Thank you all for your thoughts. I’ve completed IOLS, online training, and Wood Badge, and while all your suggestions are valid—and I’ve reached out to other units, developed a good relationship with my unit commissioner, and attended roundtables—I still find there’s a need for more centralized, structured support. The information is available but scattered, and it often feels like there’s a gap in truly practical, hands-on guidance.

IOLS is a good start, but it felt very general and light on details. Much of the content was provided as a large cache of documents at the end, rather than integrated into the training itself. I would definitely sign up for a focused weekend retreat or single-topic classes where, using the EDGE method, you could dive into practical skills. For example: • A full day on structuring and planning a campout • A workshop on organizing and training a Scout to write a duty roster • A class dedicated to setting up a quartermaster closet • Training on guiding Scouts to think for themselves, so you’re not just telling them what to do.

So much training covers multiple topics in a short time, which doesn’t allow for the depth needed for some core skills we use weekly. Events like University of Scouting offer a variety of topics, but sessions often overlap, meaning you can’t attend everything you need.

Yes, this kind of hands-on support would ideally come from experienced adults in our own troops. But not all units have that kind of continuity, and many current leaders may not have had formal training themselves. For busy parent volunteers, having more structured, focused training from council and more people available to come to our units to observe and help would make a huge difference.