Scouting for Grown Ups

I’ve been helping with my local scout group since 2010 and find it both enjoyable and rewarding. You get to do

English: HMS Belfast (C35), London, England. H... — English: HMS Belfast (C35), London, England. HMS Belfast at her London berth, with Tower Bridge behind, 16 December 2005. Brightened, cropped and straightened version. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

interesting things while providing opportunities for children to try activities that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to. Here are just a few of the things I’ve helped to support over the last four years

sleepovers in the scout hut for beavers and cubs
camping in tents for cubs
walks outdoors (including nature rambles, night walks in the park, woodland walks and general exploration)
outdoor cooking, including using campfires and collecting eggs from chickens
visits to places of interest, including a fire station, HMS Belfast, Reigate Caves, a local synagogue, Fire of London monument
activities with other beaver colonies and cub packs, like the push carts

About Modern Scouting

It’s worth mentioning that scouting has changed a lot since I was a boy. I joined the cubs in 1979 and stayed involved until I left home in the early 90s to move to London.

Scouting is for boys and girls. The age ranges have also changed a bit. They also seem to work on school terms.

Beaver scouts are from age 6 until almost 8
Cubs are from almost 8 until 10 and a half
Scouts from 10 and a half until 14
Explorers from 14 until 18

Adult Supervision Required

So one of the key things about all of this is that the young people need adult supervision to ensure that they have a set of safe and enjoyable challenges. They need grown ups that will encourage and explain how to do the activities, and lead the way, while letting the young people do things for themselves.

This is a problem, because there aren’t nearly enough adults available to run all the sections. The local beavers have waiting lists, and if there were more leaders then they could have more children participating.

If you would like to help, then contact your local scout group and offer your services. If you happen to live in North East Surrey, near Merstham, then my group is http://www.5threigatescoutgroup.org/ we’d love to hear from you.