Merit Badge Guidelines

  1. Merit badge counselors must have a current Youth Protection card before they can be a counselor.
  2. Merit badge counselors must be qualified for the badge they wish to be a counselor for. The form asks for reasons you feel you are qualified – vocation, avocation or special training. This must be filled out completely before submitting to council. Note: Merit Badge Counselors MUST ensure they are registered, for the merit badge they teaching, with the District before starting. This can be done by seeing the Troop’s Merit Badge Coordinator or the Troop’s Advancement Chair.
  3. Merit badge counselors do not have to be registered adult leaders but they must fill out the Adult Application. There is no fee to sign up to be a merit badge counselor.
  4. If a merit badge requires the demonstration of CPR, the boy has passed the First Aid Merit badge or even has a CPR certification; he MUST still demonstrate CPR for that merit badge. There is no double dipping.
  5. The "buddy system" is always used in scouting, as per the requirements found in the Guide to Safe Scouting.
  6. Three people must be present at all meetings with the merit badge counselor, as per the directives in the Guide to Safe Scouting.

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