TRUST Award

TRUST Award requirements

Complete the five sections of requirements found in the TRUST Handbook; complete a crew review and TRUST presentation.

I. Tending Your Beliefs
This section focuses on your own personal beliefs and religious journey and must be completed before proceeding to the other four sections.

Complete the following:

1. Earn the Religious and Community Life Bronze Award.

2. Receive the religious emblem appropriate to your age and religious affiliation. This requirement is option No. 1 among the requirements for the Religious and Community Life Bronze Award. If completed for that award, it counts here, too. If your religion does not offer a religious emblem program such as those in the Duty to God brochure, No. 05-879D, then you may complete a similar program of religious discovery suitable to both your Advisor and your religious leader.

3. Visit with your religious leader and discuss your beliefs and why you accept those beliefs. Compare your personal beliefs with those formally accepted by your religion. Following this discussion, write an essay explaining your beliefs and review it with your religious leader and your crew Advisor. Make a 15- to 20-minute presentation (discussion, video, slideshow, etc.) to your crew or another youth group explaining your beliefs.

4. Explain the Venturing Oath and the Venturing Code in your own words. Explain how they have an effect on your daily life, your life goals, and how you live your life as a part of your community.

II. Respecting Beliefs of Others
This section focuses on freedom of religion in the US and learn about religions other than your own in your community.

Complete the following:

1. Talk with a history/social studies teacher, attorney or other legal professional, or other knowledgeable adult about the U.S. Bill of Rights, and especially about the concept of freedom of religion. What did this concept mean to our founding fathers? What does this concept mean today? What limitations have been imposed on this freedom? What happens when freedom of religion and freedom of speech clash with each other? Hold a discussion (not debate) about freedom of religion with members of your crew.

2. Find out what religious groups are worshipping in your community, and whether they have been there for generations or whether they are relatively new to the community. Talk to at least five adults in your community about the impact various religions have on your community. Report your findings to your crew.

3. Complete one of the following:

a. Pick one of the religions listed on page 21 of the TRUST Handbook (other than your own). After extensive research on the selected religion, present a report to your crew or other youth group (such as a troop, crew, religious group, or school group). The report should detail the history of the religion, its modern application as a religion, and important historical events. Also include information about where and how the religion is commonly practiced.

b. Attend a religious service/gathering/festival of one of the religions listed on page 21 of the TRUST Handbook (other than your own religion). Attend with a parent, Advisor, or religious professional. Write about your experience and how it relates to the thoughts and practices of the religion. Compare the basic tenets expressed in the religious service/gathering/ festival with those of your own religion.

c. Meet with two youth working on a religious emblem approved by the BSA (found on page 62 and 63 of the TRUST Handbook) (not your own religion). These young people can be members of the Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of the USA, or any other youth organization. Discuss with them their current religious journey.

d. Contact an official in an inter-religious organization (interfaith coalition, council of churches, etc.). Discuss how religious tolerance is important in both local and global issues.

e. Attend an inter-religious festival and talk with two people from another religion (from the list on page 21 of the TRUST Handbook) about the similarities and differences between your religion and theirs. Report your findings to your religious leader.

III. Understanding Other Cultures
This section focuses on the historical significance of cultures in the US and study one cultural group in detail.

Complete the following:

1. Learn about the culture you most identify with. Talk to relatives or other knowledgeable individuals to learn about your family history, cultural identity, and family identity.

2. Attend two cultural events (each of these events should represent a different culture and should highlight the history and uniqueness of that culture). Supplement the information you learned at the events with research on the culture in today's global society. Compare these two events and their cultures with your own culture. Report on your findings to your crew or another youth organization.

3. Invite an adult and a youth from another culture to speak to your crew about their culture. Alternately, interview two people who were born outside the United States who have immigrated to your community or a nearby one (foreign exchange students may also fulfill this role). In either case, discuss with them why they decided to come to the United States and to your community. Discuss the differences in community between where they live now and where they lived before they emigrated.

(For Venturers living outside the United States, modify this requirement for the country in which you reside. For example, a Venturer living in Japan would interview someone not of Japanese origins who immigrated to Japan.)

4. Complete one of the following:

a. Take (and successfully pass) a course that includes study of cultural diversity.

b. Research and present your findings about an inter-religious/ intercultural conflict affecting the world in historical or current times. Include how the conflict started and ended (if not an ongoing conflict). Explore both causes and effects of the conflict, including those in the current day. Include general information about all the cultures and religions involved in the conflict.

c. Research a cultural group (other than your own) that has had an impact on the U.S. melting pot. When did they begin to arrive? In what ways have they had an influence on the United States? On your community? Where have they settled (primarily); why? Report on your findings to your crew or youth group.

d. Meet with your council Scoutreach/urban/rural executive to learn which Scoutreach programs are being used in your area and why. Learn about BSA resources designed for specific, cultural groups, and how they may differ from the resources you are familiar with.

IV. Serving Your Community
In this section, complete a community service project and learn about organizations in your community that serve youth.

Complete the following:

1. Plan and carry out a service project to better your local community. This project should be carried out in conjunction with an established community service agency, such as those listed on pages 34-36 of the TRUST Handbook (and cannot be the same project used for option No. 5 of the Religious and Community Life Bronze Award). Involve at least five other Venturers or youth in carrying out the project. The project should be well thought out and lasting in its effects. Use the Eagle or Quartermaster Service Project booklet as a guideline (available free from your local council office). Be sure this project is reported to your council as part of the Good Turn for America campaign.

2. Meet with a member of your local government. Discuss how the community governs itself on matters such as zoning, taxes, education, religion, and acceptable behavior. Report your findings to your crew or another youth group. Lead or participate in a discussion on ideas to change your community for the better.

3. Complete one of the following:

a. Organize a community safety program. Options include a community watch program, a latchkey program, or other program to encourage safety in your community. This cannot be the same project used for requirement No. 1 above.

b. Work with your local chapter of the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity. Participate in a significant percentage of service opportunities for one semester. Discuss with the fraternity adviser how to increase cooperation between the group and the local BSA council, and between the group and other student organizations at your college.

c. Serve as an active member in a high school or college community service organization. Participate in a significant percentage of service projects for a six-month period. Explore ways to increase the participation of your organization in service opportunities, as well as ways to increase the membership of the organization. Report on how the group benefits the community.

d. Become a volunteer first aid or swimming instructor or swimming aide with the American Red Cross or a similar organization. Teach first aid or swimming at least four times in a six-month period. Explore other volunteer opportunities with that organization. Report on your experiences at the end of this time, especially how the community benefits from the organization and from your volunteerism.

e. Participate for six months as an active volunteer with any other community service agency approved by your Advisor. Examples are therapy or guide dogs, food pantries, hospital aides, etc. Report on your experiences at the end of this time, especially how the community benefits from the organization and from your volunteerism.

V. Transforming Our Society
This section focuses on counseling skills, conflict resolution, peace and reconciliation, and how to apply them in your own life.

Complete the following:

1. Take part in a counseling skills training session of at least eight total hours. Examples include peer counseling, suicide or abuse hotlines, and first-contact training programs, and may be provided by local service agencies/hotlines or by local government divisions. Tell your crew what you learned and how you plan to put your knowledge into action.

2. Discover (through research, discussions with teachers or community leaders) what addictions are having a negative effect on your local community (such as alcohol, drugs, tobacco, gambling, pornography, etc.). Pick one of these and find out what local resources are available to deal with the problem. Talk to a counselor who deals with this issue, and tell your crew how this issue is affecting the community in which you live.

3. Lead or actively participate in at least four Ethical Controversies within a six-month period. These may be at the unit, district, or council level within Venturing, or at a youth event attended by members of several churches or religious institutions. These controversies cannot be the same as those used for the Religious and Community Life Bronze Award requirement No. 10.

4. Complete one of the following:

a. Attend a meeting of your local board of education or city/ community council, or a session of court (any level open to public observation). Find one issue that has generated dissent or conflict, and observe how this conflict is dealt with. Follow the issue to its resolution, even if this means attending more meetings. Give a presentation to your crew or other youth group on how conflict was resolved in this case.

b. Visit and tour a correctional facility. Talk to a correctional facility chaplain about his/her responsibilities and experiences. Ask the chaplain for stories of success/transformation that have helped former inmates become contributing members of society.

c. Compare counseling degree programs at four different colleges or universities. Include one large public university and one small religiously based college. Look at both the types of degrees offered and the course work required for those degrees. Compare especially the religious components of such degrees.

d. Study the document "Scouts and Peace" prepared by the World Organization of the Scout Movement (see page 39 in the TRUST Handbook). Lead a discussion with your crew about the document and how Scouts can be involved in world peace. Then prepare a 10-minute presentation on the document and give it to a Boy Scout or Girl Scout troop.

VI. Crew review

VII. TRUST presentation

The official source for the information shown in this article or section is: Trust Handbook, 2005 Edition (BSA Supply No. 33154)