Outdoor Leader Training
Giving adult leaders the practical knowledge they need to help Scouts to learn outdoor skills.
IOLS – Intro to Outdoor Leader Skills
To safely offer Scouting’s outdoor program you need a certain set of skills and knowledge – and that’s why you’re required to take Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills (also known as “IOLS”) Training.
You’ll learn how to build a fire, use an axe, cook outdoors, use a map and compass, responsibly care for the outdoors, and much more. Even if you weren’t a Scout as a kid, you’ll come out of this course looking and acting like a seasoned camper. This course, combined with Youth Protection Training and the Scoutmaster-Specific Training Course, will make you an “fully trained” Scouting America leader.
Required for: New Scouting America Scoutmasters (highest-ranking adult volunteer leader working with youth in a Scouting America Troop) and Assistant Scoutmasters
Scouting’s outdoor program is a critical part of how the Scouting America program develops young leaders. While camping or participating in other outdoor events, your Scouts will challenge themselves to learn skills they’ve never tried before or maybe didn’t think they could do. In doing so, your Scouts will work together as a team to overcome adversity when things don’t go as planned; this is truly the magic of Scouting that no other program does as well.
Upcoming Training Dates
BALOO – Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation
This one-and-a-half-day course is designed as an introduction to the Cub Scout outdoor program for leaders interested in adding a camping component to their pack activities. BALOO training consists of an online pre-requisite component in addition to an overnight hands-on practical training experience. Cub Scout level camping policies are taught by experienced Scouters, along with the discovery of the necessary tools to help units deliver a successful camping experience. Completion of this course is mandatory for a MINIMUM OF ONE registered adult on a pack or den overnighter.
The in-person practical portion is facilitated by the Training Committee and includes the overnight portion of the training. Participants must be present and attend all sessions of the program, including the overnight experience, to qualify and receive the qualification of BALOO-trained.
The online prerequisite training is available in the BSA Learn Center on My.Scouting; below are instructions to access the training session. Four required learning modules provide the necessary knowledge base prior to engaging in the BALOO outdoor course. These segments are required prior to attending the outdoor portion. They will take about 30 minutes to complete.
- Log in to My.Scouting.org and navigate to the BSA Learning Center
- Click on the “Catalog”
- From the Catalog screen, type the word “BALOO” into the search field and hit enter
