Become a Merit Badge Counselor
Share Your Skills. Help Scouts Grow.Merit Badge Form

Merit Badge Counselors help Scouts explore hobbies, careers, life skills, and new adventures. Whether your experience comes from your job, hobbies, certifications, military service, trade skills, or personal interests — you may be a great fit.

Counselors guide Scouts through merit badge requirements by teaching, mentoring, encouraging, and signing off requirements once completed.

For Scouting America, Merit Badge Counselors are one of the most important volunteer roles in the program.

What Does a Merit Badge Counselor Do?

As a counselor, you will:

Help Scouts learn new skills
Explain and guide merit badge requirements
Meet with Scouts individually or in small groups
Encourage learning through hands-on experiences
Sign completion requirements when earned

You are not expected to be a classroom teacher. Scouts learn best from real people sharing real experience.

Basic Requirements

To become a Merit Badge Counselor, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have knowledge or experience in the badge subject
• Be approved through Scouting America
• Complete Youth Protection Training (YPT)
• Follow all current merit badge requirements exactly as written

There is no fee if you register only as a Merit Badge Counselor.

How Scouts Work With Counselors

Scouts will:

• Get approval from their Scout leader to start
• Contact a counselor like yourself
• Meet with a buddy present, could be multiple meetings depending
• Complete the badge requirements
• Return for review and sign-off

Counselors may meet:

At troop meetings
At home
At workplaces
Outdoors
Virtually when allowed by current policies
Important Guidelines
Follow Requirements Exactly

Counselors may not add to or remove requirements.

Example:

If the requirement says “demonstrate,” the Scout must demonstrate it.
If it says “discuss,” a discussion is enough.
Use the Buddy System

A Scout must always have:

Another Scout
A parent/guardian
Or another approved adult present

No one-on-one meetings.

Encourage — Don’t Pressure

Every Scout progresses at a different pace. Your role is to coach, encourage, and help them succeed.

Who Can Be a Counselor?

You may qualify through:

Career experience
Trades or certifications
Hobbies
Outdoor skills
College studies
Military experience
Volunteer work
Personal passions

We need counselors for many subjects including:

Cooking
Camping
First Aid
Engineering
Robotics
Fishing
Citizenship
Personal Finance
Art
Photography
Woodworking
Aviation
Gardening
And many more
Why Volunteer?

Merit Badge Counselors help Scouts:

Build confidence
Discover future careers
Learn responsibility
Develop life skills
Connect with positive adult mentors

Even one counselor can make a lifelong impact.

How To Get Started

Step 1

Complete Youth Protection Training (YPT) One parent is required to do this anyways as part of our parent involvment and scout safety.

Step 2

Choose the merit badges you would like to counsel.

Step 3

Complete the required adult application and Merit Badge Counselor forms 30 min website listen, and paper to fill out.

Step 4

Submit your forms drop off to your scouts weekly meeting, or deliver to the coucil headquarters.


Questions?

We would love to help you get started as a Merit Badge Counselor.

Thank you for supporting Scouts and sharing your knowledge with the next generation.