Introducing the New Youth Program
The New Youth Program (NYP) is the biggest change to the Australian Scouting program in nearly 50 years, and is the culmination of five years of research and investigation.
Floreat is one of the early adopters of the NYP, with the Group transitioning in the second half of 2019. The NYP is much more than a set of new badges. It is a complete redesign of the way we run Scouting. The Program Fundamentals
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The Achievement Pathways
AKA Badges and Awards
The new program is designed to provide continuity between Sections. All Sections now have the same badges, however each badge has different requirements depending on the Section. And the Outdoor Adventure Skills the youth member earns carries through all Sections.
The Achievement Pathway elements are:
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Program Essentials
Program Essentials is all about Scouts' active engagement in the weekly Scout Program. We define Program Essentials as the "base camp" of all aspects of the Achievement Pathways. Through active engagement, youth members are encouraged to develop new skills and take on new challenges. They will be recognised for their learning and personal development.
Program Essentials are divided into a series of Milestones within each Section. Each Milestone should take approximately 6-12 months, and recognises active participation in the program, and personal development that has occurred during that time. It should not be viewed as something extra to work on, but rather represents what regular and active participation as a Scout looks like. |
Outdoor Adventure Skills
Outdoor Adventure Skills (OAS) are the link between adventurous activities and the youth program. They enable youth members of all ages to access the basic skills for a range of activities, and progress through to high skill levels across nine broad activity areas. The core skills areas epitomise what is often viewed as "key Scouting skills" and are encouraged for all Sections, whilst the specialist skill areas offer diversity of choice.
Camping, Bushwalking and Bushcraft are the core skill areas. Scouts will develop their skills in camping, day and overnight hikes, first aid, construction, navigation, and survival skills. The core skill areas are those key Scouting skills that it is expected most, if not all, Scouts will have the opportunity to complete. Aquatics, Boating, Cycling, Paddling and Vertical are the specialist Outdoor Adventure Skills and break in to 21 activity streams by Stage 7. |
Special Interest Areas
Special Interest Areas (SIAs) encourage young people to try new things and pursue their existing interests. Scouts set their own goals, enabling them to design a project that interests and challenges them personally. The six areas are broad, encouraging Scouts to pursue a diversity of interests and to ensure any activity a Scout could possibly think of can be covered. Individuals setting their own goals ensures that the Special Interest Areas remain modern and relevant in a changing world, and can be tailored to be inclusive to all.
Whilst the intention for Special Interest Areas is to enable Scouts to pursue topics or activities that specifically interest them, work may be completed individually, in Patrols or as a whole Section. No matter how the goals are being pursued, it should continue to be about an individual doing their best. |
The Peak Award
The Peak Award is the pinnacle of the Personal Progression Framework in each Section, and includes elements of all the other components. It exists to challenge those Scouts who wish to reach the mountain peak and be recognised for their achievements.
There is no requirement for a Scout to have been in a previous Section or to have earned their Peak Award. Scouts can choose at any point during their time in the Section that they wish to pursue the Peak Award, however it is best if they identify this during the mid-stages of their journey in the Section so that they have enough time to complete all of the elements. For many Scouts who are already actively engaged in the program and exploring the Personal Progression Framework for their own interests, they will be able to make the decision to stretch themselves to the Peak Award later. The minimum requirements are presented in the table below and each element is further described below. To earn the Peak Award, most Sections require Scouts to complete six elements:
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