Venture Scout Award
This Award is intended to provide a balanced programme for each Venture Scout and for the Unit as a whole. The venture Scout should then use the experience to undertake responsibility within the Unit. To achieve the Venture Scout Award a Venture Scout must have made progress and widened his experience and skill in each of the following areas of personal growth.
Activity - Acquiring new skills, developing self confidence, improving physical fitness and well-being through active involvement in indoor and outdoor pursuits.
Community Involvement - Making contact with people withinthe community having real needs, and working towards meeting those needs, to the benefit of the community.
Creativity - Self-expression through creative, artistic or design activities.
Independence - Acquiring practical life skills, developing socially, reaching a measure of independence towards the future.
International Awareness - Learning about other peoples, their cultures and values and becoming a more caring member of our multi-cultural society.
Leadership - Participating in training for leadership and undertaking some measure of responsibility within the Unit.
Outdoors and Environment - combining outdoor activities of any nature with practical effort in caring for the environment.
Relationships - Facing up to the challenge of learning to live with other people in mutual harmony.
Values - Forming personal attitudes and opinions on issues and learning to respect and tolerate the views of others.
This award is the highest and most commended award any Scout can achieve. It is not a simple badge to achieve and takes many months/years to complete. It shows determination and the ability do carry out task previously carried out before in much, much greater detail and effort. You need to hold the Venture Scout Award before attaining this Award.
Community - Training - Undertake training in helping the community, such as rescue, first aid, lifesaving, disabled people or instructor.
Involvement - Over a sustained period (for example 36 hours) undertake practical effort to help the community. Depending upon local needs, this may be spread over several months or take a more concentrated form.
Leadership - either Within Scouting - for example; lead a Unit team, run a number of meetings, provide service as an instructor for at least six months, become a leader or fulfil the responsibilities of a key post in the Executive Committee. Pursuit or Interest - either Pursuit - Reach a reasonable standard in a physical or creative pursuit, sport or hobby. This can be either an entirely new activity or an existing one developed to a higher level of achievement. Exploration - Training - Carry out suitable training appropriate to the type of expedition you intend to undertake. This must include practice expeditions, lightweight camping experience, selection of correct clothing and equipment, load carrying, food, cooking, planing, leading a party, accident precautions and procedures, expedition first aid. This training must be approved by the Unit Executive Committee. Assessment and Interview - On completion of the above requirements, the venture Scout must then arrange for an informal interview with the District Commissioner to discuss these achievements and future plans. The district Commissioner will pass his comments to the unit Executive Committee who will also consult with the Venture Scout Leader in reaching their final decision on making the Award.
Queen‘s Scout Award
or In the community - for example; serve as a member of your local community council playing a full part for at least a year, serve as an office bearer in a local or national organisation such a the auxiliary Fire service, Emergency aid Team etc or undertake a leadership role in a local youth centre etc. For all of these you will have to carry out suitable training as specified.
or Interest - Undertake two further items from different areas of the Venture Scout Award.
Expedition - Plan and undertake an expedition with a purpose over at least three nights and four days in unfamiliar and challenging country. It can be done: on foot - 80 Km (50 miles), by cycle - 335 Km (210 miles), by canoe, raft or punt - at least six hours a day, on horseback - 160 Km (100 miles).
Report - Make a formal presentation or report of your expedition to the unit. This could take the form a log-book, tape slide presentation, video film and so on, but must reflect the purpose of the expedition.