, subject to the review of the counselor

8 Tips A merit badge counselor may limit his or her services to one unit but still must be approved by the council advancement committee Group instruction and orientation are encouraged where special facilities and expert personnel make this most practical or when Scouts are dependent on a few counselors for assistance. However, this group experience should include individual attention to each candidate s projects and his ability to fulfill all requirements There is no time limit for completion of merit badges, but all work on merit badges must be completed before the Scout s 18th birthday

9 Paperwork: The Blue Card Have the scout fill out their portion of the blue card and hand to you before the second meeting Counselor fills out their portion and keeps until all requirements are completed Have advancement chair complete their portion of the blue card. When card is completely filled out: Separate the three sections The advancement chair keeps the first section The boy scout keeps the second section The counselor keeps the third section

10 The Blue Card: Overview Filled out by the Boy Scout Filled out by the Counselor Filled out by the Advancement Chair

11 The Blue Card: Overview Filled out by the Boy Scout Filled out by the Counselor Filled out by the Advancement Chair

12 Merit Badge Program in Scouting: Purpose

13 Merit Badge Program: Purpose Electronics Business Oceanography Space Exploration The merit badge program is one of Scouting s basic character developing tools Earning merit badges gives boys the kind of self-confidence that comes only from overcoming difficult obstacles to achieve a goal Through the merit badge program, boys learn career skills that might help them choose their lifework Some merit badges help boys develop physical fitness and provide hobbies that give a lifetime of healthful recreation

14 Merit Badge Program: Purpose Working with a merit badge counselor gives Scouts contact ith an adult with whom they might not be acquainted This is a valuable experience The Scouts could be shy and fearful in this new situation, so the counselor must see that the counseling session is relaxed, informal, and friendly

15 Merit Badge Counselor: Role

16 What is a Merit Badge Counselor The merit badge counselor s role is to bring about learning on the part of the Boy Scout As a coach, the counselor advises the Scout concerning steps he should take to fulfill the requirements for the merit badge As a counselor, he evaluates the Scout s performance and determines whether or not the Scout has met the prescribed objectives in the requirements

17 The Role of the Counselor The merit badge counselor may help a Scout by providing instruction and guidance on the subject matter. However, the counselor must not complete the Scout s work on the requirements. The counselor needs to test the Scout to ensure that he has completed all the required work but may not modify the merit badge requirements in the process. This standard ensures that the advancement requirements are fair and uniform for all Scouts.

18 A Counselor 1. Interviews the Scout with a buddy present to determine a. His preparedness b. The amount of knowledge he already has in the subject c. His interest in the subject 2. Encourages the Scout as he sets shortterm and long-term goals 3. Follows up with the Scout on his goals projects, collections, written work 4. Helps the Scout evaluate his progress 5. Encourages the Scout to ask for any help he needs to gain more knowledge or skill in the subject

19 A Coach 1. Teaches the Scout the skills required 2. Gives the Scout an opportunity to practice the skills under his or her guidance 3. Takes a genuine interest in the projects and encourages completion

20 Merit Badge Pamphlets and Resources

21 Merit Badge Pamphlets Pamphlets Provide information and background on merit badge topic Contain the requirements to earn the merit badge Available: May be purchased by the Scout Many troops have them in their libraries Available for order online Hardcopy or Interactive-Digital

22 Merit Badge Worksheets Merit Badge Workbooks (worksheets) are not required but are tools that can help Scouts organize notes, listen actively, and document their work. These worksheets are used by Summer Camps, Merit Badge Events, and individual Scouts. See Merit Badges for more details on earning a Merit Badge. Workbooks allow Merit Badge Counselors to offer group instruction but still "...test the Scout individually"

23 Earning the Merit Badge

24 Step-1: Scout s Interest The Scout indicates his interest in a merit badge to his Scoutmaster, who gives him An interview to determine interest, enthusiasm, preparedness A signed Application for Merit Badge The name and phone number of the council/district approved counselor Encouragement to wear the official uniform when he visits the counselor with a buddy

25 Step-2: Meeting with Counselor The Scout calls the merit badge counselor and makes an appointment. The merit badge counselor sets the date and time for the Scout and his buddy and suggests the Scout bring the following: Merit badge pamphlet & application Any projects he may have started Any other indication of preparedness At the first interview, the merit badge counselor and the Scout decide upon Projects Short-term and long-term goals with dates of completion in mind Dates and times for future sessions

26 Step-3: Working on Merit Badge The number of counseling sessions depends on the difficulty of the subject and the preparation and ability of the Scout. The Scout is counseled with a buddy present. The Scout is always tested individually but with a buddy present, and as each requirement is completed the counselor marks it on the application. The Scout is expected to meet the requirements as stated no more and no less. The merit badge counselor assists the Scout to meet the requirements and certifies when he has completed them.

27 Step-4: Teach as Necessary When reviewing the requirements with a Scout or testing him, the merit badge counselor may find that the boy needs help in learning a particular skill. One of the responsibilities of a merit badge counselor is to teach the Scout the skills required. The most effective way to teach a skill is to get the Scout to practice while learning.

28 Step-5: Meeting Requirements as written Before the merit badge counselor signs the Scout s Application for Merit Badge, he must insist that the Scout do exactly what the requirements call for. If it says, show or demonstrate, that is what he must do. Just telling isn t enough. The same things hold true for words such as make, list, in the field, and collect, identify, and label.

29 Step-6: Do Not Exceed Requirements On the other hand, you cannot require more of a Scout than stated. You must not, for example, say, I want to be sure you really know your stuff, so instead of the 20 items you need for your collection, you must have 30 to get my signature. It is, of course, acceptable for a Scout on his own initiative to do more than the requirement calls for.

30 Verification Code