;For information call us on: 0845 300 1818
;
The Explorer Scout Section has a wide range of awards and badges designed to appeal to all Explorer Scouts, regardless of the type of Unit of which they are a member. The awards and badges are an important part of Scouting, as they offer challenge, achievement and recognition for young people.
Requirements for the following badges are listed in this section:
In addition to these main awards there are a number of Activity Badges available for Explorer Scouts to work towards. There are also six Staged Activity Badges available to all young people in the Beaver Scout, Cub Scout, Scout and Explorer Scout sections.
A diagram showing the locations of Badges on the Explorer Scout Uniform can be found in the ExplorerScout section of the site.
As a member of the leadership team, it is important to promote the various awards and badges and encourage Explorer Scouts to take part. The awards and badges can be promoted by:
making sure that each member of the Unit has a copy of the Navigator when they join the Unit. This will give them the essential information on awards and badges
keeping the records of participation in activities up to date. Many of the requirements will be met by participation in a Balanced Programme
encouraging Unit Members who have gained awards and badges to talk about their experiences with other members of the Unit
reminding Explorer Scouts that any award or badge they have started in their Unit can be completed as a member of the Scout Network.
The top awards in the Explorer Scout and Scout Network Sections are the Chief Scout's Platinum Award, the Chief Scout's Diamond Award and the Queen's Scout Award. All three are linked to the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards (Bronze, Silver and Gold respectively).
If they are not already doing so, Explorer Scouts should be encouraged to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards. Explorer Scouts need to be registered in order to get a Record Book, and this can be done through the appropriate County or Area contact. With good planning, it is possible to gain both the Scouting Award and the appropriate Duke of Edinburgh's Award; a double recognition of achievement. The main differences between the two schemes are outlined in the table below.
| Differences between the two schemes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Scouting Awards | Duke of Edinburgh's Awards | |
| Chief Scout's Platinum and Diamond Awards and the Queen's Scout Award | Bronze, Silver and Gold | |
| Registration | By joining an Explorer Scout Unit. | By purchasing a Record Book from the County or Area contact. |
| Assessors for the parts of the Awards | Any suitable person. For expeditions in Terrain 1 and Terrain 2, the Assessor should hold the appropriate Scout authorisation. | Any suitable person approved by the District Commissioner. For wild country expeditions, the Assessor should hold the appropriate Scout authorisation, and the Wild Country District Commissioner should be notified using the appropriate form. |
| Authorisation of the Award | Under arrangements made by the District Explorer Scout Commissioner. |
Bronze and Silver Awards:
Gold Awards:
|
| Minimum age for entry |
Chief Scout's Platinum Award:
Chief Scout's Diamond Award:
Queen's Scout Award:
|
Bronze:
Silver:
Gold:
|
| Presentation |
Chief Scout's Platinum Award and Chief Scout's Diamond Award:
Queen's Scout Award:
|
Bronze and Silver Awards:
Gold Awards:
|
The full requirements of the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards can be found in the Record Books and in publications available from the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. You can get these from your County or Area contact or from the Scout Information Centre. You can find more information from www.theaward.org
You are responsible for making sure that awards and badges are assessed correctly. The District Explorer Scout Commissioner is responsible for assessing the completion of the Chief Scout's Platinum and Diamond Awards and Queen's Scout's Award. You will need to make sure that the right Assessors are used for the various parts of the Awards, for example, a swimming instructor would be an appropriate Assessor for swimming as a physical activity. You will also be responsible for giving the Assessor a short informal briefing about the philosophy of the Award and why the Explorer Scout is undertaking that particular activity.
All Awards and badges are designed to be accessible to all young people. The value of the Awards comes from the participation by young people, not from the accomplishment of absolute standards that may be beyond the reach of some. As a result, it is essential that discretion be applied in individual cases to reward commitment, participation and effort. For young people with more severe learning difficulties, the Gateway Award should be considered as an alternative to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. For further information on the Gateway Award, see Scouting essentials.
The three top Awards and the Duke of Edinburgh's Bronze and Silver Awards are authorised under arrangements made by the District Explorer Scout Commissioner. There is no interview at the end of achieving an Award and it is acceptable for the District Explorer Scout Commissioner to pass responsibility for some aspects of the Awards to another Leader. The Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award is authorised at the appropriate National Headquarters in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
The individual activities for each Award should be assessed by an appropriate person. For example, the Cub Scout Leader should sign-off the Community Service section of an Award if it has been achieved by assisting with the Cub Scout Pack as a Young Leader.
The Unit leadership team are responsible for the assessment of other badges and awards including Partnership Awards and Activity Badges. For further information, see page 56 of Scouting essentials.
Listed below are some guidelines for assessment of awards that you may find useful:
Awards and badges are generally assessed on personal best effort, not fixed standards. Standards will be relative to ability and experience.
Individuals should be encouraged to set their own standards before beginning an activity. Their progress can then be measured against their own standards rather than those of the leadership team.
Showing sustained effort for a period of time is essential to many of the awards and badges. Many of the requirements for the two Chief Scout's Awards are measured in months. Although the time commitment required could be described as approximately one hour per week, young people should be encouraged to maintain their interest in the activity.
The leadership team will need to take into account the Special Needs of any members of the Unit. The leadership team should feel free to adapt the requirements where appropriate to allow a young person to take part and still achieve the aim of the particular requirement.
You should promote the gaining of awards and badges as a visible sign of success. Many people outside of Scouting are aware of the Queen's Scout Award as the top award in Scouting, for instance, and will be aware of the skills that award holders have gained.
If some of your Explorer Scouts are also undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, the Assessors will need to be familiar with the philosophy and principles of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. This information is available free from:
As the reward for completing each year in Scouting and actively taking part in the programme, a young person receives a form of recognition. In Beaver Scouts and Cub Scouts, this is called the Joining-In Badge, and in Scouts it is called the Participation Badge. In Explorer Scouts and the Scout Network, Members are encouraged to complete a Certificate of Achievement to show what they have done during the previous twelve months and what they hope to achieve during the next twelve. The Explorer Scout programme
;
;
;
;
;
;
.
:
.
;
;
;
;
;
.