Exeter Scout District is proud to relaunch the Network section for 18 - 25 year old across the city.
If you are interested in getting involved please follow the next link to register your details:
https://forms.office.com/r/7LJVyfgPzZ
Meeting approximately every 4-6 weeks, although this is flexible based on everybody’s own circumstances
PROGRAM
March – Soup Kitchen for the Homeless, Exeter City Centre [Grace]
April – County Event – More info to follow [ACC network]
May 7th and 8th – District Leaders event with Network Forum – Venue to be confirmed [Jason]
June - Social Event [Mark]
July - Water activities [Arabella]
September – Activity Day, Little Silver / review and programme meeting [Jake]
Sound interesting? Contact network@scouts-exeter.org.uk for more information on how to get involved
Any questions, please email network@scouts-exeter.org.uk
Why not check out the following information video: https://youtu.be/3T6n7t1dCtE
AWARDS
Explorer Belt
The Explorer Belt is a challenge of a lifetime. It is a chance to take part in a ten day expedition that brings you a real understanding of a different country, its culture and way of life.
How to earn your badge:
1. Registration - Register your intention to complete the award.
2. Membership - Be an Explorer Scout aged 16 or over, a Scout Network member*, or a member of Girlguiding aged 16 to 25. *Scout Network members must be registered on Compass to qualify.
3. Expedition -Undertake a 10-day expedition as part of a team* outside of the UK with a minimum travelling time of 50 hours over the 10 days, by foot, cycle, horse, canoe, boat or dinghy.
If aged 16–18 years old, you may only participate in an organised expedition supported by an in-country leadership team, rather than being self-led.
The use of public transport is acceptable as part of the travelling time, where opportunities to meet people would otherwise be missed.
*Minimum starting number of young people per team is three with the minimum of two per team completing the expedition.
You should cover the following areas during your preparation and expedition:
a. Competence 0- how that you are competent in the following areas: Navigation skills, Expedition cooking, Lightweight camping, Language, Acceptable hosted hospitality, Fitness, Proficiency in mode of travel, Teambuilding, First Aid (covering First Response as a minimum)
b. Budgeting - Agree the budget before the expedition and record spending throughout the trip.
c. Log book - Keep a logbook of the expedition which records places visited, the route taken, project work undertaken and personal thoughts.
d. Projects - Complete one major project selected by the team which is undertaken throughout the expedition. · Complete at least ten minor projects which may be chosen by the team, leadership team, peers or a mixture of these.
4. Debrief - Take part in a debrief of the expedition with your mentor and leadership team. Ideally this should be within 24 hours of the 10th day of the expedition or within 24 hours of return to the UK.
5. Presentation - Make a presentation including all elements of your award to the assessment panel and other invited guests of your experiences and achievements.
6. Assessment - Your expedition, project work, and presentation will be assessed by an assessment panel including your mentor to determine if you have successfully achieved your Explorer Belt. Final sign off of the award is the responsibility of a Commissioner at County level or District Commissioner in Scotland, who can request Explorer Belt certificates and completion codes (for ordering belts and badges from Scout Store) using this form.
Tips
· Support Materials
· Completing your Explorer Belt through the UK Scout Network
· Flexibility
Requirements can be adapted to suit each young persons abilities. See our guidance on flexibility.
Queen's Scout Award
The Queen’s Scout Award is the top achievement for Explorer Scouts and Scout Network members and comprises of a variety of activities to complete.
The Queen’s Scout Award (QSA) is linked closely to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award and it is worth working on the two awards together.
To gain the award you must complete all of the following requirements before your 25th birthday.
How to earn your badge:
1. Award participants must:
· Be aged 16 or older to start the award and complete the award before your 25th birthday
· Be a member of either Explorer Scouts or Scout Network (or a combination of both) for at least 18 months to complete the award
· Be a member of Explorer Scouts or Scout Network at the time you complete the award
This means members can only start working towards and count activities undertaken in achieving the QSA from their 16th Birthday. Activities and nights away completed in achievement of the Chief Scout Platinum and Diamond Awards can be counted towards the QSA.
2. Nights away
Complete 18 nights away as an Explorer Scout or Scout Network member, of which at least 12 must be camping.
Nights away used for this requirement must be different from nights away undertaken for one of the five challenge activities (such as expedition and residential) or those used for the ICV list, but can include those nights away used for the nights away requirement of the Chief Scout’s Platinum or Chief Scout’s Diamond Awards.
Nights away undertaken as an Explorer Scout Young Leader or by Scout Network members who are also an adult leader in Scouting may count towards this requirement, ie a night away with a Cub Pack where you volunteer.
3. International, community & values (ICV) list
Complete six activities in total, two from each topic area of the ICV activities list. View the ICV list for the Queen's Scout Award. A minimum of two must be from the QSA ICV list and the others from any of the QSA, or Chief Scout Platinum or Diamond ICV lists.
If you have completed your Chief Scout’s Platinum Award, you will have already done two activities and will only need to do a further four activities.
If you have completed your Chief Scout’s Diamond Award, you will have already done four activities and will only need to do a further two activities.
4. Presentation
Make a presentation covering all elements of your award to a suitable audience, with the aim of inspiring and motivating others to achieve the award. The presentation should be the final activity you complete.
5. Sign-off
Each requirement needs to be signed off by an assessor, this is someone who can vouch for the activities you have undertaken and provide some basic evidence (a short statement) about your participation. This is often your Explorer Leader or your District Scout Network Commissioner. However, assessors can be anyone who has witnessed the activities you have undertaken for the specific requirement.
Once you have completed all of the above requirements, a Commissioner (appropriate to the section you are a member of) must approve your award as complete using the Logbook and Completion Form.
Choose 1 of the following options:
1. Hold the Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
Find out more about the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme.
2. Complete the Queen's Scout Award Challenges:
a. Skill - Take up a skill for six or 12 months*, and show progress and lasting interest. The skill can be an existing interest or something entirely new.
b. Physical activity - Take up a physical activity for six or 12 months*, completing an agreed programme by taking part and achieving your objectives.
c. Service - Provide service to an individual or the community for 12 months. Briefing and training should be given in order to gain the necessary skills. This may include helping with another section of the Movement as an Explorer Scout Young Leader or adult volunteer.
d. Expedition - Undertake training, a practice expedition and a four-day, three-night self-led final expedition (including a project).
You should undertake training (to show you are ready to do your expedition, a practice expedition and then the final expedition).
· Training
Before you undertake any expedition you should demonstrate that you are competent in the following areas:
1. First aid (covering First Response as a minimum) and emergency procedures
2. Risk assessment/health and safety
3. Navigation and route planning
4. Camp craft, equipment and hygiene
5. Food and cooking
6. Country, highway and water sports codes
7. Observation, recording and presentation
8. Team building
9. Proficiency in mode of travel
· Practice - Undertake a minimum three-day, two-night (consecutive) self-led expedition in wild country by foot, cycle, horse, canoe, boat or dinghy.
· Final - Undertake a four-day, three-night (consecutive) self-led expedition with an aim. The expedition should be completed in wild country by the same method used in your practice. Expeditions should have a minimum of eight hours of activity per day, of which at least half must be journeying. The final expedition must be undertaken in a different area to the practice with similar conditions, and ideally with the same team of people.
e. Residential
Undertake a five-day, four-night residential project in an unfamiliar environment with people that are unknown to you. This project could be environmental work, project-based, service to others or personal training.
In exceptional circumstances this can be done over two consecutive weekends as long as the activity is the same and the majority of people are unknown to you.
Tips
· All members should complete 12 months in either the skill or the physical activity challenges. If you're doing your Queen's Scout Expedition by foot, why not see if you qualify for the Hill Walker Activity Badge?
· Support Materials
· Logbook
· Completion Form
Requirements can be adapted to suit each young persons abilities. See our guidance on flexibility.
Scouts of the World Award
Scouts of the World Award (SOWA) is a Scout Network only award that gives Scout Network members the chance to undertake a project of their choice within the themes of Peace, Environment and Sustainability and take action on their chosen issue.
Through your Scouts of the World Award journey, you’ll develop skills and knowledge that will empower you to undertake a project that will make a sustainable impact on your local, national or international community, while developing your personal skills.
You’ll learn skills including independence, team work, project planning, time management and communication skills, while gaining an understanding for global issues and international relations. You don’t have to go abroad to complete your Scouts of the World Award. Local and national projects are acceptable, as long as all requirements of the award are being met.
How to earn your badge:
1. Be a member of the Scout Network section - This needs to be recorded on your Compass record.
2. Attend a Scouts of the World Discovery run by a SOWA Trainer -
o a SOWA Discovery event may take place as a residential event or a number of shorter events but should be a minimum of 14 hours of learning
o all participants should undertake some pre-course activities that will be sent to them by the SOWA Trainers prior to the event
o the Discovery will broaden the participants understanding of the wider global context that underpins the Award and global issues
3. Register for the Award - Complete your SOWA registration after you have attended a Discovery event
4. Create a plan for your SOWA project with the guidance of your mentor
o a SOWA project must take a minimum of 80 hours, which can also include planning time
o the project should be based on one or more of the three key themes of the Award (Peace, Environment and Sustainable Development)
o an assigned SOWA mentor will guide the participant through their project, including the planning stages
o ACC (SN) or equivalent should be notified about the project, as they are the final sign off for the Award
o the project should follow the SMART technique, with clear project objectives, timescales and realistic deliverables
o the project should have a long-term, sustainable impact on the local, national or international communities
5. Complete your SOWA voluntary project - 80 hour project based on one or more of the three themes (Peace, Environment and Sustainable Development)
6. Undertake an evaluation, personal reflection and local presentation - Participants should spend time evaluating their journey through the Award, as well as the project itself. The Award is not just about meeting the project aims but is also about the development of the skills, cultural awareness, knowledge and attitudes of the participants, as active global citizens. This evaluation may cover questions such as:
o Can I see the connection back to the global context I learnt about at the Discovery Weekend?
o How is my project sustainable? If it is not, what could I do to ensure it is?
o What challenges did I face and how did I overcome these?
o What skills have I gained from achieving this award?
o What does it mean to be an active global citizen?
Participants should present their project and evaluation to a relevant audience. This could include the ACC (SN), who has final sign off of the award, as well as Scout Network members, Explorer Scouts, ACC (International), their SOWA Mentor and their SOWA Trainer.
This section should take around 3 hours in total to complete.
Tips
· Sign-off
· Guidance for Mentors
Requirements can be adapted to suit each young persons abilities. See our guidance on flexibility.