eaders ver Scout Lay 2011 a e B r fo e in April/M The magaz
Cheeky chicken Easter card to make
All abroad
A UK Group in China
? Y A W A T H G I N A t can’t wait We jus
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TOWER BRIDGE
EXHIBITION Enter the Most Famous
Bridge in the World
Enjoy breathtaking views of London from the Bridge’s Walkways. Experience the Victorian Engine Rooms. Enter and be amazed. Adults: £8.00 Children: £3.40 Concessions: £5.60 Under 5s: FREE Contact: 0845 404 3034 Bridge lift line: 0845 165 9815 www.towerbridge.org.uk
Special rates for groups, contact 0845 404 3034 for an organiser's pack Tower Bridge is provided by The City of London Corporation - a uniquely diverse organisation in that it not only promotes and supports the City and provides it with a full range of services, but also provides wider services for London and for the nation as a whole.
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Published by: The Programme Team The Scout Association Gilwell Park Chingford London E4 7QW Tel: 0845 300 1818
INTRO
One vision
Contributions to: programme@scouts.org.uk
ADVERTISING Richard Ellacott richard.ellacott@thinkpublishing.co.uk Tel: 020 8962 1258 Contributors: Alison Chapman Patrick Rooke Jenny Winn Rose Wells Cover photo: Chlöe Chapman
Deputy UK Commissioner for Programme Graeme Hamilton outlines his hopes for the coming months – and asks for your help in shaping it
View all other section supplements online at www.scouts.org.uk/magazine
What you’ve been up to Lightning Beaver Colony, par t of 2nd Brize Nor ton (RAF) Air Scout Group, have been working towards their Friendship d Cha llenge Badge. They presente , iers Sold to £777 for a cheque Sailors, Airmen and Families Association Forces Help, having completed a sponsored wal k. Between them the 24 Beavers wal ked 51 miles.
There is some further change in the supplement this issue as I find myself writing for leaders, commissioners and supporters in all five sections for the first time. This will be the pattern for the foreseeable future as I alternate with the five Programme and Development Advisers, who will provide a section-specific focus. Supporting the range of different needs and challenges of five diverse sections is not something to be taken lightly and certainly not without support. I rely heavily on you sending in your thoughts, concerns, ideas and, most importantly, success stories so that we can share these with others across the UK. Please email programme@scouts.org.uk if you have anything to contribute. We’re currently building a network of experienced leaders to form a support team – all of whom will soon be deployed across the UK. In the months ahead we’ll also look at how sectional support roles can best support frontline leaders. I’ll be out and about too. Cumbria has already booked me for a joint Cub and Scout leader session in May. If I cannot be at your event then we’ll aim to find a willing person from the support team or staff at Gilwell Park. I’ve recently attended the Development, Advice and Support day events in Wales and Northern Ireland so I’ll be maintaining strong links all over the UK as we work together to deliver a strong, effective and fun programme for every youngster who has chosen to take part in the Scouting adventure. There will be more in a future article about how we’re checking out what’s good and what’s not about the programme and how you can give us your thoughts.
Contents 4 News and information 25th anniversary stories
5 Beavers sleepeeezzzy Residentıal experience ideas
6 Ain’t no mountain high enough One Beaver certainly thinks so
8 Explore your adventurous side Two activity badges to go for
12 Look East UK groups abroad
14 Easter greetings Easter cards
16 Off the shelf Bookbridge
17 Sorry, I don’t have the time Flexible volunteering
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What’s going on? News and information
Let’s celebrate
Have you visited Scouts.org.uk lately?
Chief Scout, Bear Grylls, wants to know how your Colony is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Beaver section. ‘What an amazing 25 years it’s been for Beaver Scouts,’ he says. ‘Whatever you’re doing to celebrate this fantastic anniversary, I hope you have a fantastic time and continue to enjoy your Beaver activities. Remember to let us know the great things you are doing.’
The new website is now live, so be prepared to be surprised. With a fantastic new design, logical menu, related articles, the most searched-for items and a one-click ‘email a friend’ option, you will easily find everything you need to help you in your Scouting role.
Flag it Beaver leader, Helen Renouf, suggested making a flag to celebrate the occasion. ‘The 9th Lymington Beaver Scouts wanted something memorable,’ she says, ‘and one of the parents, Anne, took on the task. The Beavers and Leaders drew pictures of themselves which were attached to the flag, making it personal, and we will take it to all our events this year.’
Plant it With spades at the ready, the 7th Crawley Beavers got into planting at the District Scout Campsite at Pease Pottage. They chose year-round colour trees and made the occasion part of their anniversary celebrations. The Royal Horticultural Society and the Woodland Trust donated the trees and the project is part of the In Bloom and It’s Your Neighbourhood campaigns. If your Colony is planning an event, making a special souvenir or having an anniversary party, we want to know about it. Send your stories and images to scouting.magazine@scouts.org.uk.
Log in to enjoy the full member benefits When you log in to the website you will see information and best practice relevant to your role, as well as the latest updates and badge information. Signing in using your membership number means you can also: • Access the Print Centre, where you can create everything from personalised posters and photobooks to signage, stationery and minibus livery. You’ll also find images, quotes and videos. • Sign up to relevant e-communications including Scouting Plus, our weekly email containing news, information and good practice relevant to your role. • Search thousands of activity and programme ideas on Programmes Online. • Receive updates and information on the homepage of the website specific to your Scouting role. • Access the membership database, where you can update your details and anyone else’s you are line manager for.
How to log in Use your membership number, printed on the appointment card sent with this issue of Scouting magazine.
Visit www.scouts.org.uk/brand and have a look at Bear’s video.
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Residentıal experıences
Beavers sleepeeezzzy
In the last issue, Alison Chapman gave us ten tips for a successful residential experience. She now has some great ideas of what to do when you get there
R
esidential experiences are about being outdoors and having fun. It’s an opportunity to take part in activities which would not fit in a normal meeting. Combine a funday with a residential experience involving other Colonies or maybe just join up with a neighbouring one. You don’t have to go it alone. Enlist help from parents before and during the event. You could ask your Cub leaders to help, which would be an opportunity for Beavers to meet them before they move on. Your local Explorer Unit or Scout Network might want to get involved too – it’s worth asking them. Once you have decided on the venue, which could be your own meeting place, local Scout campsite or activity centre, and checked out the facilities, it’s time to let your own imagination take your Beavers away.
The great outdoors Make the most of being outdoors, weather permitting, by going on a wildlife safari. Sun hats are essential and would be quite novel in the dark. Take binoculars to spot the animals, following a trail of previously laid paw prints. A themed residential experience based on wellknown characters such as Robin Hood or Harry Potter is sure to be a success. Make simple outlaw costumes,
storm the Sheriff of Nottingham’s castle with wet sponges and build hideouts in the woods and cook sausages. There are lots of ideas for Harry Potter and friends. Dress up in hats and robes and use broomsticks to play quidditch. Potions can be made by mixing concoctions of fruit juices. Special maps in invisible ink can lead to hidden treasure and dragons can be found by hiding laminated pictures over a given area.
Slow it down Have a good variety of activities for the residential experience. It’s better to have too much planned in case some activities are not going well. Beavers have loads of enthusiasm and plenty of energy but will also need some quieter tasks which can take place indoors or outdoors. Use rolls of lining paper for large drawings, posters or paper projects. If you are planning a campfire, practise the songs at meetings before you go so everyone is ready to join in. Remember your Colony will need to be adequately supervised at all times. Near to bedtime, play board games or read a story. The excited Beavers will eventually settle down but do leave a night light on for those not happy in the dark.
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Ain’t no mountain high enough
ions. One Beaver Scout has high ambit Rose Wells tries to keep up 6
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challenge
B
en Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK held no fear for Beaver Scout Darwin. Climbing to the top was the pinnacle of his mountaineering career so far. And he is only just eight years old. Darwin took six hours to reach the summit and although it was very cold, he didn’t find it a problem. ‘I wasn’t tired at all. I am proud of myself for getting to the top’, he says.
One Munro, two Munros ‘I began climbing when I was very small,’ he says proudly. ‘My first mountain was Meall Chuaich when I was 22 months old.’ Meall Chuaich is one of the 283 Scottish Munros. Darwin has conquered 22 already and has set his sights on climbing all of them by the time he is 16. His mum and dad, Sarah and Mark, started taking him for walks to tire him out. ‘Now he tires us out trying to keep up,’ Mark says. ‘Yes,’ laughs his son, ‘I have to wait for my slow dad.’ Darwin is the perfect climbing buddy, say his parents, as he enjoys the walks and never complains even when knee-deep in bogs, being chased by a ptarmigan (which is a bird) or caught in a storm.
Preparation, preparation
and suitable. They check the weather forecast and put their kit together, including an inhaler for Darwin’s asthma condition, although he seems to improve in the mountain air. Darwin’s own preparations involve a huge breakfast followed by lots of liquid. Once in his walking gear, he warms up for the walk, usually by chasing his sister round the room. Autumn, who is four years old, has started to join the rest of the family on their climbs, eager to follow in her big brother’s footsteps. She has already climbed Mount Keen and mum and dad think it won’t be long before she wants to tackle Ben Nevis.
Challenging Every mountain Darwin climbs he enjoys more than the last one. ‘Each climb is more challenging and further to walk,’ he says,’ but I find it easier. My Beaver friends are all amazed at what I do and I think they should all try it. It makes me feel free and alive and I like to see the wildlife.’ Sarah and Mark are proud of Darwin’s achievements and ambitions and support him all the way. The family are planning to climb the Ring of Steall, a range of four Munros, in the near future but the veteran climber is already looking well ahead. ‘My aim in life,’ he says,’ is to climb the highest mountain in every country of the world.’
Before each climb, the family studies maps carefully, making sure the route they have decided on is sensible
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r u o y e r o l p x E adventurous side Gaining badges does not have to be a mountainous task. Jenny Winn provides some less daunting ideas
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badges
T
he intrepid mountain climber Darwin (see pages 6 & 7) will have experienced many great adventures along the way. Although this type of activity is not for everyone, all Beaver Scouts can have their own adventures and gain their Adventure and Explore Activity Badges in the process.
Adventure Activity Badge As the name suggests, the activities your Beavers can do should be new and adventurous. To gain this badge they must take part in three activities with other Beaver Scouts, two of them being ones they have not tried before. If you have an activity centre or campsite nearby, contact them to see what activities they have that are suitable for Beaver Scouts to take part in. Most should be alright as long as the equipment is the right size and accessible. Over a summer term you could arrange at least three visits. By the end of the term any Beaver in your Colony who attended all three will have gained their badge.
What can we do? Activities at a centre could include abseiling, swimming, archery, grass sledging, pedal karts, rotating climbing wall or bouldering, wide games, artificial caving, snorkelling, boating and trampolining. If you don’t wish to visit an activity centre or live too far from one, other ideas for adventurous activities could be: • an exciting treasure hunt • following a laid trail • making a journey using a form of transport new to the Beavers • making and sailing a model boat • an adventure walk around a park • visiting a pier The leadership team must arrange appropriate supervision before the activities take place.
Explore Activity Badge This badge requires some thought before the exploration. Beavers have to complete the following: 1. Decide what or where to explore. There are many places eager Beavers can explore and they don’t have to be exotic locations. A local park, forest or woodland is ideal. If you live near the sea, the seashore is full of exciting things to find. Your own town or village can provide all you need for an exploration. Arrange visits to the fire station, police station or a place of worship or simply plan an interesting route taking in a variety of features. 2. Think about what you expect to find. What type of trees, birds, animals, or unusual buildings or structures? 3. Go on the exploration. All explorations should be undertaken under the supervision of a responsible adult. This is the time to let your Beavers’ imaginations take over. In my Colony we regularly go for a walk in the forest. One Beaver saw dinosaurs there and would go hunting for their lairs and tracks. By the end of the walk all the Beavers were spotting dinosaurs and fun was had by all. 4. Tell others in the Colony what you have discovered. Use drawings, poems or stories. The Beavers could all make a contribution and put them in a scrapbook or on a noticeboard. The activities Beavers can take part in towards either of these badges will broaden their outlook on the world around them and provide lots to talk about.
more info Find out more about the range of badges and awards available, what they are for and where to put them on the uniform by visiting www.scouts.org.uk/memberresources
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h the themes This issue’s theme corresponds wit resource, ee bor in the Beaver Scout Join-in-Jam a Difference! which are Make a Change! Make Patrick Rooke and Scouting Skills. Compiled by
POP Programmes on a plate
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Activity
Time Zone Instructions
Opening ceremony
5 mins
N/A
Introduce the theme by explaining what recycling means.
Recycling game
5 mins
Global
In advance of the meeting, ask your Beaver Scouts to bring some recyclable and non-recyclable materials with them, such as card, paper, cans, tins, bottles and plastic. Use other objects from your meeting place as well. Alternatively, leaders can make a list of materials on a piece of paper to call out in the game. Label two pieces of paper with ‘Recycle’ and ‘Rubbish’ respectively and pin them next to each other on a wall. Ask each Beaver to pick up an item and place it underneath the ‘Recycle’ or ‘Rubbish’ sign, to see if they know what materials can be reused and which cannot. Ask if the other Beavers agree. At the end, see which pile has the most material. Talk through with your Beavers about what can be recycled so that there is less damage to the environment.
Make a map of your area
15 mins
Global
Split your Beavers into groups of six and get them to draw a map of a small area around your meeting place on a large piece of paper or recycled card. Try to include an area with some green space on to the map if possible. Give each team of Beavers a sheet of sticky green and red dots to use for the next part of the activity.
Green fact finding 30 mins mission
Global/ Fitness
Each group of Beavers can now go outside with a leader on a green factfinding mission around the area included on the map. For everything that’s green and beneficial to the environment, Beavers can stick a green dot on its map location. ‘Green’ points of interest could include a flower bed, a park or other open space, a cycle lane, woodland path, a recycling bank or a compost heap. Any points of interest which are not good for the environment should be marked with a red sticky dot, such as a traffic junction or rubbish on the floor. Bring the teams back to your meeting place at the end of the evening and compare maps – are there more red or green dots? See what similarities or differences appear on each map and come to a decision about how green the area around your meeting place is.
Closing ceremony 5 mins
N/A
Faith and awareness events June/July 2011 June 2011 June LGBT Pride Month 1-7 Volunteers’ Week 2 Ascension Day (Christian) 5 World Environment Day 6 Dragon Boat Festival (Chinese) 8-9 Shavuot (Jewish) 12 Pentecost (Christian) 16 Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev (Sikh)
Finally, ask your Beavers to each take home a piece of the material brought in to the meeting and recycle it, using a local recycling bank.
19 Trinity Sunday (Christian) 19 Father’s Day 20-26 World Refugee Week 22 World Interfaith Day 23/26 Corpus Christi (Christian) 28 Lailat al Miraj – The Prophet’s Night Journey and Ascension (Islam)
July 2011 3 Ratha Yatra (Hindu) 5 Birth of Guru Hargobind (Sikh) 5-11 Childhood Obesity Week
9 Martyrdom of the Báb (Bahá’í) 11 World Population Day 15 Lailat al Bara’ah – The Night of Forgiveness (Muslim) 15 A salha Puja – Dharma Day (Buddhist) 19 17th Tammuz – fast day (Jewish) 23 Birth of Guru Har Krishen (Sikh) 25 Khordad Sal – Birth of Zoroaster (Zoroastrian)
For more great ideas visit www.scouts.org.uk/pol scouts.org.uk/pol 11
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Look East It’s the Chinese year of the rabbit, but it’s Beavers who are bright eyed and bushy tailed
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brıtısh groups abroad intro
The 1st Nanjing Beavers getting to grips with First Aid
N
anjing is the capital city of the Jiangsu province of China and home to the first Beaver Scout Colony to be formed on the Chinese mainland. The 1st Nanjing Scout Group is part of British Groups Abroad (BGA) supports Groups in eleven countries. Scouting when living abroad can be difficult if families are moving around. Not being able to speak the local language is another problem. BGA is set up as an English Scout County who operate the UK Programme globally. Caroline and Matthew Shepherd are leader and assistant leader of 1st Nanjing Beavers. ‘We started the Colony because we liked the links to home and the programme is fun,’ says Caroline.
Diversity Having lived abroad for over 13 years, Caroline and Matthew have settled in Nanjing with their seven-year-old son and run the Colony with support from the UK-based BGA County Team. The team of volunteers provide advice on training and programme and help with insurance, badges, awards and other administration tasks. The 1st Nanjing Beavers all attend the British School of Nanjing. They meet once a week at the school after lessons as part of the After School Activity Clubs. The common language is English, making communication
easy, however, between them the Beavers can speak nine languages such as Thai, Korean, German and Mandarin. Fourteen countries are represented in the 1st Nanjing with Beavers coming from diverse countries and cultures such as the UK, Australia, Canada and South Korea.
Wall to wall badges Nanjing is surrounded by an ancient wall and the Nanjing BGA District badge shows a lion rampant within the walls of the city. The Beavers are very enthusiastic when it comes to adding to their badge collection. ‘The activities vary from week to week,’ says Caroline, ‘but always build towards collecting a badge to decorate their uniforms’. As part of the Friendship Challenge, they raised money for the Hopeful Hearts charity which provides heart operations for sick children. At the local Winter Fayre, they helped raise 880 yuan (£82) by preparing cookies and cakes to sell.
more info Visit www.scouts.org.uk/bga for further information on British Groups Abroad
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Easter greetings chicken card ky ee ch is th g in ak m ve lo ill w s er Beav
you will need • colour pencils • glue • 1 paper fastener.
Step 1 Go to www.scouts.org.uk/pol and download the Easter Card template. Produce a copy of this sheet for each child. If possible produce the sheets on thin card. Cut out the shape ready for use.
Step 2
Step 3
Design and colour your Easter card.
Apply glue to the feet of the chick.
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MAKE AND DO
STEP 4 Place the bottom half of the egg on to the chick and secure.
STEP 5 Use a paper fastener to join the two halves of the egg.
Questions to ask
STEP 6 Write your Easter card.
• Who is your card for? • What are Easter eggs often made from? • What date is Easter this year?
Fun facts to share • Easter is a Christian religious festival • People give Easter eggs to represent a symbol of new life • The first Easter baskets were made to look like birds’ nest • Easter marks the resurrection of Jesus • Easter falls on a different date each year, so you have to check your calendar to find out which date Easter is this year
For more ideas and activity packs that come pre-cut and creased, complete with all the required accessories, go to www.clever-craft.com. You’ll be amazed what you can do. To receive a free sample pack, become a member on the website. Clever Craft was set up by Andrew Harrold & Craig Bond, both Beaver Scout Leaders with 7th Sefton East (Melling).
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Off the shelf Molly Fassbender says dust off your old books and give them a second life
B
eing able to read can open doors for employment and a better future. For people in Mongolia, the charity Bookbridge has so far provided four teaching libraries at education centres. English is taught to students through the use of books, picture books and dictionaries and there are plans for more libraries to be set up this year both in Mongolia and Cambodia.
The latest issue of Scouting gives details of a national collection being organised between The Scout Association and Bookbridge between 20 June and 3 July. The aim is for UK Scouts to collect 30,000 books for two libraries in Cambodia. There will be activity ideas on Programmes Online during this time – www.scouts.org.uk/pol. The following bookbinding activity will help Beavers think about the importance of books and how they can help by donating.
Mongolian bookbinding Tell your Beavers about Bookbridge who have set up libraries in Mongolia. If you have a globe or map, you could show them where the country is. In Mongolia they have hardly any books because it is a poor country and paper is very expensive. Mongolians take care of their books and never put them on the ground.
you will need
• Sheets of strong paper (such as sugar or watercolour paper), large square pieces of fabric, pens, crayons, PVA glue, ribbon and any other craft decorative items.
Tell the Colony how Mongolian books are made from loose sheets of papers folded in beautiful woven fabric and tied in a bundle with string. Split the Colony into lodges or teams and give each a few pieces of paper. Ask them to write a short story and add some drawings on their pieces of paper. Make sure the paper is landscape format and they only write on one side. Stack the pages together in order and place in the centre of the fabric. Wrap the fabric around the pages and tie together with a piece of ribbon.
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144.
18-19 June 2011 www.scouts.org.uk/fundays Copyright Š 2010 The Scout Association Registered Charity Numbers 306101 (England and Wales) and SC038437 (Scotland).
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‘ Sorry, I don’t have the time.’ We’ve all heard about flexible volunteering, but can it work for you?
B
usy lifestyles and demands on time can make getting much needed help from adults difficult. Research has shown that the main barriers to volunteer recruitment are time pressure and concern over the demands placed on new volunteers. Scouting needs to recognise time restraints placed on individuals and accept help when it is available, by approaching volunteering in a flexible way.
• If you are holding a residential experience you could ask adults to help organise different aspects such as the catering. Planning the whole menu or taking one meal each. • Is there someone who could manage the badge records for you? With a copy of the programme and attendance records, they can work out which challenges/badges have been completed.
Lists, lists and rotas
Over 40 per cent of new volunteers to section roles come from the parents of youth Members (or prospective youth Members). An adult rota is a great way to initially involve parents and other adults in your meetings. Co-ordinating the rota is a task you can hand over and is a great way for the Colony to benefit from the increased help without requiring the adult to make a weekly commitment.
Make a list of tasks you would like help with so you can concentrate on running the Colony. You could ask several parents to take over a task from your list for a set period of time, which will appear more attractive than leaving it open-ended. Doing a task as part of a team will also seem less daunting. • You may find a parent who would enjoy running a craft activity for the Colony either as a one off or on an occasional basis. Other ideas could be teaching a simple dance routine or acting. Learning about a range of faiths and traditions may be something that parents can help you with. • Is there a parent who is a keen hiker, swimmer or cyclist? See if they will get involved in helping you organise an outdoor activity and maybe give a talk about their hobby, suitable for the age range.
more info There are a number of resources to help you with encouraging parents to support the section in a flexible way. Don’t forget the Big Adventure is a great way of getting parents involved – www.scouts.org.uk/bigadventure
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un IFC
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