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Volunteering at Scouts is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing at Scouts. Read more

Discover what this means

Explorers YouShape Award

At Scouts, young people learn how to speak up and take the lead. But they told us that the programme didn’t recognise this enough. That’s what the new YouShape Award is all about.

The award is split into four badges. Young people will earn the central badge first and then choose the order in which they earn the rest. They can decide on their requirements and what they want to do and are then work with their leader to decide when they've met each requirement. 

Central badge

This badge is all about thinking creatively, working together and planning some exciting activities for your programme. 

See the Central badge requirements >

Plan

This badge is all about thinking creatively, working together and planning some exciting activities for your programme. 

See the Plan badge requirements >

Lead

Now it's time to take the lead – think supporting others, delivering your programme and nights away. 

See the Lead badge requirements >

Represent

Think about how you’ll represent your group – you could engage your community, invite some friends to join the fun or chat to your Executive Committees.

See the Represent badge requirements >

 

Uniform and badge placement

On the right arm, under the Young Leader badges.

See the uniform diagrams >
YouShape Certificates

Register and log into the brand centre to find certificates you can personalise and award with your badges. 

Visit the brand centre >

Once the young person decides they’ve met all of a segment’s requirements, they can add the segment to the central badge on their uniform – and line the pattern up.

This is the only badge where young people decide for themselves if they’ve met each requirement.

With some of the badge requirements, you may find you’ve already been completing them as part of your programme. Others might be new.

We’ve compiled a whole range of activity ideas, specifically to help you deliver the YouShape award in your section.

Some requirements might also count towards other badges and awards too.

For example, A Cub Scout working on their ‘Plan’ segment decided that they needed to contribute an idea to a Pack Forum.

Their Pack listens to their idea, but chooses to go with another idea instead.

The Cub could decide they’ve met the requirement because they contributed an idea… or they could keep contributing ideas until the Pack choose to use their idea.

Leaders can talk to young people about their options, but it’s up to the young person to make their own decision.