Awards and recognitions for work in Scouting with disabilities
The Torch of Gold is a distinguished award of the Boy Scouts of America to recognize adults for exceptional service and leadership in working with Scouts who have disabilities. Each council may recognize one Scouter per year with the award. Details are listed on the nomination form, available online.
The process takes place entirely within the council. Typically the council’s Disabilities or Special Needs Committee will collect nomination forms and choose a recipient.
The Boy Scouts of America presents the Woods Services Award to one adult each year to recognize exceptional service to Scouts with disabilities. Nominations should be received by the end of this year to be considered for the 2018 award. Each council may submit a single nomination each year. The online application form provides complete instructions.
There have been many questions about the Special Needs Scouting Service Award. While we are still seeking clarification from BSA’s National Service Center on some points, we provide other details below.
The latest information has been posted to Awards Central at Scouting.org.
[Updated 28 Mar 2017, 6 April 2018]
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.
