Wood Badge Training

Leader training for Section Leaders and Assistant Section Leaders, but which is optional for Section Assistants. For information about all other Wood Badge roles, please see the information on Manager & Supporter training.

A Wood Badge is the recognition that a leader or manager has completed the required training for their role. A Training Adviser (TA) can validate your competence in each of the required areas based on evidence from previous experience or activities in Scouting, or advise on what additional learning you may need in order to complete the validations.

As an adult volunteer you have options around what leadership appointment you want to have, with how much training, and how that training can be completed. This should be discussed with you line manager, TA or the local training manager.

The Scout Association has an Adult’s Personal File for Section Leaders, along with other related files. Each module of the adult training scheme has a number of learning methods – full details are available here.

Agreeing a Personal Learning Plan

Before your appointment is confirmed as full, you will work with a TA to define a plan that allows you to achieve the Wood Badge taking into account your past experiences in Scouting, your job, or other voluntary work you have done. This will lay out:

• what modules you can validate and how with reference to your current knowledge;
• what courses, e-learning or workbooks you may need to do to enable you to complete the validation for the Wood Badge.

Learning by courses

Greater London South East Scouts (GLSE), of which Bexley District is a part, run the wood badge training modules twice a year over 2 weekends plus a day for the odd courses. Modules run on a Saturday in the first half of the year are run on a Sunday in the second and vice a versa Details of the dates are shown here. We run 3 or 4 modules each day and you may choose to attend as many of them as you require from one to all four and either or both days although it is preferable to complete all of the modules over one weekend if possible.

Within London Region of The Scout Association we have agreed that members from other regions may attend our training and we theirs. Therefore, if the dates that we are running modules do not suit you you are welcome to look at our sister regions to see if their dates are of use to you. You will find that some of the other regions also carry out some modules in the evening which may better suit you.

Training is free at the point of delivery from GLSE although you may be asked to either contribute towards food or bring a packed lunch. It is also free in our sister regions but they may have other charges which would be your responsibility.

What can I expect?

A non-residential course over the weekends. Our experienced and friendly team of trainers and facilitators will give you the learning you need to validate all the modules in a fun, interactive environment. You will meet lots of other leaders from all Sections to share ideas and build your Scouting network. By attending the whole course, you cover all the modules and can then validate your learning working with your TA.

Modular courses are more suitable if you only need learning for a few modules, especially if you have a lot of previous relevant experience, or if you cannot attend the weekend training sessions.

Click here for modules that can be completed online or through self-study workbooks. These allow you to study at your own pace at a time convenient to you.

Validating your learning

Validation is the documentation of your competence in each of the modules by a TA, based on evidence from previous experience or activities in Scouting. Your TA will answer your questions and advise what you need to do to validate modules. If you don’t have a TA, please ask your Group Lead Volunteer or line manager to make sure you have one.

What can I expect?

• Help and support from your TA to choose the modules appropriate for your role and in validating them;
• a module can be validated by evidence of your relevant prior experience – for example at work or from another organisation with the exception of the getting Started modules;
• a module can be validated by agreeing with your TA activities you will complete as part of your normal Scouting role and a report back;
• learning on courses is not necessary for any module if you can demonstrate your prior knowledge and ability to validate the module without it;
• while it’s best to keep in touch with your own TA, if needed any TA can validate any module.

How can I provide evidence for validation?

• Discussion with your TA, in person or by ‘phone/Skype or similar;
• a report from an observer, who holds a wood badge, about an activity you completed – this can be written, e-mail, or verbal;
• paperwork such as programme plans, letters to parents, instructions for activities, risk assessments, notes from activities or meetings, etc;
• photographs or videos of a validation activity;
• obtaining a qualification, such as a relevant First Aid certificate or Nights Away permit;
• completing a questionnaire;
• a visit from a TA to see you carrying out an activity;
• presentations to adults or young people in Scouting.

If you have any questions about validation please contact your TA, Local Training Manager, or Administrator or the County Training Manager at training@glsescouts.org.uk.

Each module of your Personal Learning Plan needs to be validated, even if you are using your prior experience without additional learning. The validation requirements for each module are detailed in the Adult’s Personal File for Section Team Leaders & Members.

Your TA will work with you to help you meet these validation requirements.

Your contact details, appointments and Personal Learning Plan will be saved on your profile on Compass.

• Registering and logging into your Compass account
• Managing your Compass profile and preferences
• Viewing your training record