NYLT
The next National Youth Leadership Training will be: June 16-21, 2026.
NYLT is a week-long outdoor leadership training program for youth leaders developed by Scouting America and conducted by councils around the country. The next course will take place: June 16-21, 2026. A highly trained youth staff under the supervision of adult advisors set the example in modeling the core learning and leadership messages of the National NYLT syllabus.
The course focuses on teaching advanced leadership skills through the patrol method. The participants will be challenged to accomplish activities and projects using the leadership skills taught in the course. Participants will experience the simulation of a month in the life of a Scouting unit, complete with meetings, activities, and planning for the big monthly outing.
Questions?
Why Attend NYLT?
In your Scouting career, you will get many opportunities to lead your fellow Scouts through activities, projects, and outings as you advance. How can you make sure you have the skills you need to lead them to success?
NYLT can teach you what you will need to become a better leader. At NYLT, you will learn how to communicate effectively, how to resolve conflicts, and how to work towards a vision. You will work as part of a patrol with your fellow participants, practicing your Scouting skills and growing together as a team. And you will have fun along the way, with games and interactive activities that reinforce different leadership techniques.
NYLT is staffed by Scouts like yourself who have gone through the program and spent months in preparation to teach the course. They will guide you and your patrol through your six days at NYLT, and they make sure that NYLT is not just about teaching you leadership skills, but about giving you a leadership experience that you will never forget. You will be able to take home Scout skills, games, songs, and practices that will make your unit even better. And you might even find that your six days at NYLT is a time of self-discovery, as you set a personal vision and learn how to set goals to fulfill it.
National Youth Leadership Training will bring new skills and greater enthusiasm to your youth leadership.
Scouting recognizes that unit leaders have primary responsibility for training their youth leaders. NYLT is designed to support that role by helping Scouts develop critical leadership skills such as setting goals, communicating with others, and team development.
Using the Patrol Method as a framework for teaching, an NYLT course is not only ideal for training youth leaders at every level, but it can also be a valuable experience for older Scouts and Venturers.
NYLT is taught, run, and organized entirely by a highly trained team of youth Scouts, who not only attended NYLT as participants but who have also invested more than 300 hours in preparation to deliver each course and make it fun. They will not only teach your youth effective leadership skills, but they serve as an example of what NYLT practices look like in action. Our curriculum aligns our youth leadership training with the adult training offered by Wood Badge, and NYLT is part of the cycle of leadership that starts with ILST and continues with NAYLE.
NYLT teaches leadership skills that will help your child form stronger interpersonal relationships and make better decisions throughout their lives. While this is certainly a Scouting program, the leadership skills your Scout will learn will enhance their life in so many ways outside of the Scouting world. NYLT will give them the confidence to take on anything – at school, at home, or wherever life takes them.
What NYLT requires of your Scout is openness to learning these skills and the maturity to accept them. The course is taught by talented, resolute youth leaders who prepare for six months and serve as an example of what NYLT leadership looks like in action. The outdoor environment provides the backdrop for a mix of presentations, games, and learning activities geared towards Scouts while still having fun.
The first step in the Scouting America Youth Leadership Training Continuum is conducted in the home unit. Scouts BSA, Venturers, Sea Scouts, or Explorers who have 1) completed this training and 2) reached the age of thirteen but are not yet eighteen (for Venturers, Sea Scouts, or Explorers not yet twenty-one) may participate in the next step by accepting the challenge of the council level National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT).
Unit leaders have the primary responsibility for training their youth leaders. The purpose of National Youth Leadership Training is not to assume that role but rather support it. The NYLT week is filled with activities, presentations, challenges, discussions, and camping in a team and model unit environment. Participants learn and practice valuable skills at home, church, school, work, and the Scouting unit.
The course is designed for youth members 13 years of age. Since a Scout only takes this course once, we want them to get the maximum benefit from this experience; therefore, it is essential that they be able to handle the demands of this advanced course, which requires maturity, experience, and proficiency in basic camping skills.
At NYLT, a temporary training unit is formed consisting of youth from units across the council. This training unit is instructed and led by a highly qualified group of outstanding youth and adult trainers. At the end of this conference, the Scout returns to their home unit with advanced knowledge of leadership skills and patrol/troop/team/crew operation.
Objectives
- Give participants the confidence and knowledge to conduct the troop/crew/ship/post program.
- Provide participants with a clear understanding of team and personal development and how those elements relate to being a leader.
- Guide the participants through the stages of team development.
- Create an environment of Scouting fellowship and fun guided by the Scout Oath and the Scout Law.
- Give participants the opportunity to share ideas and experiences with Scouts from other troops, crews, ships, or posts.
- Have fun and experience Scouting at its best.
Requirements and Expectations
- At least 13 years of age, but not yet 18 by Day One of the course. (Not yet 21 by the end of the course for Venturers, Sea Scouts, or Explorers)
- Live by the Scout Oath and the Scout Law at all times.
- The course begins on Tuesday at NOON (check-in starts at 10:45) and ends on Sunday at about 2:00 PM. Lunch is not provided on the first day of the course.
- Approval from Scoutmaster of the home troop, Advisor of the home crew, Skipper of the ship, or Commander of the post (online registrants submit to office form on the website)
Frequently Asked Questions
Where and when is the course held?
The NYLT program will be held at the Humboldt River Ranch Association near Rye Patch Reservoir, 22 miles east of Lovelock, Nevada.
What are the course objectives?
- To create an enthusiastic and fun situation where participants will experience “Scouting at its best”.
- To give participants the confidence and knowledge to run their unit program and an opportunity to explore new program ideas with their peers.
- To improve the health of Scouting units and to create a youth training pool to assist in District level training events.
Who can/should go to NYLT?
- Scouts must be 13 years of age and fall within the maximum age allowance for their program registration. They should be ranked a First Class Scout or higher and have completed Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops.
- Venturers, Sea Scouts, and Explorers who are Crew, Ship, or Post members looking to step into a leadership role for their Crew, Ship, or Post in the upcoming year should definitely attend.
- OA Lodges are encouraged to send teams of their upcoming leaders to the course.
- Venturers, Sea Scouts, or Explorers must be at least 14, or 13 and have completed eighth grade, and fall within the maximum age allowance for their program. They should have completed Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews or Ships.
- Unit leaders or parents with questions can email the course director at malialani18@outlook.com.
What are the participant requirements?
To attend a NYLT course, a youth shall have the following qualifications by the beginning of the course:
- Must be a registered member of a Scouting unit.
- Must have a current Scouting America Health and Medical Record form parts A, B, and C.
- Scouts must be 13 years of age and fall within the maximum age allowance for their program registration. They should be ranked a First Class Scout or higher and have completed Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops.
- Venturers, Sea Scouts, or Explorers must be at least 14, or 13 and have completed eighth grade, and fall within the maximum age allowance for their program. They should have completed Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews or Ships. It is recommended that they have had at least one year of camping experience. While NYLT is not an outdoor skills course, it is important that each participant has basic camping and outdoor cooking experience.
- A unit leader recommendation.
What is the application process?
Applications will be accepted until May 15th. The course is very popular, and enrollment is limited. It is recommended to register early to avoid disappointment.
Upon registration, Scouts, their parents, and their Scoutmasters will receive additional information and an invitation to attend the Orientation Meeting via zoom on Monday or Wednesday, June 1st or 3rd, 2026. Unit leaders are encouraged to attend the pre-camp meeting to learn more about how they can support the leadership development of their Scouts.
When can I meet my child’s course Scoutmaster?
We recognize that many of our participants have never been away from their family or local Scout troop for more than a sleepover, let alone a full week, so we want to meet with you to address any of your concerns and theirs ahead of time.
- We ask that you do everything possible to attend our Pre-Camp Meeting, Monday or Wednesday, June 1 or 3, 2026, at 7pm via zoom. Parents, participants, and Scoutmasters/Crew Advisors/Skippers/Post Commanders are strongly encouraged to attend.
- There will be time to review the course expectations and to answer all your questions.
When and where is drop off and pickup?
- Drop offs will be between 10:45am and 11:45am on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at Humboldt River Ranch Association. Please eat lunch prior to arrival.
- Pick up is precisely at 3:00pm on Sunday afternoon.
What do I need to bring to camp and what is provided?
- All normal Council requirements for summer camp apply to NYLT.
- NYLT will provide two (2) NYLT t-shirts. Please see the packing list for more specifics on what to bring and what is not needed.
- We wear the complete scout uniform at morning and evening flag ceremonies, to certain presentations throughout the week, and for breakfast and dinner. We encourage participants to borrow uniform items from Scouts in their home troop.
Where can I get copies of the medical form?
The link to the Scouting America Annual Health and Medical Record Forms can be found HERE.
Regarding medicines, allergies, and food preferences:
- Participants are not allowed to carry their own prescription or over-the-counter medicines while at camp. Parents are asked to bring medicines necessary for their child at camp on the first day of camp to registration/drop off and turn them into the camp health staff using the original prescription bottles (loose medications cannot be accepted).
- Camp health staff can only dispense medications in accordance with the label on the prescription bottle unless they have a signed directive from a physician stating otherwise. The camp staff will record all dispensing of medications.
- If your child’s physician has directed them to carry an epi pen or an inhaler, an additional form signed by your child’s healthcare provider will be required.
- Participants at NYLT prepare their meals as a patrol, still, we are able to address individual requirements and preferences through prior planning and communication.
- The camp commissary can provide substitutes related to many of the common allergies, but parents are encouraged to contact the camp cooks by June 1st to clarify your Scout’s specific needs during camp.
- Dietary restrictions should be documented during registration.
- Accommodations are not made based on likes/dislikes but on actual need. NYLT is not a time for picky eaters to order off of a menu.
Who do I call if I hear about an emergency at camp?
Our commitment is that if something directly involves your child, we will do everything in our power to connect with you personally. If something of public interest happens at camp, please do not call your child directly. Rather, contact the Course Director, Staff Advisor, or Nevada Area Council office.
2026 Tentative Timeline and Key Information
A pre-camp meeting for Scouts, parents, and unit leaders will be held on Monday or Wednesday, June 1 or 3, 2026, via zoom, from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Participants should attend whichever fits their schedule best.
The NYLT Course week will begin with check-ins between 10:45 to 11:45 AM on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at Humboldt River Ranch Association. Participants will need to eat lunch prior to arrival.
Parents are asked to hand-carry all meds and any meal supplements for special dietary considerations. Parents should contact the camp nurse or cook by June 1st with any concerns.
Participants are expected to be in full, official Scout uniforms for the pre-camp meeting, check-in, all flag ceremonies, and most meals. Rather than purchasing new uniform items, participants are encouraged to borrow extra socks, shorts, etc. from friends in their unit.
Venturers, Sea Scouts, and Explorers will get more direction on uniform and packing requirements for the course week during the pre-camp meeting.
Interested in Being Staff?
- Application to be Staff
- Required Staff Development Sessions:
- March 20-21 and April 10-11, 2026, at Humboldt River Ranch Association
- May 9, 2026, at Nevada Area Council Office in Reno
- June 15, 2026, at Humboldt River Ranch Association
- Required Online Training:
- Safeguarding Youth Training and Science of Training. Both trainings are available on myscouting.org. Use your already established credentials to log in or call the council to reset your password.
- Staff will remain at HRRA until approximately 5:00pm on June 21st for final course debriefing and close-out.