A tutorial that explains the steps to running the Outdoor Adventure Skills (OAS) badge program as part of the Canadian Path
Outdoor Adventure Skill competencies are typically completed either:
A) Through the activities at a meeting or event, as an entire section or subset of youth.
B) Through individual effort, at home, school, or with family. These can then be demonstrated within the youth's small team (Lodge, Lair, Patrol), before the start of a meeting, or after the end of a meeting. The choice of when to demonstrate depends upon suitability and available time. Remember that OAS competencies can be evaluated by a Scouter, or by a youth who has already been awarded the next stage. e..g a youth who has completed Stage 2 may test a youth on a Stage 1 competency.
In case of (B), it is common for sections to either designate a meeting periodically for testing, or to support testing at each regular meeting. When competencies are regularly being demonstrated by youth in front of other youth, it usually inspires more youth to take on learning more outside of their scheduled Scouting activities.
This tutorial is a series of steps to support (B), while also covering the crediting of competencies for (A) in step 5. Each step is in itself a tutorial.
BEFORE THE MEETING or EVENT
1. How to Replenish Inventory, if needed
1b: How to Update Inventory, if badges were purchased
2. How to Check Who is Ready-to-Demonstrate a Competency
3. How to Email Families about Badge Testing
DURING THE MEETING OR EVENT
4. [Lodge/Lair/Patrol, Scouter or accredited youth test a competency at a meeting or event]
5. Record completion of a competency.
5A) See How to Give Credit for Badge Competencies for an Event, if the competency was completed as part of the event plan.
or
5B) See How to Mark Badge Competencies as Completed, if a youth successfully tested for a competency
6. How to Determine Which Badges are to be Awarded
AFTER THE AWARDING OF BADGES
7. How to Mark Badges as Awarded