Update on Training Awards for Adult Unit Leaders
In 2011, the National Council’s Awards Committee conducted a review of the hundreds of awards presented to Scouts and adults in the BSA. Many recommendations were made to update procedures and the awards themselves.
Among the recommendations was the update of the unit leader training awards requirements and a review of the Cub Scout leader recognition awards. These recommendations have been reviewed by the national volunteer training committee and a task force of unit-level leaders. Some awards have been eliminated and all of the requirements for the remaining awards have been updated.
The forms and requirements have been simplified. The committees do not believe that means easier. They are along the same lines and “degree of difficulty” as the previous requirements, but will be less complicated and consistent across the awards and the phases of the Scouting program.
The training awards and keys are designed to recognize unit Scouters for tenure, basic and continuing training, and successful performance in their leadership role.
The changes and other considerations:
The Cubmaster Award has been discontinued. Cubmasters may now earn the Scouter’s Key Award and may wear the Scouter’s Key knot with a Cub Scouting device.
The Cub Scouter and Pack Trainer Awards have been discontinued. Cub Scout pack leaders may earn the Scouter’s Training Award and may wear the Scouter’s Training Award knot with a Cub Scouting device.
The Tiger Cub and Webelos Den Leader’s Awards have been discontinued. All den leaders may earn a new Den Leader’s Training Award medal that is being created, and may wear the Den Leader’s Training Award knot (identical to the previous Cub Scout Den Leader Award knot) with the appropriate device. A Tiger Cub den leader device is also being developed.
Scouters who have earned the old awards will still be able to wear the old awards and knots.
Scouters who have begun to work on the Cub Scout Leader Recognition Awards will still be able to earn them as long as they are completed by the following dates:
- Tiger Cub Den Leader Award – December 31, 2012
- Webelos Den Leader Award – December 31, 2012
- Cubmaster Award – December 31, 2013
- Pack Trainer Award – December 31, 2013
- Cub Scouter Award – December 31, 2013
Cub Scouters who have not started to work on an award may only earn the new awards and must use the new requirements.
Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, and Venturing awards, knots, and devices have not been changed. Only the requirements have been updated. Leaders who have started to earn these awards may use either set of requirements, but Scouters who have not started to work on an award may only use the new requirements.
Progress record forms with the new requirements for these awards can be found at www.Scouting.org/training.
Has anyone found the new training award requirements at the link mentioned in this article?
It is nice to see that these awards are being simplified. However, neither the handout from the NAM or the website mentions which award an Assistant Den Leader, Cubmaster, or Scoutmaster is eligible to earn.
It also does not speicify if there are any changes to the district committee or commissioner awards available.
Unable to find new progress record forms on training page.
Where can I find the updated awards info., the ones deleted, changed and added ones?
Thank you,
Wanda Lilley
Hi Wanda! I found the link by accident. It is NOT marked correctly at all. But I pasted the page link here. Click the link below and scroll down page to find new awards. New Cubmaster Key, etc. Each one is very clear what it is for and who can earn it.
http://www.scouting.org/Training/Adult.aspx
Here is where you will find some of the new progress reports.
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/training/pdf/511-052_WB.pdf
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/training/pdf/511-057_WB.pdf
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/training/pdf/511-059_WB.pdf
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/training/pdf/511-060_WB.pdf
Understanding that the entire BSA program is designed for the boys and that the levels above Cub Scouts are run by the boys with guidance from others.
However, the Cub Scout program is run with recruited adults that have to commit and learn to run the program from scratch. As a Roundtable Commissioner, I use every tool to show adults leaders how to run their program – including recognition.
So, baring the heroism and religious knots, going forward the only Adult knots in all programs with be the: Trainer Knot, Scouter’s Key and Unit Leader. Correct?
http://www.scouting.org/Training/Adult.aspx
Looks like the new forms can be found here, about half way down the page.
Erika, based on the forms the Cubmaster and Scoutmaster earn the Scouter’s Key and wear the device for the position. The Asst. Den Leader earns the Scouters Training Award and would wear the cub device on it.
I think they need to extend the deadline until 2014 because if you started the “knot” this year and need two years in the position, you will not qualify until 2014.
As of today- july 25th – when one goes to the scouting forms site at scouting.org http://scouting.org/scoutsource/media/forms.aspx the forms there are the ones from 2006. Someone needs to pull them and put in the link to the new online fillable forms. Finally found them on the very bottom of the Adult Training listing. Thanks
Are certificates #34107 for Cub Scouting and #33756 for Boy Scouting still current?
Have you received an answer yet?
I have heard comments at our Round Tables from Cub Scout leaders that think having a knot with a device or pin attached is a bad idea. One of the main reasons is that the Device will get lost or out of habit throw the shirt in the wash and you now have a lost or ruined Device…
Personally, not digging it either…
Bill Affeldt – Agree that recognition can help keep good leaders committed and help them realize that their good efforts are recognized and appreciated.
On your list is the “Trainer Knot” – if you meant the Pack Trainer Award, that one is gong away. Perhaps you meant the Scouter’s Training Award. Missing from your list is the Den Leader Award.
The basic awards that cub scout leaders will earn will now be:
1. Cubmasters – the Scouter’s Key
2. Den Leaders – (they can earn it once as a tiger DL, once as a wolf or bear DL, and once as a Webelos DL – multiple earns of the same award will be indicated by multiple little gold devices pinned to it, as seen here
3. Other cub scouters (pack committee, assistant cubmaster, pack trainer, etc.) – the Scouter’s Training Award.
A “more advanced” award, if you will, is the Unit Leader’s Award of Merit, which in cub scouting would be awarded to the cubmaster only.
Add to the above four awards a few special cases:
- if the pack is in an inner-city or rural area, any of the adults who made the pack prosper could be nominated for the “Whitney M. Young, Jr. Award”
- likewise, they could be nominated for the “Vale la Pena Service Award” award if it’s a predominantly Hispanic pack
- likewise, the “Asian-American Spirity of Scouting Service Award” if it’s the pack is predominantly Asian
Hi,
Glad to see us “Go Back To The Future” on Cub Scouter Awards to c1970s!
I hold the Cubmaster’s Key; and my spouse holds the Scouter’s Training Award for Den Mother’s, c1970′s.
YIS,
Sig, Carl
As a brand new District Training Co-Chair, I am naturally being asked many questions about the new Adult Cub Scouting awards. I do have a question to which I cannot determine the answer based on any of the information that I’ve seen. First, to clarify, I understand that tenure used for one year’s Den Leader Training award cannot be used for another level of Den Leader Training.
However, can the tenure used for the Scouter’s Training Award be earned concurrently with tenure for a Den Leader Training Award? Consider small units in which leaders may wear multiple hats….. I would love an answer to this one as soon as possible!