Click here to review FAQs concerning activities and advancement during Covid-19.
Click here for the August 25, 2020 update on advancements during Covid.
For information on how to print an advancement report see the following links: Tracking ScoutsBSA Advancement in Scoutbook , Tracking Cub Scout Advancement in Scoutbook , or Internet Advancement .
Advancement
Bill Nelson
Council Advancement and Recognition Committee Chairman Grand Canyon Council gccadvancement1@gmail.com
Advancement Resources
- Guide to Advancement – 2021 Edition
- Troop Advancement Training for Parents
- Merit Badge Clinics
- Board of Review Guidelines
- Role of the District Advancement Chairman
- New Internet Advancement
- Merit Badge Counseling
- Eagle Scout Projects and Process
- National Advancement Resources
- Merit Badge – Blue Card (fillable PDF)
Council advancement and recognition committee is responsible for implementing and facilitating advancement and processing most special awards and recognitions.
This is done according to national procedures and local practices under the direction of the council executive board. Advancement committees operate under the Boy Scouts of America program function. They cooperate with the other program function elements— outdoor programs, activities and civic service, and training—and also with the membership, finance, and unit-service functions.
Merit Badge Counseling
A merit badge counselor serves as both a teacher and mentor as Scouts work on a merit badge. In one way, he or she is an examiner. In a larger sense, the counselor uses this opportunity for coaching – helping Scouts overcome the hurdles of the different requirements and making Scouts aware of the deeper aspects of the subject from their knowledge and experience. Because of these unique opportunities to serve Scouts, volunteering as a merit badge counselor is one of the most gratifying experiences for adults in Scouting today.
Steps in Becoming a Merit Badge Counselor:
1. READ THIS FIRST: Merit Badge Counselor Registration Process
2. Read about the special requirements for counseling certain merit badges.
3. Take Youth Protection Training (if you haven’t taken it in the last two years.)
Login to: http://my.scouting.org and click on the Youth Protection icon on the right and take the training. Print out or save the certificate.
4. Complete Merit Badge Counselor training.
- Log into http://my.scouting.org
- Click on the menu in the upper left
- Click on My Training
- Click on Scouts BSA under Training Courses by Program
- Click on Merit Badge Counselor and take the training
- All modules of the training must be completed in order to be certified, but the modules may be completed in sections at your leisure. The entire MBC training is about 34 minutes in length, and the individual modules vary from 5-12 minutes each.
5. Go to the online application system at this
link and apply to be a merit badge counselor: https://my.scouting.org/VES/OnlineReg/1.0.0/?tu=UF-MB-010 There is a help guide here. https://www.grandcanyonbsa.org/wp-content/uploads/MBC-Online-Registration-Instructions.pdf
7. Send your MBC information sheet, YPT, and MBC training certificates, and any additional documents needed for specific merit badges in one package to GCC.Membership@scouting.org. Allow two weeks to process.