Queen’s Scout Award, Explorer Belt and Scouts of the World Award

As these are our very top awards, any change to age limits or award requirements must still be agreed between the young person and their County/Area/Region (Scotland) Commissioner or Assistant County Commissioner (or their nominee).

On age-limits, the Queen’s Scout Award, Explorer Belt Award and Scout of the World Awards can be extended by a year, so that they’re completed by the young person’s 26th birthday rather than their 25th birthday.

On requirements, you’ll want to consider:

• Most importantly, the quality of the experience for the individual. Adapting or removing a requirement might result in a learning experience that stretches and challenges one young person, but not another.
• The volume or number of requirements you adapt. For instance, allowing one month of a six month requirement to be done online might be fine, but the whole six months might be too much.
• The profile of the badge. You may be more relaxed about requirements for activity badges, but less so for the Queen’s Scout Award.
• Equality of access for young people. The implications of coronavirus will disadvantage young people in different ways. You should adapt requirements so that no young person is excluded. For example, some young people have gardens for ‘nights away’, some don’t.

Queen’s Scout Awards currently cannot be processed by HQ as the staff team are on the Government Furlough Scheme. Please refrain from sending in Awards until the staff team can begin to process these again.

To help with agreeing any change to the requirements for these awards:

Queen’s Scout Award

• A young person will not be able to complete their nights away whilst in isolation. This will need to wait until restrictions are lifted. Nights Away at home wouldn’t be appropriate.
• It’s possible to complete or adapt requirements within the ‘International, Community and Values’ list.
• Presentations can be made digitally to an appropriate audience.
• Guidance on what can and can’t be adapted within the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award is available for participants and adults.
• The ‘Skill,’ ‘Physical Activity’ and ‘Service’ challenges can be adapted. The ‘Expedition’ challenge, particularly the ‘Practice’ and ‘Final’ expedition and the ‘Residential,’ aren’t possible during isolation. 

Explorer Belt

• The ‘Expedition’ isn’t possible during isolation
• If the Expedition has taken place, then the ‘Debrief,’ ‘Presentation’ and ‘Assessment’ could all take place digitally with the appropriate audiences.

Scouts of the World Award

• Trainers for the Scouts of the World Award are now offering the Discovery phase virtually. Contact the Info Centre for more details.
• Mentors for Scouts of the World Award will also be able to support participants in adapting projects so that they can still contribute to the themes of Peace, Environment and Sustainable Development whilst in isolation.

We have guidance on volunteering safely while doing the ‘International,’ ‘Community’ and ‘Values’ (Queen’s Scout Award), ‘Voluntary Project’ (Scouts of the World Award) or ‘Service’ (Queen’s Scout Award and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award) requirements.

Here are the requirements for the Queen's Scout Award, Explorer Belt and Scouts of the World Award.

If you’d like further advice on adapting badge requirements, please contact the Information Centre and our staff or Section Advisors can help.