Explorer Scouts can not only earn badges like the other youth sections but also work towards some of the top awards Scouting has to offer. From the Queen’s Scout Award to a PR badge, they all help you in real life.

<< Explorers

Show off your skills.

Explorer Scouting Skills activity badge

Explorers Scouts can earn loads of different badges covering a variety of skills:

Activity Badges all offer a chance to try a different skill; from caving to creative arts, lifesaving to PR. These allow the Explorers to pursue their own interests and demonstrate their skills.

Staged Activity Badges are open to all scouts and allow them to get better at a skill over time. From musician to swimmer, first aid to sailing they are core skills to any individual. They also keep track of the number of nights and hikes away a young person has completed.

Reach the top: The Queen’s Scout Award!

Queen's Scout Award

Some of the highest awards an Explorer Scout can achieve is the Chief Scout’s Platinum award, Chief Scout’s Diamond award and the Queen’s Scout Award. Explorer scouts can partly achieve these awards by taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s awards and indeed many members of Explorers complete the DofE in order to achieve them.

These awards take dedication and personal challenge to achieve them, but they are widely celebrated. To achieve the DofE awards, Explorers must spend some time learning or developing a skill, taking part in a physical activity, spend some time volunteering in the community, undertake an expedition and (at DofE gold level or Queen’s Scout Award level) go on a residential experience. 

And don’t worry if you don’t finish it before you’re 18, you can do it as a Scout Network member as well.

Ask an Explorer leader for more information or visit the Hampshire Scout DofE site or the DofE’s website.

Have an adventure abroad: The Explorer Belt award.

Maybe you want to go and explore other countries? Perhaps the DofE is too domestic for you? Then try the Explorer belt.

The Explorer belt is the challenge of a lifetime, a chance to take part in a ten day expedition exploring a different country discovering its culture and way of life. Complete projects as a team, meet new people and inspire others to become global citizens.

Ask an Explorer leader for more information or visit the Scouts website.