Queens Scouts

CHALLENGES

Complete the five Queen’s Scout Award challenges or hold the Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE).

•    Skill Take up a skill for six or 12* months, and show progress and lasting interest. The skill can be an existing interest or something entirely new.

•    Physical Activity Take up a physical activity for six or 12* months, completing an agreed programme by taking part and achieving your objectives.

•    Service Provide service to an individual or the community for 12 months. Briefing and training should be given in order to gain the necessary skills. This may include helping with another section of the Movement as an Explorer Scout Young Leader or adult volunteer.

•    Expedition Undertake training, a practice expedition and a four day, three night self-led final expedition (including a project). 

You should undertake training (to show you are ready to do your expedition, a practice expedition and then the final expedition). 

Training: 

Before you undertake any expedition you should demonstrate that you are competent in the following areas:

• First aid (covering First Response as a minimum) and emergency procedures

• Risk assessment/health and safety

• Navigation and route planning

• Camp craft, equipment and hygiene

• Food and cooking

• Country, highway and water sports codes

• Observation, recording and presentation

• Team building

• Proficiency in mode of travel

Practice:

Undertake a minimum three-day, two-night (consecutive) self-led expedition in wild country by foot, cycle, horse, canoe, boat or dinghy.

Final:

Undertake a four-day, three-night (consecutive) self led expedition with an aim. The expedition should be completed in wild country by the same method used in your practice. Expeditions should have a minimum of eight hours of activity per day, of  which  at  least half must  be  journeying.  The  final  expedition  must  be  a  different  area  to the  practice  with  similar  conditions and ideally with the same team of people. 

•    Residential

Undertake a five-day, four-night residential project in an unfamiliar environment with people that are unknown to you. This project could be environmental work, project based, service to others or personal training. 

In exceptional circumstances this can be done over two consecutive  weekends as long as the activity is the same and the majority of  people are unknown to you. 

*All members should complete 12 months in either the skill or the physical activity challenges.

Award participants who are not holders of the Chief Scout’s Diamond Award or Silver DofE must complete an extra six months in either the service or the longer of the skills or physical activity challenges.

PRESENTATION

Make a presentation covering all elements of your award to a suitable audience, with the aim of inspiring and motivating others to achieve the award. The presentation should be the final activity you complete.

SIGN-OFF

Each  requirement  needs  to  be  signed  off  by  an  assessor,  this  is   someone  who  can  vouch  for  the  activities  you  have undertaken and provide some basic evidence (a short statement) about your participation. This is often your Explorer Leader or your  District  Scout  Network  Commissioner.  However,  assessors  can  be anyone  who  has  witnessed  the  activities  you  have undertaken for the specific requirement. 

Once  you  have  completed  all  of  the  above  requirements,  a Commissioner  (appropriate to the section you  are a member of) must approve  your  award  as  complete. For more information, see the support material for this award. 

SUPPORT MATERIAL

It is strongly recommended that you read the available support materials before starting to work towards your award to make sure you fully understand what you need to do.  The materials provide more advice and guidance on the award requirements, as well as some ideas for what you could do to meet them.

Support Material for the Queen's Scout Award

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...

Approval by the mentor or person signing off the award should be given prior to each element being undertaken. If you are unsure about whether an activity is appropriate, ask the commissioner who will sign off your award as completed.

NIGHTS AWAY

Camping also includes other outdoor shelters, such as bivouacs and snow holes, often used in scouting activities.

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENT

In order to meet the membership requirement for this award you must be an Explorer Scout or Scout Network member at the time that you register for the award, for at least 18 months from this date, and at the time you complete the award.

Ideally you should be a member throughout the period from registration to completion of the award. However, it is accepted that you may take a break from working towards the award (for example if moving to go to university) and restart it at a later date. In this circumstance you could also have a break in your membership (but any activities undertaken during this time cannot count towards your award).

It is important to note that the completion of the award is defined as the time the final requirement (the presentation) is signed off. If you are aged 18 or over on this date you must be a Network member, and your form must be signed off by the County Scout Network Commissioner. This is the case even if you completed the majority of the award while an Explorer Scout.

WORKING FOR MORE THAN ONE AWARD AT A TIME

An award does not have to be completed before activities can count for the next award. For example, if you have completed the expedition element of your Chief Scout’s Diamond Award but not the rest of the award, you can begin the expedition section of the Queen’s Scout Award as long as you are over the age of 16 and have registered for the Queen’s Scout Award.

CHALLENGES - TIME COMMITMENT

The minimum time requirements for each section are expressed in months, during which you need to undertake a regular commitment averaging at least an hour a week.

TAKING A BREAK OR CHANGING ACTIVITIES

If you want to change activities during an award, this is possible, although on one occasion only. It is also possible to take a break from an activity and then to restart from where you stopped. This could happen during a period of school, college or university exams.

MAKING THE AWARD ACCESSIBLE

Each  young  person  who  participates  in  the  Programme,  including  badges  and  awards,  should  face  a  similar  degree  of challenge, and requirements can be adapted according to each young person’s abilities.

The Queen’s Scout Award is based on personal best effort rather than fixed standards, and should be available to all members of Explorer Scouts and the Scout Network. This may mean that for some individuals, the requirements of the award need to be adapted to ensure that they face the same degree of challenge as other participants.

Where additional needs have to be taken into account, it is acceptable to adjust some of the activities to make them more accessible. You should work with your mentor to discuss any adaptations, and make sure that any adaptations have been approved by the commissioner who will sign off your award. As every set of individual circumstances will be different, it is left to the discretion of the relevant commissioner to make any adaptations to the activities, including the expedition requirement.

For more information on how to include someone with additional needs in Scouting, visit scouts.org.uk/diversity.  You can also email

programme@scouts.org.uk with specific queries.

THE QUEEN’S SCOUT WORKING PARTY (QSWP)

The QSWP is a national Scout Active Support Unit and membership only open to those who have gained their Queen's Scout Award. More information about the QSWP and how to join can be found on their website.

The Queen's Scout Working Party website (external link)

Flexibility

Each young person who participates in the Programme, including badges and awards, should face a similar degree of challenge, and requirements can be adapted according to each young person’s abilities.  For more information and practical tips see our guidance on flexibility