Den Leader

So, you’re interested in being a den leader? Or, you’ve been told a den isn’t going to form without a leader, so you want to learn more?

Being a den leader is an incredibly rewarding experience. It does take time, but if you get organized at the start of the year, get your den’s parents to help, you’ll find the benefits well outweigh the investment. Being a scout leader is a wonderful way to give back to your community. You are impacting many childrens’ lives in ways that school and sports never will. You are teaching life skills and introducing scouts to unique experiences.

You do not need scouting experience to be a den leader.

In addition to this page, check out great tips on doing the den leader job with ease.

Training: The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) offers a variety of training classes for all kinds of leadership positions in Cub Scouts. There are two primary training classes to take as a new den leader:

1. Youth Protection Training (YPT): This is an online course designed to explain the BSA’s philosophy and rules on how to protect our youth from sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. This course must be renewed every 2 years.

2. Den Leader Training: This training can be taken online or in person with a certified trainer through our council office.

Requirements: You will need to complete an Adult Application and the online YPT training.  We cover the registration fee for Den Leaders.

Materials: The scouting organization provides detailed den leader guidebooks for each rank. It outlines what you can do at every single meeting you host – right down to the games you can play while waiting for scouts to show up. The scout handbook is also a very detailed tool to guide you in planning. In addition, the scouting organization has many resources to help you, found here.

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Communications & Calendar: As a den leader, you are responsible for building and maintaining the den calendar (scheduling den meetings) and communicating to your den families. It is recommended to plan your den calendar for the entire school year in August. This way, parents are able to commit to helping lead activities – they know the topic, the date, and the time. The den leader is also responsible for passing along messages to the den that come from the pack.

Award tracking: Many den leaders delegate this role to a parent in the den. Someone must track who in the den has completed requirements for awards.

Costs: Den leaders handle expenses in different ways. Some collect a fee from each family at the beginning of the scout year to cover costs, such as camping reservations, materials to satisfy the rank requirements, etc. Some dens collect money from each family at the end of the year to exactly cover the expenses incurred. Finally, some dens collect money as-you- go. E.g., If each scout builds a bird feeder, and the kits cost $8, every family pays $8 at that meeting. Snacks are often shared at den meetings, and a rotating schedule ensures each family contributes. Rank badges, award pins and belt loops are all reimbursable by the pack.

Time commitment: This is the biggest question about being a den leader. “I’m a busy person with a full time job. How much time will this take?” It will take time. But you can also set expectations up front and require your den families to help lead meetings. Dens meet every 2, 3, or 4 weeks, depending on the schedules of the families — the den decides.  If just a few parents offer to plan and lead one meeting each, the work is less per person. As the den leader, if you invest good planning time up front, the school year runs relatively smoothly.

In addition to monthly pack meetings and den meetings, den leaders are expected to attend Den Leader meetings every other month to prepare for upcoming events, review past events, discuss budget, etc. These are approximately 60 minutes on Monday evenings.

It is best if den leaders continue in the leadership role all the way through cub scouts — which is through the first half of 5th grade.  But it is not uncommon for the leadership role to rotate through other parents of the den to spread the load.

Pack Meetings: The Cubmaster runs all the pack meetings. However, dens do have responsibilities. Each pack meeting requires 1 den for planning and set-up, 1 den to conduct the flag ceremony, and 1 den for clean-up.