Completing the Application Form (Form GS)
Before starting to complete the Form, please refer to the Conditions and Qualifications set out on the back page of the Form and to Policy, Organisation and Rules, Chapter 11, Rule 11.5 (see Appendix 1).
Awards for specially good work for the Association are made by the Chief Scout, who is advised by the Awards Board.
For Scouters, Commissioners with District appointments (other than District Commissioners), District and Group Administrators and others who have given valuable service to the Association, application on Form GS is made on the recommendation of the District Commissioner and the County/Area Commissioner.
In the case of an application for an award to a District Commissioner and County/Area personnel, the recommendation will be made by the County/Area Commissioner.
Awards to County/Area Commissioners are recommended by Chief Commissioners.
Should a District Commissioner have any doubt as to the suitability of a candidate for any award for good service, early consultation with the appropriate County/Area Commissioner is advised.
Applications for awards for good service may be made at any time. If however, the application is in respect of a Silver Acorn, Bar thereto, or Silver Wolf, District and County/Area Commissioners should bear in mind that there is a cut-off date of 1st October if these awards are to be considered for inclusion in the St George's Day List the following year.
It is of considerable help to the Awards Board if such applications are made other than during July, August and September since some 500 applications for awards at St George's Day are received each year. If they are all submitted close to the cut-off date, the Board has no more than two months to consider and process them before making its recommendations at the end of November.
Factual Information on Pages 1 and 2
The first (front) page of the Form seeks factual information about the candidate. It is important that this information is provided, and that it is full and correct. Similarly with the second page, the record of adult service within Groups, Districts and Counties/Areas, as well as details of previous 'adult' Scout awards and the record of Wood Badge and other training should be full and correct. Details of training awards achieved as a young person - such as the Queen's Scout Award - are irrelevant and should be omitted.
Training Requirements
Leaders and Commissioners have a responsibility to complete obligatory training appropriate to their current appointments. In circumstances where the maximum period allowed for completion of this obligatory training has elapsed without the appropriate Wood Badge having been gained, it is generally considered inappropriate to grant any award. It is difficult to justify a claim of outstanding service where the nominee has not fulfilled the training obligation entered into when accepting the Warrant.
The Awards Board is always prepared to consider exceptional cases where appropriate training has not been completed for good reason, but full details of the extenuating circumstances must be provided.
It is a popular misconception that if Leaders or Commissioners have completed Basic or Advanced Trainer Training, or hold one or more Certificates of Competence in a training function, they are not obliged to complete the obligatory training appropriate to their current role. Whatever the Warranted appointment and whatever training has been undertaken in respect of a previous appointment, the appropriate obligatory training requirement for the current appointment should be satisfied.
The Role of the District or County/Area Secretary
It is the responsibility of Counties/Areas and Districts to maintain proper records to permit effective consideration and review of awards and decorations for all Members, Associate Members and others, e.g. Administrators.
Completing the Report and Recommendation on Page 3
It is important to remember that it is on the basis of the information presented on this page that the Awards Board will assess the level of award appropriate to the nominee. While those compiling the citation and recommendation may know the nominee well, it would be unwise to assume that the Awards Board has any knowledge of the nominee. Consequently, the citation should contain appropriate examples or evidence of good service to allow the Board to form a proper and informed opinion.
The Citation
The Awards Board has many citations to read. Therefore, while not essential, it would be helpful if the script of citations could be typewritten or computer generated.
In the report of specially good work it is not necessary to repeat the record of service since this has already been detailed on page 2 of Form GS and will be cross-checked against the data held in the Records Department. In cases where a further award for good service is being sought, it will not normally be necessary to go into any great detail about the achievements of the nominee during the period prior to the last award: the briefest outline of this earlier service will suffice.
Awards for good service are made to those who render to the Association outstanding, specially distinguished or exceptional service. Length of service, while one of the criteria for a good service award, is separately recognised. Good service awards are made to those whose contribution to Scouting stands out, and the citation should seek to explain and evidence how this is so. What makes the service special is the way in which the duties have been performed. This may mean that, in addition to running a good Section programme, the nominee has, perhaps, given regular service raising funds for the Group, in the maintenance of a headquarters building or campsite, in the organisation of District events, serving on a campsite service team, editing a newsletter, helping with adult training in the County, and so forth. All this should be recorded in the citation. However, the successful organisation of a single large event, while praiseworthy, is not normally sufficient on its own to justify an award for good service, since it is sustained good service over a period which is recognised by good service awards.
Where possible it is helpful to quantify in the citation the benefit derived as a result of the quality service given. For example, someone running a good, lively programme will almost certainly show an increase in membership or sustained full membership of their Section. For someone battling against the odds in a deprived area, the fact that they have continued to run the Section over a significant period, maintaining numbers and providing a new dimension to the lives of young people, possibly in the face of local community hostility, is noteworthy.
Although awards for good service relate to service rendered to Scouting, service with other organisations and associations (such as the Red Cross or St John Ambulance) may be taken into account where this has been in connection with Scouting (for example, as a Skills Instructor or Examiner) and should be included in the citation.
While it is appropriate to indicate within the citation whether, in the author's opinion, the service has been good, outstanding, specially distinguished or exceptional, it is not normally appropriate to include in the citation any indication of the level of award which is being sought. However, the County/Area Commissioner may do this in their Recommendation.
Examples of Citations
The following citation is reproduced from a recent application. It is an example of one which tells the Awards Board little, if anything, about the quality of service rendered by the nominee, although it repeats service information given elsewhere in the application.
"This village Scout Group was formed in 1947, when Billy joined as a Scout. Four years later he was appointed Assistant Scout Master. In 1954 he was appointed Scout Master, progressing to Group Scout Leader in 1969, and he continued in this position until he retired at age 65 years, when he became the Group Chairman.
During his time as Group Scout Leader the Group progressed in all Sections and was able to acquire its own Headquarters.
His Group has always supported District and County events and has played a major part in village life.
Billy has now completed fifty years in Scouting and was instrumental in organising the Group Reunion of former members earlier this year.
This dedicated Leader has given a lifetime of devoted service both to Scouting and the community, as this application records, and a Silver Wolf is well justified."
The following is offered as a more appropriate citation for the same individual:
"As may be seen from the record of adult service, Billy has held Warranted appointments in his village Group for over forty-five years. Since the award of the Silver Acorn in 1985, Billy has continued to give devoted service to the Group, District and County.
He has managed his Group team well and been a regular visitor to the Group's Sections, supporting the Section Leaders particularly by standing in for them when illness, holidays and business commitments have threatened meetings.
In the 1980's he was the leading light in raising £63,000 to enable the Group to build its own Headquarters and thanks to his dedication, the property is well maintained. For the past eight years Billy has organised and run a Christmas post, the profits from which have been used to maintain and upgrade Group equipment. On retiring as GSL two years ago he became Group Chairman and, in this
capacity, has continued his outstanding support of the Group, including recruiting some young blood onto the Group Executive Committee.
Billy's work for cordial relations with local Guiding was recognised in 1994 when he was awarded the Guide Thanks Badge.
In the District, Billy has acted as Parade Marshal for the Renewal of Promise Service for the last twenty-three years. Since 1979 he has officiated as Chairman of the Judges in the annual District camping competition. In 1986, he inaugurated the annual County Carol Service of which he has been the organiser ever since.
Billy's most exceptional service to Scouting over almost half a century is worthy of special recognition."
Next Steps
Once the form has been completed, it must be signed and dated by the District Secretary and District Commissioner and then forwarded to the County/Area Commissioner for additional comments and completion of the Recommendation.
Points to Note
It is the Chief Scout's wish that awards of the Silver Acorn and Bar, and the Silver Wolf will normally be granted at St George's Day each year and an announcement will appear in the April edition of "SCOUTING" Magazine. Recommendations for St George's Day awards may be submitted at any time during the year, but there is a firm cut-off date of 1st October in the preceding year by which date they must be with the Awards Administrator if they are to be included.
Very occasionally it may be appropriate for what would otherwise be a St George's Day award to be made at a different time of year and a request, outlining the special circumstances, may be put forward. Of particular importance in this category are cases where it is discovered that someone has been diagnosed as having a terminal illness and consideration for an award needs to be expedited. These cases are always given urgent and sympathetic consideration, and it is advised that a telephone call to the Awards Administrator should be made to alert the Awards Board Chairman that such an application is on its way. In such circumstances, applications by fax or E-mail can be accepted.
Awards relate to adult service with The Scout Association. Unfortunately, it is often the case that those who move frequently, giving consistently high quality service wherever they go, are overlooked for awards for good service. When it is known that service to the Association has been rendered elsewhere, whether in another District or County/Area, and the present quality of service suggests that an award might be appropriate, supporting evidence from an appropriate Commissioner in the other District and/or County/Area should be obtained and included in the application.
The Association's awards are mainly intended to recognise adult service rendered within The Scout Association of the United
Kingdom. However, the citation may also include reference to Scouting in a recognised overseas Association.
Awards should not be made on the basis of 'retirement gifts' or 'dissolution honours'. Anyone deserving of an award should receive it before reaching retirement age. Although no age limit is set for the receipt of awards and the quality of service is the overriding consideration, it will be unusual for anyone over the age of 70 to receive an award.
It is important to note that, with the exception of the Silver Wolf, awards have a stipulated requirement of a minimum length of service. Another award will not be considered until at least a further five years of service of the same or greater quality has been rendered. While some flexibility is exercised, this is only done where an exceptional case is made by the nominating Commissioner(s).
At no time should nominees be informed that an application for an award has been made on their behalf.
Where a required signatory to the application form is also the nominee, an alternative signatory must be sought. The most likely example is where a District Secretary is nominated, in which case the signature of the District Chairman would be an acceptable and appropriate alternative.
It is not infrequently the case that husbands and wives involved in Scouting are nominated for consideration for good service awards simultaneously. However appropriate it may seem for the applications to be dealt with together, it is important that each application stands on its own merit. Where this is the case, it should be understood that it is possible that one award may be accepted while the other may be made at a different level or even rejected. These 'double applications' should therefore be considered very carefully by nominating Commissioners.
Where the nominee is the spouse of a nominating Commissioner, or a family member, it is preferable that the application should be made by an appropriate third party, such as the District/County Chairman.
All adult Members, Associate Members and others should be considered for awards, whether or not they are Warrant holders. The criteria for awards are the same for all, except that Warrant holders are expected to have completed the obligatory training appropriate to their current Warranted appointment.
Individuals whose service is rendered at Group level are equally eligible for good service awards as are those who are active in Districts and Counties/Areas. Good service awards recognise the quality of service provided to Scouting, not the appointment in which that service is being rendered.
The Awards
Chief Scout's Personal Award
The Chief Scout's Personal Award is awarded by the Chief Scout in person. No application is made for this award, nor is any appropriate.
Chief Scout's Commendation for Good Service
The Chief Scout's Commendation for Good Service is given in respect of not less than 7 years good service which stands out. It should be regarded as the Chief Scout's recognition of the very real contribution made to the Association by the individual concerned.
Medal of Merit
The Medal of Merit is given for outstanding service of not less than 15 years. It implies keen, conscientious, imaginative and dedicated service over a sustained period.
Bar to the Medal of Merit
The Bar to the Medal of Merit may be awarded after a period of not less than five years of further outstanding service.
Silver Acorn
The Silver Acorn is not normally awarded until after at least a Medal of Merit has been gained and a further five years' service has been completed. Thus, it is seldom awarded for less than 20 years service, which should be specially distinguished and appreciably better than outstanding.
There are occasions when a Silver Acorn may be awarded without a Chief Scout's Commendation for Good Service or a Medal of Merit having been gained first. It sometimes happens that a person has not been awarded a Medal of Merit but has given very good service for 30 years or more without any award. The Silver Acorn might then be appropriate, but only where, say, the last ten years' service has been specially distinguished.
Bar to the Silver Acorn
The Bar to the Silver Acorn may be awarded for at least a further 5 years of similarly distinguished service.
Silver Wolf
The Silver Wolf is the unrestricted gift of the Chief Scout and is only awarded for service of a most exceptional nature although the Chief Scout will usually consult the Awards Board before awarding it. It is not normally awarded until at least a Silver Acorn has been gained. In practice this means that it is seldom awarded for less than 30 years service although, because it is the Chief Scout's unrestricted gift, no length of service is prescribed.