Safety First, Always

Training

Scouting has some of the most rigorous safety measures in place for any youth-serving organization. Every adult who camps with youth is screened and trained.

For Adults

Adult Volunteers

Mandatory training and safety/compliance

There are four training and compliance tasks that are required of any adult volunteer that plans to:

Contact the Scout office if you need to complete any of the above. They will guide you through the steps and save you time.

ALL parents are encouraged to take Safeguarding Youth Training every year.

Here’s what’s involved:

Scouting America adult registration – must be current (annual)

Safeguarding Youth Training – must be current (annual) – find on your my.scouting.org account; create an account if you don’t have one

California Mandated Reporter training (done once – talk with the Scout office)

LiveScan Fingerprinting (done once, at the Scout office, even if you’ve done this for another org)

Required training for campouts

Cub Scouts

Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO)

At least one adult must be BALOO-trained at a Cub Scout campout. BALOO is an in-person, one-and-a-half day training. Contact the Scout office to find out about upcoming opportunities.

Scouts BSA

Introduction to Outdoor Leadership Skills (IOLS)

At least one adult must be IOLS-trained at a Scouts BSA campout. IOLS is an in-person, one-and-a-half day training. Contact the Scout office to find out about upcoming opportunities.

Grow as a Leader

Elective training

Scouting America and the Piedmont Council offer an array of training resources to support adult volunteers and set them up for success. Monthly Roundtables, online, and in-person training teach how to make Scouting more fun, effective, and rewarding for youth and adults.

Leadership training is one of the attributes that sets Scouting apart from the other youth activities. Trained leaders positively impact the quality of programs, leader tenure, youth membership retention, safety, and much more. From online position-based training to the iconic Wood Badge, these courses help you enable youth to have the best possible Scouting experience.

Set up your account on my.scouting.org to see all trainings offered online, register, and take courses.

For Youth

Leadership Training for Older Youth

While youth training is primarily troop- or unit-based, we also take advantage of these two impactful national leadership training programs:

Online Training

Den Chief Training

A Den Chief is a Scout or Venturer who assists a Cub Scout den. It’s a great opportunity for youth to gain leadership experience. The online course teaches youth how to help support and guide activities with a Cub Scout den, pack or day camp. Interested Scouts should speak with their unit leaders about becoming a Den Chief.

In-Person Training

National Youth Leader Training (NYLT)

NYLT is an action-packed, in-person, six-day training program run by Scouting America that teaches leadership skills to youth in troops, crews, and ships. Youth must be at least 13 years old, hold the rank of First Class or higher (Scouts BSA), or be a member of a Venturing Crew. A recommendation from their unit leader is required.