Scouting Is Good For You
I often get asked what Cubs and Scouts is about.
This is taken directly from their website:
Scouts are do-ers and give-it-a-go-ers. Yes, we go camping, hiking, swimming, abseiling, cycling and canoeing.
But, we also get to hang out with our friends every week — having fun, playing games, working in a team and taking on new challenges.
Every week we give almost half a million 4–25 year olds the skills they need for school, college, university, the job interview, the important speech, the tricky challenge and the big dreams: the skills they need for life.
Everyone’s welcome here. All genders, races and backgrounds. Regardless of your young person’s physical ability — there’s a Scout adventure out there waiting for them. And we’ll help them find it.
Scouting can start from the age of 4 (known as Squirrels), all the way through to the Network (25 years of age).
In between there are the Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers.
Literally, something for everyone.
As a child, I never went to Cubs or Scouts.
In fact, my first exposure to Scouting was when my eldest son (who is now 25) joined Cubs when he was 8.
I was convinced to go along to help at the annual camp. That help was actually as part of the kitchen crew; preparing meals and snacks for over 100 young people and adults. I have to admit it was hard work, but also very rewarding.
Soon after that, I became a parent helper; attending the regular Cubs meetings on a Thursday, at the hut.
It’s now been 17 years since that first camp, and as well as Akela (the Cub Scout Leader) I am now the Group Lead Volunteer (Group Scout Leader).
Being a leader is very rewarding.
Some Cubs who join, from the age of 8, are not the most confident of children, and seeing them grow, not only in stature, but also in confidence and knowledge is something I never take for granted.
We are not a school environment. We don’t mark work based on accuracy or excellence.
We have one simple rule: “Do your best”.
To turn up each week and just get stuck in.
You’ll be amazed at what they can achieve.
They earn badges for all sorts of activities, such as cooking, ironing, cycling, learning about home safety, the environment and digital skills amongst many others.
Being a leader has also improved my personal confidence in my professional career.
Let’s be honest, if I’m happy to make a fool of myself in front of a pack of 8 to 10 year olds, then there’s no fear standing and presenting in front of a group of colleagues.
All three of my sons has “passed through” Cubs and Scouts, and my youngest now helps every Thursday, as a Young Leader.
It’s challenging finding new leaders.
My Assistant Cub Leader has seen both of his sons pass through the group, and also has no children within the group.
If it wasn’t for us, showing up each week, then I doubt there would even be a Cub pack.
Life is busier than ever, and it sometimes feels as though we are treated as a glorified child-minding service.
Some parents do help out on a semi-regular basis, but I’m looking for my succession plan. A group of adults who want to get involved on a weekly basis. At the moment it doesn’t feel like that’s going to happen anytime soon.
Why do we continue to do it, even when we don’t have any children of our own in the Scout group?
We do it because we enjoy it. It gives us something else to think about, after a day at work.
We get a nice fuzzy feeling when we see the kids achieve and it’s a good feeling.
There’s no financial transaction involved. We’re volunteers.
We must be doing something right. Just the other day, whilst out walking, I saw a couple of my old Cubs, now about 17/18 years old.
As they walked past me, they said ‘Hello Akela’.
Being a member of a Scout group exposes you to a range of activities and skills you may never have thought possible; but with the right attitude, as a leader, you too can also benefit from what Scouting has to offer.
Find out more at The Scout Association
Updated from a story originally published on Medium