I just spent the weekend up at Hawkhirst Camp at Kielder with my local Scout group, acting as a parent helper for their Cubs pack. (My wife is assistant leader for the Beavers).

What a fantastic way to spend a long weekend!

We went powerboating, hiking, tomahawk throwing, rifle shooting, crate stacking, ziplining, campfire singing, bushcraft shelter building, fire starting and backwoods cooking.

I always enjoyed the Scouts when I was young and it was so incredibly rewarding and fun to be introducing kids to these outdoor pursuits, encouraging them to challenge themselves and creating happy memories.

I’ve still got a happy glow (despite being back in the office on a Bank Holiday) and I’ve already volunteered for the next one.

I know some people on here are already involved, but for those that aren’t, if you’ve got a local pack then do consider it.

Scouting For Men (and Women)

This thread isn’t… quite what I expected. It is far more useful and informative, for starters! 🙂

Even if you can’t commit to being a regular weekly unit helper, there’s loads of other “back office” roles. I’m on our group executive committee, looking after fund raising and our but, but loads of paperwork, social media, quarter master stuff to be done.

If you’ve got a hobby or job that could entertain a unit for an evening, I’m sure the leaders would be delighted to have you along – bike maintenance, a sport you could demonstrate, a vehicle with flashing blue lights.

I had a great time at Cubs and Scouts, my dad was a leader, I’m married to a Guide leader, and our kids have done amazing things and been to amazing places, and it’s all done by unpaid volunteers. It’s a fantastic feeling to be even a small part of the organisations success.

Totally agree Graham!

Just having a ‘sabbatical’ after 6 years as a Cub leader. First Year was absolutely horrific, was like a second, more demanding and personally involved job! Not a lot of valuable/needed support, and it was all very new: “what the hell are we going to do this week?”

Second year was a lot easier once I had a grip on a ‘curricula’ and what the kids enjoyed/parents got engaged with.

After that, and getting some more parents involved, was probably the most rewarding thing I have ever done. Just fantastic, seeing the kids mature and grow in confidence (and cheekiness!) , and I learned a great deal about myself as well. (without wanting to get too mushy, my final year really was amazing, we had a finely honed operation)

I have avoided doing the scout leader thing. I loved the cubs when I was that age, but I was bullied badly in Scouts and the Scout leader ignored it and was a arse. (but I did miss it, and got back into that whole kinda thing with DofE) As an adult leader, I just don’t find leading Scouts as engaging, for me, as the Cubs.

Now thinking I will go back as a regional training for cub leaders, maybe support DofE as well.

Its wonderful stuff, and was, as you not only great fun but really rewarding.

not only great fun but really rewarding.

Obviously being able to take part in the activities as an adult was an added bonus (pleased to find I’m still a crackshot with a crap .177 air rifle) but it would have been enough just seeing all the happy faces.

One thing that impressed me was that there are a lot of International Scouts running the activities in the camp. We had instructors from Kenya, Brazil, Venezuela and Estonia which really cements the idea that scouting is international and opens up some interesting adventures.

I’m a Scout leader. It’s great fun.

I went right through Scouts, from Cubs to Ventures, and loved it.

If I didn’t teach I would probably be a Scout leader.

Yep – still buzzing from watching 50 scouts have the time of their lives over the weekend. We had a proper greenfield camp, cooking on open fires etc. Amazing location on a local farm which we hiked to and hiked back and transported kit for them.
Just wading through the avalanche of thank you texts etc from parents who have spent the last evening listening to their kids excited chatter about the many things they did which they had never done before like building massive rope bridges, gutting rabbits, making their own dinner etc.

There is not much better for teaching self reliance and critical thinking than Scouts.

Edit: Popped in to help a mate 5 years ago…..now Leading the troop…difficult to escape now

If I didn’t teach I would probably be a Scout leader.

Honestly I wish I had the time, but I just can’t give that kind of commitment at the moment. The local leaders put in a LOT of work to keep that pack running.

The “Occasional Helper” role seemed like the best fit for me. Basically DBS-checked, registered and available to help out on activities, camps and weekly meetings when needed.

Though it’s really just a gateway drug to Section Assistant..

Though it’s really just a gateway drug to Section Assistant.

Yes it is. I was in your shoes a year or so ago, now section assistant. 🙂

Mostly it’s very rewarding and a lot of fun. Do it if you can.

tomahawk throwing,

Crikey is there a badge for it?

No badge, but it was fun (and much harder than I expected).
They started with “angels” which are like a small throwing knife/axe:

Then once they are comfortable with those they moved on to the proper tomahawks.

Interestingly when given the choice the Cubs all preferred throwing the angels, as they are a lot lighter, whereas the adults all preferred the tomahawks as they had more heft so you had a bit more control.

(Official factsheet here for any leaders that are interested)

Cub Leader here (Shere Khan). I’m the “Minister of Stupidity” at out pack. The sensible ones look after the admin, knots and the pastoral side. I organise Wide Games and bottle rockets with my big mate, and occasional MNPRer, Pete (Bagheera).

Camp is great. Ours are going with the Scouts this weekend, but my lad is starting his SATS on Monday, so we can’t make it. District Camp is in June though, so that should be a laugh.

As others have said it is hugely rewarding watching kids who spend loads of time on in front of a screen having a go at axe throwing, air rifles, archery, crate stacking, grass sledges etc. You get the odd kid who wants to go home to his phone, but most of them love it.

I’d need to be Bagheera obviously.

I’m Chil. Well I’m not very chilled, nor wise or kite-like in any way, but all the big names were already taken.

You get the odd kid who wants to go home to his phone

Even a simple thing like being away from home for a couple of nights can be a real challenge for some of them. We had a few Cubs crying through homesickness, despite being in dorms surrounded by friends. We got them through it though and they had fun.

I’d need to be Bagheera obviously.

Obviously. My wife is “King Louie”, so naturally they voted for me to be “Flunky”, King Louie’s servant! 😀

I’m a Beaver Scout Leader and camps always leave me buzzing. We always have some who are spending their first night away from home so combine that with the adventurous activities and it is great. Don’t sleep, but that’s a small price to pay!

The “Occasional Helper” role seemed like the best fit for me. Basically DBS-checked, registered and available to help out on activities, camps and weekly meetings when needed.

Though it’s really just a gateway drug to Section Assistant..

Main difference is that Section Assistants are covered by Scout Association insurance and Occasionaly Helpers aren’t. You have to do a basic bit of training, but the committment is the same. I have one SA that helps once a month and one that helps every week.

Section Assistants get to wear the proper shirt and necker don’t they? That might swing it 🙂

Another Bagheera here 🙂

Section Assistants get to wear the proper shirt and necker don’t they?

Optional. In our group they don’t but it is allowed.

Yeah, I wear a shirt and necker. All the section assistants in our group wear them.

My son’s off to Hawkhirst next month and is really excited to be throwing tomahawks. I’m just annoyed that they’ve got enough leaders going this year they don’t want any extra helpers so I can’t go. Went last year and it was great fun (apart from the kid waking up screaming at 2am…).

Hmmm.. I am a sucker for a uniform….

(My Fortnite hoodie didn’t look quite as smart – though it did make me a lot of instant friends with Cubs and Scouts)

My son’s off to Hawkhirst next month

He’ll love it. It’s a really good facility.

apart from the kid waking up screaming at 2am

Got ours to sleep at about 2:00am on the first night of the last camp. At 5:00am they were all up playing football. I asked my daughter what she weas doing, her response was that she didn’t really know, but everyone else was doing it too.

All asleep by 9:00pm the following night.

One of the Beavers somehow fell asleep during the (fairly energetic) campfire singalong.
Absolutely dead to the world. I had to carry the wee lump back to the lodge and plonk him into his bunk. Didn’t even wake up when we took his boots off.

He reappeared 15 minutes later when he realised that everyone else was still up 😀

Another Scout Leader here & Mrs FB is Cub leader. We got involved as our son has cerebral palsy- she often helped if he needed assistance for certain activities in cubs. She ended up becoming a leader and now Akela after he moved to Scouts.

I’ve helped him when needed for various evenings and camps. As a whole they try to get him to be as independent as possible and we only assist when necessary. After helping at a camp last year (with lots of axe throwing, archery and rifle shooting) I took the plunge and became a leader- albeit choosing the other troop in our group from my son!

Our daughter has now defected from brownies so that’s the full set.

my daughters lasted about 6 months in brownies before declaring it ‘a bit babyish’ The last straw was the hostess badge where they had to bake cupcakes and serve them to leaders and parents….

I take my hat off to the beaver and cub leaders as there is no way I could cope with kids that young. We had a cub leader help us this weekend and he couldn’t believe how easy it was to get our kids to do stuff like putting up tents, making fires etc without (too much) supervison

But we do have (mostly) excellent kids

I don’t have the time or flexibility to commit to regular leader duties, but enjoy helping out ad-hoc when able/required. There was just one other parent helping the leaders set up and take down camp for over 50 brownies the other year, that was pretty disappointing. Admittedly joining in with activities is more fun, but it all needs doing.

Along similar lines I volunteer with a charity that runs activity days and camps for children in years 7-9 in the Wiltshire area (http://www.youthadventuretrust.org.uk/). This works really well for me as there’s no minimum commitment, you volunteer for days/camps that you are available for. The activities are of course great fun, but the main thing is it’s very rewarding working with children who have never experienced such things (eg never been away from home, never slept in a tent or under a tarp for that matter, never had a wee in the woods) and seeing them challenge themselves and grow as individuals even within the space of a week. I’m gutted I’m missing going on camps this year due to a broken shoulder. If you’re south west based, or even if not, it worth a look as they’re always keen for volunteers.

I don’t have the time or flexibility to commit to regular leader duties, but enjoy helping out ad-hoc when able/required.

That’s why I took on the Occasional Helper role. I’m an extra pair of hands, already set up with the relevant DBS and Scouts registration, that they know they can call on to help out when possible. It’s a paltry commitment compared to what the leaders do, but they are still grateful for it.

It isn’t just your own troop. We were at the Isle of Wight Garlic Festival a couple of years back and my kids were doing an assault course thing set up by the local district. I got talking to them and mentioned that I was a leader back home. Spent the next hour helping out with “The Parachute” whilst their leaders nipped off to get a brew and take 5 minutes rest.

We were at the Isle of Wight Garlic Festival

Peak STW?

We had a cub leader help us this weekend and he couldn’t believe how easy it was to get our kids to do stuff like putting up tents, making fires etc without (too much) supervison

But that starts in beavers! Scouts don’t just magically know this stuff, the self-sufficiency is the end of a long road.

That’s why I like beavers. It may take ages to get teeth brushed and dressed for bed, but we are laying the foundations for the later sections. We are full of firsts which I find really rewarding.

Just spent the evening mucking around with ropes in the wood. Not a proper knot in sight – but great fun!

Also the occasional helper at Beavers and Cubs here. I’m a marked man, I was a Scout at the same group, my sister is a scout assistant leader, her partner is the scout leader my two nephews and niece were at the group from Bevers to Adventure scouts, and the Group Leader was the assistant leader when I was a Scout. It is a brilliant group, they do loads of great stuff.
What they do request is that each child has at least one parent or guardian DBS checked, and they do have a parent/guardian helper rota. If you want to come on the family camp, all of the adults have to be DBS. There is not usually any shortage of help (Especially the trip to the fire station). But there are always the odd bunch that treat it like a child sitting service and don’t really get the idea that it relies on volunteers.

Rama here, all the more usual names were taken.

Just had (well a couple of weeks ago now) a weekend camping and Geocaching with our scout group (Part of British Scouting Overseas).

I fell in the same way as others, went to help out a little, ended up as an ASL.

Tonight we were parachuting eggs from a second floor balcony. Not sure who was having most fun 😂

Life long scout here. Joined at 6 as a beaver now 33 and still having as much fun as I did then.

It has taken me all over the world, all my best mates are scouts. Met my wife though scouts.

Currently a scout leader on a weekly basis, also I’m our regional network commissioner. As well as working at a national level here in Scotland.

Around 7years ago I got Scouts Scotland to pay me through my MBLA trail cycle leader ticket. Big perk of the scouts you get training funded for you. I also had Scouts Scotland pay for my b+e driving licence so I can tow proper trailers. Many of my mates have done the same with minibus licences.

Im just back from Scotland biggest scoutcamp with over 700 scouts camping for the weekend. I was running the mountain biking. We had over 70 kids out biking over the weekend.

Link here for info. https://www.highlandadventure.org.uk

What they do request is that each child has at least one parent or guardian DBS checked, and they do have a parent/guardian helper rota.

That’s a pretty good idea. Our pack is lucky to have a few kind parents that volunteer to take on stuff like accounts and admin, but there is little help on the more hands-on stuff with the kids.

I think part of this is because people see DBS etc as a bit of a blocker to them getting involved.

… It is a brilliant group, they do loads of great stuff…
…What they do request is that each child has at least one parent or guardian DBS checked, and they do have a parent/guardian helper rota….

That kind of enforced parental involvement would make me question if its really the best for all the children that could be benefitting from it. First if some child has a shitty life, with a shitty parent who can’t be arsed to help then are they not actually the ones who would get the most from the scouts than the lucky kid who’s parents dote on them and could access similar activities via other routes? Then there the issue that someone with a dodgy past might not get a DBS check – potentially stigmatising or making their kid miss out. It places a higher burden on single parents than on couples, where either the kids or the parents might benefit from scouting in a different way from traditional 2.4 kid families. And then finally I want the people leading my kids in the scouts to be as passionate about it as the OP not there because once every two months its their turn and they have to do it (same rule applies to safety boat duties at sailing clubs etc). If someone really doesn’t like kids (especially other peoples kids) do you want them involved – you don’t need to be excluded by DBS for it probably not to be an good idea?

But there are always the odd bunch that treat it like a child sitting service and don’t really get the idea that it relies on volunteers.

I hear that from a few clubs, and I think its easy clichés. There may be many reasons why some parents simply want to “drop and run”: they have to get back to other children of different age/interests; they don’t feel that welcome*; they are concerned that if they show a glimmer of interest they’ll be signed up and wearing a necker next week – or worse sucked onto the committee; it may even be that its the one hour a week when they are not at work and don’t have the child to care for – thats not necessarily “baby sitting” but is actually some vital headspace for both parent and child. FWIW I actively help in most of the clubs that my children are involved with (including Scouts) but don’t resent parents who don’t.

*its a strange thing that of my children’s activities the one that complains most vocally about this has a very strong band of volunteers who are all friends with each other and socialise outside the club etc – thats quite an intimidating environment no matter how nice you are, especially if you actually know diddly squat about that sport.

All fair points I think poly.

I was thinking about removing barriers, but you’re right that in some cases those barriers may be a good thing.

However these groups only survive through volunteers, but people like me hold back from volunteering because we can’t be bothered sorting out the paperwork or think we may not have the skills.

As it turned out the paperwork was relatively simple, many of the skills are those already learned from being a parent and for the other skills there is training available. Maybe that is the message to send: it’s not really that hard to volunteer if you fancy it.

Parent/guardian DBS requested, not enforced or demanded. If you are going to camp the night at family camp you do need it though. But I do agree you want to keep it free from barriers for all.

I started in the role of climbing instructor and now (after numerous appointments) am only 3 years away from 50yrs of adult service. A lifetime of memories! It’s always fun to meet an old scout who reminisces then introduces his grandchildren!

It’s not for everyone but scouting friends are generally friends for life.