Wood Badge is the ultimate personal, professional, and scouting growth training program offered by the Scouting movement. Wood Badge is not just about learning leadership skills, it is about knowing, utilizing, and teaching those skills that make great and effective leaders. It is a comprehensive training course started by Robert S. Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts, to help leaders hone their skills, extend their understanding of the youth they lead and the adults they work with, and to go to new levels of personal growth and learning as Scouters.

The Wood Badge program which includes two phases. The first is a leadership training course, typically conducted over two weekends. In the second phase, participants make a set of commitments, or "ticket", to put the skills taught during the training into practice. Upon completion of these commitments, which may take up to 18 months, Wood Badge beads are awarded.

More information on the history of Wood Badge is available on the BSA Wood Badge page .

Who can take Wood Badge? The requirements are to have taken New Leader Essentials and the Leader Specific training for your particular program in Scouting, and is meant for Boy Scout, Cub Scout, Varsity and Venture Crew Leaders. These prerequisite trainings are available multiple times each year - contact the North Shore Training Committee for information on current course schedules or check the North Shore District Calendar (select the appropriate training category from the pulldown menu).

Who Should Take Wood Badge? Any leader wishing to: 1) learn new or enhance existing leadership skills with specific application for the scouting program, 2) meet great fellow volunteers from all over the council who share your passion for Scouting, and 3) reaffirm a commitment to providing the best possible Scouting experience for the youth in our district.  Your unit will be appreciative of this investment you have made in your leadership, and you will proudly wear the beads you will earn that symbolize this achievement.

For more information and to apply for the Capitol Area Council's upcoming fall course, please visit the council Wood Badge information page.