Information Pack
Welcome to EPIC 2026/27! EPIC is my way of encouraging Groups to engage with what are some of the most important elements of Scouting: getting involved in your section, getting involved in your Group, getting outdoors and enjoying all that our Programme has to offer. To keep it fresh, and in the spirit of ‘Plan - Do - Review’ we’re making a few changes. I have no doubt we’ll have a couple of repeat Groups join us this year so hopefully the changes will help to keep the Challenge engaging and fun for everyone. The highlight for me last year was the logbooks - they really were an amazing effort and I’d encourage you all to think bigger and better with how you document your adventures this year. Most importantly, make sure your young people are involved as much as possible. EPIC is for them, and should be completed with as much input from them as possible. You’d be surprised with what they can come up with. Wishing you all an EPIC scouting year.
Eoin Callanan Chief Scout
Key Points Start Date: September 2026 Challenge Finish: End May 2027 Award Ceremony: June 2027 Award: EPIC badge per member in the section Participation: Achieved as a Section Challenge Theme: Echoes • Programme • Investiture • Camping
Overview The EPIC Challenge is a year-long initiative encouraging active participation in four key pillars of Scouting. This year these are the following: Echoes – Engage with your Scout Group’s history, and create a legacy. Programme – Deliver a vibrant, varied programme tailored to your age section. Investiture – Celebrate Scouting identity. Camping – Camp together and learn, lead and grow through outdoor adventure. The challenge can also help you progress through your personal scouting journeys by including some of your badgework in your activities. For example, Echoes & Investiture will help fulfill the criteria for a stage in the Personal Progression Badges. The Programme and Camping aspects are an opportunity to level up with your Adventure Skills or do a Special Interest Badge!
EPIC is a section-based challenge which can be undertaken by one or all sections of a Scout Group during the Scouting year. It encourages active participation in 4 key aspects of Scouting and is an opportunity for all members of each section to get involved in activities. How does it work? The Challenge should span your programme from September until June, focusing on the different goals outlined in each aspect of EPIC. How you complete the challenges is up to you - try and make them unique to you and make sure to track your progress in your logbooks! Make your logs unique to you - multiple media methods can be used to track your progress, just make sure to let us know all of the amazing things you get up to on your EPIC Journey! Sections that complete the challenge will earn an EPIC badge per participant, which will be awarded in the summer of 2027. So what’s involved? Echoes: The history of Scouting, nationally, internationally and in our own Scout Groups can be fascinating and give you ideas to drive your programme and Group spirit. Programme: The challenge has a different programme focus each year, with the focus for 2026/27 being water activities. Investiture: This focuses on the personal progression scheme and helps the Section learn more about their section/Group/Scouting Ireland. Your Group may already have strong Investiture traditions, or might not be sure how to hold one - this challenge will help establish or reinforce these traditions for your section/group. Camping: A huge part of what we do in Scouting, and the goal is to get out under canvas, in a hammock or a bivy, and improve your skills in this area. Maybe culminate your year with a group camping weekend and campfire to celebrate!
Beaver Scouts Objective: Introduce adventure, nature, and Scouting basics. Echoes: Learn about the history of your Beaver colony and when it was founded. Design a flag for your Beaver colony that you can raise every time that you are on a camp or activity. Take some photos of it in cool places during your adventures th this year. 2026 is the 50 anniversary of Beavers - tie in your Echoes activities with the Beaver 50 challenge! Programme: Complete three water discovery activities, such as pond dipping, stream exploration, shell identification, beach or riverside games, mini-boat building, or visiting a harbour, lake, marina or lifeboat station. Investiture: Lead or help organise a Section investiture (can be creative: woodland ceremony, family campfire) / Attend a group investiture. Camping: As a section, attend 1+ night away camping outdoors. Bonus: Spell out BEAVERS with members of your section and take a photo while on an activity. Put it in your logbook!
Cub Scouts Objective: Begin independent participation and responsibility. Echoes: Learn about how Cub Scouts came to be and incorporate elements of historical Cub Scout Programmes into an activity or camp (eg, Jungle Book camp, Irish language, Cub Scout chants). Programme: Discover, learn and try! Complete one water discovery activity like rock pooling, one learning activity like meeting a lifeboat crew member, and try one activity on the water. Investiture: Lead or help organise a new cub’s investiture event / Attend and help with the cub section of a group investiture. Camping: As a section, camp a total of 3+ nights over the year (this can be split across weekends). Sixer and Seconders should have involvement in planning one overnight. Bonus: Participate in an Environmental initiative (river clean up, bug hotels etc).
Scouts Objective: Foster leadership, initiative and teamwork. Echoes: Create a section Time Capsule including some details about all the things your Section does today, the places you camp and the people in the section and lock it away for Scouts to look at 10 years or more into the future. Try an activity that your section has never done before or hasn’t done in a long time. Programme: Skill up and get into the water – complete 3 shore-based skill sessions such as safety, lifeguarding, or something else entirely (maybe include a guest speaker or instructor) and at least 3 activities afloat (in rafts, in kayaks, in boats, swimming – it’s up to you!). Investiture: Organise & lead a creative section investiture ceremony or welcome campfire / attend a group investiture. Camping: As a section, accumulate 5+ nights under canvas between September and May, including one hike-in camp. Plan to attend an annual camp. Bonus: Build a tower or gate and take a photo of all your section on it!
Venture Scouts Objective: Emphasise expedition planning, service, and leadership. Echoes: Create or revive a tradition in your Group, e.g, teach everyone a certain campfire song, make up a Group Camp tradition, create a Group log of summer camps, take a Group photo at an annual event, create a Linking Ceremony between Sections. Make a plan to ensure the tradition is kept going. Think big and think of a legacy! Programme: Take the plunge! Complete 3 outdoor swims in 2 different seasons, joining in with organised activities for support if needed. Take part in one learning activity on water safety. Investiture: Participate in or lead your own investiture ceremony and mentor or assist with younger section investitures. Camping: As a section, plan and lead a Venture-only lightweight camp. Camp or hammock in an unusual place. Plan a Venture summer camp of at least 4 nights. Bonus: Organise a County Venture Camp Programme that includes 3 Adventure Skills.
Rover Scouts Objective: Champion Scouting values and leave a legacy. Echoes: Compile an element from the history of your Group from the last 10 years (eg, Summer Camp locations, Group Photos, other pieces of history) into a scrapbook, logbook or whatever format you choose. Ensure that there’s room in it for years to come! Programme: Push the boat out – challenge yourself to an ambitious waterbased activity like a triathlon, or a water-based expedition where you use the water to travel from place to place. The horizon is the limit! Investiture: Participate in your own Investiture ceremony somewhere out of the ordinary – the wilder the better! Camping: As a section, plan and complete a Rover-only camp of at least 2 days. Incorporate 3 Adventure Skills into the Programme. At least one night of the camp should be above the ground (hammocks/raised platforms etc). Bonus: Invite Rovers from another Group, County or even Nationally to come on one of your activities!
Award & Logbook Each section submits their own logbook, digital or paper. The format is flexible, the only limit is your imagination! Here are some cool formats that we got last year: Photo album Video highlight reels Scrapbooks Activity reports and Notes Drawings and Doodles Anecdotes and Stories Receipts, leaflets, ticket stubs Signatures from people that helped the EPIC journey Activity Checklists/Plans/Brainstorms
Challenge Criteria in Summary Criteria
Description
Participation
Section engagement. Numbers involved
Echoes involvement
Visible and meaningful contribution to the Echoes element, originality and effort.
Programme Quality
Variety, age-appropriateness, originality
Investiture Creativity
Inclusivity, ceremony design, involvement of youth members. Understanding of what scouting is about
Camping Achievement
Nights under canvas, location difficulty, skills used
Logbook Quality
Presentation, storytelling, reflection, creativity
Youth led programme
Evidence of youth members involvement in planning and execution of the challenge
Achieved?
So what’s next? Ask your Section if they would like to try the EPIC Challenge and brainstorm together. Hold a planning meeting to finalise how your section/group will take on the challenge. Involve your youth members! Register your sections via Microsoft form (Link in launch email/Chief scout linktree). Each section in a Scout Group should register separately. Keep up to date with check ins with your youth members and leader team throughout the year. Fill in your log with all your exciting adventures! Submit the logbook by 30th May 2027 for review - separate form for submission to follow. Award Ceremony in June 2027.
Support Please email any questions to cs.admin@scouts.ie and we’ll be happy to help. Resources and check-ins will be offered this year to support Groups with the challenge.
And finally... Good luck, have fun, and make it EPIC!