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These requirements apply to anyone starting working towards their Queen’s Scout Award from 1 January 2014, and anyone who will complete their Award after 1 September 2015.
A comparison table showing the old and new requirements for the award can be found here.
To gain the award you must complete all of the following requirements before your 25th birthday.
Register your intention to complete the Award here.
Activities (including the membership requirement) can count towards the award from the date of registration and back dated up to a maximum of 3 months (but not before your 16th birthday).
Award participants must:
• Be aged between 16 and 25 years old
• Be a member of Explorer Scouts or Scout Network (or both) for at least 18 months
• Be a member of Explorer Scouts or Scout Network at the time you complete the award
Complete six activities in total, two from each topic area of the ICV activities list. Click here to view the ICV list for the QSA. 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.
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 a different area to the practice with similar conditions and ideally with the same team of people.
• 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.
*All members should complete 12 months in either the skill or the physical activity challenges.
Award participants who are not holders of the Chief Scout’s Diamond Award or Silver DofE must complete an extra six months in either the service or the longer of the skills or physical activity challenges.
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.
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. For more information, see the support material for this award.
Approval by the mentor or person signing off the award should be given prior to each element being undertaken. If you are unsure about whether an activity is appropriate, ask the commissioner who will sign off your award as completed.
NIGHTS AWAY
Camping also includes other outdoor shelters, such as bivouacs and snow holes, often used in scouting activities.
In order to meet the membership requirement for this award you must be an Explorer Scout or Scout Network member at the time that you register for the award, for at least 18 months from this date, and at the time you complete the award.
Ideally you should be a member throughout the period from registration to completion of the award. However, it is accepted that you may take a break from working towards the award (for example if moving to go to university) and restart it at a later date. In this circumstance you could also have a break in your membership (but any activities undertaken during this time cannot count towards your award).
It is important to note that the completion of the award is defined as the time the final requirement (the presentation) is signed off. If you are aged 18 or over on this date you must be a Network member, and your form must be signed off by the County Scout Network Commissioner. This is the case even if you completed the majority of the award while an Explorer Scout.
WORKING FOR MORE THAN ONE AWARD AT A TIME
An award does not have to be completed before activities can count for the next award. For example, if you have completed the expedition element of your Chief Scout’s Diamond Award but not the rest of the award, you can begin the expedition section of the Queen’s Scout Award as long as you are over the age of 16 and have registered for the Queen’s Scout Award.
CHALLENGES - TIME COMMITMENT
The minimum time requirements for each section are expressed in months, during which you need to undertake a regular commitment averaging at least an hour a week.
TAKING A BREAK OR CHANGING ACTIVITIES
If you want to change activities during an award, this is possible, although on one occasion only. It is also possible to take a break from an activity and then to restart from where you stopped. This could happen during a period of school, college or university exams.
MAKING THE AWARD ACCESSIBLE
Each young person who participates in the Programme, including badges and awards, should face a similar degree of challenge, and requirements can be adapted according to each young person’s abilities.
The Queen’s Scout Award is based on personal best effort rather than fixed standards, and should be available to all members of Explorer Scouts and the Scout Network. This may mean that for some individuals, the requirements of the award need to be adapted to ensure that they face the same degree of challenge as other participants.
Where additional needs have to be taken into account, it is acceptable to adjust some of the activities to make them more accessible. You should work with your mentor to discuss any adaptations, and make sure that any adaptations have been approved by the commissioner who will sign off your award. As every set of individual circumstances will be different, it is left to the discretion of the relevant commissioner to make any adaptations to the activities, including the expedition requirement.
For more information on how to include someone with additional needs in Scouting, visit scouts.org.uk/diversity. You can also email
programme@scouts.org.uk with specific queries.
Nights Away
Camping also includes using other outdoor shelters, such as bivouacs and snow holes.
Nights away can be counted if they take place: with other Explorer Scouts/ Scout Network members; while undertaking an award for Explorer Scouts/ Scout Network; or while completing an activity contributing directly to the section programme.
It also includes any nights away undertaken as a Young Leader/Adult volunteer with another section.
Working for more than one award at a time
An award does not have to be completed before activities can count for the next award. For example, if an Explorer Scout has completed the expedition element of their Chief Scout’s Platinum Award but not the rest of their award, they can begin the expedition section of the Chief Scout’s Diamond Award.
Award standards
The awards are based on personal best effort and not on fixed standards. Therefore, the quality of the personal effort is much more important than the quality of the content, which will vary according to ability, age and other factors.
Taking a break or changing activities
If you want to change activities during an award, this is possible, although on one occasion only. It is also possible to take a break from an activity and then to restart from where you stopped. This could happen during a period of school, college or university exams.
Special needs
If you have a special need it is best practice to make sure that your leader and Commissioner are aware of the situation so that they can support you in gaining the award in the way that is suitable for you.
Like the Chief Scout's Diamond Award, the Queen's Scout Award can be gained in either Explorer or Network Scouts, and should be achievable by all, no matter their physical or mental ability.
International
Complete your Explorer Belt.
Complete your International Friendship Award.
Take an active part in a project with an overseas aid organisation, such as UNESCO.
Take an active part in a camp in another country, for instance, a Jamboree or Moot.
Take an active part in an International Camp in the United Kingdom.
Take part in a project at a campsite abroad, for example, as part of a Euro-Steps project or Camp America.
Complete the Passport for Europe with your Unit.
Organise a series of programmes for your Unit on an international theme.
Organise a series of programmes for another Section on an international theme.
Complete any activity of a similar nature agreed beforehand with your leadership team.
Environment
Complete your Group Environment Badge.
Assist some Cub Scouts or Scouts in gaining their Global Conservation Activity Badge.
Take an active part in an environmental project with another organisation.
Take an active part in an environmental project in your local community.
Choose a current environmental issue to research, and then present your findings to your Unit.
Complete an environmental project and make a formal report of your findings.
Complete an environmental impact assessment of an activity the Unit is undertaking and act on your findings.
Organise a series of programmes for your Unit on an environmental theme.
Organise a series of programmes for another Section on an environmental theme.
Complete any activity of a similar nature agreed beforehand with your leadership team.
Values
Complete your Group Faith Badge.
Take a regular part in activities at your place of worship.
Take an active part in a project examining your own faith, for example a retreat.
Take an active part in a project examining a faith other than your own.
Plan and carry out an act of worship for your Unit or another group in Scouting.
Choose a current issue to research, such as health or crime, and then present your findings to your Unit.
Assist some Cub Scouts or Scouts in gaining their Faith Activity Badge.
Organise a series of programmes for your Unit on a values theme.
Organise a series of programmes for another Section on a values theme.
Complete any activity of a similar nature agreed beforehand with your leadership team.
