The Scout Association Today?

[Brains]

The only issue I'd have with the movement now is that it still promotes the Christian faith, but that would not put me off enough to discourage my son from going.

Not any more:
We operate from the grounds of a Church, but have nothing to do with them any more than the Yoga group and the Judo club that we share the facilities with.
We do have a couple of church based groups locally, one is Jewish the other are Sikhs, both have non-religious members.

 

[lane]

I did reply upthread - but wanted to add that some of the best experiences my son has had in his life have been with the scouts. Also he really wants to continue the DofE award he started with school and wouldn't be able to without Scouts. It's also more or less now (with the exception of weekly swimming) the only thing that gets him away from the computer. So on the whole its a great thing.

 

[swee'pea99]

Don't know owt about today's movement, but the Scouts made me the man I am today.

Don't say you weren't warned.

 

[spen666]

Thanks for all the replies.


The reason I was asking was because I was considering applying for a role with the Association

 

[Arjimlad]

I am retiring as CSL at Christmas, as my family need my time more. I have enjoyed it very much & served six years, but I have struggled with admin. Last night we had a couple of plumbers in and the cubs had to build a pipe run with various different joints, including soldering joints with a blowtorch.

I heard the other day that a former cub was given a pocket knife and recited the safety rules he'd been taught four or five years ago in cubs.

It's been great to see cubs broaden their confidence and get out of their comfort zones. The parents can be a bit annoying, not reading emails properly or bothering me on the phone when I am meant to be in work/spending time with my own family.

 

[Andy_R]

Thanks for all the replies.


The reason I was asking was because I was considering applying for a role with the Association

If you haven't already done it, then do it. It is probably one of the most frustrating, demanding, rewarding things you can do. I've just come back from a weekend in Patterdale with 44 Explorer Scouts and 10 Leaders from around our District, in a "get to know you" weekend as we are heading off to Kandersteg in Switzerland next summer. The kids were brilliant, they really went out of their way to get to know each other and us Leaders, and everyone worked really hard in all the team building activities we ran.

Too may people are too ready to run down today's youth, but the reality is that it's only a small minority that are a nuisance. The majority are good kids with hopes and dreams of their own, and if we can help them to achieve them, then we should be trying our hardest to do just that.

 

[byegad]

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the scouts, some 10 yrs from Cub via Scout, Senior Scout as we were called back then to assistant Cub leader. It was my increasing disbelief in any organised religion that saw me leave. Some 10 yrs later I looked to go back but the assumption/requirement for some kind of belief in a sky pixie put me off. I understand that requirement is no longer there, but too late for me to take an active part.

39th Avenue (Methodist) Middlesbrough was an 'open troop' and took many Jewish lads as there was no Jewish troop for them to join, but to continue my Cub scout leadership there was a requirement to become a full member of the church and to that end I had to go to classes with the minister. As he went through 'what we believe' I became more sceptical of any magical belief system. A compulsory college course on comparative religions finished me off with gods of any shape or form.

 

[lane]

If you haven't already done it, then do it. It is probably one of the most frustrating, demanding, rewarding things you can do. I've just come back from a weekend in Patterdale with 44 Explorer Scouts and 10 Leaders from around our District, in a "get to know you" weekend as we are heading off to Kandersteg in Switzerland next summer. The kids were brilliant, they really went out of their way to get to know each other and us Leaders, and everyone worked really hard in all the team building activities we ran.

Too may people are too ready to run down today's youth, but the reality is that it's only a small minority that are a nuisance. The majority are good kids with hopes and dreams of their own, and if we can help them to achieve them, then we should be trying our hardest to do just that.

My lad went to Kandersteg with the scouts absolutely brilliant experience for him.

 

[cosmicbike]

Thanks for all the replies.


The reason I was asking was because I was considering applying for a role with the Association

As @Andy_R has said, if you haven't done it, do please give it a go. I really enjoyed my 6 years as CSL, and I'm kind of looking at getting back at it again, maybe with Scouts this time in an ASL capacity, so less admin/parents...

 

[keithmac]

My lad has gone through Cubs and now into Scouts, has done him the world of good!. He's very independent and it's given him a lot of skills already.

My daughter has been in Beavers for a year now and she really enjoys it.

After helping out for a while my wife has recently become a Beaver Leader and she gets a lot out of the experience.

I'm into applying for Section Assistant, bit of a faf but worth it so I can give them a hand, not in any way or form religious myself but doesn't seem to be an issue?.

I have met quite a few Leaders and Assistants now and the vast majority are just like me, normal working family members.

Much respect to all who give up their free time to Scouting and long may they continue!.

 

[Paulus]

My son joined as a cub and went through to Scouts. He did make many friends who have become life long friends and they still go camping and do many outdoor activities as they did as scouts. I was a cub scout in my childhood, and I can only say that I still think they have a role in kids upbringings and character building.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I'm the treasurer for our local scout group so see first hand the amount of time the leaders put in. They all should be given medals for the time and effort they put in for the kids. Anyone who volunteers for their local scout group gets my respect.