¶ Explorer Scout Young Leader Award
¶ 🔍 Overview
The Explorer Scout Young Leader (ESYL) Award develops leadership, teamwork, and communication skills while supporting Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, or Scouts. It’s one of the best ways to give back to Scouting while gaining valuable experience that can help with DofE, future careers, and even the King Scout Award.
📌 Who is it for? All Explorers (aged 13.5-17) can earn this award!
📌 What’s it about? Volunteer with younger sections, helping them achieve badges, awards, etc.
📌 Why should you do it? It's the best way to give back to Scouting while boosting your confidence, gaining leadership experience, or having fun as a leader.
¶ ☑️ Requirements
¶ 🎓 Complete Module Training
There are 11 training modules covering everything from safeguarding to leadership techniques. You don’t need to do them all simultaneously, but some are mandatory before you start (like Module A: "Prepare for Take-off"). The modules are:
- Module A - Prepare for take-off
- Module B - Taking the lead
- Module C - That’s the way to do it!
- Module D - Understanding behaviour
- Module E - Game on!
- Module F - Making Scouting accessible and inclusive
- Module G - What is a high quality programme?
- Module H - Programme planning
- Module I - What did they say?
- Module J - Communicate it!
- Module K - First aid masterclass (doesn't need to be completed if you have completed one of the following:
- Scouts First Response course
- Emergency Aid Staged Activity Badge > Stage 4 or above
- Lifesaver Activity Badge
- External First Aid Certificate (i.e. First Aid at Work)
Tip: Your district/county may run a 'training weekend' that covers all the modules. Please reach out to your leader for more information. If not, Hampshire Scouts run the training online, which you can complete at your own pace. Find out here! If that's not your thing, you can contact other counties/districts and ask if they can take you as one of their own.
Tip: If you have a 'training weekend', be yourself! I only joined Scouts a month before my Young Leader training weekend, so you'll be expected to step out of your comfort zone, which is normal. It's part of the learning.
¶ 🚀 Complete Four Missions
When you start/finish your Module training, you will be given a 'Young Leader book', where you can complete your missions and get them signed off by the section leader for the section you're volunteering for.
Tip: Don't lose it! It's important as you'll need to show the evidence to your Explorer Scout leader. Please keep it in a safe place where it won't magically disappear. Some districts/counties may have digitised this process; ask your Explorer Scout leader if you don't have this book.
The missions can be difficult, but you'll get them done if you set your mind to it. A good way to get them done is by offering to run two evenings in a term. This allows you adequate time to plan and complete missions.
Plan and run at least three games within your volunteering section. At least one game should take place indoors and one outdoors. The games should be varied, incorporating:
- At least two different types of leadership styles.
- Three different types of games; for example, some games may be more energetic and active, while others may be more creative or reflective.
¶ How to Achieve?
- 🐇 Games are often quick; they might be at the start or end of the evening, lasting 5-10 minutes.
- ⛹️♂️ Quickly squeeze games into your planning or in an evening. A good example of a game that is energetic and uses a passive leadership style is dodgeball.
- 🔦 Outdoor games can be run in the summer (i.e., at a local park) or camp. The easier option is to go outside in the evening. For example, you could play Murder in the Dark, a game involving an informal leadership style, where reflection is needed to find the murderer.
- 💡 These are only two ideas, but there is more to play with in your section!
Plan and run an activity (not a game) with your volunteering section. The activities should include:
- Planning and organisation.
- Delivery and gathering of any equipment or materials needed.
¶ How to Achieve?
- 🕗 Activities shouldn't be too long, but they shouldn't be too short. I ran two activities in one evening (each 30 minutes), which worked well, as my section didn't get too bored.
- ⚜️ Got a badge they need to earn? Perfect! Run an activity to complete the requirement. They don't have to do all the badge content, but part of it.
- 🤖 If you're covering the Digital Maker badge, you can talk about different computers. You could get people into teams and get them to find out how many computers are in the scout's hall.
- 📗 Choose activities your section wants to do. Don't do ones they don't want to do.
Take the section’s programme ideas to a programme planning meeting. This mission should include:
- Asking the young people in the section to contribute their ideas to the programme.
- Capturing the ideas and suggestions from the young people and exploring how these could be incorporated into their programme.
- Attend and contribute to a meeting (e.g., programme planning meeting at the Group/District/County/Region/Area level).
¶ How to Achieve?
- 🤼 Youth voices are essential in a section; activities which bore them = less interest in Scouting. Do a 'youth forum' by asking them to write down ideas and activities they want to do.
- 🌪️ Filter out unfeasible ideas (i.e. crossbow shooting for Beavers, not gonna happen!)
- 🤝 Attend your planning meeting! Help your leaders out, offer to run evenings, and contribute any idea you have to them.
- 🎇 By running sessions with the feedback from the unit form, you are promoting a Youth Shaped program!
Take responsibility for organising and running part of the section programme. This mission should include:
- Planning and organising a selection of activities on a theme,
- Delivery of those activities, and evaluation and review of the activities with the section.
¶ How to Achieve?
- 🥣 Combine everything you've learnt from Mission 1-3, and run an evening that's amazing. For example, run a badge night (i.e. 2x activities, 2x games)
- 🔖 Review and reflect, what worked well, what sucked, how could we improve? There's always room for improvement!
¶ ⌚ Example Timeline
This is a suggested timeline I made based on my personal experience. Your progress may vary depending on when you start each section. Remember, you can work at your own pace. You'll be able to complete it quicker than this.
- 0-3 Months: Complete Module Learning
- 3-5 Months: Complete Mission 1
- 6-7 Months: Complete Mission 2
- 8-9 Months: Complete Mission 3
- 10-11 Months: Complete Mission 4 & finish Explorer Scout Young Leader Award
¶ 🧠 Lessons Learned
- Module A is mandatory: Complete it ASAP (within 3 months), or you won’t be allowed to help at meetings.
- Don’t just run games: Try leading an activity or planning an event to push yourself further; consider activities with external planning!
- Use the experience for your DofE: The Young Leader scheme counts as Volunteering for DofE.
- Young Leaders can unlock further opportunities in Adult Scouting.
- Not everyone is going to be the best, but learning from your mistakes will help you become one of the best.