WHY THIS COURSE?

Training Boy Scouts to be leaders is an ongoing process that begins immediately when a Scout accepts a leadership position in his troop. Leadership experiences can be frustrating and disappointing for a Scout who is not given the knowledge, skills, and encouragement that he must have to fulfill his leadership assignment. It is the Scoutmaster’s responsibility to make sure the Scout has all the necessary tools and to coach and mentor the Scout to be successful.

The purpose of the Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops (ILST) course is to teach Scouts with leadership positions about their new roles and the organizational and leadership skills needed to most effectively reach success in that role. Completion of ILST is a prerequisite for Boy Scouts to participate in the more advanced leadership courses National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) and the National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience (NAYLE). It is also required to participate in a Kodiak Challenge Trek.

WHO PARTICIPATES IN THIS COURSE?

This course is for every Scout in the troop who holds a leadership position, including all elected positions and any appointed positions at the discretion of the senior patrol leader. In some troops, this might mean that this course is for every Scout!

It is strongly preferred that all Scouts with troop leadership positions participate in this course at the start of each term of office. It is beneficial for the Scouts to go through this course together, even if only some of them are new leaders. In some cases, it can benefit the troop if youth who are likely to become troop leaders also participate in the course. Two key purposes of this course are the establishment of personal goals for each youth leader and the effective formation of the leadership team. Both of these purposes are best achieved if all Scouts with troop leadership positions do this together.