The Special Needs Scouting Service Award recognizes ongoing service to Scouts and Scouting with disabilities and special needs. This award differs from the Torch of Gold and the Woods Services Award in that those awards are made only to nominees. The Special Needs Scouting Service Award must be earned, and can be earned by both volunteers and
professional Scouters.

The latest information has been posted to Awards Central at Scouting.org.

The award requirements are given below. They were initially published in Abilities Digest v 3 #3 in the summer of 2016 (archived on scouting.org). Scout Shops may now order the knot award as item #625334. Metal devices to distinguish different service awards will be produced and stocked later.

The new award shares a newly-designed square knot (above) with the Whitney M. Young Award, the iScouting, Vale la Pena! award, the Asian American Scouting Spirit Award and the American Indian Scouting Association’s Grey Wolf award. Additionally, a unique device to signify the Special Needs Scouting Service Award on the square knot, a certificate, a lapel pin, and a medal were approved for recognition for this award. The recognition regalia is currently being designed by a task force of the National Disabilities Awareness Subcommittee.

Requirements to Earn the Special Needs Scouting Service Award

I. Complete the following two (2) requirements:

1. Be a registered adult or professional staff with the B.S.A. and maintain current Youth Protection Training.

2. Actively participate in activities concerning youth who have disabilities/special needs through ei-ther the unit (pack, troop or crew), or at either the District or Council or Area or Regional or National level for three (3) years.

II. Complete 6 of the following 12 requirements:

4. Attend a training seminar or conference on disabilities/special needs sponsored and conducted by the B.S.A or through an organization that serves youth and/or adults with disabilities/special needs, i.e. A.R.C., Blind Associations, Cerebral Palsy Agencies, Independent Living Resource Centers, Autism Societies, Special Olympics, etc.

5. Present one of the nationally approved disabilities/special needs classes (e.g., classes within the College of Commissioner Science curriculum or classes prepared by the National Disabilities Awareness Task Force) at any level.

6. Serve as a Staff member at either a District, Council, Area, Regional or National event which pre-sents a theme of youth with disabilities/special needs in Scouting.

7. Create and organize a unit (pack, troop or crew) to primarily serve youth with disabilities/special needs and be open for membership by youth not possessing disabilities/special needs.

8. Serve as a Mentor for a Scout who has disabilities/special needs for six (6) months.

9. Serve as a Group Discussion leader on Scouting for youth with disabilities/special needs at either a Roundtable or District Commissioner meeting or similar gathering of volunteer Scouters and/or profes-sional Scouters.

10. Promote and assist in organizing and conducting an outdoor event for youth with disabilities/special needs, or one that promotes disabilities awareness and acceptance among those who don’t have a disability.

11. Recruit and register either two (2) adults to volunteer in providing Scouting opportunities to youth with disabilities/special needs or recruit two (2) youth with disabilities/special needs to join Scouting and remain a member for one (1) year.

12. Assist the District or Council in forming a Partnership with an organization that serves individuals with disabilities/special needs.

13. Actively serve on a District, Council, Area, Regional or National Committee on Scouting with disa-bilities/special needs for two years.

14. Assist the local council in efforts to raise funds for Scouts with disabilities/special needs concerning activities within the Scouting program.

15. Assist the local council in a public awareness campaign to heighten knowledge of Scouting with disabilities/special needs.

This Award is retroactive for purposes of satisfying the above requirements.

This Award may be earned by volunteer Scouters and professional Scouters.

Once an individual has completed the requirements to this award, he or she shall forward the completed application to the District for review and approval by the Council Scout Executive or designee.

Background

The Special Needs Scouting Service Award, proposed by the National Disabilities Awareness Subcommittee, was submitted and approved by the Awards & Recognitions Task Force on April 29, 2016. This posting includes a copy of those published requirements.

This award differs from the Torch of Gold and the Woods Services Award in that those awards are made only to nominees. The Special Needs Scouting Service Award must be earned, and can be earned by both volunteers and professional Scouters.

The new award shares a newly-designed square knot (above) with the Whitney M. Young Award, the iScouting, Vale la Pena! award, the Asian American Scouting Spirit Award and the American Indian Scouting Association’s Grey Wolf award. Additionally, a unique device to signify the Special Needs Scouting Service Award on the square knot, a certificate, a lapel pin, and a medal were approved for recognition for this award. The recognition regalia is currently being designed by a task force of the National Disabilities Awareness Subcommittee.