Running an Award Group

Even in a small team, it is best to make sure that each person is clear of their responsibilities. Volunteers do not have to have 'outdoor' qualifications - they may be able to help with other tasks such as admin, driving or supervision. The registration form for adult helpers can be downloaded from the resources box below.

Participants

Each participant in the Award must complete an enrolment form, which is available for download in the resources box below. Return these to the Administrative Assistant with a request for record books. Remember: Each young person enrolled in an Award Group must purchase a Record Book. You can then start to plan individual programmes with the young people. A useful starting point is to find out what the young person's interests are, encourage them to start one section initially, the others can be introduced at a later stage.

Planning a Programme

It is a good idea to meet with helpers and participants to plan a rough programme for the year ahead. This might be quite detailed or on a month-by-month basis. Share this programme with everyone in the group and keep them updated of any changes.

There is no set timetable on how to deliver the Award programme to a Group. Much will depend upon the type of Group. For example, in schools, leaders often introduce the Award to a year group in September at the start of the academic year. The participants are guided through completion of the service, skills and physical recreation sections over the winter before starting expedition training in the Spring. The main expeditions take place in the Summer term after exams when there is less pressure on the timetable. For a suggested training programme see the Basic Training and Preparation Plan for Ventures page.