Scouts
About Scouts
The Scout Section is the fourth section of the Scouting Movement and is for young people between the ages of 10½ and 14. Scouts are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities as part of their programme, with participation being the key approach.
Scouts take part in a Balanced Programme that helps them to find out about the world in which they live; encourages them to know their own abilities and the importance of keeping fit; and helps their creative talents. It also provides opportunities to explore their own values and personal attitudes.
Being outdoors is exciting and important too. Half the programme is given over to taking part in traditional Scouting skills such as camping, survival and cooking as well as a wider spectrum of adventurous activities from abseiling to zorbing.
For Scouts who want to be recognised for their achievements, there are 9 Challenge Awards, 70 Activity Badges and 15 Staged Activity Badges, with the highest Challenge being the Chief Scout’s Gold Award.
From Robert Baden-Powell’s (BP) first experimental camp for 20 boys in 1907 on Brownsea Island, the movement now has an estimated 28 million members worldwide. In the UK alone there are over 500,000 boys and girls involved in Scouting.
“Scouting for Boys” was published in 1908 (after the Brownsea Island Camp) where BP had tried out his ideas on four patrols of boys from London and Bournemouth. “Scouting for Boys” was initially printed in six fortnightly parts, and sold very quickly and is now in 4th place in the all time best sellers list.
BP had originally intended the scheme outlined in “Scouting for Boys” to supplement the programmes of youth organisations that were in existence at the time, like the Boys Brigade and the Boys Clubs. But boys not in other youth movements bought the book, and set themselves up as Patrols of Scouts, and quickly found themselves leaders to train them. It was soon realised that some form of organisation was required to support these Scouts. And so the Scout Movement began and the following memorable quotation from BP is still relevant today:
“ It is a movement, because it moves forward. As soon as it stops moving, it becomes an Organisation, and is no longer Scouting. — B-P.”
Scouting has adapted and evolved over the past 105 years and has experienced a number of changes including the dropping of the word ‘boy’ from Boy Scouts, uniform, awards, training and ages. The late 80’s saw the controversial move (at the time) of Groups being given the option of whether to allow girls into Scouting in all sections. It is encouraging to see so many girls involved in Scouting now. Whatever the changes, Scouting keeps moving forward and is the world’s largest Youth Movement. What an achievement from such small beginnings!
Challenge Awards
Gaining a challenge badge involves accomplishing a number of more ambitious tasks within the Troop or community. There are 10 challenge badges across a number of themes, from the physical and outdoorsy to challenges dealing with the local community or issues connected with the Scouting world. Details of the challenge badges can be found here.
Activity Badges
There are currently 75 activity badges available which allow Scouts to show their progress in existing pursuits, but also to try all kinds of new things and form new interests. As with the Challenge Awards details of the badges can be found here.
Some activity badges are sponsored by outside companies, providing extra exciting resource packs to help Scout Troops towards gaining their badges.
With the number of badges available all Scouts have the opportunity to advance their skills and experiences. Badges are completed either as a group activity within the troop or on an individual bases by agreement with the section leader.
Chief Scouts Gold Award
This is the highest award a Scout can earn. To complete it, you need to complete six Activity badges and all nine of the following Challenge Awards:
- The World Challenge
- The Personal Challenge
- The Skills Challenge
- The Team Work Challenge
- The Creative Challenge
- The Adventure Challenge
- The Team Leader Challenge
- The Expedition Challenge
- The Outdoor Challenge
Joining In
If you are new to Scouting and looking to join for the first time, or just want more information, then send us an email at info@bexleyscouts.org.uk with your details, or your child’s, and we will be in touch.
Adult volunteers are always welcome in Scouting and if you would like to join us again send us an email and we will be in touch. All adults are fully vetted and have DBS clearance before being allowed to work with the younger members. Experience is not necessary as there are various training programmes for adults and we cannot all tie knots but have a wealth of experiences that can be used for the benefit of Scouting. So, be you young, or not so young, why not come along and join in the experience?