The Northeast Georgia Council

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2012 Participant Application

Welcome to National Youth Leadership Training!

Through a challenging and fun program, Scouts learn leadership tools and skills and apply them within the Scouting context throughout the week, so that they can in turn carry those forward into their troop/crew and other aspects of life such as school, family, church, and future profession. Our Northeast Georgia Council NYLT program has become very successful. For instance, in 2011, the course was completely full by early April. Perhaps this was because in 2010 100% of participants agreed that they would recommend the course to other Scouts!

This week-long course is for mature Scouts and Venturers at least First Class in rank and 13 years old, who want to become great leaders. Potential participants must be approved by their Scoutmaster/Venturing Advisor, and be in a leadership position or have the potential to do so, in their home troop or crew. The course is held at Scoutland, in Gainesville; all participants must attend the entire week.

In 2012, we are offering TWO courses of NYLT to help meet demand. The first course will run from Sunday, May 27 through Friday, June 1, 2012. The second course runs Monday, June 4 through Saturday, June 9, 2012.

Staff selection for the 2012 courses is now complete, and the course staff developments are underway beginning in January.

About NYLT
The National Youth Leadership Training Program (NYLT) is Boy Scouting’s premiere youth leadership development program. It is offered in Councils throughout the country. NYLT is an intensive, fun, hands-on, and challenging week-long program that combines outdoor adventure and classroom instruction to provide Scouts with experiences and tools for becoming great leaders. NYLT focuses on the concepts of what a leader must BE, what a leader must KNOW, and what a leader must DO. Participants learn and develop skills such as communication; problem solving; presentation making; team development; working with adult leaders and youth in administrative areas; and ethical decision-making. These skills learned at NYLT will benefit Scouts not only as youth leaders but in other aspects of his life.

“If you can SEE it, you can BE it!”
As part of the NYLT course, Scouts are formed into patrols/teams and work and camp together at Scoutland for the week. Under the guidance of highly skilled youth staff, participants take part in indoor and outdoor challenges to develop and demonstrate their growing abilities. Activities including geo-caching, pioneering, role-playing, games, patrol competitions, overnight backpacking, and camping are all integrated into the course syllabus to help practice these skills, which come alive as each participant goes on his Quest for the Meaning of Leadership. NYLT participants are asked to commit to apply the leadership skills learned in the context of their own troop, going forward from NYLT.

Feedback from Participants
Our 2010 and 2011 participants were highly satisfied with NYLT! For instance, 2011 participants rated the “amount of leadership I learned” at the course as a 4.4 average (scale of 1-5, where 4 is “very good” and 5 is “excellent”). They rated the “staff’s level of knowledge” as 4.49, and their “level of enthusiasm” as 4.85! 94% of the participants agreed they would recommend this course to other Scouts. Similarly, in 2010 participants rated their “opportunity to learn leadership skills” as 4.78 and “staff enthusiasm” as 4.64; 100% agreed they would recommend the course to others.

Participant evaluations from 2011 included comments like the following:

• “I had a great time at this camp. Great staff group.”
• “Outstanding! Will recommend to entire troop!”
• “Best course ever. I’m keeping in touch with my team.”
• “Thank you to all the staff. I had an amazing time.”
• “I liked bonding with other staff and Scouts this week, as well as learning the leadership.”

NYLT 2012

Northeast Georgia
Council

Who Should Attend NYLT?
NYLT is a training course, so participants should be mature enough that they can benefit from taking part and can serve in a meaningful leadership role in their troop after participating.

I will be turning 13 right after the course; can I attend anyway?
No, we are following stated national standards that all participants must be 13 or older at the time of participation, and you will get more out of it by being a bit older. So, we will not be able to make age exceptions.

Can Venturers Attend NYLT?
Yes! Starting in 2011, NYLT became considered “program neutral” and appropriate for members of Scout Troops and Venturing Crews. Venturers should meet the same requirements in terms of camping experience, leadership potential, and maturity. Both male and female Venturers up to age 18 may apply for NYLT in 2012 for the 5/27/12-6/1/12 week (co-ed course); the course running 6/4/12-6/9/12 will be male only.

Additionally, male and female Venturers 18 years old and above, should instead attend Wood Badge for the 21st Century.
See www.nega-bsa.org/woodbadge.htm.

Participants must:

• Be at least 13 years old
• Be at least First Class in rank (or, for Venturers, have an equivalent level of camping and outdoor skills)
• Have Scoutmaster/Crew Advisor approval
• Be willing to behave in accordance with the Scout Oath and Scout Law at NYLT
• Be Prepared mentally, emotionally and physically to handle a week of NYLT
• Be in attendance for the entire period from noon on Day 1 through 8 pm on Day 6 of the course.

Participants should:

• Have taken part in at least 1 (ideally 2+) weeks of resident Scout camp
• Be a “credit” to their unit—dedicated, conscientious, and responsible
• Be serving in, or about to serve in, a significant troop or crew leadership role
• Have good basic camping and outdoor skills
• Want to attend

Participants should NOT:

• Be those with significant homesickness issues or discipline problems
• Be Scouts who have never camped without a parent present

NYLT 2012

Northeast Georgia
Council

Preparing for NYLT
National Youth Leadership Training is special. It’s not a week of summer camp; it is not free time; it is not an opportunity to earn merit badges; and it is definitely not a vacation! It will challenge and reward you—but you must Be Prepared to be successful!

NYLT assumes that all those attending have mastered basic camping skills. All participants should be familiar with the outdoor camping skills expected of a First Class Scout, including outdoor cooking, knot tying/lashing, campsite set-up, etc. Participants will camp as patrols/teams at designated sites at Scoutland, in platform tents with cots; NYLT also includes a backpacking overnight camping experience.

Patrols will cook meals on Coleman stoves, with food and equipment provided by NYLT. Scouts with special dietary needs should communicate those well in advance to the NYLT staff, so that accommodations can be made.

Participants will receive an NYLT hat and t-shirt, as well as an NYLT water bottle. Participants must have at least one complete and correct Boy Scout field uniform (“class A”); limited laundry facilities will be available. Venturers must wear the complete and correct official Venturing uniform (green shirt and gray official shorts/pants) - even if your Venturing crew does not use that uniform, you must have it for NYLT.

What to Bring?
Click here for the 2011 packing list. The 2012 packing list will be sent to participants who are selected for the course and will be updated here closer to the course. Please be sure you can carry all your own gear. Place your name on all belongings, and follow this list exactly.

Note: Scouts should not bring electronics such as cell phones, MP3 players, electronic games, laptops, etc. (Cameras are acceptable.) Participants will have limited access to communication and will not be able to call home etc. except in case of emergency via one of the adult staff. Scouts should not bring junk food, extra snacks, weapons, fireworks, drugs/alcohol/tobacco, or any other unsafe, illegal, stupid or unScoutlike things.

A current and complete BSA Annual Health and Medical Record, Parts A, B and C (http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34605_Letter.pdf), valid thru the end of the course,
must be provided for each participant no later than check-in.

If possible, provide a copy of this form when you send in your registration to the council.

Any significant health or medical restrictions that require program modification or accommodation should be communicated to the adult NYLT staff well in advance for consideration.

NYLT 2012

Northeast Georgia
Council

Frequently Asked Questions

When is NYLT?

In 2012, we will have two courses (back-to-back weeks). The first course will run from Sunday, May 27 through Friday, June 1, 2012, and is open to Boy Scouts and male and female Venturers. The second course runs Monday, June 4 through Saturday, June 9, 2012 and is open to Boy Scouts and male Venturers. Participants must report between 11:30 a.m. and noon on Day One and the course will conclude approximately 8:00 p.m. on Day Six.

Do I have to be there the whole time, or can I leave for [my soccer game, a wedding, our troop meeting, …]?
All participants must attend the entire time. No exceptions will be made. (If your schedule does not allow you to attend either week of our Council’s program, you may want to look at the dates for the Atlanta Area Council NYLT courses—see http://www.aacnylt.org/Home.html.)

Where will NYLT take place?
At Scoutland, the Northeast Georgia Council camp in Gainesville (Hall County).

How much does it cost?
$220, which includes all meals, lodging, activities, NYLT t-shirt, hat, water bottle and patch. (Cost is $250 for participants who are registered in councils other than the Northeast Georgia Council.) Many troops/crews understand the value of NYLT to the unit and pay for some or all of participants’ fees; you should check with your Scoutmaster or unit committee on this!

Are there Council scholarships?
There are not specific scholarships for NYLT; however, the Council maintains a specific assistance fund for Scouting programs.

Who should attend?
See the separate discussion on the “Who Should Attend”section above!

Who runs NYLT?
We have a dedicated youth staff, all of whom were previously participants in NYLT courses and who have taken part in intensive staff development to deliver the program successfully. Following the national NYLT syllabus, they model a youth-run troop and lead the NYLT activities, training sessions, and games. They include the Course Leader (=SPL), two Assistant Course Leaders for Program and for Services (=ASPLs), Quartermaster, and Team Guides (one per Team/Patrol). There are also adult staff (Course Director and Assistants) who help mentor the youth staff and handle background logistical details.

Course One:
Course Director Ben Hilley; Council professional Josh Bowles; Course Leader Scott Bowden

Course Two:
Course Director Tom Fletcher; Council professional Matthew Vrahiotes; Course Leader Luke Simonetti

NYLT 2012

Northeast Georgia Council

Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us:

2012 NYLT Course Contact Person: Paul Matthews
706-202-5830 cell; pmatthew@uga.edu
For questions about either 2012 course, the volunteer contact person is Paul Matthews. Paul is Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 149 in the Cherokee District, has served on staff for Wood Badge for the 21st Century, and was the 2010 and 2011 NYLT Scoutmaster/Course Director.

2012 Council Professional Liaison: Jeff Brown
770-962-2105 ext. 251; jebrown@bsamail.org
Jeff is the district director of Gwinnett County. He was active in Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting as a youth, and has worked with the NYLT program for five years.