Venturers - South Australia

SCOUTS AUSTRALIA - VENTURER SCOUT SECTION

QUEEN’S SCOUT AWARD PARAMETERS

ASC = Award Standards Committee.    DVC = District Venturer Council.
BVC = Branch Venturer Council.          DC = District Commissioner

Where it states in the passport that ASC approval is required, use DVC if you have a DVC in your district. If you don’t have a DVC, take forms to an ASC co-ordinator who will then take the form to a DVC.

The following parameters have been discussed at BVC meetings and are the current requirements in South Australia.

• The closing date for applications for presentation of the Queen’s Scout Award is January 31 every year.
   
• Leaders and Unit Council must know about all award work before it is started.
   
• DVC approves the examiner for the award tapes listed on the examiner form.
   
• Only extra-curricular school work will be allowed to be used for award work. i.e. If something has to be done towards a subject that is part of the curriculum, or is to be graded, it will not be allowed.
   
• First Aid tape will be awarded for senior St. John or Red Cross First Aid Courses, when the certificate is obtained. Both courses run for 18 hours.
   
• All five Queen’s Scout examiner forms are to accompany the passport, along with the following certificates (photocopies accepted): Leadership, Initiative, First Aid, Unit Management, (these four are compulsory) and any other courses you may have attended (e.g. canoe).
   
• All award activities to be completed, DC interview done and contact made the ASC co-ordinators before a Venturer’s 18^th birthday. Venturers should aim to complete their Queen’s Scout Award by 17½ years so they can wear their badge while still in Venturers.
   
• Any requests for extensions beyond the 18^th birthday are to go through ASC co-ordinators and be approved by it before the Venturer’s 18^th birthday. Extensions will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.
   
• Extensions to enable Venturers to do a course if one is cancelled will not be given - ensure Venturers do all courses as early as possible. Courses are available in Victoria - ASC has the details. Be sure that there is at least 6 months between the Leadership Course and your 18^th birthday to do part 2 of the Leadership tape
   
• Where possible, for tapes which are approved by Unit Council, examiners from outside the Venturer’s Unit and family are to be used, i.e. people involved with the activity (sports coach, music teacher, guest speaker etc.).
   
• For four of the five awards that are taken to DVC (Environment, 20 hours service, Expeditions 2 or Outdoor 2 and Expression 2 or Lifestyle 2 or Ideals 2 or Pursuits 2) the Venturer’s Unit Leaders / family members are not to be used.
  Unit Leaders / family members may be used for Expeditions 1 if they are suitably qualified.
   
• Expeditions 1 must be completed before Expeditions 2. It is highly recommended that only 1 Venturer does the Expeditions 2 tape for any one expedition. As per the passport a maximum of half the party per expedition is able to do the Expeditions 2 tape. All Venturers, on any one expedition, doing their Expeditions 2 tape are to use the same examiner.
   
• The minimum number on an expedition is 4 Venturer age people (see current edition of Safety Standards and Procedures).
   
• Outdoor 1 only needs to be completed before Outdoor 2 if the same activity is to be followed.
   
• Pursuits 1 only needs to be completed before Pursuits 2 if the same activity is to be followed.
   
• If the applicant for any awards is the Unit Chairman, get another member of Unit Council Executive to sign the forms / passport.
   
• All examiner forms to be signed and dated before the start of the activity.
   
• All activities must follow the current edition of Safety Standards and Procedures. If there is a conflict between the Venturer Passport and Safety Standards and Procedures, Safety Standards and Procedures must be adhered to.
   
• The Branch course for Mindwarp (Ideals 2) has to be approved by DVC / ASC because it is an optional method of achieving the award.
   
• Initiative Activites must be Branch approved (as per passport). Contact Michael Woodward 8377 5200.
   
• Bushwalking Course can be used for Expeditions, again check with Michael as per above.
   
• “Venturing Green” - participation can be used for Service Level 1 only.
   
• Vocations - employer comments are not required.
   
• First Aid - Senior Certificate only is acceptable, St John or Red Cross.
   
• Leadership Courses. Venturers can do non Scout run courses, however check with a QS award committee member first, because we must know details of course before you commence.
   
• Obtaining drivers license (P) is acceptable for Level 1 Pursuits.
   
• Syllabuses for alternative courses (e.g. church leadership course) require approval from ASC co-ordinators before the course commences.
   
• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can only be given for the First Aid Tape, a copy of the certificate is to be shown to a leader for approval.
   
• Joey Scout or Cub Scout and Scout Service Forms are to used or a Youth Instructor’s Course completed for the 20 hours of service in Scouting (this includes Service within Guides Australia).

“We don’t want to know what you’ve done, we want to know what you are going to do”.