Outdoor Skills Training

This is a two-part course designed to sharpen camping and other outdoor skills so that leaders can deliver the outdoor portion of the scouting program.  This training is required for new scoutmasters and assistant scoutmasters to be considered "Trained".  The course prepares leaders to teach most of the outdoor skills that scouts need for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class.  This course is also highly recommended for troop committee members, Webelos leaders, and leaders of venturing and varsity units.

There is an initial orientation session held in town.  A variety of topics will be covered at this initial session.  In addition, you will be assigned to a patrol along with leaders from other packs, troops and crews, and you will prepare with this new team for the weekend session that follows a week or two later.

The initial session is followed by a campout at a location near Houston.  More information about this weekend session will be provided at the initial planning session.

You can take the training courses in any sequence that best fits your schedule.  However, it may be beneficial to have previously completed (a) either the online course "This is Scouting" or the earlier course entitled "New Leader Essentials" and (b) the course for your specific scouting position (see the other course descriptions on this website).

Schedule for 2011-12:

Fall course
Wed., Oct. 12, 2011	7:30p-8:45p	St. Paul's Presbyterian	7200 Bellaire Blvd	Registration and Orientation
Sat.-Sun., Oct. 22-23	7:30a (Sat) - noon (Sun)	at location one hour   west of Houston	map will be provided   at orientation mtg	Introduction to Outdoor Skills     (campout)
(No Winter course is   planned for 2011-12)
Spring course
Wed., Apr. 18, 2012	7:30p-8:45p	St. Paul Presbyterian	7200 Bellaire Blvd	Introduction and Orientation
Sat.-Sun., Apr. 28-29	7:30a (Sat) - noon (Sun)	at location one hour   west of Houston	map will be provided   at orientation mtg	Introduction to Outdoor Skills     (campout)

Registration:   Advance registration for the Outdoor Skills course is requested via this LINK.
You can also register at the orientation session.
The fee is usuallly about $15.00 and is paid at the orientation session.
The fee covers the food for the campout.

Contact Tom Whiteside at 713-471-0441 (o) for more information.

Staff for the training course in May 2005: (Front row, l to r)  Charles Williams, Tom Matthews, Fritz Maxwell, Chuck Guffey, Sharon Richter, Marci Brown, and Jack Metcalfe.

Pictures from course in May 2005 - click for full-size view