Wood Badge History
WOOD BADGE is the premier leadership development course for adult volunteers in Scouting America. It is designed for Scouters who have completed basic position training and are ready to deepen their leadership skills and strengthen their impact on the program. While other advanced courses focus on specific aspects of Scouting, WOOD BADGE develops the broader leadership vision that benefits every role.
Hundreds of thousands of Scouters around the world have earned the WOOD BADGE training award, making it a shared milestone across the World Movement of Scouting.
Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, directed the first WOOD BADGE course in 1919 at Gilwell Park in Epping Forest, outside London, England.
For a more thorough history of Wood Badge, visit these sites.
The history of Wood Badge from the Scouts (UK) Heritage Service
Wood Badge from the World Scouting Organization