Sea Scouts Leader Basic Training Course Descriptions:

Youth Protection Training (YPT) is required for all new registered leaders and must be retaken every two years to maintain registration. YPT is designed to keep our youth safe from abuse. Participants will learn the Boy Scouts of America's Youth Protection Guidelines, signs of abuse, and how to report suspected abuse. Every registered leader must take Youth Protection Training online at my.Scouting.org. Registered members of the BSA should provide their member numbers (as part of the user profile) to receive credit.

Sea Scout Adult Leader Basic Training provides the nuts and bolts of organizing, running, and growing the Sea Scout program.

Hazardous Weather Training. Weather conditions are an important factor in any outdoor Scouting activity. The online training is designed to help participants plan and prepare for hazardous weather.

Required courses to lead water activities

BSA requires the following training courses to conduct water activities:

1. Safety Afloat online at my.Scouting.org (every 2 years)

2. Safe Swim Defense online at my.Scouting.org (every 2 years)

3. Weather Hazard Training online at my.Scouting.org (every 2 years)

4. Trek Safely online (required for a long cruise or extensive trek)

5. First Aid from American Red Cross or American Heart Association (every 2 years)

6. CPR from American Red Cross or American Heart Association (adult, youth and infant, every 1 to 2 years)AED from American Red Cross or American Heart Association (every 1 to 2 years)

7. National Association of State Boating Laws Administrators (NASBLA) approved state boarder course

Highly Recommended Supplemental Training

Technical boating training is offered by the United States Power Squadrons (USPS) and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGA). We strongly recommend that you meet the skill standards of one of these two organizations, or that of a Coast Guard licensed deck officer.

• Seabadge is the advanced leadership and management course for leaders of the Sea Scouting program.

• Seabadge Underway is a three full day or two weekend practical leadership laboratory typically using a 40-foot power or sail boat. Participants function as Sea Scout youth with instructors in the adult role. Participants will be able to see how the ideal Sea Scout ship should operate. Participants must already have the Ordinary and most of the Able Piloting skills and pass a test on seamanship and a test on piloting.

• Wood Badge is a six-day advanced leadership training for leaders of all Scouting programs.

• United States Power Squadrons. USPS (www.usps.org) offers many courses.

1. NASBLA approved course mentioned above under the title “America's Boating Course.”

2. Seamanship introduces many seamanship topics, expands on the NASBLA course content.

3. Sailing teaches the basics of sailing terminology, procedures and techniques.

4. Piloting teaches chart reading, position plotting, dead reckoning, and GPS navigation.

5. USPS offers Advanced Piloting and several offshore navigation courses that include celestial. They also offer many two-hour seminars on specific topics that will be of use to Sea Scouts and leaders.

• United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. USCGA offers several courses. Their format is somewhat different than USPS. http://cgaux.org/boatinged

1. NASBLA approved course mentioned above under the title “About Boating Safety.”

2. Boating Skills and Seamanship is designed for power boaters and covers how to handle a power boat and many basic seamanship topics. This course expands on the NASBLA content.

3. Sailing Skills and Seamanship is designed for sail boaters and covers how to handle a sailboat, terminology, procedures, techniques. This course expands on the NASBLA content.

4. Weekend Navigator covers piloting topics based on chart reading, position plotting, dead reckoning, and GPS navigation.

• United States Coast Guard. Many schools offer a Coast Guard captain's license. The “Six-Pack” license usually takes 40 hours or so of instruction. Scouters who operate a vessel requiring a license must acquire that license before operating in command.

Additional Boy Scout Leader Training Opportunities

Aquatics Training courses such as BSA Paddle Craft Safety and Kayaking BSA training teach the skills, as well as the knowledge, needed for a unit leader to confidently supervise canoeing or kayaking excursions on flat water.

Climbing: The climbing committee offers several different levels of climbing and rappelling courses that begin with a tower course at Belk Scout Camp and Mecklenburg Scout Reservation (MSR).

Introduction to Outdoor Leadership Skills (IOLS) -- During this hands-on course, participants work as patrols. Leaders learn the practical outdoor skills they need to lead Scouts. Upon completion, leaders should feel comfortable teaching Scouts the basic skills required to obtain the First Class rank. This course is recommended for leaders and parents of 5th grade Webelos.

Powder Horn is an action-packed, hands-on, six-day course on high adventure resources to help Scouts and Scouters learn how to implement high adventure activities into their troops or crews. Adult leaders from all Scouting programs and Scouts age 14 and older are eligible to attend.

Roundtable is a monthly program to provide leaders with program ideas; update information on policy, events, and training opportunities; and offer an opportunity to share experiences and enjoy fun and fellowship with other Scouting leaders.

Safety Training The Boy Scouts of America puts the utmost importance on the safe and healthy environments for its youth membership. A variety of classes are offered including bullying prevention and intervention, Cyber Chip, first aid and CPR, Hazardous Weather, Climb on Safely, Trek Safely, Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat.

Scoutcast is a monthly podcast that provides information on topics of interest to Boy Scout leaders.

Shooting Sports: The shooting sports committee offers a variety or trainings including: range master, Range Safety Officer (RSO) training, USA Archery, and NRA Instructor training for pistol, rifle, muzzle loader and shotgun. This certification is required to use any of the council's shooting sports ranges or to have troop and district shooting sports programs.

Wood Badge is a six-day advanced training program which gives participants a great understanding of Scouting aims and methods and highlights personal and unit level leadership development. Topics include team building, problem solving, communication, conflict resolution and many other useful skills. These skills can be taken directly back to packs, troops, ships, crews and teams to help leaders guide youth in dynamic Scouting programs.