Scouting– What it all means!!

Dear Parent,

Can we ask you to take a few moments to read this letter, which sets out some of the key elements of the Scout Programme. We believe that increasing your knowledge of the Programme will help assist with your son/daughters enjoyment of the Programme and will help you chat them about their experiences in Scouts.

The Scout Method governs what we do and how we do it in Scouts. The key elements of the Scout Method are:

·         Voluntary membership of a group which, guided by adults, is increasingly self-governing in its successive age groups.

•        Commitment to a code of living as expressed in the Promise & Law, the meaning of which is expanded as the member grows towards maturity.

•        The provision of a wide range of attractive, constructive and challenging activities, including opportunities for adventure and exploration both indoors and outdoors.

•        The provision of opportunities for leadership and responsibility.

•        Learning by doing.

•        Encouragement of activity in small groups.

•        An award scheme, which encourages participation in its full range of activities and provides recognition of individual and group achievements.

A youth member is normally in Scout for between 4 and 5 years. Each Scout is a member of a Patrol (team). In Roscrea we have 4 Patrols each with about 10 Scouts (Badgers; Beavers; Eagles and Swifts). Each Patrol has a Patrol Leader (captain) and Assistant Patrol Leader (vice captain) usually the older Scouts.

The journey of each member through Scouts is a personal  experience with Scouts frequently excelling and enjoying different activities. We ask parents to encourage Scouts to take a full part in activities and to give new activities a go and a chance.

During a Scouts first 18 months to 2 years; a Scout will get to learn the basic skills in several areas as they get older they will be able to put this skills into action leading teams and taking part in progressively more challenging activities.

The Scout Programme is extremely wide and hard to put into a few words; but there is 9 Adventure Skills Areas; each of which is explained below.

Backwoods:  includes Survival / Bushcraft Skills; Cooking on Open Fires; Environmental Awareness. Scouts will participate in survival camps and related activities.

Hillwalking: includes Orienteering, Map Reading, Lightweight Camping & Cooking and Hiking. Scouts will get the chance to partake in many hillwalks (including overnight trips) in the local mountains; Orienteering Events and as they advance will get the chance to partake in more challenging trips including the National 4 Provinces Mountain Pursuit Challenges.

Camping: includes Camping, Cooking. Scouts will partake in many Camping Trips where they will get to do many events and activities. The highlight of the year is the Annual Camp (which takes places during the first 2 weeks of July). Other trips includes the Phoenix (National Campcraft Competition); County Camp and Troop Camps.

Pioneering: the skills of using Ropes and Timber to build Projects including Rope Bridges; Towers and Rafts.

Emergencies: Scouts will learn basic first aid skills and older scouts will have the opportunity to receive certification from accredited organisations.

Air Activities: It is planned to visit Baldonnel, Birr Airfield and to get experts in to introduce the area to Scouts.

Paddling: includes Swimming, Kayaking and Canoeing. Scouts will get the opportunity to partake in these Watersports. Outside instructors are brought in where required. Annually the Group holds a Water Activities weekend and swimming, kayaking and canoeing are built into the programme of several other activities.

Sailing: Scouts from Roscrea are involved in the Sea Scout Group in the National Water Activities Centre in Killaloe. Scouts aged 13 + can take part in this Group.

Rowing: Scouts from Roscrea are involved in the Sea Scout Group in the National Water Activities Centre in Killaloe. Scouts aged 13 + can take part in this Group.

While these are Scouting Ireland’s Adventure Skills; Scouts will also experience Cycling; Archery; Rock Climbing; Abseiling; Sports; talks from and visits to places such as Garda Station; Ambulance Centre, Fire Station etc; Wind Surfing; Community Projects.

If you know of anyone who may be able to contribute and enhance the programme in any of these areas and would be willing to volunteer to help; please let us know. Anyone with qualifications in the Air or Water activities or with interesting careers/skills would be particularly useful.

As Scouts progress through they will earn Merit Badges for different skills learned and activities undertaken. 

Currently there is five Stage Awards as Scouts progress, they are called Tracker, Explorer, Star Scout, National Scout and Chief Scout Award.

The older Scouts have a number of projects to complete their Star and National Scout Awards.

Your assistance with the Social Awareness and  World Friendship Badges and the completion of the Log Books for the Camp Leader / Hike Leader Merit Badges is needed.

Camp Leader (for PL’s and APL’s)

To achieve this badge the Scout has to organise and lead two weekend camps and prepare log book (record) of the events.

Hike Leader (for PL’s and APL’s)

To achieve this badge the Scout has to organise and lead three hikes and prepare log book (record) of the events.

Social Awareness (for secondary school Scouts)

From one of the four groups below select one topic. Contact local Organisation involved in this area. Volunteer to assist in some way for 4-6 weeks. Prepare a report of 5-10 A4 pages showing your involvement, and your awareness of the topic. Your report could contain details of your visits to Clinics, Special Schools, interviews with Doctors, Gardai, Probation Officers, Social Workers etc.

1.Physical Disability/illness (Deafness; Paraplegia (one of its many forms); Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; Cancer; Blindness)

2. Mental Disability/illness (Downs Syndrome; Autism; Alzeimers Disease; Depression; Schizophrenia; Anorexia or Bulimia)

3. Drugs/Substance Abuse (Alcohol, Tobacco, Narcotics, Glue, Solvents)

4. Social Issues (Unemployment, Housing, The Elderly, Family Violence,Child Abuse, The Rights of the Travelling Community, The Work of Charitable Organisations)

5. Other (Any other topic of your choice along the -lines of the above nos.1-4)

World Friendship (for secondary school Scouts)

Undertake a project on another Country including finding out about Scouting in that Country and have taken part in an International Camp

The Presidents’ Award

From 2010; in conjunction with achieving the Chief Scout Award Scouts will have the opportunity to achieve their Bronze Presidents Award. As they progress into Ventures and Rovers they will have the opportunity to achieve their Silver and Gold Presidents Award.