Community Resilience
The Scouts Australia SES Badge
The new State Emergency Service badge is now available and aims to give Scouts the understanding and practical skills to help build their disaster resilience. It’s also been recognised as the national winner of the Resilient Australia Awards!
The new SES badge is now available for Leaders to purchase on Scout Shop. Youth members in all Sections can earn the badge which was designed to increase youth members’ awareness and disaster resilience. Not only does the badge encourage development of practical skills in natural emergencies, it has been recognised at the highest levels around Australia.
On the 7th of November, Western Australian Assistant Scout Leader, Sarah Hamilton and Scouts WA won the 2019 National Award of the prestigious Resilient Australia Awards organised by the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience and the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs. These awards attract high calibre entries from all over Australia and celebrate initiatives which help the Australian community build its resilience to disasters and emergencies around Australia.
The program and badge were developed by Sarah, who is also an SES volunteer, for her Advanced Training Wood Badge Project. The badge introduces youth members to the SES and its importance in the community. Completing the requirements helps youth members gain the basics for dealing with emergency situations and understand how the skills they learn in Scouts can help their community when disasters happen.
“I asked around and found out what Scouts would like in a badge. Getting Scouts used to a mock emergency helps them have a better imprint before they attend a real emergency” Sarah explains as she talks about the benefits for learning about emergency procedures.
“I’ve had awesome feedback from SES members, Scouts and parents” says Sarah.
Watch this video to see Sarah talk more about the badge, and its benefits.
The SES Badge has now been approved for inclusion in the youth program and is now available on Scout Shop. The requirements for the badge are outlined below:
Joey Scout Requirements
- Visit a SES Unit or have a SES Unit visit the Mob
- Demonstrate Storm readiness at home by making a survival kit of choice
- Choose a game and or an activity
- Learn to use some hand tools
Cub Scout Requirements
- Visit a SES Unit or have a SES Unit visit the Pack
- Learn and discuss what SES does and demonstrate by making a Poster
- Research and report on Storm Readiness
- Make a Survival Kit for home
- Demonstrate skills in using some hand tools
- Learn new knots
- Choose a game and or an activity
Scout Requirements
- Visit a SES Unit or have a SES Unit visit the Troop
- Demonstrate getting home storm ready with photo evidence
- Demonstrate skills in using some hand and power tools
- Learn new knots
- Demonstrate building a sandbag wall
- Research and report
- Mock Emergencies
- Choose a game and or an activity
Venturer Scout Requirements
- Join a SES Unit or SES Cadets as part of the Venturer Award scheme for a minimum of 6 months
or
- Visit a SES Unit or have a SES Unit visit the Venturer Unit or attend an information night
- Demonstrate skills in using hand tools and some power tools
- Demonstrate building a sandbag wall
- Research and report on Mental Health for emergency volunteers.
- Demonstrate getting home storm ready with photo evidence
- Mock Emergencies
- Choose a game and or an activity
Rover Scout Requirments
- Join a SES Unit for a minimum of 12 months and
- Complete three competency courses with SES
or
- Visit a SES Unit or have a SES Unit visit the Crew or attend an information night
- Demonstrate skills in using hand tools and some power tools
- Demonstrate building a sandbag wall
- Research and report on Mental Health for emergency volunteers.
- Demonstrate getting home storm ready with photo evidence
- Mock Emergencies
- Choose a game and or an activity
- Design, organise and run a Driver Reviver Rest Stop
