Outdoor Adventure Skills
Outdoor Adventure Skills 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 skill areas are what is often viewed as ‘key Scouting skills’ and are encouraged for all sections, whilst the specialist skill areas offer diversity of choice
The early Stages (1–4) of all Outdoor Adventure Skills are for those who want to try out the activity and establish basic skills. The higher Stages (7–9) are geared towards the Scout who wishes to explore these pursuits in greater depth than what is provided for in the core program. Where a relevant Unit of Competency exists in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) package, Stages 5 - 9 have been written in a way that Scouts are showing skills that could be mapped to gain formal Units of Competency through Scouts Australia Institute of Training (SAIT).
Core Skill Areas
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 at least from Stages 1 to 5 during their time in the Movement. Most of the tasks in the core skill areas are the same skills that any Scout going on a normal Scout camp or hike would be learning, and many have been included in Scouting programs for more than 100 years. Completion of the three core skill areas to a developmentally appropriate stage is a requirement for the Peak Award in each section.
Specialist Skill Areas
Alpine, Aquatics, Boating, Cycling, Paddling and Vertical are the six specialist Outdoor Adventure Skills and break in to 21 activity streams at Stage 4 and 7. Scouts have the opportunity to select which activities they wish to do, and may start a new interest in any of these areas at any time in their Scouting journey. These broad areas each have multiple streams, separating at Stage 4 and/or Stage 7, in order to develop higher-level tailored skills. It is recognised that not all of these activity areas will be easily accessible for all members, however the diversity is available to be tailored to an individual’s interests. These skill areas are not compulsory, although youth (and young adult) members will need to complete some Stages of these skill areas in order to achieve the Peak Award across most sections.
Requirements for BPSA
Rover Scouts endeavouring to complete their Baden-Powell Scout Award will need to complete 14 Stage Progressions during the time in the Rover Scout section. 6 of these stage progressions must be Stage 4 or higher in any stream or activity area, and they must have achieved Stage 5 in the three core areas.