The Commonwealth Award is open to Guides and Senior Section members throughout the Commonwealth. It gives individuals or small groups the opportunity to explore the history of guiding and the Commonwealth. The Award can be as challenging as you wish to make it.
Who can do the Award / When can I start the Award?
The Award is open to Guides aged 13+ and Senior Section members in all Commonwealth Countries.
Do I have to work towards the Award by myself?
You can choose to work towards the Award in a group with other Guides or Senior Section members or on your own.
How long do I have to complete the Award?
There is no time limit for completing the Award, so you can take as long as you need and spend as much time on it as you want. For example:
- You can start and complete the Award as a Guide.
- You can start the Award as a Guide and complete it as a Senior Section member.
- You can start and complete the Award as a Senior Section member.
So it is pretty flexible!
What do I need to do to complete the Award?
There are three challenges that everybody must complete:
- History of Guiding
- Knowledge of the Commonwealth
- Community Action.
You must then complete two further challenges chosen from:
- Health
- Environment
- Culture Heritage
- Fit for Life
- Out of Doors
- Public Speaking and Debating
- Creative Writing
- Citizenship
- Investigation.
Can I use activities I have counted for other awards to count towards the Award?
Yes! Activities you are using for other awards, such as Look Wider or the Queen's Guide Award, can be counted towards the Commonwealth Award as welt. It is useful to think about what you have in mind to do for other awards when you are planning how to complete this Award.
How do I start the Award?
Your County Commissioner needs to know when you are starting the Award so she can arrange for you to be tested. It is best to start off by discussing the Award and the clauses you would like to do with a Leader you know, before you talk to your County Commissioner. You could even ask the Leader to contact your County Commissioner on your behalf.
What next?
Now you need to plan how you will complete each clause within the challenges. You can either plan them all at the start, or plan each challenge one at a time.
When choosing the optional challenges think about activities you may already have planned for other awards. Plan the challenges so that you will find the activities fun and interesting. For each challenge you will need to think about how you will know when you have completed it and how you will record what you have done. At the end of the Award you will need to show your County Commissioner evidence that you have completed each challenge. This might include photographs, a display, comments from people who have attended an event you have run - be as creative as you like!
Who can help me with the Award?
Ask for support from anyone. When you are planning what to do for each challenge think about who would be a good person to offer each challenge think about who would be a good person to offer support. Possibilities might include, a Leader, a Commissioner, a teacher, a member of the local community, parents, friends or other Senior Section members.
How do I know when I have completed the Award?
Once you've planned what you will do for each challenge use the record book supplied the Senior Section CD-ROM to track your progress. When you you have completed all of your challenges arrange to see Your County Commissioner. You will need to take with you the evidence you have collected along the way. Your County Commissioner will verify whether she thinks you have completed the relevant clauses and will then arrange a presentation for you.
What do I get when I have completed the Award?
You will receive a certificate and a metal badge (the design is the same throughout the Commonwealth), that you can wear on your Uniform or badge tab.