The Ticket Process

New! Here is the list of how your name will appear on your Wood Badge Certificate.

During the course: Overview and Guidelines

Wood Badge Ticket Workbook: Your Vision and position

Your Five Goals

Approval by Troop Guide

Ticket Counselor assigned

Get to work! Keep in touch

Finish your Ticket, with modifications if necessary

File the paperwork

Schedule your beading

Beading celebration!

On Day One of the course, the Course Director described what Wood Badge was all about--see "Course Overview" on pages 12-14 of The Wood Badge Handbook. And Al described the "Guidelines for Writing a Wood Badge Ticket" (Handbook pages 17-19).

So, we suggest that you do the following:

1. Go to the "Wood Badge Ticket Workbook" in the Appendix of the Handbook (starting on page 96). And do Parts 1 and 2. Specifically, what is your job in Scouting? and What is your vision for success in that job?

Write down your thoughts in the pages of the Appendix. Or, if you like you can download the Ticket Workbook in pdf format and write on a fresh copy. If you prefer to type in a MS word document, then you can download the WB2011Ticket.doc file and type wherever you see an "X".

The first page of the Ticket Workbook describes the purpose of the Ticket and has space for you to describe your job and a place for your vision. In our experience, the job description is straightforward and the vision is more difficult. Never the less, don't skip writing down your vision. This vision statement may even go thru multiple revisions during the course, while you're at home considering it, and even while you share your vision with other stakeholders in your unit or group. Go back to the pre-course Twenty Questions while you consider your Vision.

The second page of the Ticket Workbook is an optional place for you to jot down notes as you revise your Vision and Goals.

2. After you have your vision in mind, then it makes sense for you to consider how you will challenge yourself to realize this vision. So, do Part 3: define your five goals.

The third and following pages of the Ticket workbook are places where you can write down the details of your 5 (or more) goals. Either use the pages in the Handbook for this purpose, or use the downloaded pdf version (above) and write in it. If you prefer to type in a MS word document, then you can download the WB2011Ticket.doc file and type wherever you see an "X". You'll need to use multiple copies of this file--one for each goal.

3. Have your Troop Guide review and approve your Vision and each of your Goals. If there are other staff members who would helpful to you in stating your Vision or setting your Goals, then let us know. We'd be more than happy to help. But your Troop Guide knows you best and he/she will have final approval on your Goals and Vision.
   We'll need two copies of everything: One for you and one for your Ticket Counselor.

Work along steadily on these Goals. Don't wait until 4:30 on Day Five, which is when they are due. If you want some ideas that may help you formulate some Ticket Goals, then these questions may help.

On Day Six, you'll find out who your Ticket Counselor is. You two will exchange contact information, and you'll be on your way to completing your Ticket.

4. After Day Six, you'll return home, catch up your sleep and get to work! Use the back page of each Goal sheet to jot down your progress towards your goals. Keep your Ticket Counselor informed of your progress. He/she should be contacting you as well. The contact information for the staff is online; Every one of them is at your service.

Stay in touch! Keep working at it. If things change, talk to your Ticket Counselor early rather than late. Yes your ticket may be changed!

5. Finish your ticket not later than 10/11/12 (October 11, 2012).
6. Fill out the Leader Training Recognition Form

The information Here tells you how to do this.

7. Schedule your beading with your ticket counselor.

Your ticket counselor will work with you on a date and how the ceremony is to be performed. Who do you want to invite? (Probably, all the guys in your patrol. Which staff members?) There are various ways this could be scripted.

• The full script out of the syllabus.
• A shorter version.
• Or a much shorter version.
• Here is the official (British) history of "The Wood Badge".
• Note: Chances are, you're scheduling a beading at someone else's meeting. For instance, a roundtable chair or blue and gold chair may be irritated to have a large section of time "taken" by your personal ceremony. A Scout is courteous. Ask what would work best.

These are just samples; this is your beading so consider how you want it to go. We all look forward to the cacophonously sonorous ending! Also consider the audience's point of view and what will be best for them. It's also more fun (and saves some of our staff time) if more than one person is beaded at the same time.

8. Yee ha! Let's do it.

All will want to double-check that everyone knows the time and place. The person to be beaded will be in uniform, including the (plaid) Troop 1 neckerchief with red-cord woggle. Detailed directions will probably be needed if you want our staff members from all over central Virginia to actually find where this place is (and be on time)! Assume nothing; double-check. The staff officiating will want to be clear on:

• Who will be in attendance? (the "talk" will be different if we're in front of your Troop of Scouts versus your District Committee).
• How will the awards team be introduced?
• How much time to we have for the award ceremony? The ceremony will likely be part of a larger meeting; When does the meeting start? and when does the wood badge part start (approximately)?
• Who's saying what part when?
• Who is bringing "the regalia"? : Wood Badge neckerchief, woggle, beads, certificate. Note to staff: check this out from Robin Rush.
• Will we be fed?

Wow; thanks! We look forward to seeing you along the Scouting trail.

Sincerely, Yours in Scouting. Al Best