Digital Scouting
Outdoor Adventure Skills Bushcraft updated
Since its launch, the youth program and Scouts | Terrain have continued to evolve to support personal progression tracking and programming for 21st century Scouting.
Following a series of years where significant bushfires have rampaged through many parts of Australia, the Western Australian Branch Youth Council (WABYC) approached the National Youth Program Team regarding the inclusion of fire awareness in Bushcraft Outdoor Adventure Skills.
A Patrol of WABYC members spent months researching, writing and refining statements that they felt were best suited to be included in Bushcraft Outdoor Adventure Skills, and especially the Survival stream. Following on from this work, the statements were approved, and subsequently updated in Scouts | Terrain, on the weekend of April 16.
The WABYC approached their Youth Program Team delegate with the idea to include fire awareness as part of the skills. Some statements were already part of the Bushcraft Survival stream, but the Patrol wanted to see more and increase awareness. After some research and consulting, they proposed a series of statements which underwent some adjustments before the final approvals this weekend at OneCamp in Western Australia.
Hear from members of the team who worked on this project:
What does this mean for members?
As an individual:
If you, or your Scouts, have already commenced, submitted or approved the Stage, you will not see these updated statements. The new statements will only be visible to those that have not yet commenced the Stages on Scouts | Terrain.
Record Achievements and Programming functions
The templates used in these functions will have updated to the new statements. This will mean that any youth member who has a Stage “In Progress” will not be displaying with the statements marked as completed. It may look like the Stage has not been commenced, and previous Stages might look like they have also not been completed.
Where have changes been made?
Changes have been made in the Bushcraft Outdoor Adventure Skills. These include:
- Stage 1 – two (2) additional Do> statements:
- I can demonstrate stop, drop and roll, and how that can be used in an emergency situation.
- I can find the emergency exit and muster point at my Scout Hall.
- Stage 2 – additional Do> statement:
- I understand the basic dangers of fire, and how to be safe around them.
- Stage 3 – additional Do> statement:
- I can explain the causes of a major bushfire.
- Stage 4 Survival – two (2) additional Do> statements:
- I can identify the fire triangle and how its elements create fire.
- I can properly extinguish a campfire through a variety of means in a camp environment.
- Stage 5 Survival – two (2) additional Plan> statements:
- I know the policies surrounding total fire bans in my local area.
- I have developed a bushfire ready plan for at home or in a camp environment.
- Stage 6 Pioneering – removal of Do> statement:
- I have built and cooked on a personal-sized stove made out of recycled materials.
- Stage 7 Survival – additional Do> statement:
- I can describe the differences between solid and liquid fuels, can explain the risks and benefits of each, and how to safely use and store these fuels
- Stage 8 Survival – additional Do> statement:
- I can describe and demonstrate the steps to take if caught in a bushfire.