National Youth Leadership Training updated to better serve youth leaders

National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) is a six-day, council-offered course that teaches Scouts, Venturers and Sea Scouts what they must know and do to be effective leaders in their units.

Youth, ages 13-20, benefit from the exciting program; it integrates modern leadership theory with the traditional strengths of Scouting. This isn’t a classroom training. Scouts experience hands-on activities, games, challenges, presentations and discussions. It’s a combination of work and play that resonates with youth.

Though the training, which launched in 2005, was due for an update.

What will be new and why?

In 2019, a team of volunteer Scouters, all with NYLT experience, began reviewing the course along with a national survey. Their goal was to refresh the course, not overhaul it. Here are some of the aspects that were updated:

• Created consistency with the schedule.
• Content sessions went from 15 to 19 with new sessions on “Embracing and Leading Change” and “Resilience.”
• Two communication sessions were split into six 30-minute sessions.
• Other sessions were merged and activities were added with a focus on active learning.
• Team-building games, patrol challenges and a problem-solving panel were added.

When will the updated course be available?

A national pilot course was held in February and regional pilot courses will be held throughout the spring and summer. If you live in or near one of the following councils, check their respective websites for details, and registration information

After these courses, feedback will be evaluated and final adjustments will be made this fall for the NYLT Course Director Conferences. Councils should be able to implement the updated course in 2022.