The facts about Manager and Supporter Training
Leadership and Management training supports all volunteers who hold either manager or supporter appointments, although they will not all necessarily cover the same content.
The list of Manager and Supporter roles who will undertake the new Leadership and Management Training is outlined below. Please note this is not an exhaustive list.
- Group Scout Leader
- District/County/Regional Commissioners
- Deputy District/County/Regional Commissioners
- Assistant District/County/Regional Commissioners
- County/District Youth Commissioners
- District/County Leaders
- Scout Active Support Manager
- County/Local/Regional Training Managers
- District Explorer Scout Commissioner
- District Scout Network Commissioner
Learners are expected to complete their Wood Badge Training within 3 years, from the date of full appointment.
Click here to download the learning guide for Managers and Supporters
The scheme is structured around the six core areas of leadership and management in scouting plus a module on Safety for Managers and Supporters. The new training framework is made up of 4 parts...
and consists of:
Part 1 - Getting Started Training
- Module 01 - Essential Information
- Module 02 - Personal Learning Plan
- Module 04 - Tools for the Role (Managers & Supporters)
- General Data Protection Regulation
Part 2 - Training for all appointments - relevant green modules
- Module 05 - Fundamentals of Scouting
- Module 06 - Changes in Scouting
- Module 07 - Scouting for All
- Module 10 - First Aid
- Module 11 - Administration
- Module 12A - Delivering a Quality Programme
Part 3 - Leadership and Management Training
This is structured around six core skill areas of leadership and management plus a module on safety. The learning opportunities for the Leadership and Management Training is split into two elements:
A - Independent Learning
This covers the knowledge you need to understand the key topics of leadership and management and related scouting processes. The learning is accessed via a variety of methods, including videos, e-learning and workbooks.
The following independent learning units are available as part of the Leadership and Management Training:
- Building effective teams
- Dealing with difficult situations
- Enabling change
- Keeping, developing and managing volunteers
- Planning for growth
- Leading Local Scouting
- Safeguarding for managers and supporters
- Managing time and personal skills
- Finding, appointing and welcoming volunteers
- Project Management
- Getting the Word Out
- Supporting the Adult Training Scheme
- Financial and Physical Resources
- Executive Committees and Being a Trustee
- Decision Making
- Safety for Managers and Supporters
It is recommended that the learning relevant to your role is completed prior to attending the Skills Courses.
B - Skills Courses (3 courses over 2 weekends)
This consists of three courses (Skills of Management, Meeting the Challenges and Achieving Growth). These course provide you with the opportunity to discuss and demonstrate different skills relating to leadership and management.
- Skills of management
- Meeting the challenges and Achieving growth
Details of current courses can be found in the district calendar.
Validating your Leadership and Management Training
Validation is the process of finding out if you are able to put the learning covered by a module into practice in your role in scouting. All modules and training for your role require validating regardless of whether you have gained the skills from previous experience or by planned learning.
Each module has a fixed requirement. There are a number of validation methods for you to select from. Validation methods are simple and effective and should always be something that you do as part of your normal role. The focus should be on you ‘doing something’ and this will often be backed up by discussion. Validation should not be seen as an exam – it is a positive experience in which you will receive supportive feedback.
The Leadership and Management Training is validated against six core skill areas and a safety module. These are:
- Working with People
- Managing Time and Personal Skills
- Providing Direction
- Using Resources
- Enabling Change
- Achieving Results
- Safety for Managers and Supporters
The specific validation criteria can be found in the Adult's Personal File for Managers and Supporters.
Once all 4 parts have been completed a Wood Badge will be awarded.
External Recognition
The Scout Association’s Leadership and Management Training has been recognised as a Development Programme with the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM)
ILM recognition is the benchmark of high quality, bespoke in-house leadership and management training.
What is the ILM Development Programme?
Learners holding a Manager or Supporter appointment can register for the Development Programme in order to receive access to a range of ILM resources and learning opportunities designed to inspire and motivate. All registered learners are eligible for free studying membership of the Institute of Leadership & Management for the duration of the programme or 12 months (whichever is longer). On completion of their programme, learners receive a certificate from ILM.
The Development Programme has no formal assessment requirement by the ILM, which means that there is no extra work for learners. The ILM recognises the quality of the programme content, aims, objectives and learning outcomes. This means that all the learners have to do is complete their Wood Badge in their role as a Manager or Supporter.
Find out more about the ILM Development Programme for the Leadership and Management Training.
Supplementary Modules
The following modules are available to supplement your learning or are to be completed if your role requires:
- Module 25 - Assessing Learning
- Module 27 - Instructing Practical Skills
- Module 28 - Facilitating
- Module 29 - Presenting (29)
- Module 30 - Supporting Local Learning
- Module 31 - Planning a Learning Experience
- Module 32 - Delivering a Learning Experience
- Module 33 - Planning a Learning Provision
- Module 34 - Managing a Learning Provision
- Module 35 - Internal Moderation
- Module 36 - Additional Needs
- Module 37 - Advising on Adult Appointments
- Module 38 - Skills for Residential Experience
Ongoing learning
Ongoing learning, or ongoing training, is essentially any training, learning or development your complete that your subsequently use in your scouting role. It can take place both inside and outside scouting, but must ultimately benefit the young people, and the other adults your work with in scouting.
Requirements
Following the completion of your Wood Badge, you are required to undertake some ongoing learning in order to maintain your appointment as current. Over the calculated period of the appointment, you must complete an average of five hours ongoing learning each year.
Ongoing learning can come from a variety of sources and could be in the form of:
Additional modules from the Adult Training Scheme, for example a attending Module 28 (presenting skills)
Training within The Scout Association but outside of the Adult Training Scheme, for example, an Activity Assessor course or an ongoing learning module
Training completed outside of scouting, for example evening classes that provide you with new talents that can be of use to you in your scouting role, an IT class for example
An external qualification in a practical skill such as archery, for example.
On occasion, usually due to major policy or legal changes, Headquarters may specify particular compulsory ongoing learning topics for a fixed period. On such occasions Headquarters will make training material and support documentation available.
The following ongoing learning modules are available from The Scout Association
Thinking differently about volunteering
Mandatory Ongoing Learning (to be completed 3 year after the original topic was completed as part of your Wood Badge training)
Although the on-going learning hours you are required to complete each year can be any number of things, there are also some specific on-going learning requirements which adults who hold an appointment for which an appointment review is required must complete.
There is currently two specific pieces of mandatory on-going learning:
Safeguarding
(3 years after Module 01 Essential Information)
Safety
(3 years after Safety for Managers & Supporters)
First Aid and First Response Training
As a manager or supporter you must hold a current first aid qualification at the time of gaining your Wood Badge and at the time of your appointment renewal. However, they are encouraged to keep their qualification up to date at all times.
The minimum standard for this qualification is First Response, but higher levels of qualification are needed if delivering first aid training or leading certain kinds of adventurous activities. This provision will ensure a minimum standard of first aid knowledge and training across the Movement.
More information on First Response, the Refresher, requirements and equivalents can be found on our First Aid and First Response pages.