BROCKS EXPLORER SCOUT UNIT

Explorer Scout Awards

 

There are various awards and badges available to Explorer Scouts ranging from the diamond and platinum levels of the Chief Scouts Award, the Queens Scout Award, the Explorer Belt, and also interest, sport, and activity badges. Full details are on the Scout website at: http://members.scouts.org.uk/supportresources/search/?cat=9,88

It’s entirely optional how many of these an Explorer does and it’s not compulsory to do any at all, although most people have various levels of the Nights Away and Hikes Away badges simply because we’re covering the requirements for them as part of our normal camping and DofE activities. We can cater for any Explorer who wants to do any of the other badges, but unlike the younger sections most of the work towards them is done outside normal Explorer meetings and is assessed by either a leader or, if it’s a specialist badge, by someone expert in that subject.

The requirements for the Diamond and Platinum Chief Scouts Awards are 90% identical to the Bronze and Silver DofE Awards with the addition of a few Scout-specific items, so it is possible to gain both the Scout Award and the DofE award together. Similarly the Queens Scout Award closely corresponds to the Gold DofE Award.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is widely known and respected as an indication of a young person’s abilities and character and the Scout Association is one of the largest DofE Operating Authorities. A DofE Award on a CV or  college/university application is an immediate plus point to any interviewer.

Again it’s not compulsory if you’re a Brocks Explorer, but the majority are doing DofE at either Bronze, Silver, or Gold levels. We can especially support the expedition section of the Award because we have the kit and skills, and also the service section where we can often provide opportunities to become a Young Leader with one of the younger Scout sections. We can advise on and support the other sections of the Award and within our District we have two Gold level assessors as well as several leaders with experience of training Explorers for DofE.

Many organisations including most schools offer DofE and it’s worth debunking the myth that you have to do all sections of your DofE with the same authority that you registered with, ie. If you’re registered at school, you can’t do any of your DofE anywhere else. Not true! It’s fully within the rules to do your service as a Young Leader with (say) Cubs, your expedition with Explorers, Sport with an after-school club, and skills as an outside interest unconnected with school or Scouts.