Frequently Asked Questions 

What is the Scout Promise

On my honour, I promise
To do my best,
To be true to my spiritual beliefs,
To contribute to my community and our world,
To help other people,
And to live by the Scout Law.

What is the Scout Law

Be Respectful
- Be friendly and considerate
- Care for others and the environment

Do What is Right
- Be trustworthy, honest and fair
- Use resources wisely

Believe in Myself
- Learn from my experiences
- Face challenges with courage

What are the Milestones?

Milestones recognise a Scout's ongoing participation, personal development and increasing leadership within the program.

As Scouts become more experienced, they are encouraged to:

• Participate actively in activities and adventures.
• Assist other Scouts and Leaders.
• Take responsibility for planning and leading activities.
• Develop confidence, teamwork and leadership skills.

Milestones are completed over time as part of a Scout's regular participation in meetings, camps, hikes and other activities. They reflect a Scout's growth and increasing contribution to their Unit.

Challenge Areas

Scouting offers a wide variety of activities through four Challenge Areas that ensure every program is balanced, varied and engaging.

Scout activities are structured under four key categories to ensure a diverse program full of engaging experiences.

The Challenge Areas are:

• Outdoor Adventure
• Creative
• Personal Growth
• Community

Whether camping under the stars, learning first aid, building a bridge, helping the local community or designing a science experiment, Scouts experience activities that help them develop skills for life.

What are the Outdoor Adventure Skills (OAS)?

Outdoor Adventure Skills (OAS) help Scouts build practical skills and confidence through real outdoor experiences. As young people progress through Scouting, they have the opportunity to develop their abilities across a wide range of adventurous activities at a pace that suits their interests and experience.

There are nine Outdoor Adventure Skill Areas:

* Bushcraft
* Bushwalking
* Camping
* Alpine
* Cycling
* Vertical Activities
* Aquatics
* Boating
* Paddling

Each skill area has nine stages of development, beginning with foundation skills and progressing through to advanced levels. As Scouts gain experience, they demonstrate their knowledge and practical skills to qualified Leaders or assessors, who can award the appropriate stage badge.

Outdoor Adventure Skills are designed to be flexible and inclusive. Whether a Scout enjoys camping, hiking, canoeing, cycling or climbing, they can continue developing their skills throughout their Scouting journey.

Scouts are encouraged to keep a personal logbook of their adventures and achievements. Recording activities such as camps, bushwalks, paddling trips, cycling expeditions and other outdoor experiences helps track progress and provides evidence when working towards higher OAS stages.

At 1st Frenchs Forest Scout Group, our regular meetings, camps, hikes and outdoor activities provide plenty of opportunities for Scouts to develop these skills while having fun, challenging themselves and enjoying the outdoors with friends.

What are the Special Interest Areas (SIA)?

Special Interest Areas allow Scouts to explore their own passions and interests.

Rather than following a set list of activities, Scouts choose projects that are meaningful to them. Projects might involve learning a new skill, helping the community, exploring a hobby or creating something unique.

Projects fall into six Special Interest Areas:

• Adventure & Sport
• Arts & Literature
• Creating a Better World
• Environment
• Growth & Development
• STEM & Innovation

Every project is different because every Scout is different. Scouts plan their project, work towards a goal, reflect on what they have learned and celebrate their achievements.

What are the SPICES? - REVIEW

Scouts seek to assist with six areas of personal development:  Social, Physical, Intellectual, Character, Emotional, and Spiritual. These six areas are known as the SPICES. The Spices are used as a review tool to ensure youth members are achieving the fundamentals of scouting

Peak Awards

The Peak Award is the highest achievement available in each Section of Scouting.

Working towards a Peak Award encourages Scouts to challenge themselves, develop leadership skills, participate in adventurous activities and complete personal projects.

Each Section has its own Peak Award:

Joey Scout Challenge Award
Grey Wolf Award (Cub Scouts)
Australian Scout Award
Baden-Powell Scout Award (Venturer Scouts)
King's Scout Award (Rover Scouts)

Peak Awards recognise commitment, perseverance and personal growth throughout a Scout's journey.

Attainment of the peak award requires achievement in the Outdoor Adventure Skills, Special Interest Areas, and Milestones. The Scout must complete a leadership course, Adventurous Journey and personal reflection. Working towards a Peak Award is optional, and not every Scout will choose to complete one. However, all Scouts are encouraged to challenge themselves and give it a go. If a Scout would like to achieve their Section's Peak Award, it's a good idea to speak with their Leader at least 18 months before moving on to the next Section to allow enough time to complete the requirements.

Other badges to achieve

Scouts undertake a variety of activities which are recognised by a range of badges. 

Scouts Terrain

Scouts Terrain is a web-based system for Scouts to record their Scouting journey. Whilst parents and leaders typically assist Joeys and Cubs with Scouts Terrain, older Scouts are expected to maintain their own Scouts Terrain account.

The Scout uniform

The regular uniform is a Scout shirt with a scarf, woggle, comfortable pants and enclosed shoes. Second-hand Scout shirts may be available from the group, or new uniform shirts may be purchased from The Scout Shop. On more formal occasions Scouts are encouraged to wear stone-coloured pants. Scouts provide all badges, scarves, and woggles. The location of badges on uniforms can be found on the Scouts Australia website. As Scouts grow or advance to the next section, we welcome the return of unused uniforms.

Where should badges be sewn on?

It is expected that Scouts promptly sew badges onto their uniform. Please use this link to Scouts Australia's official badge placement guide.

Where can I purchase Scout uniforms and outdoor equipment?

Scout uniforms may be purchased from the ScoutShop. The ScoutShop also has an extensive range of outdoor and camping supplies.

Where can I find out more information?

Your leaders are ready to assist with enquiries. Other resources include the Scouts NSW website and the Scouts Australia Website. 

When should my child progress to the next section?

Your child typically progresses from one section to the next on or near their birthday. However, there is some flexibility to allow friends to transition together or at the end of a school year etc. Please discuss options with your leaders to identify appropriate timing. Youth members are encouraged to 'link' between sections, which involves concurrently attending the old and new sections for a few weeks until they have made new friends and feel comfortable with the new section.

Do you have a suggestion?

Please discuss with Chil (Peter Juchau - Group leader) or your section leaders any opportunities for improvement, concerns, activity ideas, volunteering opportunities, etc.

Does Scouts have any religious affiliation?

Scouting is inclusive and open to all. Scouts is not a religious organisation and has no religious or faith affiliations. Scouts encourage youth members to explore their own feelings and beliefs regarding their purpose in life, connection to others and place in the world around them.

When should youth members be invested?

After attending Scouts for a few weeks, you should discuss investiture with the leaders. The leaders will organise a brief discussion with the youth member and parents (usually during a regular meeting) to provide a brief overview of Scouting, discuss the Scout Promise and Law, and set a date to conduct the investiture ceremony.

What are Scout blankets used for?

A Scout tradition is to have a woollen blanket that event badges, swap badges, and retired badges are sewn onto. Individuals may accumulate many badges as Scouts progress from Cubs and Scouts. Such badges are traditionally sewn onto the blanket. Scouts take great pride in taking their blankets to camps and Jamborees to share their scouting history with friends.

What is a "Scouts' Own"?

A Scouts' Own is a gathering of Scouts that helps us reflect on our connection with nature and the world around us. A Scouts' Own is typically a minute of quiet reflection followed by each Scout taking turns to recount their thoughts. Scouts are encouraged to reflect on friendship, community, nature, personal growth, learning, experiences, gratitude etc. The recounting of thoughts may be a story, dance, reading, reflection, song, or prayer from any faith or religion. Scouts' Own often occur around a campfire, a clearing in the bush, or at any gathering of Scouts.

How can I get involved?

Scouts is a volunteer organisation. Volunteers are primarily parents of current Scouts and adults who enjoyed scouting in their youth. Parents are expected to assist with group activities at meetings but may also assist in many other ways. Joining the Group Support Committee is a great way to help support our youth program. Parents are also encouraged to share vocational skills or hobbies with Scouts. Scouts usually beam with pride and happiness to see their parents get involved. Ideally, each Scout unit has enough leaders to operate with vacations, sickness, vocational demands, and diverse interests and skills. Please discuss volunteering opportunities with the leaders.

Adult Camping and District Events

Adults attending camps and District Events must have a Working With Children Check and be registered with Scouts NSW as an Adult Helper. Please use this link to apply for membership and become an Adult Helper.

What are our youth safe protocols?

Youth protection is our number one priority and is everyone’s responsibility. Leaders follow protocols to enhance youth safety:

• Two-deep: Leaders must ensure that at all times, at least two adults are present in the company of youth members.
• In sight but out of hearing. When leaders wish to have a private conversation with a Scout, such as to discuss behavioural issues or individual progression with badge work, such conversations must be within sight of other leaders but sufficiently separated so that the conversation is uninterrupted and private. Parents are encouraged to participate in such conversations. For younger Scouts (Joeys and Cubs), the leader usually prearranges a suitable time for such conversations with parents.

Please discuss behaviour inconsistent with these protocols with our Group Leader (Peter Juchau), or report to Scouts NSW. More information can be found on the Scouts NSW website.

In addition, parents and guardians who regularly assist with activities at the hall are expected to have a Working With Children Check and be registered with Scouts NSW as Adult Helpers. Please use this link to apply for membership and become an Adult Helper. Additional YouthSafe training is available to Adult Helpers.

Leaders may complete additional training to be appointed as a Youth Safe Advocate (YSA). Youth Safe Advocates undergo extensive online training by the NSW Office of the Children's Guardian. Youth Safe Advocates aim to provide additional support for our youth members, giving them a safe environment where they understand their right to feel safe and can speak openly about any issues and concerns.

What is the waiting list policy?

Each section has a maximum number of youth members to maintain leader-to-youth member ratios. When demand for places exceeds these limits, a waiting list system becomes operational. Waiting lists are managed on a priority basis in the following order:

1. Children of leaders.
2. Children of Group Committee members.
3. Siblings of existing group members.
4. Chronological order of membership application.

Useful links

Upcoming NSW Events

Scouts NSW Guide for Parents and Caregivers: https://www.scoutsnsw.com.au/info-for-parents

Scouts Australia website: https://scouts.com.au/

Scouts NSW website: https://www.scoutsnsw.com.au/join-scouts

Scout Australia Shop: The Scout Shop

Youth Protection Form (Log It Form): Member Protection (Youth)

Active Kids: Active Kids - Scouts NSW

Family Support Fund: Family Support Fund - Scouts NSW

Scouts for Refugees Fund: Scouts for Refugees - Scouts NSW

Get involved as an Adult in Scouting: Volunteers | Our Adults

Program Resources: Scouts Australia Program Resources – Adventurous, Fun, Challenging, Inclusive

Scout Facebook sites

Scouts Australia Facebook

Scouts NSW Facebook