History of 21 st Century Wood Badge

The 21 st Century Wood Badge Course – Why? In 1948 the First American Wood Badge Course was held at Schiff Scout Reservation. In 1972 we moved to the 1 st Leadership Development Wood Badge course. 21 st Century Wood Badge debuted in 2000 Why Change??????

Wood Badge the Course & Wood Badge the “Culture”  1919 First Course at Gilwell Park  1936 First Experimental US Schiff  1950’s Explorer Wood Badge  1968 Leadership Development Test  1972 Implementation of Leadership Development Course  1974 Introduction of Cub Trainer Wood Badge

Wood Badge the Course & Wood Badge the “Culture”  1990 Consideration is seriously given to eliminating Wood Badge the Course because of Wood Badge the Culture!  “Local Traditions” were added to the syllabus by Course Directors and Staff.  An elite “Wood Badge Staff Cult” was identifiable across the country.  Too much Focus was on being a Staffer. By the 80’s,Wood Badge was more than a Training Course in most Councils.

Wood Badge the Course & Wood Badge the “Culture”  In the early 90’s Course adjustments were made to the “Wood Badge material to impact the culture”  1996 National Meeting Boy Scout Division authorized development of 21 st Century Course.

From the 1996 National Task Force Meeting

Draft Time Table

A Year More Work Than Planned!  1996 Decision to end Cub Trainer WB  1998 Task Force Course Development (Boy Scout, Cub Scout, Venturing, PD)  1999 Draft Session Topics –Last Cub Scout Trainer’s Wood Badge  2000 January 1 st National Pilot – Sea Base  2000 August 2 nd National Pilot – Philmont  2001 Regional Pilot Courses  2002 National Roll Out of 21 st Century Wood Badge

Today  yr Revision aligns Wood Badge and NYLT.  2006 Minor additional NYLT Alignment  2007 “Local Traditions” Creeping back in. (Not all interfere or are problems some are and do)

Wood Badge the Course Wood Badge the Culture 2007  Wood Badge is a Training Course –Other Courses are equally Important –Youth Leadership Course should be more important!  Wood Badge Staffs are Servant Leaders –We Focus on the Participants not ourselves –We are “First Among Equals” NOT a step above those we Train.  We follow the letter and the Spirit and Intent of the Wood Badge Syllabus The History of the 21 st Century Course offers lessons for our future IF we pay attention.