The Garden State Council and its Districts host a number of activities throughout the year to give Scouts the chance to work on merit badges, rank advancements, and non-advancement awards.
Check out upcoming merit badge and program opportunities from Garden State Council. Opportunities from outside organizations in the community are listed in the next section below.
Merit Badge Counselor Information & Current List of Merit Badges
The merit badge counselor is a key player in the Scouts BSA advancement program. Whatever your area of expertise or interest—whether it is a special craft or hobby (basketry, leatherwork, coin collecting), a profession (veterinary medicine, aviation, engineering), or perhaps a life skill (cooking, personal management, communications)—as a merit badge counselor, you can play a vital role in stirring a Scout’s curiosity about that particular topic. By serving as a merit badge counselor, you offer your time, knowledge, and other resources so that Scouts can explore a topic of interest.
If you are not yet a merit badge counselor, it is easy to become a volunteer. You will need to register with the Boy Scouts of America, through the Garden State Council office. This begins with the “Adult Application.” (Every applicant is screened.)
In order to register, merit badge counselors are expected to complete BSA Youth Protection. This training can be done through The BSA’s Online Learning Center. The Boy Scouts of America seeks to create a safe environment for young people and adult leaders to enjoy the program and related activities. BSA Youth Protection training helps preserve that environment.
For more information, consult the Guide for Merit Badge Counseling, No. 512-065 or Merit Badge Counselor Information, No. 34405. To learn more about the merit badge program, see section 7 of the Guide to Advancement
Become a Merit Badge Counselor
Click the icon above to visit our site detailing the process of becoming an approved Merit Badge Councilor or adding to your list of approved badges.
Find a Merit Badge Counselor
All current, Council-approved merit badge counselors are listed in Scoutbook. Unit leaders can find the list of merit badge counselors on their unit page. Click the icon above to visit Scoutbook.
All Current Merit Badges
Click the star icon above to visit the BSA's website cataloging all current Merit Badges, their requirements, and version histories.
Helpful Hints...
Here are some simple tips that every merit badge counselor should keep in mind.
- Make the Scout feel welcome and relaxed.
- Stimulate the Scout’s interest by showing them something related to the merit badge subject, but don’t overwhelm them; remember, they are probably a beginner.
- Carefully review each requirement, start with easy skills or questions, and encourage practice.
- Insist that the Scout do exactly what the requirements specify. Many of the requirements involve hands-on activities that call for a Scout to show or demonstrate; make; list; discuss; or collect, identify, and label—and they must do just that.
- Don’t make the requirement more difficult—or any easier—than stated. A Scout may undertake more activities on their own initiative, but they cannot be pushed to do so.
- During testing, the Scout might need help in a particular area or with a certain skill, and may need to be retested later to ensure the requirement has been fulfilled.
- Encourage self-evaluation and self-reflection, and establish an atmosphere that encourages the Scout to ask for help.
- Take a genuine interest in the Scout’s projects, and encourage completion.
These tips and more are covered in the Merit Badge Counselor training modules, available online at My.Scouting.org.