Introduction to the Scout Troop

Last updated: 10 April, 2016

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The aim of the Scout Section	Meeting Times	Letters
Events	Uniform	Awards
Activities	District Activities	Patrol System
Conclusions

What is the aim of the Scout Section.

The Scout Troop aims to provide a range of activities which challenge young people and help them to develop a range of skills, which can include the following: Management of a team, teamwork, planning, organise, leadership, show initiative and take responsibility. It also seeks to teach life skills such as cooking, navigation and generally how to look after themselves.

Meeting Times

The normal meeting time is: [Check HERE]. It is the intention of the leaders that the gates to the Headquarters are opened 10 minutes prior to the start of the meeting.

Letters

Letters giving details of major forthcoming events are issued on a regular basis. Most letters include tear-off slips as the means by which you can indicate whether or not your son will be attending an event. Please return these as soon as possible as this is a considerable help when we are planning transport, food and so on.

Please can all monies be returned to headquarters or to the Scout Leader in a sealed envelope with your son’s name on it and the event to which it relates.

Events

Please note that individual letters are not always issued for every Scout Activity. In order to teach the Scouts about being responsible for their own development as Scouts and as members of the Troop we have operated the following system for a number of years. A simple poster advertising the activity is either placed on the Troop notice board or on the Patrol’s own notice board and interested Scouts are asked to add their name to these lists. The leaders assume that the Scouts will confirm at home that they are available for the activity and will therefore be available when selected for a team representing the Troop.

Attendance at some activities maybe arranged by the Patrol Leaders and this maybe achieved by the Patrol Leader making telephone calls to the Patrol members.

Uniform [Check HERE]

Scout shirt (Green) Trousers (approved pattern)

Scout belt Black Shoes

For most meetings uniform should always be well presented, but trainers are acceptable, however for particularly smart occasions i.e. Parades, competitions and investiture nights uniform is to include the wearing of clean black shoes.

Awards

There are eight Challenge awards within the section as follows:-

· The Outdoor Challenge

· The Outdoor Plus Challenge

· The Creative Challenge

· The Fitness Challenge

· The Global Challenge

· The Community Challenge

· The Adventure Challenge

· The Expedition Challenge

The highest award within the Troop section is the Chief’s Scout Gold Award, and in order to achieve this a Scout needs to have attained:-

· the Outdoor Challenge, plus

· four other challenges, and complete

· a personal challenge

A range of 70 activity badges supplements these core awards.

Many of the skills needed to pass the awards are gained through practical experience and sometimes this may appear that basic Scouting Skills are being repeated. This is to ensure that the basic knowledge is being retained and can be put to use at camp or in competitions. It is also often the difference in being able to do something oneself and to instruct others to do the same thing.

It has become clear during the initial phase of operating this new training programme that because it can take some time for a Scout to achieve completion of a Challenge the Scouts can be unclear about what has been achieved.

The leaders have therefore decided to introduce a number of certificates of competence, which are easier to manage and when several are completed will mean that a Challenge has also been completed.

Core skills such as Camping, Navigation, Hiking and Pioneering are a theme through out all of these certificates, examples of the items are:-

Pitch, strike and store a tent correctly.

Prepare, cook, serve and clear away a meal and a hot drink out of doors using an open fire.

Complete with suitable equipment, a one-day expedition with friends by foot, navigating using map and compass.

Demonstrate the correct use of six knots, bends or hitches used in Scouting activities.

Take an active part in a pioneering project out of doors with your Patrol.

Lead others on a hike, which includes setting a map, taking compass bearings, map references and knowledge of Ordnance Survey conventional signs.

Plan and use a balanced menu for a weekend camp for your Patrol.

Take a leading part in a pioneering project, which demonstrates the correct use of at least two different types of lashing.

Plan a route for an expedition; describe by map reading what you would expect to see; go on the journey and report back to your Patrol what you saw and did.

Other aspects of scouting are covered by:

Write an account of a Patrol activity in which you took part, for a newsletter, magazine or newspaper, or design and produce advertising material for an event or activity.

Demonstrate the correct use of the Union flag and your Troop flag or colours.

Activities

The Troop has a variety of activities each year and examples of this are set out below:-

Easter	A weekend away for Patrol leaders and Assistant Patrol Leaders

Group Activity Camp (May)	A Camp open to all Scouts

Sailing	Three weekends are arranged over the year, two based on daily visits to the sailing centre and one a weekend camp.

Canoeing	Courses are run in Kayaking for 1 and 2 Star British Canoe Union Standards and other courses for the more advanced.

Climbing	Two Climbing Days are usually organised and we make use of the climbing wall at Surrey University.

Training Events	Building the going up ceremony items or additional events arranged as the need arises.

Summer Camp	This is the highlight of the year and as far as the leaders are concerned it is what each year’s programme should build towards.

Service Projects	Such as the Christmas Postal Service, putting out chairs at the Village Hall for local organisations.

District Activities and Competitions.

The Troop takes part in a number of District Competitions, which assist with the overall training programme:-

February	Scouting Skills
	First Aid
March	Day Hike
April	Cooking
July	Camping
October	Night Hike

Many of the requirements of the Challenges and certificates of competence can be achieved by taking part in these competitions.

These competitions are part of an overall annual Top Troop Competition. In order to achieve the highest place in the District, it is important to enter as many teams as possible into each event.

There is also the District Fun Run and Five a-side Football Competition.

Patrol System

The Scout Troop is developed by use of the ‘Patrol System’, which encourages the older Scouts to develop their abilities and be able to be responsible for others. The Patrol is made up of six or so Scouts, which is led by a Patrol Leader who has an Assistant Patrol Leader.

Some of the tasks that older Scouts can be asked to undertake are; put forward ideas for activities, help to maintain discipline, encourage team spirit, organise activities at a Troop meeting and accept responsibility.

Conclusion

In conclusion it is difficult to summarise in a few short pages what we are trying to achieve within the Scout Section. However part of the process is that the Scout should develop towards adulthood, and thus will take on more of the responsibility for his membership of the Troop.