Beavers Disability Awareness Activity Badge
Beavers Disability Awareness Activity Badge
Get ready to explore and learn about disability.
How to earn your badge:
Different disabilities
- Find out what the word disability means and the wide range of things it can cover.
- Learn more about two different disabilities. You could look at finding out about disabilities that are visible, or disabilities that may be non-visible.
Remember it will vary from person to person on how people view or describe their own disabilities.
Equipment and adaptations
- Learn about one piece of equipment or assistive technology that helps disabled people. Find out when, where, and how the piece of equipment or assistive technology might be used, and why.
If they are happy, you could invite a disabled person to share something they use to help them and show how it works.
- Visit a local place such as a library, supermarket, cinema, playground or community centre and find out how it’s made itself accessible or improved accessibility.
You could visit or find out about autism-friendly film screenings, installing lifts, interpreters at events, accessible playground equipment, touch tours at theatre shows, or audio tours at an exhibition. You could find out when, how and why they were installed or implemented, and the difference they’ve made, too.
Communication and support
- Find out about at least two different methods of communication, communication tools, or languages used by disabled people.
Examples include British Sign Language (BSL), Irish Sign Language (ISL), Makaton, the block alphabet, interpreters, hearing aids, Braille, or communication keyrings.
Real world skills and knowledge
- Learn about different types of service animals and know how to behave around them. You could arrange for a service animal to visit your group.
Tips
The requirements for this badge have recently been updated, and these requirements should be used from now on. However, if you're already working towards the badge or have activities already planned, you can continue using the old requirements until August 2025.
We've updated the requirements to create a more educational, understanding and respectful badge. As part of the review, we worked with disabled and non-disabled members, as well as external experts.
The new requirements are in-line with the social model of disability which Scouts uses. They also provide space for Scouts to learn about non-visible or less visible conditions, which are often known as hidden disabilities. Find out more about disability inclusion at Scouts.
We’ve also updated the badge design to reflect the new requirements. The new design includes the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, a widely recognised symbol of non-visible or less visible conditions.
June 2026.
Requirements can be adapted to suit each young persons abilities. See our guidance on flexibility.