Program for Chaplains and Chaplain's Aids

Think of chaplains and chaplain aides as facilitators of the 12th point of the Scout Law: A Scout is reverent.

Think of the Advanced Unit Chaplain and Unit Chaplain Aide Training as a road map for these important roles.

The weekend training course is for chaplains and chaplain aides of any faith. Chartered organization representatives may attend as well.

The course helps adults and youth strengthen their roles as chaplains or chaplain aides, inspire more Duty to God activities and foster understanding of the many faiths represented in the BSA.

What are chaplains and chaplain aides?

A chaplain is a spiritual leader for units. He or she gives spiritual guidance to a camp or Jamboree community, conducts religious services according to his or her faith, and arranges for other religious observance as needed. A chaplain also provides help in dealing with morale, visits those who are ill and provides counseling in case of bereavement.

A chaplain aide is a youth leader who works with the troop, crew or ship chaplain to ensure all members have appropriate religious observance during outings. The chaplain aide helps other Scouts or Venturers in religious emblems program. He or she is appointed by the senior patrol leader, crew president or ship boatswain — with the advice and consent of the adult leaders.

Note: Chaplain aide does count as a position of responsibility for Scouts trying to earn Star, Life or Eagle.

Who can take this training?

Unit chaplains, unit chaplain aides and chartered organization representatives.

District chaplains, council chaplains and religious emblems coordinators should be invited to observe.

Are all faiths welcome?

Absolutely. The training will include participants from various faiths representative of your community.

All will feel welcome and included in this training; proselytizing of any specific faith or religion is strictly prohibited.

Why should someone take this training?

Well-trained unit chaplains and chaplain aides provide the spiritual aspect of the program. They support duty to God, particularly in outdoor experiences.

In addition to a fresh, relevant syllabus, the course offers the opportunity to network with other chaplains and chaplain aides within your council.

What will participants learn?

At the course’s conclusion, participants should be able to:

• Express understanding of online materials
• Be comfortable with their role as unit chaplain or chaplain aide
• Build a relationship with the chartered organization representative
• Be familiar with resources available for chaplains and chaplain aides
• Be comfortable with responsibilities for guiding conversations
• Participate in the planning and implementation of a worship service

The course code for this training is D86. Find the syllabus online at this link.

When is this held?

The training consists of a weekend retreat campout — going from Friday evening through noon on Sunday.

Councils may modify the dates and order of modules to meet the needs of participants. Don’t forget to consider any religious holidays.

If you are interested in taking this training, please contact Wayne Rascati at RanchoAlegre@cox.net.