National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) is a week-long training event run by the Blue Grass Council of the Boy Scouts of America. NYLT is typically held during a week in late July from Sunday noon until Friday evening. NYLT 2025 will be held on June 8-13 (register here).
NYLT is the council’s premier leadership training for youth leaders. Building on the skills learned in ILST/ILSC, the NYLT program is designed to give youth leaders further skills and prepare them to be effective leaders of their home troops or crews. Accordingly, participants will alternate between learning leadership skills in a classroom environment and putting those skills to work in the field. The week is structured to resemble a typical month in the life of a Scouts BSA troop, including daily troop meetings, patrol meetings, and Patrol Leaders’ Councils, and culminating in the Outpost Camp experience. These elements are found in Venturing crews as well, and the NYLT staff ensures that Venturers know how to apply their NYLT-learned skills to the Venturing program.
NYLT is open to both Scouts BSA and Venturers who meet the eligibility criteria:
- Be at least 13 years old by the start of the course.
- Have completed First Class rank by the start of the course (Scouts BSA only). Venturers are highly encouraged to be familiar with basic Scouting skills such as cooking, pioneering, and first aid.
- Have completed ILST (Scouts BSA) or ILSC (Venturers).
- Be recommended by their unit leader.
Troops and crews are encouraged to send their top youth leaders to NYLT, and many units even pay the registration fees.
For more information on the Blue Grass Council’s NYLT program, visit the council’s NYLT website.