TRAINING INVENTORY TIME!
The Centennial Quality Award requires units to complete an inventory of adult training, and working towards getting all leaders properly trained. To get that started, I have completed a training inventory for all of the units in the Wright Brothers District, from both “official” sources in Scout.NET (thanks Marilyn!) and also from other sources. Please contact me at jclinch@woh.rr.com to get a copy of my records for your unit
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The second step in developing an inventory is correcting my records! My information may not be completely accurate. Council sometimes doesn’t get all training logged in correctly, and I don’t have information on every training course that has been offered. If you or members of your unit have taken training that isn’t logged in on my records, please let me know who took the training, what training they took, and what date you took the training.
Once that is done, I will update my records and forward the updated information to the council, so that we can get your “official” records updated as well.
TRAINING SCHEDULE
The Miami Valley Council has now published an electronic calendar, and all training events (no matter who sponsors them) can be found there. You can also find all training events linked from the council training page at www.mvcbsa.com/training. That page also has summary sheets for what training you need, links to online training, and copies of all “square knot” adult Scouting awards.
SCHEDULE YOUR OWN TRAINING!
If you or your unit needs training, and the Council training courses on the official training schedule are not good dates, or your new leaders don't like traveling to North Dayton, contact Mike Clinch to schedule a course closer to home. I can be reached at 256-4595, or at jclinch@woh.rr.com. Courses offered include:
. New Leader Essentials (3 hour course)
. Cub Scout Leader Specific Training (3 hour course)
. Troop Committee Challenge (3 hour course)
. Scoutmaster Indoor Training (three 3-hour courses, or one all day course)
Before you call, please try to get a fair number of people who all need the training, and come up with several possible dates. Please also schedule the training well in advance, because it takes time to set up the course, and to advertise it, so that other people who also need the training can also attend the
NEW CUB LEADER SPECIFIC TRAINING
Cub leader Specific training has been updated! The new course will be taught at the Council-level training session on October 28th at the Scheiwetz Training Center, and in all future courses. The new course consists of three modules. It starts with an introductory session called “This Is Cub Scouting” that provides some general information about the program, and then follows with an informational section called “How We Have Fun” that describes pack organization, planning, budgets, parent involvement and resources needed by all Cub Scout leaders. The third session features specific information needed for your specific role in a Cub Scout pack. One great feature about this modular system is that from now on, you’ll only have to take the complete training once. Later, if you change positions in a Cub Scout pack, you’ll just have to take the new module that deals with your specific position. Of course, if you’d like to repeat the first two modules, or you’re bringing an untrained friend to the training, we’d be happy to see you there.
MYSCOUTING Account Information
There’s a wealth of training available online at the National Web page. National, the Council and I would all like to keep track of the training you have taken. To get official credit, you'll need to go to the "MYSCOUTING" link from the national BSA web page, www.scouting.org. The link is the "MYSCOUTING" on the tan menu bar. Once there, you'll have to create an account, using your name, e-mail address, council name or number, and your Scouting registration number.
Oh - you don't know your registration number? Well, here are three ways to find it?
1) Look on the BSA ID card you got when your unit re-registered last March. The number appears on the bottom of the card. That's the easiest way to find you number and get started in training.
So what happens if your Pack Committee Chair didn't give you a card, or if you joined the pack or troop after your unit last re-registered?
2) Here's a second way to find you ID number - it's on the label for your Scouting magazine. Your magazine is personalized for you, depending on whether you are a Cub Scout, Boy Scout or Venturing leader, and also by your registered position. The label is printed on the magazine, not glued on, and the easiest way for the BSA to keep track of you is with your ID number. It shows up on the second line of the label.
If you've been registered as a Scout or Scouter for a while, you have a seven-digit ID number, starting with a 36 or a 37. Here's my label from a recent Scouting magazine, with a simulated ID number in red:
3BXBFCFX ****************** CAR-RT LOT**C-008
#0000036234560#444S 0320SMAR085 07 1149
ID# Council Unit
JOHN M CLINCH
1224 EPWORTH AVE
DAYTON OH 45410-2614
If you registered more recently, you'll have a nine-digit ID number, starting with a one. An example is shown below, with the registration number in red:
3BXBFCFX ****************** CAR-RT LOT**C-008
#0000123456789#444S 0248SMAR085 07 1149
ID # Council Unit
3) If you don't have an ID card, and you can't fond your Scouting magazine, or haven't gotten one yet, call up the Scout office at 278-4825 and ask for Elaine Baker, the registrar for all Scouting volunteers. She can look up your ID number and give it to you over the phone.
Once you've set up an account, you can log in and take a wide variety of courses online. Every Scout leader should take the Youth Protection course as soon as possible, and retake it every other year (or more often). There are different Fast Start courses for Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Venturing leaders, as well as the Boy Scout troop Committee Challenge. There are courses on Safety Afloat and Safe Swim Defense. There is even a course on staffing the District Committees.
There are other things that you will be able to do with your "MYSCOUTING" account. You'll be able to recharter online, and eventually submit advancement reports electronically. Eventually, you'll be able to submit tour permits online as well. So while the weather is cold and the evenings are dark, why not curl up next to a warm laptop, create an account for yourself, and get yourself better trained for those warm spring and summer camping trips to come.