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Boy Scouts of America, Northern New Jersey Council

Merit Badge Counselor Training

Home › Training › Merit Badge Counselor Training

The merit badge counselor is a key player in the Scouts BSA advancement program. Whatever your area of expertise or interest—whether it is a special craft or hobby (basketry, leatherwork, coin collecting), a profession (veterinary medicine, aviation, engineering), or perhaps a life skill (cooking, personal management, communications)—as a merit badge counselor, you can play a vital role in stirring a Scout’s curiosity about that particular topic. By serving as a merit badge counselor, you offer your time, knowledge, and other resources so that Scouts can explore a topic of interest.

Four Steps to become a Merit Badge Counselor.

  • Complete Youth Protection Training (YPTP
    To become a merit badge counselor, a volunteer must complete Youth Protection Training (YPT) which can be found on My.Scouting.org. Once complete, you will be offered the opportunity to print a completion certificate. Please print it as you must submit this proof of completion with your application to be a merit badge counselor.
  • Complete the BSA Adult Leader Application
    Having completed Youth Protection Training, you need to complete a new adult application which can be found at these links. This form is required in addition to your current registration with your unit or District. Please pay special attention to filling in the “Council/District Position” as “Merit Badge Counselor”. The signature blocks for the unit committee chairman and chartered organization representative do not have to be signed. Those approvals are for a unit. The adult application must be submitted with the Merit Badge Counselor Information Sheet. NOTE: The entire application form must be filled in and signed, including the Disclosure/Authorization page located before the application form page itself. All applicants and currently Registered Scouters go through a background check – as noted and authorized on the Disclosure/Authorization page of the Adult Application form.
  • Complete the Merit Badge Counselor Information Form
    This form is used by the District to know which merit badges you want to teach, to show why you are qualified to teach the listed merit badges, and to approve your request.Before filling it out, read both sides of the form. If you have any questions or need assistance, please talk with your unit MB coordinator, the District MB Dean, or the District Advancement Chair. If you plan to only counsel within your unit, remember to check the “Only with Scouts in these units (indicate whether troop, team, or crew)” and fill in your unit number. If you wish to counsel Scouts outside the unit please check the “All Scouts in these districts” and fill in the District(s). MBCs are authorized to counsel anywhere within the NCAC.
    Merit Badge Counselor Information Form
  • Turn in all the Paperwork to Council

By becoming a Nova counselor, you’ll introduce Scouts to the basic principles of STEM and help them discover how fun and fascinating science, technology, engineering and math can be. You’ll help guide them as they earn the Nova awards as Cub Scouts, Webelos, Scouts, Sea Scouts or Venturers.

Link to Nationals https://www.scouting.org/stem-nova-awards/volunteer-support/

Training https://www.scouting.org/training/adult/

Useful Links

Annual Renewal

All Merit Badge Counselors must confirm their registration annually, you will receive an email from council to verify your registration and merit the merit badges you are signed up for.

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