How to become a Merit Badge Counselor

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.

• Merit Badge Requirements
• Merit Badge Events Policies and Guidelines
• Merit Badge Process for Scouts Parents and Unit Leaders
• Merit Badge – Blue Card (fillable)
• Instructions for viewing the merit badge counselor list
• Existing merit badge counselors may request changes to their assigned badges by using the form here.

Steps in Becoming a Merit Badge Counselor

1. READ THIS FIRST: Merit Badge Counselor Registration Process
   

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   Do the training in Step 5 before proceeding.

2. If you are not already registered as a merit badge counselor, follow this link and register as a merit badge counselor. Instructions are here on how to do it. Note: Merit Badge Counselor registration is separate from all other BSA position registrations. A separate registration is required for this position.)
3. Read about the special requirements for counseling certain merit badges.
4. Fill out the Merit Badge Counselor Information form which tells us which badges you would like to counsel. (Note: Each merit badge counselor is restricted to a maximum of 20 merit badges by council policy.)
5. Complete prerequisite training and print certificates once completed: Youth Protection Training and Merit Badge Counselor Training.

How to do your Training

Take Youth Protection Training by clicking on the Youth Protection Icon after logging into http://my.scouting.org

For Merit Badge Counselor training, do the following:

• 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.

6. Send your YPT, and MBC training certificates, and any additional documents needed for specific merit badges in one package to meritbadge@grandcanyonbsa.org

Scoutbook for Merit Badge Counselors