Scout Leadership Course How to Guide

Scout Leadership Courses are always in demand. They are a standard part of the award scheme. By setting a regular schedule of courses for your District, you will build excitement and anticipation for the participants.

Communication is Key

Planning a calendar of events in isolation is just not an option for a District Leader. There are many factors to take into account such as other events on the program, school holidays, availability of resources, desire of Groups to support the event, etc. Only by sharing your thoughts in an open forum with your Section Leaders will you gain a full understanding of their commitments and needs.

Rolling 12 Month Programs

Most Leaders in Scouting plan on a Scouting year basis whereby the calendar is set late in the year for the following year’s activities. This can create some problems. For a calendar to be produced, basic information such as dates, times and locations are required. To be useful, the calendar will need to be released in November which means the events at the end of the next year are 14 months away and might not be confirmed yet. Furthermore, when it reaches October, many Sections are hungry for dates and information for the following years first term, but have to wait until the whole year is planned first! With the age of computers and web-sites, it is now easier to maintain a program on a rolling basis – that is by May, we know about the major events and activities for the following May. They are set, advertised and in the planning cycle. With this model, planning the calendar future events becomes a small part of every District Mindari, rather than an entire meeting at the end of the year.

Getting the message out there

Once the events have been placed in an appropriate place on the calendar, it is important to communicate to those who need to know. As a District Leader, you have a responsibility to ensure the event is promoted to all Troops via their leader team, but don’t forget to advise your District Team, District Council of Group Leaders and your Regional Commissioner (Scouts).

Outline Schedule for Scout Leadership Courses

Year: ______________________
District: ____________________________________
DSL: _________________________

Troop Names	______	______	______	______	______	______	______	______	______
Potential number of participants January – April
Potential number of participants May – August
Potential number of participants September – December

Maximum participants per course: _________ Scouts
Number of courses required per year: ________ courses