Merit Badge Counselor

The merit badge counselor is a key player in the Scouts BSA advancement program. Whatever your area of expertise or interest—whether it is a special craft or hobby (basketry, leatherwork, coin collecting), a profession (veterinary medicine, aviation, engineering), or perhaps a life skill (cooking, personal management, communication)—as a merit badge counselor, you play a vital role in stirring a Scout’s curiosity about it. By serving as a counselor, you offer your time, knowledge, and other resources so Scouts have the opportunity to broaden their horizons. And in doing so, your mission is to combine fun with learning. You are both teacher and mentor as the Scout learns by doing. By presenting opportunities for growth via engaging activities like designing a webpage (Computers), performing an ollie and a wheelie (Snow Sports), or fabricating rope (Pioneering), you may pique a Scout’s interest and inspire a Scout to develop a lifelong hobby, pursue a particular career, or become an independent, self-supporting adult.

How Do I Become A Merit Badge Counselor?
Thank you for your interest in the GNYC Merit Badge Counselor Program!  When signing up as a merit badge counselor for the first time, a BSA Adult Appli...
Mon, Feb 5, 2024 at 2:56 PM
Once a volunteer is registered and approved as a merit badge counselor, is that registration for life?
Approvals for merit badge counselors and all other adult volunteer positions are valid for one year only and must be renewed annually. 
Mon, Oct 18, 2021 at 11:11 PM
Would you like to be a merit badge counselor for Citizenship in Society Merit Badge and be part of the DEIB scouting community?
Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Starting July 1, 2022, the merit badge will be required for any youth seeking to achieve the prestigious Eagle Scout ...
Sat, Oct 1, 2022 at 2:56 PM