Youth Program
Youth Uniform Badge Layout
It’s long awaited! There have been many false starts, and much speculation! Finally, we are able to release the Youth Member Uniform Badge Layout, as approved and endorsed by the National Operations Committee and the National Executive Committee.
At the November 2020 meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), the revised badge layouts for youth member uniforms (including Rover Scouts) was formally approved in line with the recommendation of the National Operations Committee (NOC). We know this has been a topic of great discussion amongst our members, especially our adult leaders, so here are a few things to consider with the new layout now being available.
The uniform is laid out into three themed panels which align with Tier 1 of the one program symbolic framework:
Right Sleeve – My Identity
This panel recognises where you do most of your Scouting, and the additional awards you have achieved.
Left Sleeve – My Journey
This panel celebrates and recognises your growth across the Achievement Pathways, mainly the Outdoor Adventure Skills, the Special Interest Areas, and your peak awards.
Front Panels and Scarf – My Involvement
These parts of the uniform recognise your active involvement in the program, including the Program Essentials Milestones, special events, patrol identification, and your formal leadership roles.
Transition to the new layout should be in line with your Branch’s implementation schedule – it does not need to be an instantaneous changeover.
The diagram itself will not be changing in Policy and Rules, and instead will form a supplementary resource.
Right Sleeve – My Identity
This part of the uniform recognises where you do your Scouting, engagement with global initiatives under the Scouts4SDGs banner, additional awards you may have earned through the program, and what section(s) you have been involved in.
More specifically, the right sleeve will contain:
Name Tapes, District and Region badges
To represent your local communities.
Scouts4SDGs Initiatives
These are all linked to the Sustainable Development Goals and include but are not limited to:
- Dialogue for Peace
- Earth Tribe
- Champions for Nature Challenge
- Scouts Go Solar Challenge
- Tide Turners Plastic Challenge
- He4She
- Patrimonito Scout badge
- Scouts of the World Award
Additional Awards
These will progressively become a consistent size and shape, and include, but may not be limited to:
- Camper Awards
- Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award
- First Aid
- International Ambassador badge
- Landcare Australia
- Language Emblems
- Mental Health First Aid
- Personal Development Course badge
- Scout Wings
- SES
- Their Service, Our Heritage
- Unit Management Course badge
- Walkabout Awards
Introduction to Section Badges
To represent your journey through the Scouting sections.
It should be noted that not all of these badges are in circulation yet, and this list is provided in advance of stock exhaustion and manufacturing processes.
Left Sleeve – My Journey
This part of the uniform recognises your journey in Scouting through the Achievement Pathways.
Looking at this a bit deeper, the focus is on the Special Interest Areas for that section, as well as Outdoor Adventure Skills and any peak awards that may have been earned.
Peak Awards
A young person may wear all peak awards they have earned during their time in Scouting at the top of the left sleeve. These are:
- Joey Scout Challenge Award
- Grey Wolf Award
- Australian Scout Award
- Queen’s Scout Award
- Baden-Powell Scout Award
Special Interest Area Badges
Scouts may wear all Special Interest Area badges earned in the section they are currently a member.
- Initially, these may form a hexagon, as viewed on the diagram.
- There is no requirement to complete a project in each of the six Special Interest Areas. A Scout will wear all badges indicating the Special Interest Area projects they have completed.
Outdoor Adventure Skills
These badges form a 3×3 grid on the left sleeve. Scouts should wear only the highest achieved Stage in each of the nine broad activity/skill areas – Bushcraft, Bushwalking, Camping, Alpine, Aquatics, Boating, Cycling, Paddling, Vertical
- Any Stage that is completed should be recognised with the relevant badge – it is more that not all badges will be worn on the sleeve.
- Outdoor Adventure Skills Stages follow a young person through their Scouting journey. As a result, these will need to be moved or changed over between uniforms.
Rover Scout Knot and Bar (for Rover Scouts only)
Rover Scouts receive the knot, a collection of five ribbons representing the five youth sections in Scouting, and Rover bar during their investiture ceremony, or transition ceremony, into the Rover Scout section.
- This is worn on the top of the left sleeve.
Front Panels and Scarf – My Involvement
The front of the uniform is the most viewed area, and as a result, it presents my involvement in Scouting. This includes:
Australian Flag Badge
Worn above the pocket on the left hand side of the shirt.
World Scout Badge
Worn alongside the Australian Flag badge, above pocket on left hand side.
Messengers of Peace Ring Badge
Not displayed on this diagram, this badge is worn around the World Scout badge following the completion of a Messengers of Peace project.
Years of Service Badges
Worn below the World Scout badge and Australian Flag badge, these badges display the number of years a youth member has been part of each section.
- Only one badge/number should be worn per section
Unit Leader Badge
Worn on the top flap of the pocket.
Program Essentials Milestones
Worn on the right hand side, these would be approximately in line with, or just below, the Australian Flag badge worn on the left side.
Event Badge
These badges must be no larger than 75mm x 75mm in size, and must have been approved for wear by your Branch Chief Commissioner, or the National Chief Commissioner.
- Only one badge can be worn in this place at any given point in time.
Scarf
Identification of the Patrol in which a member belongs is in the form of a fabric scarf slide.
- This is likely to also include Patrol leadership roles, following exhaustion of existing stock
