Scouts meet together as a Troop and work within a variety of small groups called Patrols. A Scout called a Patrol Leader leads the Patrol. The Patrol Leaders work with the Leadership Team in setting the programme and in decisions affecting the Troop. The Patrol system is one of the important ways that young people can take responsibility for themselves and others. A volunteer leadership team made up of uniformed Leaders and other informal Assistants and helpers will guide the Troop. Explorer Scouts who are Young Leaders might also assist the leadership team in the Troop.

Making the Promise is the most important act in Scouting and is common to every section. Scouting has a special ceremony for making the Promise called Investiture or being invested. When a young person makes their Promise they receive their Group Scarf, The Membership Award (for those coming into Scouting for the first time) or their Moving-On Award (if they have been in Cubs) and are welcomed as a new Member into the Scout Family.

Scouts normally meet once a week for a couple of hours. It is an opportunity for them to catch up with friends, learn new skills and explore issues relevant to their age group. They will also have their chance to say what they want to do!

Scouts are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities as part of their programme. On top of the adventure of outdoor activities that forms a large part of the Scout Section, a Balanced Programme will help them find out about the world in which they live, encourage them to know their own abilities and the importance of keeping fit and help to develop their creative talents. It also

provides opportunities to explore their own values and personal attitudes and develop in all the Personal Development Areas.

The following are the six Programme Zones for Scouts; as part of the Balanced Programme they will task part in activities from all the Zones over a period of time. They are:

Outdoor and Adventure

Global

Community

Fit for Life

Creative Expression

Beliefs and Attitudes

These Programme Zones are delivered using ten methods, which give the programme variety and range. The methods are:

Activities Outdoors

Games

Design and Creativity

Visits and Visitors

Service

Team-Building Activities

Activities with Others

Themes

Prayer, Worship and Reflection

Technology and New Skills

While the emphasis is on a Balanced Programme of activities, there are still badges and awards for Scouts to aim for. Badges and awards are given in recognition of the effort made by each young person at their own level.

The Membership Award

This award helps the young person understand the commitment they are making when they make the Promise and become a Member of the Movement, if they have not been a Cub Scout. It covers the history, traditions and practices of Scouting.

Participation Awards

The Participation Awards recognise a commitment to Scouting. They celebrate Scouts participating in a Balanced Programme over a period of time. They are awarded on the anniversary of the young person joining Scouting.

Challenges

The Challenges complement the Balanced Programme. These have been developed to extend Scouts' skills and experience in a particular area. There are nine Challenges in the Scout Section:

Outdoor Challenge

Outdoor Plus Challenge

Expedition Challenge

Adventure Challenge

Community Challenge

Creative Challenge

Global Challenge

Fitness Challenge

Promise Challenge

Activity Badges

Activity Badges are optional, but they provide an opportunity to reward a young person who has taken part in an activity over a period of time. They should raise interest and extend a young person's skills throughout their time in Scouting. There are 69 Scout Activity Badges, ranging from Astronomer to Circus Skills and Canoeist.

Staged Activity Badges

In addition to the Scout Activity Badges, there are six Staged Activity Badges staged across the all Sections. These give a young person the opportunity to develop an area of interest throughout their time in Scouting from 6 –18. These are:

Emergency Aid

Hikes Away

Information Technology

Musician

Nights Away

Swimmer

Partnership Awards

Partnership Awards are designed to encourage the Sections to work together, and for Scouts to work with other young people in their community. There are three Partnership Awards:

The International Friendship Award

The Environment Award

The Faith Award

Chief Scout’s Gold Award

This badge is the highest award available in the Scout Section. It is gained by completing:

The Promise Challenge

The Community Challenge

The Fitness Challenge

The Creative Challenge

The Global Challenge

The Outdoor Challenge

and two of the following:

The Outdoor Plus Challenge

The Adventure Challenge

The Expedition Challenge

The Chief Scout’s Gold Award can be worn on the Explorer Scout Uniform once the Scout moves  onto Explorer Scouts.

The Moving-On Award

This Award helps ease the transfer of a Scout to the Explorer Scout Unit. It also allows the Scout to be invested into the Unit immediately, recognising that they are already Members of the Scout Movement.

Scouts have the opportunity to make more and more decisions for themselves about they want to do and want to get out of Scouting. The opportunities will be there for them to take part in a wide range of activities and to gain a variety of skills and knowledge. They will get to learn more about themselves by not only taking responsibility for themselves, but for others as well.

Scouts have their own pages on The Scout Association’s website where they can find out lots of useful information, enter competitions and even read reviews of the latest films! Find out more at:

www.scouts.org.uk/scouts

Scouts can track their own progress through the awards using their own Scout Record Book. They can also find out what’s required to complete badges with the Scout Badge Book. Thirdly, the Scout Skills Cards contain practical information and tips to get up to speed with some Scouting Skills.