Personal Development Challenge Badges

Scouts demonstrate a personal commitment to developing attitudes, knowledge and skills, such as first aid and lifesaving, which contribute to the safety of their local community.

Collector Badge

Purpose: Show an interest in putting a collection together.

Requirements:

1. Own and improve a collection that you have worked on for the last six months. This must have been done as a Scout.
2. Display your collection in a suitable manner.
3. Present your collection, your interest in it, some of its history, as well as why and how you have chosen to display it as you have.

Communicator Badge

Purpose: Demonstrate formal communication skills

Requirements: Complete one of the following:

1. Serve on the editorial or writing staff of a magazine or paper for at least eight (8) months or during the time that two issues are published. Show that you were able to cut down or rewrite manuscripts while still keeping the important information. Write at least 2 articles.
2. As secretary for your court of honour or other Troop/Patrol meetings, keep records and minutes for at least 6 months.
3. Take part in two organized debates or two public speaking events. Discuss preparations for your part in these events.

First Aid Badge

Purpose: Demonstrate a knowledge of First Aid procedures.

Requirements:

1. Earn the St. John Ambulance Standard First Aid certificate or equivalent Red Cross, etc.
   OR
2. Demonstrate to a trained instructor the techniques and knowledge equivalent to Standard First Aid.

Life Saving Badge

Purpose: To demonstrate knowledge of life saving techniques with various types of victims.

Requirements:

1. Earn the Life Saving III Award of the Life Saving Society of Canada. OR
2. To the satisfaction of a qualified instructor, complete the following:
   1. Know how to treat and prevent further shock of a victim.
   2. Be able to identify unconscious and injured victims.
   3. Demonstrate the HELP position with a PFD or other swimming aid for 3 minutes.
   4. Demonstrate the front survival position for 3 minutes.
   5. Demonstrate the "egg beater kick". (Scout may use arms for support)
   6. Enter the water in the "stride" position, maintaining eye contact with the victim.
   7. Enter the water as though for a rescue using maximum speed (shallow dive).
   8. Show how you would avoid being grasped from the front and the rear by a drowning victim.
   9. Remove an unconscious victim from the water, with the help of an assistant. (Assistant should be of equal knowledge as the rescuer)
   10. Rescue a non-breathing victim. Provide rescue breathing until relief of responsibility is available. Demonstrate care once victim starts to breathe on their own.
   11. Provide support for a weak, injured or non-swimmer with minimum risk to the rescuer. Provide care until relief of responsibility is available.
   12. Provide assistance to a weak or poor swimmer in deep water with a non-buoyant aid while avoiding high risk to the rescuer. Provide care until relief of responsibility is available.
   13. Swim 400m continuously. Do not use the "resting" stroke.

Individual Specialty Badge

Purpose: To provide a way to recognize a Scout who has a special interest.

Requirements:

1. A Scout may propose a subject and requirements for this badge, or may develop them in cooperation with other members of the Troop. The requirements should be presented to the Patrol in Council or Court of Honour for review.
2. Topics selected for this badge should not be covered in any of the other challenge badges.
3. The Scout leader must send a copy of the badge requirements to the local Scout council for information.
4. A Scout may hold only one Individual Specialty badge at one time.
5. A Scout may choose a new Individual Specialty once a year.

Note: Make sure the requirements challenge the ability of the individual. Remember that the purpose of the badge is to recognize the best effort of the Scout.

Troop Specialty Badge

Purpose: To provide a way to recognize a Troop that has a special interest.

Requirements:

1. The Troop will decide on the requirements for this badge.
2. The Scout leader must send a copy of the badge requirements to the local Scout council for information.
3. A Troop may have only one Specialty badge at a time.
4. A Troop may change its Specialty badge once a year if it wishes.