The Wood Badge Training Course for Scout Adult Leaders was successfully conducted in Punakha, bringing together 45 teachers from 14 Dzongkhags and 2 Thromdes. This transformative program marked a significant step in strengthening the Scouting movement in Bhutan. Aligned with the World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM) standards, the training introduced three strategic professional development courses alongside adult leader core competencies such as adaptability to change, personal development, commitment, organizational awareness, strategic planning, interpersonal relationships and teamwork.
The certification modules focused on Essential First Aid โ CPR with AED, Disaster Risk Reduction and Mitigation โ Search and Rescue, and the Child Safeguarding Framework โ Safe from Harm. These courses provided participants with life-saving skills, practical disaster preparedness techniques, and safeguarding practices to protect children in Scouting environments.
Each module was carefully contextualised to Bhutanese realities while maintaining international standards, ensuring authenticity, relevance, and immediate applicability in schools, camps and communities.
A highlight of the program was the Advanced First Aid Training facilitated by Druk Sokchop- Bhutan Life Savers, a national initiative under the custodianship of the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan (KGUMSB). A total of 78 Scout adult leaders participated in this specialised training, including 30 leaders at Nganglam LSS and 45 at Lobesa LSS.
Druk Sokchop, launched in 2020 with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) was designed to build Bhutanโs capacity in emergency medical education. It equips healthcare providers, teachers and community members with critical skills such as CPR, first aid, and disaster response, reducing reliance on overseas training and fostering self-reliance in medical preparedness.
The training combined theoretical lessons with intensive, day-long simulation-based practical sessions. Participants gained hands-on experience using contextualised scenarios and various simulators in addressing emergency situations, performing CPR, using AED devices appropriately, and coordinating as teams in multi-rescuer resuscitation scenarios. This practical approach ensured that adult leaders not only understood the science behind first aid but also developed the confidence to apply these skills effectively in real-life situations.
By integrating advanced First Aid-CPR training into the Wood Badge Course, teachers emerged as qualified Scout adult leaders and resilient mentors equipped with competence, confidence, and compassion.
The program reaffirmed Scoutingโs timeless principles of learning by doing, service before self, and leadership with empathy, while preparing educators to inspire the next generation of responsible, resilient, and service-oriented citizens across Bhutan. This initiative represents a milestone in Bhutanโs Scouting journey, ensuring that safe and joyful Scouting remains at the heart of youth development.
-Department of Education Programmes, MOESD
