Brownsea-NYLT

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Last Updated: 2 February, 2007

Frequently Asked Questions

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What is Brownsea?

Brownsea is a week long outdoor experience for present and future youth troop leaders, designed to help a Scoutmaster in his responsibility to train his scouts in being better troop leaders and in maintaining a youth-run Scouting Program. It is based on the BSA National Youth Leadership Training Program. NYLT replaces the course curriculum previously known as Junior Leader Training (JLT).

The Course focuses on teaching advanced leadership and planning skill in an intense, team-building atmosphere. Participants will be regularly challenged to accomplish time-sensitive tasks using the team-building and leadership skills taught in the Course. Participants will also have opportunities to improve their outdoor skills and apply them.

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What is the purpose of Brownsea?

Brownsea has six major aims:

• To give participants the confidence and knowledge to run the troop program;
• To teach and practice key leadership skills and relate these skills to the Scout's troop responsibilities;
• To give Scouts the opportunity to share ideas and experiences that other Scouts have found to be successful and useful in their home troops;
• Give each Scout a varied experience with emphasis on the patrol method and new ways to teach Scoutcraft skills in a fun atmosphere back in his home troop.
• To create an atmosphere where scouts will experience "Scouting at its best".
• To enhance the relationship between the participant and his home troop's scoutmaster. To Top

Is Brownsea complete after camp?

No, Brownsea is a two phase program. Phase 1 is the training week at Wente Scout Reservation. Phase 2 is by each scout applying the leadership skills in his home troop after he completes the course. The home troop Scoutmaster certifies suitable application of the leadership skills. This application phase can be completed at any time but we have a Recognition ceremony the third Thursday of November (each year) to recognize all scouts that have completed their challenges. The home Troop Scoutmaster approves the completion of these challenges by e-mailing a short note to the Course Director stating that the Scout has demonstrated leadership thru applying the Brownsea skills. Please also summarize what the participant did to demonstrate leadership. E-mail this to: info@brownsea-nylt.org. The Scoutmaster may also change the challenges as needed to meet the troop's needs. To Top

Is Brownsea a week at summer camp?

No. Brownsea is a leadership training course in an outdoor environment. There are no rank advancement or Merit Badge opportunities during the week. The purpose of this course is to develop leadership skills that scouts will use in their home troop and throughout their lives. To Top

Where is Brownsea?

Brownsea is held each year at Wente Scout Reservation in Willits California. Transportation TO Wente is included in the course. Parents or scout leaders must pick up their scouts after the course on Saturday (see next section). To Top

Important dates for Brownsea?

Orientation: A Brownsea Orientation meeting (MANDATORY) will be held on Thursday May 15th at 6:30PM at the LDS Chapel at 3900 Seven Hills Rd, Castro Valley. Parents and scout leaders are required to attend. Please bring valid Class I and Class II medicals, payment, a completed application and a signed Code of Conduct. If you registered at our website you still need valid Class I and Class II medicals, an approved application and a signed Code of Conduct.

Course start: Brownsea always starts on Father’s day. The 2007 course starts Sunday June 15th and ends on Saturday June 21. Scouts must be dropped off at the SFBAC Council Office (1001 Davis St, San Leandro, CA) before 7:00AM on June 15. Buses leave by 8:00AM SHARP! Each scout should have one backpack with all of his items and be in a full Class A scout uniform (with shorts). THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE FOR MEDICALS but if the scout is missing the form, he does not go. PLEASE submit the Medicals at Orientation and save the stress..

Course end: The Brownsea course graduation ceremony takes place at Wente on Saturday, June 21, at 11:00AM . It takes about 3+ hours to drive to Willits from the Bay Area. Please don’t arrive any earlier than 10:30AM. You will not be able to see your son until after the ceremony. This ceremony takes about 1 hour. All scouts can leave as soon as the ceremony has been completed. (Note that Staff must remain until all Brownsea equipment has been stored). The Quartermaster will have a small selection of Brownsea memorabilia available for sale (T-shirts, hat pins, patches and belt buckles) after Graduation. Lunch can also be ordered at Orientation before the course (for your entire family).

Goal Completion Ceremony: Brownsea has a Graduation reunion on Thursday November 20 at the LDS Church in Castro Valley (same location as the Orientation meeting). At this Graduation, all Brownsea graduates that have completed their challenges and e-mailed in certification from their Scoutmaster, will receive a Brownsea Trained strip and a completion emblem. Wear this strip with pride! To Top

How can I contact a participant?

In case of an emergency, call the Wente Ranger at (707) 459-2110. He will get a message to the Brownsea Staff and we will then get the message to the Scout.

If you would like to mail letters (which Scouts just love to receive), the camp address is:

Due to the schedule that is run at Brownsea, visitors are discouraged because of disruption to the program and the difficulty in providing make-up sessions. To Top

Who should attend Brownsea?

Brownsea participants must be thirteen years of age by October 1, 2008, be in a position of leadership (Senior Patrol Leaders, Assistant Senior Patrol Leaders, Patrol Leaders or who will be candidates in the near future) and be First Class rank before May 15th. A scout must want to attend Brownsea and have the enthusiasm and desire to participate in this learning experience. Because Brownsea requires camping skills, Scouts must have had at least one long-term camp experience (such as summer camp) in order to attend. To Top

Who should not attend Brownsea?

• Scouts with significant homesickness issues or discipline problems,
• Scouts who have little camping experience,
• Scouts who have never camped without a parent in attendance, or
• Scouts who are generally not leaders counted on by your troop.

Brownsea will not “fix” your problem scouts and cannot change scouts that do not want to learn or participate. Brownsea will nourish the leadership ability of the Scouts that you count on to run your troop. Brownsea will not help Scouts with discipline problems or homesick problems.

Scouts with discipline issues will only disrupt efforts to train other Scouts as leaders and will likely be sent home without a refund. Removal of a Scout from the program is not done lightly and is reviewed thru a multi-level process and ultimately thru the Course Director. If a Scout is removed from the program, his parents will be called and need to pick him up at camp.All of our staff members are very busy training leaders during course week and do not have time to tend to Scouts who are not mature enough to attend a week long leadership camp.

If you have any questions about the appropriateness of any scout attending Brownsea, please contact the Course Director at Brownsea@comcast.net.

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When does registration close?

The Course closes for Registration when the Course fills up. The current enrollment limit is 144 scouts. Once that limit is reached, all other Scouts will go on a waiting list. In the last three years, the course registration closed before the first week in May. The 2005 course was filled as of April 26th! The 2006 course was filled on May 1. Register soon to avoid problems.

What Paperwork is due when?

Last day to register is on May 13, 2008. After that date, Scouts are taken IF space is available. No applications can be accepted after Orientation. At Orientation, you need to bring a copy of the completed and signed application and Code of Conduct. A Class I and Class II medicals (SFBAC form available at: www.sfbac.org), SFBAC Medication form and course fee payment. These are also available off of the Orientation page.

Best way to register is on the web at: www.brownsea-nylt.org. Please read the registration steps under the on-line registration button on the main page. Failure to return a signed copy of the Scoutmaster approval form may disqualify you from the Course. On the Orientation Page, print a Code of Conduct form, you and your parents must sign it. Bring this to Orientation.

Please bring a valid Class I medical form to Orientation. This form needs only the parent's signature and is good for one year. The reason for completing this form on a yearly basis is to update your son’s health history with more current information. PLEASE STATE ALL FOOD AND MEDICAL ALLERGIES OR ANY CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR SON. A Class II medical must be completed by a Physician or NP once every 3 years (must be dated later than June 24, 2004). A copy of the form kept by your home troop is acceptable. SFBAC also requires a medication form for EACH prescription we must administer to your son. You will also find all of these form off of the Orientation page. All prescriptions must be in their original containers for camp. THANKS. To Top

What is the cost?

The Conference fee is $295 if paid on or after May 1. Cost is $275 if paid on or before April 30 (payment must be received by SFBAC council office before May 1). Please submit ONLY $275 for payments in full by April 30 or $295 total for payments in full after that date. Registration is handled thru Double-Knot for the Council. There is no convienence fee to use Double-Knot this year. To Top

Is there a handling charge for registration?

No, Double-Knot previously charged the Council a fee for handling credit card use and to pay for the cost of collecting the names and information. This fee has been eliminated this year. To Top

Is the home Scoutmaster involved?

Absolutely! Brownsea is designed to enhance the Scouts relationship with his home Scoutmaster. The home Scoutmaster coordinates and encourages the Scout's completion of his Phase 2 challenges. The home Scoutmaster works with the scout upon his return to identify 4 areas where the Scout can apply his Brownsea skills. See Bringing Brownsea Home on the Home Page. Upon completion, the Scoutmaster e-mails info@brownsea-nylt.org, stating that the Scout has completed the goals that the Scoutmaster and Scout had agreed upon. To Top

How will Scouts live during Brownsea?

Scouts will be placed into a patrol consisting of six Scouts from many Districts and even from other Councils. Each patrol has its own site with it’s own stoves and patrol cooking equipment. Scouts will prepare their own meals as Patrols. Tents are provided with 2 Scouts sharing a tent.

We have no trading post on camp. No candy or snacks are allowed on course. If found, these will be confiscated and returned at the end of course to their parents or scout leader. All soda machines are turned off. To Top

What about meals and special dietary needs?

Scouts will eat "Jamboree" style. The patrol will pick up food at the Commissary before each meal and will prepare meals in camp. The scouts will be cooking on camp stoves. Scouts with special dietary needs should contact the the Course Director (info@brownsea-nylt.org) before the course. We can accommodate most dietary needs but do require advanced notice. To Top

Is any special equipment needed?

An equipment list can be located off of the Brownsea Webpage.

Each scout should have 2 full scout uniforms with shorts (no long pants). The following items are to be removed from your uniform: Rank, Leadership position, Trained strip, Quality Unit, Patrol, Right-Pocket/Activity Patch.

Please leave on the uniform: Council and Troop Number, World Crest, National Jamboree Patch, Interpreter, Tote-N-Chit or OA patch on right pocket flap, and any Knots.

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Do I need a backpack?

Yes. You will be expected to carry all of your equipment to and from your campsite and you may have to hike over a mile to accomplish that. There will be other times during the week when the backpack is essential. To Top

How can I get additional information?

E-mail us at info@brownsea-nylt.org

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