What is ILS*, NYLT, NAYLE, KODIAK, and SEAL?

Previously I posted about Wood Badge and Seabadge, the high-level leadership and management courses for BSA leaders. Now I am going to post about the high-level leadership and management courses for youth, specifically NYLT, NAYLE, KODIAK, and SEAL. NYLT, NAYLE, and KODIAK should be taken is successive order. Before Scouts, Sea Scouts, or Venturers can participate in NYLT, NAYLE, KODIAK, or SEAL, they must first have completed ILST, ILSC, or ILSS.

The purpose of the Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops (ILST) course is to teach Scouts with leadership positions about their new roles and how to reach success in that role most effectively. It is intended to help Scouts in leadership positions within their troop understand their responsibilities and to equip them with organizational and leadership skills to fulfill those responsibilities.

The Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews (ILSC) course's purpose is to teach Venturing Crew members with leadership positions about their new roles and how to reach success most effectively in that role. It is intended to help Venturers in leadership positions within their crew understand their responsibilities and to equip them with organizational and leadership skills to fulfill those responsibilities. Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews is the first course in the series of leadership training offered to Venturers and is a replacement for the Venturing Leadership Skills Course (VLSC).

Introduction to Leadership Skills for Ships (ILSS) was introduced in 2012 and is intended to help Sea Scouts in leadership positions within their ship understand their responsibilities and to equip them with organizational and leadership skills to fulfill those responsibilities most effectively. ILSS replaces the Crew Officers Orientation (COO) and the Venturing Leadership Skills Course (VLSC).

National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) is an exciting, action-packed program designed for councils to provide youth members with leadership skills and experience they can use in their home troops, crews, and ships and in other situations demanding leadership of self and others. Completing this course also allows youth to wear the NYLT-trained patch under a position of responsibility patch, instead of the Trained patch, while serving in a non-adult position of responsibility.

National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience (NAYLE) is an exciting training program that enhances leadership skills and expands upon the team-building and ethical decision-making skills learned in National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT). NAYLE emphasizes leadership, teamwork, and selfless service, using the core elements of NYLT to help youth strengthen these skills. The NAYLE course is offered at all four national high-adventure bases. The material presented is basically the same at all four venues but is specific to the unique environment of each site. To qualify for participation in NAYLE, Scouts, Venturers, and Sea Scouts must be 14 but not yet 20 years old, hold a unit leadership position, and have completed NYLT.

NAYLE a special experience. Youth will live in a patrol setting and use their leadership skills to resolve exciting and challenging situations.

NAYLE equips youth leaders to be better unit leaders, NYLT staff members, and/or superior camp staff members. It will help guide their journey to become true servant leaders, able to develop the members of any team they lead. NAYLE provides life skills for now and the future.

Kodiak is a week-long (5 days minimum) leadership trek designed to be an adventure that pushes the boundaries of every participant—one that encourages youth to try new things that may be out of their comfort zone. It is an experience—but one that has its underpinnings in the application of the leadership skills they learned in the Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops (ILST), Crews (ILSC), or Ships (ILSS), National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT), and National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience (NAYLE). It is, as is all of Scouting, an adventure with a purpose.

The Kodiak Challenge can be done on a unit, district, or council level. Approval is needed by the council training chair or his or her designee. Multiple councils can get together to conduct an area course (the area training director’s approval is required). Kodiak is not classroom delivery of leadership skills. Instead, it is conducted as part of a trek.

A Kodiak Trek is an expedition, a road trip, an adventure, a visit to another country, a whitewater rafting trip, a cross-state bicycle adventure, running a sports week for special-needs youth—anything that helps push the participants out of their personal comfort zone for the sake of adventure and learning.

A trek is an adventure that pushes boundaries. Not all Troops, Ships or Crews go on high-adventure outings, and Kodiak need not be a high adventure to be a great experience. A natural setting is always a plus, but the key is adventure. For some units, it may be more challenging to do a week-long city tour than a backpacking trip similar to other trips in the past. Do what works for your unit, but do something that is truly a challenge to each participant.

Kodiak is not about the trek; it is about leadership skills. During the Kodiak trek, BSA leadership skills are the framework to help the participants live out their adventure—and grow from this. Each day there is an activity to showcase one or more of the BSA leadership skills previously taught in the unit Introduction to Leadership Skills course and at NYLT and NAYLE. In addition, each trek will have numerous times where leadership skills are essential for success. For example, all treks begin with planning, and all groups must communicate effectively about expectations and shared tasks.

Taking part in a Kodiak adventure gives participants an opportunity to practice the following leadership skills on their trek:

• Creating a Shared Vision of Success
• Planning
• Communication
• The Stages of Team Development
• Inclusiveness
• Values & Ethical Decision Making
• Servant Leadership & Leadership Styles

Many Scouts, Venturers, and Sea Scouts have decided to join the Corps of Discovery after completing their Kodiak Trek and understanding the importance of Servant Leadership.

Sea Scout Experience Advanced Leadership (SEAL) Training is a Sea Scout youth leadership training course offered by the Sea Scout Support Committee. It is an intensive, week-long leadership course conducted aboard ship at sea. Successful completion of SEAL Training allows the graduate to wear the SEAL Training Award, a silver pin (or patch) with twin dolphins, on their uniform above the left pocket. Staff wear a gold version of the same pin (or patch).

SEAL Training is intended to be a leadership course. While it is conducted on board an active sailing vessel, it is not intended that seamanship be taught. Students should have a thorough understanding of basic seamanship prior to the course.

• Skills taught
• Evaluation
• Team Building
• Leadership
• Training
• Communicating
• Goal Setting
• Planning & Preparing
• Motivating
• Managing, Supervising, & Commanding
• Counseling
• Implementing & Re-Implementing
• Problem Solving