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 KSA from their 16th Birthday. Activities and nights away completed in achievement of the Chief Scout Platinum and Diamond Awards can be counted towards the KSA. 

2. Nights away

   Complete 24 nights away as an Explorer Scout or Scout Network member, of which at least 12 must be camping.
   
   Any nights away can count for this section, whether used in another part of this award, or to count towards the Chief Scout Platinum or Chief Scout Diamond Award.

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 King's Scout Award. A minimum of two must be from the KSA ICV list and the others from any of the KSA, 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.

   The presentation section of the Award can be signed off by one of the following roles:

   Pre Transformation change role title:

   • District or County Explorer Scout/Scout Network Commissioner
   • Youth Commissioner
   • District, County, Region or Area Commissioner
   • King's Scout Award Coordinator

   Post Transformation change role title:

   • Adult volunteers in the District 14 – 24 Team
   • Youth Lead
   • District, County, Region or Area Lead Volunteer
   • District, County, Region or Area Programme Team Member

   We’d suggest this is different to the Award Mentor, and we’d recommend inviting a District or County Team member to attend the presentation too.

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’ve undertaken for the specific requirement.

   Once  you  have  completed  all  of  the  above  requirements,  a relevant person must approve your award as complete by filling out the 'KSA Logbook approval' section of the KSA Logbook and Completion form. Completed forms can be signed off by one of the following roles:

   Pre Transformation change role title:

   • County Explorer Scout/Scout Network Commissioner
   • County, Region or Area Assistant Commissioner
   • County, Region or Area Commissioner
   • King's Scout Award Coordinator

   Post Transformation change role title:

   • County level 14-24 Team Leaders
   • County, Region or Area Programme Team Member
   • County, Region or Area Lead Volunteer
   • Volunteers with a 'King's Scout Award Parcel Recipient' accreditation

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 King's Scout Award Challenges:

   1. 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.

   2. Physical activity

      Take up a physical activity for six or 12 months*, completing an agreed programme by taking part and achieving your objectives.

   3. 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.

   4. 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. 

      The expedition environment chosen must become progressively more challenging through the award levels – environments could include rural, urban, or restricted spaces.

      • 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. 

   5. 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.