Training Young People for Life
The Scout Programme consists of the whole Scouting experience. This includes a balanced, well-structured training award scheme together with a wide range of outdoor activities, cultural events, community support work and leadership opportunities.
The programme is distinctive, not only in its content, but also in its method. Voluntary adult Leaders provide the youth programme in an attractive and exciting way as facilitators, supporters, guides, mentors and models for young people.
For the older age groups the training awards bear many similarities with the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, but it's worth remembering that Scouting was there first! In many respects the Queen's Scout Award is more difficult to achieve than D of E awards, which is why Scouts can undertake the Scouting and D of E schemes simultaneously, with D of E activities forming part of the fulfilment of the Scouting award requirements.
And what Scouting uniquely offers is a progressive training scheme for the younger age groups, leading up to the Queen's Scout Award (the highest training award in Scouting) which is typically undertaken by young people in their late teens.
If you would like to see details of the current requirements of Scouting's progressive award schemes, click here. Remember also that there is a wide variety of special interest awards available to the younger sections - these are the ones Scouts wear on their sleeves and which have contributed so much to everyone's image of a Scout!