Wood Badge is a
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...
leadership
Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets view ...
programme and the related award for
adult leaders in the programmes of
Scout associations throughout the world. Wood Badge
courses aim to make
Scouters better leaders by teaching advanced leadership skills, and by creating a
bond
Bond or bonds may refer to:
Common meanings
* Bond (finance), a type of debt security
* Bail bond, a commercial third-party guarantor of surety bonds in the United States
* Chemical bond, the attraction of atoms, ions or molecules to form chemical ...
and
commitment to the Scout movement. Courses generally have a combined classroom and practical
outdoors
Outdoor(s) may refer to:
*Wilderness
*Natural environment
*Outdoor cooking
*Outdoor education
*Outdoor equipment
*Outdoor fitness
*Outdoor literature
*Outdoor recreation
*Outdoor Channel, an American pay television channel focused on the outdoors
...
-based phase followed by a Wood Badge ''ticket'', also known as the
project
A project is any undertaking, carried out individually or collaboratively and possibly involving research or design, that is carefully planned to achieve a particular goal.
An alternative view sees a project managerially as a sequence of even ...
phase. By "working the ticket", participants put their newly gained experience into practice to attain ticket goals aiding the Scouting movement. The first Wood Badge training was organized by
Francis "Skipper" Gidney and lectured at by
Robert Baden-Powell
Lieutenant-General Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, ( ; (Commonly pronounced by others as ) 22 February 1857 – 8 January 1941) was a British Army officer, writer, founder and first Chief Scout of the worl ...
and others at
Gilwell Park
Gilwell Park is a camp site and activity centre in East London located in the Sewardstonebury area of Waltham Abbey, within Epping Forest, near the border with Chingford. The site is owned by The Scout Association, is used by Scouting and Gu ...
(United Kingdom) in September 1919. Wood Badge training has since spread across the world with international variations.
On completion of the course, participants are awarded the Wood Badge
bead
A bead is a small, decorative object that is formed in a variety of shapes and sizes of a material such as stone, bone, shell, glass, plastic, wood, or pearl and with a small hole for threading or stringing. Beads range in size from under ...
s to recognize significant achievement in leadership and direct service to young people. The pair of small wooden beads, one on each end of a leather thong (string), is worn around the neck as part of the Scout
uniform
A uniform is a variety of clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, se ...
. The beads are presented together with a
taupe
Taupe ( ) is a dark gray-brown color. The word derives from the French noun ''taupe'' meaning "mole". The name originally referred only to the average color of the French mole, but beginning in the 1940s, its usage expanded to encompass a wide ...
neckerchief
A neckerchief (from ''neck'' (n.) + ''kerchief''), sometimes called a necker, kerchief or scarf, is a type of neckwear associated with those working or living outdoors, including farm labourers, cowboys and sailors. It is most commonly still seen ...
bearing a
tartan
Tartan ( gd, breacan ) is a patterned cloth consisting of criss-crossed, horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Sc ...
patch of the
Maclaren clan, honoring
William de Bois Maclaren
William Frederick de Bois Maclaren (17 November 1856 – 3 June 1921) was publisher, businessman and Scout Commissioner for Rosneath, Dunbartonshire, Scotland. He is most recognized as the first major benefactor of Scouting by donating Gilwell ...
, who donated the £7000 to purchase Gilwell Park in 1919 plus an additional £3000 for improvements to the house that was on the estate. The neckerchief with the braided leather
woggle
A woggle (or ''neckerchief slide'') is a device to fasten the neckerchief, or scarf, worn as part of the Scout or Girl Guides uniform, originated by a Scout in the 1920s.
Name origin
One story relating to the origin of the word 'woggle' is ...
(neckerchief slide) denotes the membership of the ''1st Gilwell Scout Group'' or ''Gilwell Troop 1''. Recipients of the Wood Badge are known as ''Wood Badgers'' or ''Gilwellians''.
Scout leader training course
History
![First Wood Badge training Gilwell Park September 1919](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/First_Wood_Badge_training_Gilwell_Park_September_1919.jpg)
Soon after founding the
Scout movement
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...
,
Robert Baden-Powell
Lieutenant-General Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, ( ; (Commonly pronounced by others as ) 22 February 1857 – 8 January 1941) was a British Army officer, writer, founder and first Chief Scout of the worl ...
saw the need for leader training. Early
Scoutmaster
A Scout leader or Scouter generally refers to the trained adult leader of a Scout unit. The terms used vary from country to country, over time, and with the type of unit.
Roles
There are many different roles a leader can fulfill depending on t ...
training camps were held in London and
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
. Baden-Powell wanted practical training in the
outdoors
Outdoor(s) may refer to:
*Wilderness
*Natural environment
*Outdoor cooking
*Outdoor education
*Outdoor equipment
*Outdoor fitness
*Outdoor literature
*Outdoor recreation
*Outdoor Channel, an American pay television channel focused on the outdoors
...
in
campsite
A campsite, also known as a campground or camping pitch, is a place used for overnight stay in an outdoor area. In British English, a ''campsite'' is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using te ...
s. World War I delayed the development of leader training, so the first formal Wood Badge course was not offered until 1919.
Gilwell Park
Gilwell Park is a camp site and activity centre in East London located in the Sewardstonebury area of Waltham Abbey, within Epping Forest, near the border with Chingford. The site is owned by The Scout Association, is used by Scouting and Gu ...
, just outside London, was purchased specifically to provide a venue for the course and the Opening Ceremonies were held on July 26, 1919. Francis Gidney, the first Camp Chief at Gilwell Park, conducted the first Wood Badge course there from September 8–19, 1919. It was produced by
Percy Everett
Sir Percy Winn Everett (b. 22 April 1870 Rushmere, Ipswich – 23 February 1952 Elstree) was an editor-in-chief for the publisher C. Arthur Pearson Limited and an active Scouter who became the Deputy Chief Scout of The Boy Scouts Association.T.C. ...
, the Commissioner of Training, and Baden-Powell himself gave lectures. The course was attended by 18 participants, and other lecturers. After this first course, Wood Badge training continued at Gilwell Park, and it became the home of leadership training in the Scout movement.
Modern curriculum
The main
goal
A goal is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of people envision, plan and commit to achieve. People endeavour to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines.
A goal is roughly similar to a purpose or ai ...
s of a Wood Badge course are to:
* Recognize the contemporary leadership concepts utilized in the corporate world and leading governmental organizations that are relevant to Scouting's values.
* Apply the skills one learns from participating as a member of a successful working team.
* View Scouting globally, as a family of interrelated, values-based programmes that provide age-appropriate activities for youth.
* Revitalize the leader's commitment by sharing in an inspirational experience that helps provide Scouting with the leadership it needs to accomplish its mission.
Generally, a Wood Badge course consists of classroom work, a series of self-study modules, outdoor training, and the Wood Badge "ticket" or "project". Classroom and outdoor training are often combined and taught together, and occur over one or more weeks or weekends. As part of completing this portion of the course, participants must write their tickets.
The exact curriculum varies from country to country, but the training generally includes both theoretical and
experiential learning
Experiential learning (ExL) is the process of learning through experience, and is more narrowly defined as "learning through reflection on doing". Hands-on learning can be a form of experiential learning, but does not necessarily involve students ...
. All course participants are introduced to the ''1st Gilwell Scout group'' or ''Gilwell Scout Troop 1'' (the latter name is used in the
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants. The BSA was founded i ...
and some other countries). In the
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants. The BSA was founded i ...
, they are also assigned to one of the traditional Wood Badge "critter"
patrol
A patrol is commonly a group of personnel, such as Law enforcement officer, law enforcement officers, military personnel, or Security guard, security personnel, that are assigned to monitor or secure a specific geographic area.
Etymology
Fro ...
s. Instructors deliver training designed to strengthen the patrols. One-on-one work with an assigned troop guide helps each participant to reflect on what he has learned, so that he can better prepare an individualized "ticket". This part of the training program gives the adult
Scouter
A Scout leader or Scouter generally refers to the trained adult leader of a Scout unit. The terms used vary from country to country, over time, and with the type of unit.
Roles
There are many different roles a leader can fulfill depending on t ...
the opportunity to assume the role of a Scout joining the original "model" troop, to learn firsthand how a troop ideally operates. The locale of all initial training is referred to as ''Gilwell Field'', no matter its geographical location.
Ticket
The phrase 'working your ticket' comes from a story attributed in Scouting legend to Baden-Powell: Upon completion of a British soldier's service in India, he had to pay the cost of his ticket home. The most affordable way for a soldier to return was to engineer a progression of assignments that were successively closer to home.
Part of the transformative power of the Wood Badge experience is the effective use of
metaphor
A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide (or obscure) clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are often compared wit ...
and tradition to reach both heart and mind. In most Scout associations, "working your ticket" is the
culmination
In observational astronomy, culmination is the passage of a celestial object (such as the Sun, the Moon, a planet, a star, constellation or a deep-sky object) across the observer's local meridian. These events were also known as meridian transits ...
of Wood Badge training. Participants apply themselves and their new knowledge and skills to the completion of items designed to strengthen the individual's leadership and the home unit's organizational resilience in a project or "ticket". The ticket consists of specific goals that must be accomplished within a specified time, often 18 months due to the large amount of work involved. Effective tickets require much planning and are approved by the Wood Badge course staff before the course phase ends. Upon completion of the ticket, a participant is said to have earned his way back to Gilwell.
On completion
After completion of the Wood Badge course, participants are awarded the insignia in a Wood Badge bead ceremony.
They receive automatic membership in 1st Gilwell Park Scout Group or Gilwell Troop 1. These leaders are henceforth called Gilwellians or Wood Badgers. It is estimated that worldwide over 100,000 Scouters have completed their Wood Badge training.
The 1st Gilwell Scout Group meets annually during the first weekend in September at
Gilwell Park
Gilwell Park is a camp site and activity centre in East London located in the Sewardstonebury area of Waltham Abbey, within Epping Forest, near the border with Chingford. The site is owned by The Scout Association, is used by Scouting and Gu ...
for the Gilwell Reunion.
Gilwell Reunions are also held in other places, often on that same weekend.
Insignia
![Wood badge regalia 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Wood_badge_regalia_1.jpg)
Scout leaders who complete the Wood Badge program are recognized with insignia consisting of the Wood Badge beads, 1st Gilwell Group neckerchief and woggle.
Woggle
![Scout leader woggle scaled-40](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Finnish_leather_Scout_leader_woggle.png)
The Gilwell
woggle
A woggle (or ''neckerchief slide'') is a device to fasten the neckerchief, or scarf, worn as part of the Scout or Girl Guides uniform, originated by a Scout in the 1920s.
Name origin
One story relating to the origin of the word 'woggle' is ...
is a two- or three-strand version of a
Turk's head knot
A Turk's head knot, sometimes known as a sailor's knot, is a decorative knot with a variable number of interwoven strands forming a closed loop. The name refers to a general family of knots, not an individual knot. While this knot is typically ma ...
, which has no beginning and no end, and symbolizes the commitment of a Wood Badger to Scouting.
In some countries, Wood Badge training is divided into more than one part and the Gilwell woggle is given for completion of Wood Badge Part I. First designed in the early 1920s by British Scouter Bill Shankley, the woggle was part of the leader training scheme by 1926.
Beads
![Isandlwanazulumem](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Isandlwanazulumem.JPG)
The beads were first presented at the initial leadership course in September 1919 at Gilwell Park.
The origins of Wood Badge beads can be traced back to 1888, when Baden-Powell was on a
military campaign
A military campaign is large-scale long-duration significant military strategy plan incorporating a series of interrelated military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war. The term derives from the ...
in
Zululand (now part of South Africa). He pursued
Dinuzulu
Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo (1868 – 18 October 1913, commonly misspelled Dinizulu) was the king of the Zulu nation from 20 May 1884 until his death in 1913.
He succeeded his father Cetshwayo, who was the last king of the Zulus to be officially reco ...
, son of
Cetshwayo
King Cetshwayo kaMpande (; ; 1826 – 8 February 1884) was the king of the Zulu Kingdom from 1873 to 1879 and its Commander in Chief during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. His name has been transliterated as Cetawayo, Cetewayo, Cetywajo and Ketchw ...
, a
Zulu king, for some time, but never managed to catch up with him. Dinuzulu was said to have had a 12-foot (4 m)-long necklace with more than a thousand
acacia
''Acacia'', commonly known as the wattles or acacias, is a large genus of shrubs and trees in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the pea family Fabaceae. Initially, it comprised a group of plant species native to Africa and Australasia. The genus na ...
beads.
Baden-Powell is claimed to have found the necklace when he came to Dinuzulu's deserted mountain stronghold.
Such necklaces were known as ''iziQu'' in Zulu and were presented to brave warrior leaders.
Much later, Baden-Powell sought a distinctive award for the participants in the first Gilwell course. He constructed the first award using two beads from the necklace he had recovered, and threaded them onto a leather thong given to him by an elderly South African in
Mafeking
Mafikeng, officially known as Mahikeng and previously Mafeking (, ), is the capital city of the North West province of South Africa.
Close to South Africa's border with Botswana, Mafikeng is northeast of Cape Town and west of Johannesburg. In ...
, calling it the ''Wood Badge''.
While no official knot exists for tying the two ends of the thong together, the decorative
diamond knot
The diamond knot (or knife lanyard knot) is a knot for forming a decorative loop on the end of a cord such as on a lanyard. A similar knot, also called the diamond knot, is a multistrand stopper knot, that is similar in appearance (although the ...
has become the most common. When produced, the thong is joined by a simple
overhand knot
The overhand knot is one of the most fundamental knots, and it forms the basis of many others, including the simple noose, overhand loop, angler's loop, reef knot, fisherman's knot, Half hitch, and water knot. The overhand knot is a stopper, e ...
and various region specific traditions have arisen around tying the diamond knot, including: having a fellow course member tie it; having a mentor or course leader tie it; and having the recipient tie it after completing some additional activity that shows he or she has mastered the skills taught to him or her during training.
Significance of additional beads
Additional beads are awarded to Wood Badgers who serve as part of a Wood Badge training team. One additional bead is awarded to each ''Assistant Leader Trainer'' (Wood Badge or NYLT staff) and two additional beads are awarded to each ''Leader Trainer'' (Wood Badge or NYLT course directors), for a total of four.
As part of a tradition, five beads may be worn by the "Deputy Camp Chiefs of Gilwell". The Deputy Camp Chiefs are usually the personnel of National Scout Associations in charge of Wood Badge training. The fifth bead symbolizes the Camp Chief's position as an official representative of Gilwell Park, and his or her function in maintaining the global integrity of Wood Badge training.
William Hillcourt
William Hillcourt (August 6, 1900 – November 9, 1992), known within the Scouting movement as "Green Bar Bill", was an influential leader in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) organization from 1927 to 1992. Hillcourt was a prolific writer and ...
is one person who wore five beads.
The founder of the Scouting movement, Robert Baden-Powell, wore six beads, as did
Sir Percy Everett, then Deputy Chief Scout and the Chief's right hand. Baden-Powell's beads are on display at
Baden-Powell House
Queen's Gate House, still commonly known by its previous name of Baden-Powell House, is a conference centre in South Kensington, London. It was built as a tribute to Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, and has served as the headquarters ...
in London. Everett endowed his six beads to be worn by the Camp Chief of Gilwell as a badge of office. Since that time the wearer of the sixth bead has generally been the director of leader training at Gilwell Park.
1st Gilwell Scout Group neckerchief
![MacLaren Tartan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/MacLaren_Tartan.jpg)
The
neckerchief
A neckerchief (from ''neck'' (n.) + ''kerchief''), sometimes called a necker, kerchief or scarf, is a type of neckwear associated with those working or living outdoors, including farm labourers, cowboys and sailors. It is most commonly still seen ...
is a universal
symbol
A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different conc ...
of Scouting and its Maclaren
tartan
Tartan ( gd, breacan ) is a patterned cloth consisting of criss-crossed, horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Sc ...
represents Wood Badge's ties to Gilwell Park. The neckerchief, called a "necker" in British and some
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
Scouting associations, is a standard
triangular
A triangle is a polygon with three edges and three vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC.
In Euclidean geometry, any three points, when non- collinea ...
scarf made of cotton or wool
twill
Twill is a type of textile weave with a pattern of diagonal parallel ribs. It is one of three fundamental types of textile weaves along with plain weave and satin. It is made by passing the weft thread over one or more warp threads then under ...
with a taupe face and red back; a patch of
Clan MacLaren
Clan MacLaren ( gd, Cinneadh MacLabhrainn) is a Highland Scottish clan.Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Ch ...
tartan is affixed near the point.
The pattern was adopted in honor of a British Scout commissioner who, as a descendant of the Scottish MacLaren clan, donated money for the Gilwell Park property on which the first Wood Badge program was held.
Originally, the neckerchief was made entirely of triangular pieces of the tartan, but its expense forced the adoption of the current design. The neckerchief is often worn with the Gilwell
woggle
A woggle (or ''neckerchief slide'') is a device to fasten the neckerchief, or scarf, worn as part of the Scout or Girl Guides uniform, originated by a Scout in the 1920s.
Name origin
One story relating to the origin of the word 'woggle' is ...
.
Axe and Log
The axe and log logo was conceived by the first Camp Chief, Francis Gidney, in the early 1920s to distinguish Gilwell Park from the Scout Headquarters. Gidney wanted to associate Gilwell Park with the outdoors and
Scoutcraft
Scoutcraft is a term used to cover a variety of woodcraft knowledge and skills required by people seeking to venture into wild country and sustain themselves independently. The term has been adopted by Scouting organizations to reflect skills and k ...
rather than the business or administrative Headquarters offices. Scouters present at the original Wood Badge courses regularly saw axe blades masked for safety by being buried in a log. Seeing this, Gidney chose the axe and log as the totem of
Gilwell Park
Gilwell Park is a camp site and activity centre in East London located in the Sewardstonebury area of Waltham Abbey, within Epping Forest, near the border with Chingford. The site is owned by The Scout Association, is used by Scouting and Gu ...
.
Other symbols
![Jemenittisk sjofar av kuduhorn](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Jemenittisk_sjofar_av_kuduhorn.jpg)
The
kudu
The kudus are two species of antelope of the genus ''Tragelaphus'':
* Lesser kudu, ''Tragelaphus imberbis'', of eastern Africa
* Greater kudu, ''Tragelaphus strepsiceros'', of eastern and southern Africa
The two species look similar, thou ...
horn is another Wood Badge symbol. Baden-Powell first encountered the kudu horn at the
Battle of Shangani
The Battle of the Shangani took place on 25 October 1893 during the First Matabele War in what is now Zimbabwe. A British column was attacked during night by a large force of Matabele warriors. The British repulsed them with a heavy loss of lif ...
, where he discovered how the
Matabele warriors used it to quickly spread a signal of alarm. He used the horn at the
first Scout encampment at Brownsea Island in 1907. It is used from the early Wood Badge courses to signal the beginning of the course or an activity, and to inspire Scouters to always do better.
The grass fields at the back of the White House at Gilwell Park are known as the Training Ground and The Orchard, and are where Wood Badge training was held from the early years onward. A large
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
, known as the ''
Gilwell Oak
The Gilwell Oak is an oak tree on the grounds of The Scout Association's headquarters at Gilwell Park, Essex. It is reputed to have been used as a hiding place by Dick Turpin and since the 20th century has become closely associated with the Scou ...
'', separates the two fields. The Gilwell Oak symbol is associated with Wood Badge, although the beads for the Wood Badge have never been made of this oak.
Wolf Cub leaders briefly followed a separate training system beginning in 1922, in which they were awarded the ''Akela Badge'' on completion. The badge was a single
fang
A fang is a long, pointed tooth. In mammals, a fang is a modified maxillary tooth, used for biting and tearing flesh. In snakes, it is a specialized tooth that is associated with a venom gland (see snake venom). Spiders also have external fang ...
on a leather thong. Wolf Cub Leader Trainers wore two fangs.
The Akela Badge was discontinued in 1925, and all leaders were awarded the Wood Badge on completion of their training. Very few of the fangs issued as Akela Badges can now be found.
International training centers and trainers
Australia
Other sites providing Wood Badge training have taken the Gilwell name. The first Australian Wood Badge courses were held in 1920 after the return of two newly minted Deputy Camp Chiefs,
Charles Hoadley
Charles Archibald Brookes Hoadley CBE ( Burwood, 1 March 1887 – Footscray, 27 February 1947) was an Australian geologist.
Early life and education
The son of Abel Hoadley and his wife Susannah Ann née Barrett (he was the tenth of thei ...
and Mr. Russell at the home of Victorian Scouting,
Gilwell Park, Gembrook. In 2003,
Scouts Australia
Scouts Australia is a trading name of The Scout Association of Australia, which is the largest scouting organisation in Australia, with an estimated 55,038 youth participants in 2021, and a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movemen ...
established the Scouts Australia Institute of Training, a government-registered National Vocational & Education Training (VET) provider. Under this registration, Scouts Australia awards a "Diploma of Leadership and Management" to those Adult Leaders who complete the Wood Badge training and additional competencies.
The Diploma of Leadership and Management, like all Australian VET qualifications, is recognized throughout Australia by both government and private industry.
This is an optional extra that Leaders and Rovers may undertake.
Austria
The first Wood Badge Training in Austria took place in 1932. Scoutmaster Joesef Miegl took his Wood Badge training in Gilwell Park and September 8 to 17, 1922, he led a Leader Training near Vienna, one of the first in Austria. Scouters from Austria, Germany, Italy and Hungary took part. He brought in many things he learned in Gilwell Park about International and British Scouting, but it was not an official Wood Badge training.
Belgium
The first Wood Badge training in Belgium was held in August 1923 at Jannée, led by Étienne Van Hoof.
In the largest Scout association of the country, known as
Les Scouts – Fédération des Scouts Baden-Powell de Belgique, it is necessary to complete the 3-steps formation in 3 years. After the 3 steps, the scout leader become a Wood Badger and he receives a Certificate as an animator in a holiday centre (Brevet d’animateur en centre de vacances (BACV)) by the
French Community of Belgium
In Belgium, the French Community (french: Communauté française; ) refers to one of the three constituent constitutional linguistic communities. Since 2011, the French Community has used the name Wallonia-Brussels Federation (french: Fédé ...
.
Canada
Scouts Canada
Scouts Canada is a Canadian Scouting association providing programs for young people, aged 5 to 26, with the stated aim "to help develop well rounded youth, better prepared for success in the world". Scouts Canada, in affiliation with the Frenc ...
holds numerous Wood Badge training courses on an annual basis throughout the country. In this NSO, all Scouters (volunteers) are required to complete an online Wood Badge Part I Course, and are encouraged to complete a Wood Badge Part II program that includes self-directed learning, conducted through mentorship and coaching in addition to traditional courses and workshops. Upon completion of the Woodbadge Part II program a volunteer is conferred their "beads" and the Gilwell Necker.
Finland
Alfons Åkerman gave the first eight Wood Badge courses and was from 1927 to 1935 the first Deputy Camp Chief. In lieu of Gilwell training, the Finnish Scouts have a "Kolmiapila-Gilwell" (Trefoil-Gilwell), combining aspects of both girls' and boys' advanced leadership training.
France
The first Wood Badge training in France was held Easter 1923 by Père Sevin in
Chamarande
Chamarande () is a commune of Essonne department in the southern suburbs of Paris.
Inhabitants of Chamarande are known as ''Chamarandais''.
History
Initially, this village was named Bonnes. In 1685, d'Ornaison family, the owner of the village a ...
.
Ireland
Wood Badge training in Ireland goes back to the 1st
Larch Hill
Larch Hill International Scout and Guide Centre is the national campsite, and administrative and training headquarters of Scouting Ireland. It was previously owned by Scouting Ireland (CSI).
Overview
Larch Hill was purchased in 1937 and has gon ...
of
the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland, who conducted Wood Badge courses that emphasized the Catholic approach to Scouting. This emphasis is now disappeared since the formation of
Scouting Ireland
Scouting Ireland ( ga, Gasóga na hÉireann) is one of the largest youth movements on the island of Ireland, a voluntary educational movement for young people with over 45,000 members, including over 11,000 adult volunteers . Of the 750,000 peo ...
.
Israel
The first Wood Badge training in Israel was held in April 1963 by
John Thurman and took place at the Israeli Scout Ranch, together with 20 participants,
Jews
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
,
Arabs
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Wester ...
and
Druze
The Druze (; ar, دَرْزِيٌّ, ' or ', , ') are an Arabic-speaking esoteric ethnoreligious group from Western Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, syncretic, and ethnic religion based on the teachings of ...
. Since the first training, every Wood Badge course run by the
Israel Boy and Girl Scouts Federation
The Israel Boy and Girl Scouts Federation ( he, התאחדות הצופים והצופות בישראל, ''Hit'ahdut HaTzofim VeHaTzofot BeYisrael'') is Israel's federation of the five Scouting organizations in Israel, sorted by religious affilia ...
is a mutual event for all different religions and organizations in Scouting.
Hungary
In 2010, 21 year after the reorganization of
Hungarian Scout Association Hungarian may refer to:
* Hungary, a country in Central Europe
* Kingdom of Hungary, state of Hungary, existing between 1000 and 1946
* Hungarians, ethnic groups in Hungary
* Hungarian algorithm, a polynomial time algorithm for solving the assignm ...
, was the first Scoutmaster training with the Wood Badge. (There was other Scoutmaster training before, but these weren't organized according to the Wood Badge Framework.) The head of the first Wood Badge training in
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
was Balázs Solymosi who has four beads. From 2010 to 2018, in 8 courses more than 50 adult leader performed successfully and awarded. In 2019 started a new era in Wood Badge training in Hungary. Two type of courses are available: one for leaders in the
Association
Association may refer to:
*Club (organization), an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal
*Trade association, an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry
*Voluntary associatio ...
and one for local group leaders. The association level have the basis made by Balázs Solymosi, the group leader level based on a new training program. Both program gives the highest level of scouting knowledge from different point of view for the participants.
The Netherlands
![1ste Gillwell Leiderscursus](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/1ste_Gillwell_Leiderscursus.jpg)
The first Wood Badge training in the Netherlands was held in July 1923 by Scoutmaster
Jan Schaap
Jan Frederik Schaap was a Scoutmaster in The Hague and a front man in the first decades of Scouting in The Netherlands.
History
Schaap's contributions to Scouting include the Dutch translation of Scouting for Boys (1924 and several later editions) ...
, on
Gilwell Ada's Hoeve
Gilwell Ada's Hoeve is one of the oldest Dutch national Scouting campsites, and from July 1923 until the 1960s hosted the Wood Badge trainings for Scouting leadership in the Netherlands. The site was founded as a Scouting campsite in 1923 by Philip ...
,
Ommen
Ommen () is a municipality and a Hanseatic city in the eastern Netherlands. It is located in the Vecht valley of the Salland region in Overijssel. Historical records first name Ommen in the early 12th century and it was officially founded as a ...
. At Gilwell Sint Walrick,
Overasselt
Overasselt is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is located in the municipality of Heumen.
History
The village was first mentioned in the 13th century as Asle, and means "upper open forest with ash (''Fraxinus excelsior'') trees ...
, the Catholic Scouts had their training. Since approximately 2000, the Dutch Wood Badge training takes place on the Scout campsite ''Buitenzorg'',
Baarn
Baarn () is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, near Hilversum in the province of Utrecht.
The municipality of Baarn
The municipality of Baarn consists of the following towns: Baarn, Eembrugge, Lage Vuursche.
The town of Baarn
Ba ...
, or outdoors in Belgium or Germany under the name 'Gilwell Training'.
Norway
In Norway, Woodbadge is known as Trefoil-Gilwell Training.
Philippines
Wood Badge was introduced in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
in 1953 with the first course held at Camp Gre-Zar in Novaliches,
Quezon City
Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
. Today, Wood Badge courses are held at the Philippine Scouting Center for the Asia-Pacific Region, at the foothills of
Mount Makiling
Mount Makiling (also known as Mount Maquiling), is an inactive stratovolcano located in the provinces of Laguna and Batangas on the island of Luzon, Philippines. The mountain rises to an elevation of above mean sea level and is the highest fe ...
,
Los Baños,
Laguna province
Laguna, officially the Province of Laguna ( fil, Lalawigan ng Laguna), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Its capital is Santa Cruz while its largest city is the City of Calamba and the province is sit ...
.
Romania
Cercetasii Romaniei started implementing the Wood Badge system in 2015, by preparing trainers within a partnership with Ireland. The first Romanian-held Wood Badge training started in 2019.
Sweden
As in several other Nordic countries, the Swedish Wood Badge training is known as Trefoil Gilwell, being a unification of the former higher leadership programmes of the Swedish Guides and Scouts, known respectively as the Trefoil training and the Gilwell training.
United Kingdom
The first Wood Badge training took place on Gilwell Park. The estate continues to provide the service in 2007, for British Scouters of
The Scout Association
The Scout Association is the largest Scouting organisation in the United Kingdom and is the World Organization of the Scout Movement's recognised member for the United Kingdom. Following the origin of Scouting in 1907, the association was for ...
and international participants. Original trainers include Baden-Powell and Gilwell Camp Chiefs
Francis Gidney Francis "Skipper" Gidney (1890–1928) was an early leader of the Scouting movement in the United Kingdom. He was appointed the first Camp Chief of Gilwell Park in May 1919, and organized the first Wood Badge adult leader training course there in Se ...
,
John Wilson and
John Thurman.
United States
![FourAmericanWoodBadgers04](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/FourAmericanWoodBadgers04.jpg)
Wood Badge was introduced to America by Baden-Powell and the first course was held in 1936 at the
Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation, the
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants. The BSA was founded i ...
national training center until 1979.
Despite this early first course, Wood Badge was not formally adopted in the United States until 1948 under the guidance of
Bill Hillcourt who became national Deputy Camp Chief of the United States.
Nearly all Wood Badge courses are held throughout the country at local council camps under the auspices of Scouting University.
References
External links
Scouts Australia Institute of Training Site
{{scouting, movement
Scout leader training
Scouting spoken word files
Scouting events