Beaver/Cub/Scout Volunteering

I volunteered for a good few years as a parent helper with cubs/ scouts. It was great but I basically ended up doing *everything* (at Cubs) all the financies, planning camps, all the work to get the badges, you name it. However, its *not* meant to be like that and was due to exceptional circumstances.

Basically, it was fantastic. My son was with the pack and I have many happy memories of the adventures we and the pack got up to.

Some of the parents are bloody hard work mind you.😁

There are some actual Leaders on here I believe, they will clue you up. Covid hit the scouting movement hard and even before that it could be a challenge to get parents to engage and help. You'll be making a genuinely precious time of life for kids even more special.

I say go for it.👍

Well

I'm a cub leader for the last 2 years (tho I previously was an assistant leader many years ago & had been through cubs, scouts, venture scouts etc)
Am in it because my district has a 1000 child waiting list & we wanted our kids in, so I have started a new group.

I've just come back from a programme planning night, with the pack we've spun off a new one from and that's really helpful

We are struggling because the parent who started with me didn't last long, and I have 20 cubs, 3 of whom have adhd 😱😱😱

We use this to organise the parent rota. https://volunteersignup.org/. Or I wouldn't be able to do it

There's a few hours of online training and a morning of first aid training to start

Hours per week is 1.5 for cubs itself plus an hour or so admin, plus ordering stuff we might need for a night
Online scout manager takes a bit of getting used to but is useful once you get it

Plus 2 weekends a year on camp

It's certainly a commitment and for sure some nights it's hard to get motivated, buts it's always fun & rewarding, what I would say is find out if the group has good support from the GSL etc and if there any young leaders /older scouts who want to help out.

The other leaders in the group are strong moral support and decent people that want to put something back into the community.

(30 years later I still think St George's/ remembrance day parade is a ballache!)

Similar to Kimbers. What I would say is find a local group and offer to help. The alternative is to approach the District but they may land you with a struggling group and no support. Ask me how I know. I share a pack with another Leader now plus a good Young Leader, a new Assistant leader and we run a parent rota so that's two extra adults each week which is about right for 30 kids.

OSM is great once you get on top of it. The kids all go to different schools but you wouldn't know it as they all just muck in with each other. Parents are very appreciative and I'm always actively cultivating one or two to go into uniform, but there's no pressure. The training is a bit of a burden but mostly very good. Plus you get to go places and do things you never would. We've got curling and trip to the local anaerobic digester coming up.

I help out at the cub and scout group that I attended as a kid. I did a solid 5 years then tapered off as work and life got in the way. I did my training and now just do enough to keep me in ticket.
I need to make more of an effort to turn up when I'm able to.

Scout/Explorer Scout Leader here, 26 years leading (and Cub/Scout/Venture myself beforehand).
I'll keep it short unless any specific questions come up...

First up, if you're looking at being a Leader rather than just a parent helper, there's a lot more training that requires a bit more effort than there used to be... a good thing overall, but it is a commitment.
Talking of commitment, that's exactly what being a Leader (or even helper, if Leader numbers are low) is - if you're the sort of person who finds they have to re-arrange stuff last minute because "something came up" a lot, it's probably not for you as there's a bunch of kids relying on you to turn up!

The (slightly joking) tag line has always been "just 2 hours a week". You certainly can do it on just 2 hours a week (plus training, to start with) especially as a helper or Assistant Leader. But putting in a little more time will help you and the Scouts get a lot more out, in my experience. I do mean just a little more, usually - 10 minutes planning on WhatsApp with the other leaders sometime in the week makes a much better evening; a night at the pub with some books and a calendar 3 or 6 times a year makes a much better term/half-term.

I'm a bit unusual in that I went through as a youth and came back almost straight away after uni; most of the Leaders started off to support their own children... some go when their kids do, but many stay on, so there must be something good in it.

Thanks in advance, by the way, for even considering stepping up. There aren't so many parents who do... and on that note, if you find yourself not enjoying it, don't be (emotionally) blackmailed into carrying on just because no-one else will take over - I think it's well worth having that in your mind before you start, although it sounds negative - it's volunteering, not a job, if you're not getting anything out of it then it's hopeless. But it will certainly all fall apart if no-one has a go!

As to the family side - depends a bit on your set-up, obviously. I've simply always done it. My daughter went to Brownies rather than Cubs and tried Explorers with me but she's not an outdoorsy/practical type. My wife has never minded me being out once a week regularly, and odd evenings/weekends; she just treats it as quiet/"me" time for herself (and an evening she can eat stinky fish without me complaining!). Work is more of an issue for me these days as I work most Saturdays and so that makes weekend activities very difficult.

The priority list is always:
Family
Work
Scouts

As in any organisation, there are some less than nice people, although the ratio is happily low in Scouting... anyone who tells you to bump Scouting up that order, or who says anyone who doesn't isn't a "real" Scout, is one to avoid/ignore.

Hope this helps!

I volunteer once a week as a section assistant. I wasn’t a scout as a kid (I thought it was pretty naff back then) but my kids wanted to join and the local group needed helpers.

I always dread it a bit beforehand because I’m bastard busy with my job and it feels like it’s taking up too much of my time. Then each week I go, and I get to see my two children enjoying themselves and growing, and I get to work with a group of (mostly) really nice kids. I always come away glad to be part of it.

They need more help than I can give, but I do what I can, and I’ve ended up feeling really lucky to be a part of my children’s lives in way that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

So I say do it!

Did air cadets for a while.

Some one needs to volunteer. Do it. It's very rewarding and can be infuriating.

I'm a beavers leader of 10 years. Soon to be an ex beavers leader this is my last year!

I originally started as an assistant but took on the leader role when the previous leader left - would have folded otherwise and my kids wouldn't easily have been able to join another group.

In general the kids are great (although there is the odd one who is a nightmare!) and the sessions themselves can be great fun.
Often it is really fantastic to see how much the kids are getting out of it - even simple things they would never usually do (e.g. a night hike) is so exciting for them and you see them grow as people. Very rewarding.
So long as the group planning is good and you have a few like-minded volunteers to run activities the work can be shared out and not be over burdening.

What is not so enjoyable is all the admin that goes along with it, stuff like chasing parents again and again, emailing comms out, sorting out all the badges, dealing with waiting lists.
Also we are a church group and some of the expectations that come along with that (e.g. church parade every month) really do my head in. I really do not think some of the scout association and /or church have a bloody clue how pressured most people are for time.

Also another majorly annoying thing is if you do not have a decent base of leaders who you get on with, or leaders who won't do their fair share of work or are just useless and disorganised.

What's killed it for me in the end is the amount of admin, compounded by the useless of some of the other leaders which meant I ended up having to do a huge amount of work last year to put right a camp plan that somebody else took responsibility for but was going to turn into a disaster.

So in summary my advice would be to go for it, they will really appreciate your help and it will make a real difference to many kids. But be careful that the group is well run already by good people, and also be very very clear about the boundaries of what you will and won't do (e.g. I will help at meetings/won't do admin/won't do church parade).

I notice that the leaders and volunteers are trying to lure you in... DON'T DO IT.

Scariest groups in the UK. The Parachute regiment, the SAS, the Royal Marines, The Cubs (not necessarily in that order)

Been an assistant scout leader for 5 years & occasional helper at cubs for a couple years before.

My son has cerebral palsy so had to help on some nights. When he moved to scouts, I went on his first weekend camp with them as he had just moved up and they were getting to know him (speech as well as mobility affected). I got on well with the leaders and seeing how they were including him led to me joining. Scouting is the only mainstream activity that would accept our son.

My wife became a cub leader for the same reason so it can be a bit hectic juggling time- I’m out on a course this weekend to get my archery instructor permit for example.

Section leaders have the biggest workload with planning etc but there’s nothing to stop that being shared out. After my wife moved from assistant to cub leader and I saw the admin involved I picked up some bits from my Scout Leader that I wasn’t aware were being done in the background.

Our group is pretty supportive- we have two scout nights and quite often we’ll mix up if one night is short of leaders, or even help beavers & cubs if they are down on leaders.

I can instruct air rifle shooting & tomahawk throwing so that’s another demand on time as that can be for other groups or at events.

Give it a go- aside from the shooting activities I’ve been coasteering & paddleboarding on camp and up in a microlight as our county owns its own aircraft.

Scariest groups in the UK. The Parachute regiment, the SAS, the Royal Marines, The Cubs (not necessarily in that order)

Nah not cubs it’s the turquoise ninjas you have to watch out for

Do it if you've got capacity, you'll be helping to shape young lives in a good way

Can't commit the time myself but am a parent helper, do that if you're busy elsewhere, the leaders need all the help they can get

Not a great deal of personal experience to add in terms of long term commitment but my eldest has gone through Beavers and is currently in Cubs. I've been on numerous occasions as a parent helper and it's great but I'm not able to commit regularly due to work. If you have the time available, we have the same guy as leader of both the Beaver and Cub packs and I don't think I've ever met a more fulfilled and happy person. If you have some enthusiasm for it then crack on.

kimbers
20 cubs, 3 of whom have adhd

Only 3? I would say most of my sons group are ASD/ADHD/etc 🙂

I volunteer but only outdoor stuff and van help, plus our Christmas Tree collection and disposal service which brings in £10k for the Scouts. You see I dont like other peoples kids, mine are cool, but others are mostly a bit bonkers and they dont like me shouting at them :-)))

Christmas Tree collection and disposal service which brings in £10k for the Scouts.

£10k for scouts uk wide or just your group. And we thought we did well getting £1.5k at our jumble sale a couple of weeks ago!

If you enjoy it, do it. Leaders are incredible, selfless, valuable people who can transform young lives.

I started as a parent helper when Jnr started at Beavers, there was a parent rota to help at Cubs, and I carried on helping out on hikes and cycling activities through Scouts.

I'm not great with kids, I'll be honest, especially younger ones, and didn't enjoy the weekly meetings, and because of that I never went on to be a unit leader. MrsMC was running a Guide unit singlehandedly for most of that time as well, so fitting a regular commitment for me as well would be tough.

However, there's a host of "behind the scenes" roles that are just as valuable - finance, planning, fundraising, building maintenance, quartermasters, website and social media. I'm on the group Exec committee, District Exec committee, and chair the District finance and appointment committees, which is maybe a couple of evenings a month. If we can take some of the domestics and logistics away from the unit leaders, it's a huge help to them.

One of my happiest Scouting memories was the first day of the Peak 2015 Jamboree, 4000 Scouts and Guides from around the world assembling at Chatsworth for a week of activities and I heard one lad say "This is going to be so much fun!" Which is the point.

Picked up a Scout commendation for service the other week, my first Scout badge in 37 years!

Jnr has gone right through Scouting, done the World Scout Jamboree, picks up his Queen's Scout award next April and is an adult helper himself now when he's home from uni, as well as the District social media person. Those experiences have shaped him and have proven just as important as his academic achievements when he's been interviewed and assessed for uni and job placements.

TL:DR - Scouting (and Guiding) are incredibly valuable, if challenging, and if you can support in any way, please give it a go.

I was a section assistant at cubs and scouts for 5 or so years. So the lowest level of uniformed adult helping out. I enjoyed it. Camps were the best. Scout camps are far easier than cub camps as the scouts can do far more, although both are rewarding.

So it's very rewarding, sometimes hard work, but mostly fun and if you do a lot of camps then you'll get the most out of an it.

My kids are at cubs and scouts. My wife is now treasurer and I've just done my DBS check so I can help on a cubs camping weekend. Wish me luck!

Thanks for all that.

It sounds a bit like I was expecting (I think) and probably within the bounds of being manageable even with a young family. I guess I’ll be giving it a go to see how it pans out for me/us.

I guess I’ll be giving it a go to see how it pans out for me/us.

That's all you can do. Go in with your eyes open, be realistic, don't be be guilted into doing more than you can take on.

If this role isn't for you, there may be others that are a better fit.

There was a near identical thread last year I think?

I'm a trustee of a beaver/cub/scout group with about 100 members so I see ALL the background stuff needed to run the front end meetings and camps etc.

It's unbelivable how much work is involved. I was once a treasurer of a tennis club with premises and 200 members and it wasn't as hard as running Scouts.

As above, very fulfilling.

I helped at the local beaver group when my kids went. Also helped out at cubs and scouts sometimes. Had to stop as I just didn't have time and when my kids stopped going Friday nights were a struggle as we, as a family, went away quite a few weekends a month. TBF Fri night was/is a silly night to do it in that respect.

I found the older kids more fun as you could do more interesting activities but even the beaver age kids were ok. Nice seeing them progress.

One thing that was nice/fun was that it was a good way to bookend the week, forget about work and focus on something that's not work.

Did a bit of admin, mostly finances and a leaders meeting every term to plan activities. Lots of focus on fund raising which was annoying but a necessary evil.

Favourite thing was always camps as the kids get loads out of it. Even that time one of the kids puked in their tent with a built in groundsheet which I ended up effectively bailing out 😂

Absolute hats off and immense gratitude to the leaders and helpers, thank you!

After a bit of a struggle ( some of you may have advised when I posted) my eldest (7) is now in a brownie pack (struggling for brownies but she loves it) and a really active beaver pack which is just 5 mins walk away and superb, plus both my girls (the younger is 5) do girls brigade at the end of the street, numbers are more than brownies but not beavers. Youngest also down to start rainbows in April.

I can see the fun they have and even the struggling brownies is great for her socialising and her confidence is really improving. The stuff she's learning at beavers is fabulous.

Thank you to those that give their time to make it possible, thank you thank you thank you.

If I had some time to go give I'd like to think I would, but with a 2yo as well the moments when one or both the girls are out for an hour+ allows a bit of focused time with the younger ones. Maybe/hopefully in the future I'll be able to do a bit of patent helper stuff.

I can see the fun they have and even the struggling brownies is great for her socialising and her confidence is really improving

My daughter has gone Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers, and rather reluctantly became a Young Leader at a new Rainbow unit as the volunteering part of her DofE.

She comes back buzzing, seeing the little ones gain confidence, friends and starting to gain skills. Done wonders for my daughter and her own confidence as well.

Cub/Scout Leader. Been doing it for 8 years.

The pack was just re-starting when I joined as the previous leaders all left. I used to drop my lad off and was getting asked if I could stay as the ratio of adults to kids wasn't right. This meant that I had to get a DBS and the training, so before I knew it I was a leader.

If you get in with the right bunch of leaders it is an absolute hoot. At Cubs I didn't get on with the GSL, so I changed to Scouts where I am much happier. Both my kids are there. The eldest is and Explorer and the youngest in scouts.

It van be very rewarding. Give it a go!

Also, whilst there are Scout Leaders on... I can recommend Escape Ramsbottom. https://www.brscouts.org.uk/blog/2022/04/30/can-you-escape-rammy/

Superb event!

If you want your kids to experience things, most of the time it is down to volunteers. Not Scouts but my daughter loves playing football. Team went through a rough patch, lost the coach, then another. Team was going to fold, so I stepped up. It is as equally frustrating as rewarding. However my daughter still gets to play football with her friends, and watching her enjoy that is worth it.

GSL of 1st Grange and Cartmel here. We have 5 sections, about 100 or so kiddos learning skills for life.

I have between 30&40 volunteers. If you want to do one night a month, or just the odd camp. I treasure your volunteering. Many hands makes light work and that’s how scouts works best.

What we do makes a difference. Is it sometimes a pita yes. Is the training occasionally a pita, yes, do we get more out more than we put in. Yes.

Dive in, your group will appreciate it.

was a Beaver Leader for a few years and would echo much said above...very rewarding did it as a "job share" which took out (sort of) 50% of the planning/admin stuff as it does take more than the 2hrs a week

Looking at the OP's post the one thing I'd say is as a Leader having regular volunteers you can count on and having volunteers you know can call on and they are willing to turn up when someone else drops out is really very helpful

I’d like to do this - I was a cub, scout, venture scout etc., but as a man who’s kids are past that age I don’t think I could ever bring myself to offer my services for fear of suspicion of bad intentions. I realise of course that people have to be checked, but I don’t want to be even briefly thought about in those terms. Stupid I know, but I suspect that holds a lot of people back.

There are other jobs apart from running the actual activities that need doing to keep the group going. Formal exec roles (finance, chairman, trustee), quartermaster (sorting the tents!) etc.

I’d like to do this – I was a cub, scout, venture scout etc., but as a man who’s kids are past that age I don’t think I could ever bring myself to offer my services for fear of suspicion of bad intentions. I realise of course that people have to be checked, but I don’t want to be even briefly thought about in those terms. Stupid I know, but I suspect that holds a lot of people back.

While you still need a check, there's lots of roles where you don't have to deal with kids.

But seriously, no one does a check thinking you have ulterior motives. They do a check to confirm their belief you aren't a risk.

(Accepting that a clean check just means you haven't been caught yet)

I’d like to do this – I was a cub, scout, venture scout etc., but as a man who’s kids are past that age I don’t think I could ever bring myself to offer my services for fear of suspicion of bad intentions. I realise of course that people have to be checked, but I don’t want to be even briefly thought about in those terms. Stupid I know, but I suspect that holds a lot of people back.

Don’t be daft, crack on and find a group and jump on in. People will just be welcome for the help.

Anyone else camping this weekend?

We're in the Lavvus at Bispham Hall. Got a 10m parachute too. Most of the kids already have their "Sub Zero" badge but the ones who have joined us since last winter are in for a bit of a shock/adventure.

My daughter is already referring to it as The Camp of Fire and Ice.

My daughter is already referring to it as The Camp of Fire and Ice.

Love it!

Awesome, my cubs were camping last weekend. Would have been fab in the snow!

Mrs ETG is an Explorer leader. I get to watch crap sci-fi and eat curry on the sofa once a week when she’s dib dobing. She recons Explorers are the best fun. They aren’t cute like beavers and cubs, and yes they are hormonal and stinky. But they are by far the most interesting to lead. Last week we took them to a trail centre and had great time. Bike packing with them later this year.

Sat under a parachute with a fire blazing listening to bad heavy metal with a few of the older scouts including my daughter. Pissing down outside. Piss funny in here!

Is anyone doing Shelterbox in Liverpool this year? We've got three teams in, 2x Scouts 1x Explorers.

http://www.nwscoutsglobal.org.uk/

Also, Escape Ramsbottom will be along soon and that is a great event.
https://www.brscouts.org.uk/blog/2022/04/30/can-you-escape-rammy/

I'll have a look at the Shelterbox thing, although the website doesn't seem to want to work

We've got an 'expedition' this weekend - two teams walking from our hut to a nearby-ish hut with their kit. sleep over there, and then back again on Sunday, navigating themselves along routes they planned last night. It's only about 6/7miles each way, but should be interesting, given that their map reading skills are pretty rudimentary at best... Ah well, as long as more make it back than don't 🙂

I’ll have a look at the Shelterbox thing, although the website doesn’t seem to want to work

Be quick. It fills up!

We’ve got an ‘expedition’ this weekend – two teams walking from our hut to a nearby-ish hut with their kit. sleep over there, and then back again on Sunday, navigating themselves along routes they planned last night. It’s only about 6/7miles each way, but should be interesting, given that their map reading skills are pretty rudimentary at best… Ah well, as long as more make it back than don’t 🙂

Expedition Challenge? We've yet to sort ours for the year. Got 3 kids who need it to get Gold.

Expedition Challenge? We’ve yet to sort ours for the year.

Yep. If you want to make use of our hut (Disley) for anything going out into the edges of the Peak, let me know.

I was a Beaver volunteer for a few years. Exhausting but good fun with some excellent activities (grass-sledging etc). Although it was widely agreed that the best night was the cancelled fire station tour where I just took the kids to the play-park instead.

MrsSC then became a cub leader. She is now leader for two groups, and helps with a third. She's away camping this weekend (second weekend this month) and is off to South Korea with Thump for the World Scout Jamboree in August.

Scouts does seem obsessed with destroying the planet through its carbon-footprint. Any family without a car and a parent able to deliver a child to a remote camp or weekday "wide game" is screwed. And heaven forbid that you try to organise a car-share.

Any family without a car and a parent able to deliver a child to a remote camp or weekday “wide game” is screwed. And heaven forbid that you try to organise a car-share.

To be fair, the parents of our lot are pretty good for that.

Yeah. We have an "Explorer Taxi" shout go out on WhatsApp most weeks amongst the parents to sort lifts out.

They are up at Waddecar this week doing some back woods survival type thing. My lad has a lift up tonight and I'm picking them up on Sunday.

I was an Assistant Scout Leader for 7 years up till a couple of years ago. My kids were going through and the group was crying out for leaders so it seemed only fair. it was great for about 6 of those years, really good fun - there is something special about seeing a young kid come in and develop confidence, make friends and go way outside their comfort zone whilst having loads of fun - plus FIRE and AXES!!!!

Unfortunately I witnessed some very bad behaviour from the scout hierachy and there was a complete leadership change. One of my leaders (and a good mate of mine) got booted out on the say so of a nasty 10 year old with no support. It wasn't a pervy thing before you ask but a discipline matter but he had absolutely no say and bang out the door after many years loyal service without so much as a thankyou. After that the main leader lost her mojo as she was so disgusted with the way our friend had been treated and she left too. I left a year or so later after giving 6 months notice.

I felt really sorry for the kids as it had been a fantastic vibrant group which would still be going strong with 3 good leaders but for one nasty spiteful parent and her child, plus the craven DC and his inability to do the job properly. I really lost confidence that I would be supported in the event of either a personal allegation against me or if there was an accident that I would be held responsible with no back up.

Despite that when our Explorer group lost a leader due to moving away I was asked to step in and volunteered (and still do on odd occasions) but made it clear i would be a parent helper and not a leader. I just didn't want to deal with the scout hierachy any more.

Expedition Challenge? We’ve yet to sort ours for the year.

I thought all the planning etc had to be done by the Scouts- that's what we make them do.

...carbon-footprint. Any family without a car

not just the cars- it's all the camp fires! We had 6 going last weekend clearing some tree stumps as part of a project at our district site.

For most sections, parents tend to car share if needed esp as most of our kids have been trough the same primary-secondary schools.

That's awful Winston, and doesn't surprise me as it's similar to another story I've been told by a colleague. However as a parent of a Beaver and currently unable to pitch in and help, thank you for what you've done!

Expedition Challenge? We’ve yet to sort ours for the year.

I thought all the planning etc had to be done by the Scouts- that’s what we make them do.

We give them a start point, an end point, a map and a compass. A couple of leaders go with them but walk at the back not the front.

Last one we did was 22km around Rivington and Winter Hill out of Bibby's Farm. I was their water carrier.

We give them a start point, an end point, a map and a compass. A couple of leaders go with them but walk at the back not the front.

Yeah, we give them start, end, and a couple of checkpoints in between. No leaders with them, but there's only a couple of miles between each checkpoint.

They are up at Waddecar this week doing some back woods survival type thing. My lad has a lift up tonight and I’m picking them up on Sunday.

Waddecar bushcraft village is ace!

Not seen it myself yet. Camped up there back in 2021 and did raft building. Stayed in the permanent tented village.

Our kids had great fun watching the school DoE carrying far too much kit in their best trainers.

Our lot have an unofficial camp uniform of military styles and big bobble hats.

Anyone doing Shelterbox in Liverpool this weekend?

http://www.nwscoutsglobal.org.uk/

We've got 5 teams. 2 x Cubs, 2 x Scouts and 1 x Explorers.

We'll be wearing our very stylish green and orange 8th Prestwich hoodies.

It’s taken a while but last night I finally had my induction and got a neckerchief so guess I’m an actual volunteer now.

Felt a bit bad while doing the oath but couldn’t quite bring myself to let the local leader know I’m an atheist and a republican. Guess that doesn’t really matter though.

Throw yourself at it! It can be so rewarding.

Harry_the_Spider
Full Member
Throw yourself at it! It can be so rewarding

What he said, I’m a GSL it’s part maddening and very rewarding. If you’ve had a tough session look for the faces of the kids and think about the lives you’ve enriched.

It’s a very rewarding pastime.

Why is the search so bad? I was looking for this thread. Oh well, as I said elsewhere...

know there is anther thread about volunteering at clubs but….search is frankly **** and I absolutely must say this.

Holy Mary mother of God! In fact Mary, Joseph and the wee donkey! That was an eye opener! I volunteered to help at Beavers and do knots…. I’m going to have nightmares …..20 beavers all screaming, ‘is this it? Have I done it?’ While holding the biggest tightest not-a-reef-knot-granny-knot …. I need a beer!

I TAKE MY HAT OFF TO ALL WHO VOLUNTEER!

Felt a bit bad while doing the oath but couldn’t quite bring myself to let the local leader know I’m an atheist and a republican. Guess that doesn’t really matter though.

There's a version of the promise for atheists these days, so you could have said.

As for "do my duty to ... the King", well your duty can be whatever you feel your duty is. Same to God, really... I've always felt that as he doesn't exist, my duty to him is quite limited 😉

Always felt my duty was to "society", represented by the Queen (at the time) and God as kind of notional figureheads.

Just spent the weekend at Linnet Clough in Marple.

8 leaders + 37 kids.

Highlights: 10 of them got up at 3am on Saturday to do a 5km sunrise hike. Kid with ASD chucked herself down a zip line (twice). Badgers got in the tents causing some excitement and they took part in the biggest water fight that they will probably ever experience.

Excellent, if knackering, fun.

Badgers got in the tents causing some excitement

Ha, the good old Linnet Clough badgers, we've had similar excitement in the past 🙂

We were at Barnswood (between Macc and Leek) for our patrol competition camp. Great fun, and even better we came back with everything dry. Result!

Sun up at Mellor Cross was a good one. We made that optional, but pretty much all of the older kids came along.

Was up there at 10:00pm on the Friday night too checking that the terrain was OK for the RA!

Sounds super fun, well done.

With my eldest moving up to cubs in a few weeks,  and my almost 6yo about to be invested as a beaver,  I'll be volunteering a little bit more.   I'm planning to do a night at beavers at least once a term and the same at cubs, and it seems my (relative) skill with knots is in demand so I've said,  'let me know when you want to do knots and I'll help'.  I realise I've got a decent/ large amount of experience at quite a few outdoor pursuits, sailing,  mtb,  hill walking,  rock climbing and would feel quite confident helping with any of those activities however although I have done all of them quite a lot,  I've never bothered with any tickets/quals.  I'm considering speaking to Akela to offer myself for some of that  (sailing possibly as there is a local boating lake) if they will fund the tickets.  I need to be sure I'll actually have the time to do some stuff with the kids though first.... it might have to wait until the youngest (just turned 3) is another couple of years older before I would have much time and I don't want to have scouts pay high hundreds or more to get me to Rya instructor if I can't give back.

We tend to use the site instructors for climbing, axe throwing, archery and so on as they already have the permits and RAs in place.

Our leaders will get involved though as an additional pair of hands, crowd control or in the case of the zip line showing that it isn't as scary as it looks. I went off first, for demonstration purposes only you understand, not because I'm a big kid. Three other leaders had a go, some of them twice. Just to make sure.

We've got one Terrain Two permit holder in the group for going over "big stuff", but other than that we rely on site staff.

Was up there at 10:00pm on the Friday night too checking that the terrain was OK for the RA!

Ah, the good old RA. I did a bike ride with them last week, what I missed from the RA was "child falls off bike for no apparent reason" - we had one deck it on a flat, dry, straight piece of quiet lane. She didn't know what happened, there was genuinely no obvious cause. She was fine, no tears or anything, but had nice grazes on her shoulder, elbow, knee (and I'd guess hip). Parents were unbothered when we got back, she'd enjoyed it other than that, but next morning her wrist hurt so they took her to A&E. It was just a sprain, but the hospital trip means it's reportable to HQ. Smashing...

Oh, and it turns out that the section of canal we cycled along has giant hogweed on it, which could have been 'interesting'.

It's a good job that we did check out the Mellor Cross bit to be honest. A lot of erosion and the recent dry weather has made it a bit of a "scramble", so an RA "no no".

Found another route up round the back. Only a 50m detour, but best not to have to work it out at 3:30am with a load of kids.

 axe throwing

Tomahawks for throwing, not axes please.

We've got cover for air rifles, tomahawks & archery in our group- saves a fair bit on the cost not having to pay instructor fees, especially when it's run as a whole day activity.

Indeed and why I need to find out what the group prefer.  The idea wasn't mine though.  I work with a guy who was group leader at a nearby pack (until moving to Cornwall a year or more back.)  He told me that group did lots of kayaking and sailing because he did it.  However it seems there has been some club politics at the sailing club resulting in them putting prices up significantly for stuff they offer. He seemed to feel the cubs/scouts were disadvantaged by the change (and him no longer available locally to lead the stuff on the water instead of paying the sailing club).  I must have mentioned I've done a lot of sailing (although mine has been inshore and open ocean yachts,  I've not been in a dinghy for 25+ years) and hence he suggested I consider getting the rya instructor qual.

Always felt my duty was to “society”, represented by the Queen (at the time) and God as kind of notional figureheads.

<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">
lots of people talk themselves around to it like that, but I have to say I’m not sure it’s the right answer - for an organisation that really wants to be inclusive.  It’s unlikely to change as those at the top of the organisation all have survivor bias as either people who think it’s good or think it’s insignificant.  My daughter took a wee bit of convincing (she joined as an explorer so was old enough and wise enough to know what she was saying) and I think if she’d been told this before she went along it might have stopped her.</span>

I don’t want to have scouts pay high hundreds or more to get me to Rya instructor if I can’t give back.

I considered this when my son was a sea scout (they mostly canoe not sail at that group).  I wasn’t even worried about the cash, and I already had some of the prerequisites to become an RYA dinghy instructor (eg you’ll need a powerboat certificate, a vhf certificate, a first aid certificate as well as being good at sailing).  I think to do it from “scratch” would take you every second weekend for a whole sailing season.   Then the scouts don’t automatically take that as proof of competence! (Which is a good thing in my opinion). But you will also need a sailing centre who will let you have access to the boats etc.  my conclusion was that to do that for a couple of weekends a year wasn’t worth the pain and the scouts would be better just paying professionals when they needed it.

They could be swearing allegiance to Dr Who, Minnie Mouse and Sponge Bob for all they care. All a bit meaningless in the circumstances.

The real loyalty is to their mates and the troop.

I went along to another groups weekend camp (local) on Saturday to run a tomahawk throwing range for them as they don’t have the kit/permit to do so. Free lunch for me, contacts made with another group and the cubs and scouts had a blast. Got chance to have a go at air rifle shooting too which I haven’t done in a while!
Currently planning a joint beavers/cubs summer camp to get my permit for that too.

They could be swearing allegiance to Dr Who, Minnie Mouse and Sponge Bob for all they care. All a bit meaningless in the circumstances.

Probably true at the beavers and cubs age.  Then they get to scouts and start to question stuff.  Our local groups seem to lose various people at that age and even more at explorers.  I doubt anyone would say the promise was THE driving force for that - but I remember being that age and it would have* struck me as ceremonial bullshit (I know that some love that part of it).

The real loyalty is to their mates and the troop.

Yeah, I'm not even sure that is a healthy attitude.  It's only one step away from the masons or political parties where the priority is to the organisation.  If you must have promises, perhaps something like "serving the good of humanity and protecting the natural environment for future scouts" or something would be less ambiguous.

To be 100% clear though I think that the work the Scouts do with young people is great, and their volunteers are invaluable.

*I can say that with some confidence as I was never a Scout, but at about 14 I went to a scout outdoor centre with another youth group and was both confused and astounded at the formalities that the Scouts seemed to be based around - collecting round the flag pole each day, housing and folding it in particular ways etc.

Harry_the_Spider - did you enter the 'cave bus'?

Yes the Marple badgers are greedy things and will do anything for a nutella sandwich.

Didn't do the Cave Bus.

We got earned a big wedge of cash for delivering resident's parking permits for Park Life the other week, so we "invested" it in hiring the climbing tower / zip line for the afternoon.

I can say that with some confidence as I was never a Scout, but at about 14 I went to a scout outdoor centre with another youth group and was both confused and astounded at the formalities that the Scouts seemed to be based around – collecting round the flag pole each day, housing and folding it in particular ways etc.

Not our lot. Formal break of camp and a couple of awards for those that overcame fears etc. No uniforms. No parading. All changed a bit since when I did it back in the 1970s & 80s.

The thing that would have amazed any onlookers this weekend with our lot was tents down and bagged in 38 minutes (we had a bet).

They could be swearing allegiance to Dr Who, Minnie Mouse and Sponge Bob for all they care. All a bit meaningless in the circumstances.

I agree, I don't know why we make them do it.

If you must have promises, perhaps something like “serving the good of humanity and protecting the natural environment for future scouts” or something would be less ambiguous.

If take the "do my duty to Him Upstairs and King Chuck" bit out, the rest of the promise is "to help other people and keep the Scout law". I don't why we can't just have that bit.

[Scout law being:

1. A Scout is to be trusted.
2. A Scout is loyal.
3. A Scout is friendly and considerate.
4. A Scout belongs to the worldwide family of Scouts.
5. A Scout has courage in all difficulties.
6. A Scout makes good use of time and is careful of possessions and property.
7. A Scout has self-respect and respect for others

Covers a reasonable amount of "how to be a decent person" bases I reckon]

the formalities that the Scouts seemed to be based around – collecting round the flag pole each day, housing and folding it in particular ways etc.

There is undoubtedly too much quasi-military bollocks in Scouting.

The thing that would have amazed any onlookers this weekend with our lot was tents down and bagged in 38 minutes (we had a bet).

What kind of tents?

The thing that would have amazed any onlookers this weekend with our lot was tents down and bagged in 38 minutes (we had a bet).

Impressive!

Most DofE / Scout / youth camp groups I have worked with seem to have a time zone malfunction when it comes to packing up anything camping wise...

The thing that would have amazed any onlookers this weekend with our lot was tents down and bagged in 38 minutes (we had a bet).

What kind of tents?

Probably those 2 second Decathlon ones....