Woodbeads Training by Baden Powell Scouts Malta (2015)
Wood Beads Training
History
Wood Beads is the highest level of Scout leadership training and provides you with the tools to be a superior leader. The leadership skills taught are for leaders serving in all areas of Scouting. These areas include Beaver Scouting, Wolf Cub Scouting, Troop Scouting, Senior Scouting, Rover Scouting and Adult Scouting. Wood Beads is a training course for Scouters which finally results in their receiving a certificate, a scarf, a leather turk’s head woogle , and two small wooden beads on a leather shoe lace. Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, directed the first course in 1919 and gave each of the participants one of the beads which he had captured from the African chieftain Dinizulu. Thus did the course name develop, for its symbol was literally a badge of wood beads.
Wood Beads is, also, a Scouting's highest training course. Baden-Powell designed it so that Scouters could learn, in a practical a way possible, the skills and methods of Scouting. It is first and foremost, learning by doing. The members of the course are formed into patrols and these into a troop. The entire troop lives in the out-of-doors for a number of days, camping, cooking their own meals, and practicing Scout skills.
The uniqueness of Scouting is the patrol method. It is about the use of the natural gang of six or eight scouts who elect their own leader and plan and carry out many of their own activities. Here Scouters learn to work with people as they must surely do all their lives. Here, too, they are given leadership and learning opportunities which prepare them for their future roles as effective adult scout leaders. It is for this reason that it is so crucial that all adults understand thoroughly the patrol method.
Baden-Powell developed a practical course built around the operation of a troop and its patrols. Yet this is only the most well-known of
three parts in the entire Wood Beads experience. Part 3 of the wood beads
course is the practical course. For the time being this is run and under direct
supervision of International Trainers from WFIS. Parts 1, 2 & 4 are under
the responsibility of BPSM under the supervision of WFIS International
Trainers.
For your information and in order to be in a position to proceed on this journey duly informed about what it entails, refer to the next page where you may see in details all the components of the four parts. The fifth part is the presentation of the 2 wood beads held by a booth lace and woodbeads scarf. Eligible to apply to become a member of the 1st Brownsea Troop.
1st Part – National Part
- BPSM – Child Protection Policy
- EU legislation and National Provisions on Child Protection
- Legislation about Civil Law & Criminal Law,
- BPSM liabilities and obligations under Maltese Law for nonprofit and non-governmental organisations.
- Insurance policies
2nd Part – National Part
- Questionnaire ( written or verbal) related to the information and material that is covered in Parts 1 & 2, plus a 2 year practical project recorded on log book.
3rd Part – International Part
- A practical course in Scout Craft and Skills spread over six days. Conducted by International Trainers in Malta.
- At the end of this camp, you will be eligible to wear the turk’s head woggle which you will make for yourself, from a real leather cord.
4th Part – National Part
- History about the Founder.
- National & International History of the Scout Movement
- Implementation and presentation weekend.