Today we are battling a downturn in the economy. Rally has opportunities to teach practical skills that will enable members to positively contribute to their families in the future. This is ONE reason to re-look at BADGES and see what benefit they can be to your members.
Why do Badges?:
- To stimulate members to learn new interests and skills – many badges will teach members how to make things that could be useful around the home, to make use of cheap/free materials, to enjoy creating gifts and developing talents. (eg. gardening, embroidery, chef, carpentry, electrical, rug-making…)
- To enable Leaders to work more closely with members so you get to know them – have time to chat while learning.
- To be an added incentive for those who enjoy competition and learning as well as creativity – it gives members a sense of achievement to earn a badge, and often a challenge if they are learning new skills.
The three objectives of the Rally Movement are Spiritual, Educational & Physical. Parts of these can be fulfilled by including an enthusiastic BADGE Programme.
Our Badge system covers a wide range of interests. It is not intended that members try to do all the badges! But it does give plenty of variety, so that something should appeal to every member. However there are badges that cover important areas – things you need to know even if you are not personally interested in the subject. Eg. Health & Safety, First Aid.
Badge System:
The Rally Members badge is the 1st badge that should be earned. Then members can enjoy earning the ones they have an interest in – Key badges & title badges at Level 1 for juniors & Level 2 for Seniors. The Senior Specials are for Seniors & expected to be done to a high standard. Juniors can earn Level 2 badges if they have the ability/intelligence to complete them fully.
Once members have earned a number of badges, encourage them to get their Efficiency – Junior Star – then sit Awards. All the information is in the back of the Badge Handbooks. It is best if Leaders keep track of their members badges – you can then remind them they have enough badges to sit Efficiency for example, or encourage them to ‘earn 1 more KEY badge and you can sit the Alpha Award’.
There are TWO ways of encouraging Badge-work:
- by encouraging them to do badges at home
- teaching them during the Rally Programme
Badges at Home:
It is helpful if members have an exercise book to put their badge-work into. You can spend one Rally night covering & decorating it. Each Rally member will need their own Badge Handbook. If it is a badge that needs practical work being done eg. make your bed for a month (Homecraft) or passed a school cycle test (Cycling), members can bring a note from parent/teacher signed & saying it was completed. Otherwise the information can be written/drawn into their exercise book and/or article made brought along to show you.
It is always the best idea to give out Badges as often as possible (rather than waiting till the end of the year to give out). Receiving a badge in front of the Rally encourages them and gives others an incentive to also do badges.
Badges at Rally:
As Rally leaders don’t be afraid to teach Badges. There is information in the Badge Manual. It is currently being updated – the Craft & Creative Manuals are available on disc for $4 from Rally Supplies. The Internet can give you information on a Badge you may want to teach. Or look for those in your church or community who have the skills to help. Most folk won’t charge, but suitable reimbursement for time & travel would be appropriate, for example to St John’s Ambulance.
Types of Badges:
- Memory & self-effort - Eg. Rally Members, Efficiency, Cultural, Scripture, Gardening… You can motivate & encourage members, but they must do the work themselves.
- Leaders Instruction - These are badges you can do at Rally. This Leader Magazine sometimes has suggestions/information for taking badges. Check back copies (or contact Editor if you don’t have back copies). You could take your Rally for a Badge during..
- × Hobby time – craft, pokerwork, carpentry, home skills….
- × Devotional time – Bible project, Bible History, Bible study….
- × Games time – Gymnast, Aerobics, Dance & Movement….
- × Camps & Outings – Camp cooking, cyclist, outdoor….
- × Special Nights – Art night (come dressed as artists), Missionary night (have a game, hobby, activity from country of missionary)
Tried & Tested Policies:
- Each member should keep all badge projects in an exercise book/folder. It is a permanent record, and available for revision if they sit Awards.
- Have a set standard for testing badges. Eg. Put one leader in charge of badge-work to produce an even marking system.
- Leaders - Keep an accurate record of each members badges. They can lose badges and you need to replace them! This enables you to check what badges they have earned, if lost. You can check who has earned enough badges to do their Efficiency, who is due their Junior Star, or who can sit Awards.
- Suggest you have some written questions for most commonly earned badges - use for testing. Don’t make it too stringent like exams! True/false ones are easy to answer and cover the information.
Sample test:
Child Nursing Level 1
On __________________ I watched ___________ being bathed by her mother.
- Which part of baby is washed first? ________________________
- How warm should the bath water be? ______________________
- How do you hold baby safely in the water? ____________________________
- What happens if baby’s skin folds are not washed & dried properly? _______
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