Keep track of your challenge
Keep track of your challenge
Documenting your journey is a key part of your Challenge Award. It helps you:
- complete your project
- show your Explorer Leader what you’ve done
- reflect on your progress
- present your project later on
- prepare for your King’s Scout Award (KSA) if you choose to do it
You can record your challenge in whatever way works best for you, it doesn’t have to be written.
Start simple
As you go, capture:
- what you did
- what happened
- anything that stood out
That’s enough to get going, you can build on it later.
What to capture
You don’t need to record everything, just the moments that matter.
Aim to capture enough to:
- show what you did
- show what you learned
- show the difference you made
A few clear examples is enough.
You might include:
- what you planned vs what actually happened
- what went well (or didn’t)
- something you learned
- a challenge you had to deal with
- people you worked with or helped
- something you created
- something that surprised you
Ways to keep track
You can keep track in whatever way works for you.
for example:
- the provided logbook
- a notebook or journal
- a scrapbook or sketchbook
- a photo or video diary
- voice notes
- a blog or digital portfolio
- a presentation or slideshow
- a social media account (if appropriate)
- something creative (like a comic or magazine)
- bullet points or mind maps
Capture quick moments
You don’t need long write-ups.You can capture things quickly:
- a photo + short caption
- a quick voice note
- a few bullet points
Small, regular updates are often better than trying to write everything at the end.
A good framework for explaining something that happened during your challenge:
Situation – what was the situation or problem?
Task – what specifically did you need to achieve?
Action – what did you do to overcome the problem?
Result – what was the result?
Top tip: this method is great to use in interviews as well!
What to focus on
- Supporting regular, light-touch capture of progress
- Encouraging authentic, in-the-moment evidence
- Helping Explorers understand what’s “enough”
What to avoid
- Expecting long written logs or formal write-ups
- Leaving evidence until the end (retrospective writing)
- Encouraging copied or formulaic responses
How you can support
- Prompt quick capture:
- “Take a photo and note why it mattered”
- “What stood out today?”
- Reinforce that:
- a few meaningful examples is enough
- Encourage varied formats (photos, notes, voice, etc.)