Parent Guide: Getting Involved
Adult Training. Don’t feel that you can’t participate because you don’t know how Scouting works, or you weren’t a Scout yourself. There are numerous training opportunities offered at nominal cost by the Council, to give you the skills you need.
Youth Protection Guidelines (YPG): A 60-minute online video course that covers how to spot such things as child abuse and how to report it within the BSA organization. At least one adult who is listed on a trek tour permit must have this training. YPG training is recommended for every adult in Scouting and is good for two years.
New Leader Essentials: New Leader Essentials is the initial training for adult leaders. In this 90-minute course, leaders learn about the objectives of the Scouting program and the methods that are used to achieve these objectives. Leaders also gain a basic understanding of youth development, as well as how Scouting is organized and financed, policies related to the program, and resources to help leaders succeed. A Scout leader needs to attend New Leader Essentials only once.
Leader Specific Training: This training is broken into position specific segments. There is a session for Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmasters, one for Committee members, and one for Venture Leaders.
Intro to Outdoor Leader Skills: Teaches basic outdoor skills and safety issues to adults. This is a weekend camping experience. Depending on the position, completion of the courses in the table below allows an adult leader to wear the Trained patch on the left sleeve of their uniform.
With the natural turnover of boys as they progress through the program, the Troop is always in need of fresh adult leadership to replace the loss of experienced leaders. The Troop Committee and Assistant Scoutmasters are the primary ways of helping out within the Troop.
The Troop Committee and Scoutmaster Powwow meet in alternating months on a Wednesday. The Troop Committee meetings are held to discuss and make troop management decisions. The Powwow meetings are held to plan upcoming treks. Please check the troop calendar to find the next meeting and sit in to find out what’s going on in the troop.
We also welcome parents who would like to help organize a specific activity. For example, coordinating Popcorn Sales or Scout Fair fundraisers, being the adult leader for a service project, being an adult leader of a trek, organizing a special activity that matches an interest of yours, or assisting with a Court of Honor.
Committee Positions – Here is a list of committee coordinator positions, but be creative! Some committee members wear several hats and the Committee can always use more help.
Advanced Adult Leader: Training Adults who wish to lead boys in High Adventure activities can complete an additional series of courses that focus on how to provide safe leadership.
High Adventure Leader Trek Training (HALTT): Teaches the skills and provides resources for adults to lead a backpacking outing. In order to earn one of the many patches available for High Adventure treks, at least one HALTT trained adult must be on the trek. This course consists of an evening session, a day-long Saturday session and a weekend session. The Troop needs more HALTT trained adults to help lead treks!
Water Trek Leader Training: Teaches the skills and provides resources for adults to lead on the water outings, such as a canoe or kayak trips. This course shares the initial segments with HALTT (can be skipped if you have previously completed HALTT) and then focuses on a weekend of training with canoes.
First Aid/CPR: many of our High Adventure treks also require that at least one adult be trained with a Red Cross approved first aid and CPR program. The Troop tries to offer this course once per year for a nominal fee.
HALTT Specialist Training: These are advanced classes available to HALTT certified leaders to extend their knowledge in areas such as desert backpacking, equipment making, snow camping, rock climbing, and water treks (canoeing, kayaking, etc.) The Troop needs adults to take these courses so that we can deliver a safe Scouting experience for our sons.
Please consider becoming an active Scouter at any level you can and welcome again to Troop 777!