Scouts go wild @ Balcombes Copse

[Womble]

"I can't help feeling strongly that this is what it's all about, getting the youngsters away from their playstations and the like and giving them the confidence and skills to be comfortable with the minimum of 21st C interference..."

Absolutely.

 

[Grimnir]

Forget the kids, I want to be a part of your scout group! That looks like an excellent camp.

 

[Zodiak]

Nice one Stovie

I used to run "Backwoods" camps for scouts in my troop and they were always one of the highlights of the year, sadly I wouldn't be allowed to do that now thanks to rule 39.f (Camp Ratios) and the troop was getting too big for a quiet weekend.

We always "did" rabbits and bannocks and I like your idea of pigeons. Shelters were always with tarps, nobody would let us cut bushes or foliage for eveybody but we normally made one small group shelter just to see how it was done.

Since becoming ADC I have only been able to run one hands on activity which was an Expedtion for the award which was terrific fun even though we only had 16 kids.

Our County runs survival courses at Treejumpers in Dartford, for 100 or so kids, but personally I still prefer the one leader to a handful of scouts approach, they seem to get more from it.

 

[stovie]

Nice one Stovie

I used to run "Backwoods" camps for scouts in my troop and they were always one of the highlights of the year, sadly I wouldn't be allowed to do that now thanks to rule 39.f (Camp Ratios) and the troop was getting too big for a quiet weekend.

Our County runs survival courses at Treejumpers in Dartford, for 100 or so kids, but personally I still prefer the one leader to a handful of scouts approach, they seem to get more from it.

Hi Zodiak
ratios can be a bit of a pain, but I always have one parent who wants to come along, and i don't want to take more than twelve at one time anyway, because as you intimate, you lose the intimacy of being in the wild. Small groups do acheive more.

cheers

 

[Winston Dover]

Stovie, If ratios are a problem then get other leaders to help. Im am Assistant cub Scout leader, our scouts do Bivvy nights fairly regularly, but as a newbie to bushcraft Id love to help out with someone who knows a bit omre than me, I could learn with the scouts, make new scouting friends and have a great weekend too. With proper comunication between districts other scouters who may be prepared to help could surely do so, and isnt this the spirit of both Bushcraft and Scouting?

Chil, ACSL, SWC.

 

[Trevody]

Excellent stove

I helped out with the local cubs pack recently, basher building and the like and had great fun.
You have certainly given me something to aspire to, when my eldest moves up to scouts.

Trev

 

[stovie]

Stovie, If ratios are a problem then get other leaders to help. Im am Assistant cub Scout leader, our scouts do Bivvy nights fairly regularly, but as a newbie to bushcraft Id love to help out with someone who knows a bit omre than me, I could learn with the scouts, make new scouting friends and have a great weekend too. With proper comunication between districts other scouters who may be prepared to help could surely do so, and isnt this the spirit of both Bushcraft and Scouting?

Chil, ACSL, SWC.

I'm quite lucky, Winston, in that there is always someone who wants to get involved. I have a good network of like-minded people who help out on things such as the above camp. But I totally agree with you about communication between Districts; not enough of that goes on.

Next year, being the centenary, we are organising a camping/bushcraft activity for all scouts and Explorers in our district, so I'm in the throes of organising something along the lines of a hike, with a stop to do some shooting, more hike then archery, then hit the camp and build shelters, fire making and food preparation/cooking, with some pioneering/camp crafts thrown in just for good measure. A lot of organising, but if it comes off should be well worth it.

 

[Winston Dover]

That sounds great Stovie, if you open it out of district give me a shout.

I am chairman of our local scout camp site management group and am looking for ways to get more poeple to use the site, It has great potential for bushcraft in my eyes. Its where I go to practice most of my stuff, there is a shooting/Archery range on site too, although obviously only target.

Hope all goes well for you.

 

[Zodiak]

Stovie, do you use the Survival Skills Badge?

For those who don't have access it requires

Demonstrate knowledge of the following:

- How to prevent and treat the effects of extreme heat (sunstroke and dehydration) and cold (hypothermia).
- The First Aid treatment for external bleeding and shock, the correct method of applying mouth-to-mouth breathing and the dangers involved in moving injured people.
- How to construct different kinds of shelter.
- How to build several different types of fire and the burning qualities of different woods.
- The correct use of the International Distress Signal, using signals involving items such as whistle, torch and mirror.
- Rescue techniques, for example, air and sea rescue.
- Edible plants, or fruit, or both.
- A suitable method of filtering and purifying water.

With a group of at least three Scouts, take part in a survival exercise lasting about 24 hours, during which the group will:

- Construct a shelter of natural or salvaged materials and sleep in it.
- Cook all meals over an open fire.
- Cook without utensils or aluminium foil. A knife may be used.
- Demonstrate methods of finding direction by day or night without a compass.

I used to use about 75% of that but replaced the rescue and navigation bits with how to look after a knife and axe, plus sessions on starting fire without matches and various items of kit like folding saws.

Its a shame that HQ didn't use th ecurrent badge review to update the requirements

 

[dommyracer]

When I was in Scouts (about 13-14 years ago), when it was the 'Backwoodsman' badge, our Scout District ran a course for the badge for the whole District.

3 or 4 scouts from each interested troop attended a series of theory lessons that were held over a period of 6-8 weeks at one of the larger troops' huts, with instruction given by a chap who I believe was with 21 SAS

Then we all did a weekend at the County Scout Camp where we demonstrated all the necessary skills, obviously there was a few leaders there, drawing on various Troops.

It worked very well, though obviously only gave a small amount of experienced Scouts the opportunity to get the badge.

 

[stovie]

Stovie, do you use the Survival Skills Badge?
.......
I used to use about 75% of that but replaced the rescue and navigation bits with how to look after a knife and axe, plus sessions on starting fire without matches and various items of kit like folding saws.

Its a shame that HQ didn't use th ecurrent badge review to update the requirements

Hi Zodiak
yes is the short answer.
And like you, I modify it to suit the scouts needs. The scouts that attened the camp had completed the theory aspects before, and those that have completed the theory but didn't make it to the camp will get a chance later in the year.

I've also come up with a rescue scenario that involves a volunteer being injured, and requires the scouts to assess the situation, move if they feel it's appropriate, or call for help/give first aid. They know nothing about it before hand, and for a while they treat it as very real. Works well once, or with a new group. I've had to stop them dialling 999 before (an appropriate action) but not when it's an exercise

 

[stovie]

That sounds great Stovie, if you open it out of district give me a shout.

I am chairman of our local scout camp site management group and am looking for ways to get more poeple to use the site, It has great potential for bushcraft in my eyes. Its where I go to practice most of my stuff, there is a shooting/Archery range on site too, although obviously only target.

Hope all goes well for you.

Cheers Winston.

Out of interest which site are you chairman for? PM me if you don't want to make it public

 

[Bhold]

Stovie, congratulations! Really nice experience for the kids.
I was a leader in a scout´s group in Brazil some years ago. It worked the other way around, though: as many of the boys were of a countryside background, we learned a lot from them. Since then I have been learning some interesting stuff, and barely can wait to get involved again, as soon as I am definitively back in Brazil (I will be in Manchester from oct 2006 to oct 2008, finishing a thesis on Social Anthropology).
Don´t know were you are, but if you need any help, I would be very glad of getting involved and help planning some interesting activities.
All the best,