Many Woodcraft Folk groups make use of badgework when planning and structuring the group’s activities. Woven cloth test badges in a variety of designs can be ordered using the online form below.
Badges like I Begin, I Belong and Pioneer, focus on showing commitment, being a member, and attending group regularly. Others, such as I Camp, Environment and Community support programme activities that explore themes related to Woodcraft Folk’s aims & principles.
Traditionally sewn onto the sleeve of a green Folk Shirt, these badges can also be sewn onto hoodies, rucksacks and campfire blankets.
How to use badges
There’s not a single ‘correct’ way to start using badges as part of your group’s programme. Possible approaches include:
- Getting group members to complete a series of tasks or tests to earn a badge, each child working through these at their own rate within group nights and other activities. These might be the suggested criteria for the badges, or ones you create to meet the needs of your own group.
- Using a badge to provide a theme for a term or half a term’s programme, e.g. Ecologist for a term’s work about the environment , or I Camp when preparing to go to camp for the first time. You can hand out badges to children at the end of the term to celebrate the group’s achievements.
- Recognising children’s membership by issuing badges when a milestone is reached, e.g. I Begin after half a term, I Am after a term, and I Belong after a year.
- Taking a freestyle approach, asking young members to come up with activities to explore themes they feel the badges represent – you could even take it a step further by making your own designs and creating them with applique, embroidery or fabric paint
Order test badges for your group by completing this online form. You can also order Woodcraft Folk symbol patches and shoulder tabs to affix to Folk Shirts using the same form. Orders are processed monthly; minimum order value is £5. Resources to support the use of badges can also be found in the Resource Drive (you will need to log in with a Woodcraft Folk email address, or request access from a personal email account).