1/22/2012

Wood Badge - Back to Gilwell (again)

This summer, my wife and I are going to be staffing Wood Badge course 591-12-5!  Pollyanna will be a New Troop Guide and I'll be the Quartermaster.  We're both pretty excited.  

Going through the materials reminded me that I set some Wood Badge-like goals last year and I thought I'd better revisit them:
  • Complete "Bachelor of Commissioner Science" - I achieved this goal.  I'm now working on my MCS, and serving as registrar for a Commissioner College next month.  I have to admit, I'd forgotten about the goal, and accomplished it in spite of my lack of focus.  
  • Engage ADCs and Unit Commissioners - I blew this one.  After posting the goal, I managed to forget all about it.  Without keeping my eye on the ball, I didn't make any blog posts or send any newsletters.  I'm going to try again though - albeit with a different, but related, goal. 

Obviously, I needed a good troop guide to keep me straight.

This year I'm going to work on three goals related to my role as District Commissioner:
  • I will visit (and record in UVTS) at least three units/month at least ten months in 2012.
  • In 2012 I will try to encourage/support the unit commissioners in my district by holding at least three Basic Training for Comissioners courses.
  • I will invite the Unit Commissioners in my district to all of the Commissioner Colleges run in our council during 2012.  I'll especially focus on those who have not been trained.

It looks like Wood Badge ticket ideas are a big search term for folks landing here, so I thought I'd share some ideas that have been on my mind lately (note, these are not full-on goals, just ideas): 

For Commissioners - work with council to organize and index Commissioners College theses and get them online.
For Commissioners - work on staff at a Commissioners College or Commissioners Conference
For Commissioners - help plan and staff a basic training course for commissioners
For Commissioners - invite assigned units to attend roundtable and support their efforts 
For Scout Leaders - improve your own roundtable attendance
For Scout Leaders - invite other leaders in your own or nearby units to attend roundtable and support their efforts
For Scout Leaders - get involved in roundtable staff
For Scout Leaders - invite your unit commissioner to meetings and/or activities
For CORs - get involved in the District Committee
For CORs - help plan and staff a District Event