Wood Badge

2025 Course Dates: April 25-27 and May 17-18

Wood Badge is the advanced leadership training for all Scouting Volunteers and Professionals involved with the Scouting America. Scouters from Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, and Exploring, as well as council and district leaders, and Scouting professionals are encouraged to attend. The course provides multiple benefits, both personal and professional, through learning sessions and hands-on, interactive individual and group activities designed to implement those lessons learned. As a participant, you will enhance your people and presentation skills while strengthening your leadership skills by leading groups to achieve your objectives.

Wood Badge incorporates the best of nearly a century of Scouting experience in addition to drawing upon the most current leadership models used by corporate America, academic circles, and successful outdoor leadership organizations throughout the country.

Skills developed from Wood Badge training will help you as a leader in Scouting and all other areas of your life as well.

What people have said about Wood Badge:

“I'm excited about completing my ticket. Wood Badge has given me tools to help make me a better leader in my troop, but also my family, work, and community.”
“I came into the program knowing nothing about Scouting, but I have definitely ‘caught the vision.’"
“Conflict Resolution has come in handy at work.”
“This was one of the best leadership programs I have ever attended. This program exceeded my expectations and will have a positive impact on all of my leadership roles."
“I wish I had attended Wood Badge earlier. This has really helped me. I will never forget this. My life is changed forever.”
“It was the best training experience I have ever attended. It is well worth all the time and expense to attend.”
“I have been in the Scouting program over 22 years, and thought I knew it all. I learned more than I knew was available.”
“I am so happy that I came to Wood Badge. Not only did I learn a lot, but I made friends that I'll remember forever. The course was both challenging, and yet rewarding. I plan on applying the lessons I've learned daily.”

The Course

The Wood Badge program is comprised of two parts: The Practical and the Implementation & Ticket. Both parts must be completed before final recognition is given.

Practical

The Practical phase is a five-day experience presented over two weekends (3-day, then 2-day). You will take part in numerous presentations, discussions, and activities that explore and advance a wide range of leadership philosophies and tools while living in a Scouting environment. This will motivate and enable you to do the best possible job in your home Scouting role.

Implementation & Ticket

To reinforce the concepts taught on the course, each participant will use his/her newly-learned leadership skills to develop goals and a plan to implement (i.e. the “ticket”) that will strengthen Scouting in their home unit, district or council. Wood Badge Tickets can focus on virtually any aspect of Scouting that you think can use some improvement.

The ticket will include the participant’s personal values, role(s) in Scouting, vision of success, and five individual goals that can be attained within 18 months. Tickets are meaningful and designed to enable participants to practice the skills learned during the Wood Badge course. A Ticket Counselor is assigned to assist participants in writing their tickets, reviewing ticket status as needed, and approving the ticket when complete.

Recognition

Recognition for the successful completion of Wood Badge (including the ticket) consists of the distinctive Wood Badge neckerchief, woggle (neckerchief slide), the Wood Badge beads, and a certificate of completion. This “Regalia” is recognized around the world as a symbol of trained leaders.

Eligibility

To attend a Wood Badge Course, Scouters must:

Be registered members of Scouting America. (There are no minimum tenure requirements.)
Have completed the basic training courses for their current registered Scouting position(s).
Have completed the outdoor skills training programs appropriate for their Scouting positions.
Have completed the Wood Badge Pre-Course Online Modues at my.scouting.org
Be capable of functioning safely in an outdoor environment.
Complete the Annual Health and Medical Record – Parts A, B & C (required for all participants).