Each Scout Troop consists of small units of six to eight Scouts called a Patrol, usually led by a Patrol Leader. Outdoor activities feature prominently, with the highlight being camping. Throughout the year, Scouts learn various skills, such as map reading, camp cooking and first aid in preparation for camp.
Rock climbing, potholing, gliding, photography and international experiences are just some of the things they get up to.
In a nutshell
Scouts are aged 10 ½ to 14. Each Scout Troop consists of small units of six to eight Scouts called a Patrol, usually led by a Patrol Leader. Outdoor activities feature prominently, with the highlight being camping. Throughout the year, Scouts learn various skills, such as map reading, camp cooking and first aid in preparation for camp.
Rock climbing, potholing, gliding, photography and international experiences are just some of the things they get up to.
What are Scouts?
In 1907 Robert Baden Powell ran his first experimental camp for 20 boys on Brownsea Island, in Poole Harbour. Our national records show that within a year hundreds of Scout Groups had registered with him. 3 of the first 100 groups were from the Isle of Wight: 1st Newport, 1st Shanklin and …….
Teamwork and Friendship
Scout Patrols work as a team on almost everything they do. The role of the Patrol Leader is to plan activities and to supervise, teach and look after the younger members of the Patrol. Patrols become firm friends and often plan activities together outside of our mainstream Scout activities.
What do we do?
Well, there are a lot of skills to learn; there’s a lot of action and adventure to experience; there’s a lot of community work to get involved with; AND there’s a lot of fun. Each year Scouts around the country take part in over 200 activities from Abseiling to Zorbing.
Sea Scouts
Are you a keen sailor? Do you fancy a career in a marine occupation? Or do you just like messing about in boats? Well maybe you should join one of our Sea Scout groups. There are Sea Scout Groups in Cowes, Bembridge, Brighstone, Cowes, East Cowes, Gurnard, Ryde, Sandown and Yarmouth They all join in the same land-based activities as other Scouts, but they also run water-based activities. And actually, we’re VERY serious about safety in our water based activities.
Badges and Awards
With over 80 badges and awards to work for, Scouts are pretty busy all the time. Older Scouts start working for their Chief Scout Challenge or Duke of Edinburg Award. We put more emphasis on achieving personal development rather than meeting set targets, so every Scout can be assured of making progress. If you really fancy a challenge… several of our Scouts are aiming to earn EVERY badge and award.
Camping
Scouts do Camping! We do Lightweight Camping; Patrol Camping; Group Camping; District Camping; County Camping; Mainland Camping; International Camping; Winter Camping; Family Camping……. I think you get the message. And camping means camp fires, singing and cooking.
International
Older Scouts can attend International gatherings of Scouts, called Jamborees or Moots. In October we hold a World-wide virtual Jamboree (or gathering) called JOTI/JOTA – that’s Jamboree Of The Internet and Jamboree Of The Air. Over one million Scouts go online to join in with JOTI each year, and with the help of Isle of Wight Radio Amateurs we have spoken to Scouts around Europe as part of JOTA.
Every 4 years, there is a World Jamboree and we send a contingent to join in. Recent Jamborees have seen Island Scouts go to Sweden, Japan and….Chelmsford. The next World Jamboree will be in 2019 in the USA, and we will be sending a contingent of Scouts to join in. Scouts must be aged between 15 and 18 to go to a World Jamboree, and the team start preparations about 2 years in advance. Preparations include selection camps, training camps, team building exercises and hikes. It’s a very expensive camp to attend and the contingent work together running a lot of fundraising activities and events to help cover the costs.
In the Summer of 2017 a couple of our Scouts went to a Moot (another name for an International Scout Camp) in Iceland and we’re planning more international visits.
Promise
Scouts make a promise and learn the Scout Laws. If you’re not sure what this means, or you have concerns then look on our FAQ page.
Try us out
If you’re still not sure whether Cubs is for you, come and try out one of our regular meetings or look out for our Open Day at Corf Campsite and come and see some of the activities we get up to!
Frequently asked questions
We’ve put together some more details about becoming a Scout, answering some of the questions which we often get asked by prospective Scout parents.
