Kodiak

Kodiak Training is an excellent tool for youth leaders in the program and is one of the newest trainings offered by the BSA. Please take some time to review some of the information on the site.

Basic Information:

Kodiak and Kodiak X are the second and third phases of the Nature of Leadership Program (NOL). The first phase of NOL is the Venturing Leadership Skills Course. VLSC covers four specific leadership skills and can be administered by a crew or council.

Phase two called Kodiak is a six day trek-oriented course providing five leadership skills called commissions. The commissions are presented on a trek over either one week or two weekends. Although Kodiak is required for Kodiak X, VLSC is not required for Kodiak although taking VLSC first is helpful and recommended.

Phase 3 is the weekend long Kodiak X which reinforces the skills learned in Kodiak. Kodiak Courses can be administered by crews or councils.

Even though Kodiak and Kodiak X are offered and managed by Venturing, the course may be offered to older Boy Scouts. ALL courses must follow the Kodiak and Kodiak X Training Syllabus and adhere to the basic course requirements.

Basic Course Requirements 

• All Kodiak Treks (courses) must use and follow the official Kodiak Syllabus.
• Courses must be approved by the Council Scout Executive in advance of the course.
• Courses should be financially self-sustaining.
• There is no maximum course size, but each team should be no larger than eight (8) and no smaller than five (5) (6 to 8 is ideal size) for each two instructors.  Under five in a team is challenging and not enough to do exercises.
• At least six days is required to do the course.  Either six straight days or two weekends (Friday-Sunday). 
• If you choose to offer the two-weekend style course, no more than one weekend should divide the two weekends.  (Too much time will cause lose of continuity.)
• All commissions must be presented.