Explorer Belt
The Explorer Belt is an award in many Scouting organisations which promotes adventure and self-reliance in an international context.
While specific rules on the award vary from one organisation to another, it is generally for older members of the Scout Movement and requires a group of Scouts to travel and conduct a set of projects through which they investigate the history, geography, and society of a foreign country.
Explorer Belt in Various Countries
Finland
The award is open to members of the senior section of Scouting, and candidates work in pairs.
As the pair travel over 200 km during the 10 day expedition, they maintain a diary and conduct between 10 and 18 projects.
The expedition pairs are required to make presentations of their projects and experiences before being awarded the belt.
Ireland
Pairs of Venture Scouts are dropped off at an undisclosed location and are required to find their way back to the basecamp, which is up to 200 km away. This distance must be walked in 10 days. In 2007, an extra 100 km was added which can be travelled on certified public transport.
On reaching the basecamp, the candidates are given a break to recover during which the examiners read through the expedition logbooks which each team maintains during their journey. Venture Scouts deemed to have met the conditions of the award are presented with the Explorer Belt at a ceremony held at the end of the expedition.
United Kingdom
The award is open to Explorer Scouts (14-18) and members of the Scout Network (18-25).
Groups can have up to 4 members, although guidelines state that only older candidates should work in a pair.
In order to achieve the award, the group must spend 10 days in a foreign country and work towards a major project of their choice. They are also asked to complete a further 10 smaller projects - some of their own choice, and some set by the award judges.
The group must complete all plans and organisation for the expedition, and are also asked to take part in a debrief and then provide a presentation.
They do not need to walk during the expedition, but are restricted to public transport. Since the focus is on learning about the country the candidates are visiting, only an average of a few hours of travelling is required per day.