Parent Information
The Scout Association is the largest co-educational youth movement in the UK, Scouting provides adventurous activities and personal development opportunities for over 400,000 young people.
There are 4 main ‘Sections’ in Scouting –
Squirrels – for 4 – 6 years
Beavers – for 6 to 8 years
Cubs – for 8 to 101⁄2 years
Scouts – for 101⁄2 to 14 years
Scouting gives young people the opportunity to learn by doing, as part of a balanced programme. Our programme is a continuous progression of training, activities and awards that covers everything young people do in Scouting from the age of 4 to 14.
Every step of the way, we try to encourage friendship, social skills, teamwork, and confidence and most importantly have fun!
When do you meet?
The usual meeting times for our 4 sections are:
- Squirrels – Thursdays 5 – 6pm
- Beavers – Tuesdays 5:15 – 6:30pm
- Cubs – Tuesdays 6:45 – 8:15pm
- Scouts – Thursdays 7-9pm
Times of individual weekly meetings may vary due to activity, location, etc. If you want to come along and visit us, please get in touch first. We do ask that members arrive at meetings on time and are collected on time and it is useful to know in advance if a member is going to miss a weekly meeting.
As a guide, our terms are the same as the Kent County Council School term calendar although we may run some special events and activities during the holidays.
Where do you meet?
All our Sections are based at the “Billabong” Scout Headquarters, St. Crispins Road, Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, CT8 8EB. We sometimes meet at an activity location instead this will be notified in advance
How much does it cost?
Subscriptions (Subs) are payable termly, currently subs are £25 per term for the first young person in Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs and Scouts then Siblings will be charged at the cost of £20 per term.
This includes:
- Membership of the Group/Unit, District, County and National Scout Association
- Insurance
- Use and upkeep of our Scout HQ
- Cost of materials and resources for weekly meetings and some District events
Camps, Trips, and some activities are charged separately. As a rough guideline, expect to pay around £20-35 per 24 hours for a camp (dependant on location, etc). Trips are generally charged “at cost” although we usually get a lower admission rate than the general public.
The Group has access to funds both locally and nationally and we encourage parents to talk to a Leader if they would like help with the cost of scouting. Some parents prefer to pay in instalments while we are able to make sure that other children continue with the group through other sources of funding. Cost should not be a bar to membership – “no child left behind.”
Subs must be paid on time or contact made if you would like some support.
Is there a Uniform?
Once your child has been with us for a few weeks, she or he will need the correct uniform for their Section, and this should be worn to all meetings unless told otherwise. Until they have uniform, they should wear comfy clothes for their first few meetings, suitable for sporty games.
Does my child have to go Camping?
A key part of Scouting is going away from home on residential “nights away” trips. These are a mix of camps, indoor sleepovers, and expeditions. Typically, Squirrels, Beavers will be offered at least one nights away experience each year (often a two night camp or residential), Cubs and Scouts will be offered at more nights away experiences each year.
Whilst attendance at camps is not *required* it is strongly encouraged and is a core part of the programme. Over the years we have found that young people who do not attend the camps miss out on a huge part of the Scouting Experience. Equally young people are not able to complete their Chief Scout Award without attending residentials. If you have any concerns about your young person attending camps, or about paying for them, please do talk to us!
Will my Child be Safe?
The Scout Association has a safeguarding policy that we follow. This includes DBS checks for all our volunteers, running safeguarding training for them and following correct procedures at all our events. Have a look at The Scout Association’s Child Protection Policy. A qualified first aider is present for all activities and appropriate first aid equipment is available whether we are in the hall or out and about.
Scouting encourages young people to take sensible risks in a controlled way. Throughout their time in Scouting your child will climb trees, light fires, and learn to use axes, saws & knives, as well as taking part in a number of adventurous activities. We recognise that minor injuries are an inevitable part of childhood but follow risk assessments and operating procedures to ensure that all activities are run safely.
Can Girls join Scouts?
Yes certainly! All of our Sections have accepted both girls and boys for many years now.
How does my child join?
Please complete our online joining form which gives us all information we require about you and your child. We will then get in touch with you by your preferred method and give you further information about the joining process.
Please note we have a waiting list for Squirrels as do most Squirrels in our area so if you want to give your child the best chance of getting a space in Squirrels we recommend adding them to our waiting list by using the online joining form before they are 4. However, we do not accept people onto the waiting list before they are 2.
When a Section is full spaces are allocated according to our waiting list policy.
Will I be expected to help?
In a word, Yes. The entire Scout Group is run by volunteers including all our Leaders and we need help from our member’s parents to keep running. However how much you help is up to you and can vary from simply supporting our occasional social events and fundraising efforts, helping out with weekly meetings occasionally as part of a parent rota to becoming a Leader yourself if you decide you want to.
We also have charity trustees called the Executive Committee, made up of Leaders and parents who are responsible for the overall running of the Group especially the Group’s finances and we ask annually for parents to join this committee.
Volunteering for the group is very rewarding and can be great fun. We run a range of social events for parents and families throughout the year, and it’s a great way to make new friends – for the adults as well as the kids!
How is the Group Managed
Scouting has a defined Leadership structure. Each Section is run by a Section Team Leaders with support from Section Team Members. The Group Lead Volunteer Team has overall responsibility for all Scouting activities in the Group and they are ultimately overseen by a District Lead Volunteer orTeam.
As a Scout Association Scout Group, the Group is an excepted charity, and as such is managed by trustees known as the Trustee Board. This committee is made up of Leaders, parents, and lay members.
Is Scouting a Religious Organisation
Scouting is open to those of any faith, or no faith at all. During your son or daughter’s time in Scouting they will be encouraged to explore their own beliefs, and to learn about world faiths. Various versions of the Scout Promise are available, and your son/daughter will be encouraged to make their own choice as to which they would like to make. Whilst we do encourage young people to explore their faith, Scouting is not itself a religious organisation.
However, we are supported by the St. Saviours Church. The Group take part in a special Services in the Church throughout the year. Whilst these services are entirely voluntary to attend, we do try to get as many of us there as possible and all members of all faiths or none are encouraged to join us for the services, which are child friendly.
