Info for New Leaders
Welcome! How to get started...
So you've agreed to become a Cub leader and you're wondering what to do next? First, thank you for stepping up! This is going to be fun!
Here's what you need to do to get started:
Fill out a New Adult application online and complete the online Youth Protection Training course. It will take about 25 minutes. You should have created an account on my.scouting.org from when your child joined Scouts. The pack will cover the cost of your registration and reimburse you -- please email your registration receipt to pack345sf@gmail.com.
Complete the AB506 requirements as described on the California Scouting - GGAC website. The pack will reimburse you for the cost of your LiveScan fingerprinting -- just send us the receipt (same as above)
Pick up a handbook for your role and a uniform at the Scout store. Full uniform is encouraged but not required! The full uniform includes: a tan shirt, neckerchief slide, blue epaulets, and the patches (GGAC shoulder patch, Pack '3' '4' and '5' numbers, sleeve patch for your role, and the purple World Crest circle). We'll give you a pack neckerchief, or you may use one of your own such as the official Eagle Scout neckerchief. Be sure to get the GGAC shoulder patch, not the Pac-Sky Council patch.
Every Cub deserves a trained leader! Check out the Cub Hub at cubscouts.org (scroll down and click on "Leaders"). Complete any other online training that interests you, especially the Quick Start and "Before Your First Meeting" training for your position on my.scouting.org. Watch the calendar on this website for in-person training sessions offered by the council as well as other events such as the University of Scouting.
Make sure you're added as a pack leader in ScoutBook so that you have proper permissions to edit the Cub data and communicate with the parents. Email us at pack345sf@gmail.com if you haven't been added yet.
Welcome! And remember the Cub Scout leaders' motto: Keep It Simple, Make It Fun!
New Leader Resources
We've gathered up a few of our favorite go-to resources for new leaders.
About the position
These official guides are short and have great guidance about how to succeed in your new role:
Lion/Tiger: https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/510-23318-LionTigerDenLdr_WEB.pdf
Wolf/Bear: https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/510-23918-WolfBearDenLdr_WEB.pdf
Webelos: https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/510-24718WebeloDenLdr_WEB.pdf
Resources sites from other leaders
You're not the only one in your role -- there are thousands of scout leaders from all across the USA who have done your role before, and many of them have written some excellent resources to help make your job easier. Here are some of our favorites:
Cub Scout Volunteers Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cubscoutvolunteers
Scout trails website has many great activity idesa: https://www.boyscouttrail.com/cub-scouts/lion-scouts.asp
Scoutermom has quick guides for lots of activities that are easy to print out and bring to the Den Meeting with you -- very helpful to hand out to parents who will be assisting with the day's activity: https://scoutermom.com/24509/lion-cub-scout-helps-and-documents/
The Sam Houston Council also does a great job of gathering resources for leaders: https://www.samhoustonbsa.org/leader-resources
As has South Fulton Scouting: https://www.southfultonscouting.com/node/3163
Cub Scout Ideas: https://www.cubscoutideas.com
If you find some other great resources, pass them along and we'll post them here!
