I think that's what the leader said. They were close to the 24 beaver maximum and as a skills assistant I'd never have more than 6 kids to deal with and always with a leader either on the water or on the bank doing the main care bit.
Volunteering for local beavers / cubs / scouts?
- Thread starter Paul_B
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Our beavers leader is pretty good. She doesn't get phased by anything the kids do. Anything a bit weird (and 6 to 8 year olds can be very weird at times) she just goes "oh!" then straight back into her game. Respect is due IMHO.
Personally I am more worried about older kids. I don't really have much experience having only one at 6yo and not much contact with relative's kids. I also know a few of the local beavers through my son's school and local facilities. Small town means you recognise people and see the same people because you go to the same places. Younger seem easier to deal with to me.
Anyway, thanks everyone. The information you've given me helps give me confidence to go for it. I hope you don't mind if I report back as things go forward and if I have more questions?
Personally I am more worried about older kids. I don't really have much experience having only one at 6yo and not much contact with relative's kids. I also know a few of the local beavers through my son's school and local facilities. Small town means you recognise people and see the same people because you go to the same places. Younger seem easier to deal with to me.
Anyway, thanks everyone. The information you've given me helps give me confidence to go for it. I hope you don't mind if I report back as things go forward and if I have more questions?
I haven’t had the mickey taken out of me for a long long time.
When I first started as a Cub Leader, I would occasionally get someone who would say, “DYB DYB DYB, DOB DOB DOB” to me, I would normally stop and politely explain where that came from and how it has changed now, they would either be interested and learn something or their eyes would glaze over and as they tried to back away I would follow and keep talking to them.
I think most adults recognise that you are Doug something for the community.
Ratios change per section, and using parents can help with that, for cubs and Scouts I think they only apply if you are going out, Cubs used to 8 cubs to 1 adult + a leader in charge, so up to 8 two leaders, over 8 up to 16, three and so on. If an adult has their child their who is below cub age they are not included in the ratio, if mixed group then the lower ratio applies.
Scouts is just 2 adults, which can be confusing as you could have a group of twenty 10 year old scouts with 2 leaders, but twenty 10.5 year old cubs would need 4 leaders!
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When I first started as a Cub Leader, I would occasionally get someone who would say, “DYB DYB DYB, DOB DOB DOB” to me, I would normally stop and politely explain where that came from and how it has changed now, they would either be interested and learn something or their eyes would glaze over and as they tried to back away I would follow and keep talking to them.
I think most adults recognise that you are Doug something for the community.
Ratios change per section, and using parents can help with that, for cubs and Scouts I think they only apply if you are going out, Cubs used to 8 cubs to 1 adult + a leader in charge, so up to 8 two leaders, over 8 up to 16, three and so on. If an adult has their child their who is below cub age they are not included in the ratio, if mixed group then the lower ratio applies.
Scouts is just 2 adults, which can be confusing as you could have a group of twenty 10 year old scouts with 2 leaders, but twenty 10.5 year old cubs would need 4 leaders!
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For news day, our son's school is don't orienteering today as part of sports week at schools. I used to do that at 13 or if school and 16 at school. A great sport IMHO because you get fit and learn navigation and other aspects such as learning about terrain.
I think all schools should offer it as a sports option.
I think all schools should offer it as a sports option.
Having been involved with the cubs for awhile and weasled my way onto a couple of camps with the scouts as an extra hand, you can see some of the little irks you've had to put up with become reasonable young people, and then feel some pride in having influenced them into becoming reasonable people 
Yes ages are not fixed, we tend to let them up and pass them on at the start / end of a term, sometimes mates will wait for the other one to be an acceptable age so they can all go up together, some are just more mature / responsible etc.
Yes ages are not fixed, we tend to let them up and pass them on at the start / end of a term, sometimes mates will wait for the other one to be an acceptable age so they can all go up together, some are just more mature / responsible etc.
Having been involved with the cubs for awhile and weasled my way onto a couple of camps with the scouts as an extra hand, you can see some of the little irks you've had to put up with become reasonable young people, and then feel some pride in having influenced them into becoming reasonable people
Conversely I used to help at Scouts, when I was the Cub leader and the sixer who would be teaching his six how to tie knots would the week after they move to scouts be incapable of tying their shoe laces.
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BTW if you have any kids still learning to tie laces there's a good video online for a cheat.
Basically stick the ends of the laces into the top hole on their sides. With the resulting loop tie a simple overhand knot. Do another one for a double bow fit security then release the ends of the laces from the holes.
I only point this out because anyone teaching kids to tie laces will appreciate this method because kids can manage it easier than any other technique. And it's not easy teaching them to tie laces at times. Possibly more important in beavers than cubs though.
I think anyone who spends time looking after groups of kids at the same sort of ages will learn tricks and ways to deal / handle / control / teach them. Life skills learnt through experience.
Basically stick the ends of the laces into the top hole on their sides. With the resulting loop tie a simple overhand knot. Do another one for a double bow fit security then release the ends of the laces from the holes.
I only point this out because anyone teaching kids to tie laces will appreciate this method because kids can manage it easier than any other technique. And it's not easy teaching them to tie laces at times. Possibly more important in beavers than cubs though.
I think anyone who spends time looking after groups of kids at the same sort of ages will learn tricks and ways to deal / handle / control / teach them. Life skills learnt through experience.
Not " Baden Powell " related, but I take groups out on walks and outdoor skills, and before I even got asked for my qualifications I had to meet all the criteria for "Enhanced Disclosure" I take it similar must apply with anyone involved with cubs/scouts etc ?
Why cheat learning how to tie shoe laces?
Do it the proper way.
Do not dumb down the young ones. They do not deserve it.
Do it the proper way.
Do not dumb down the young ones. They do not deserve it.
It’s not a case of dumbing down, but of finding different ways that are easier.
There will be many things that you learnt as a youngster to do one way, but as you learned you found easier ways of doing it.
When you come to teach it do you teach the original way or the easier way?
I learnt and still tie my laces by making a loop and wrapping the other lace around it. But an easier way, is to “make a loop and then another, one goes under and over the other”.
The other thing I do and some may consider this harsh, is I tell the parents not to send their YP in lace up shoes if they can’t tie them up themselves. It’s not for us to teach their child all the basic life skills.
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I recently learned, what I first considered a 'cheat' way of tying my laces, from the description very similar to duggie bravo method. If you make two separate loops and go one under over but do it twice then it makes a very secure knot - even more secure that a 'standard' double knot I learnt as a child. And as a bonus it is very easy to undo, and doesn't bind into an awkward to undo knot.
I also learned multiple ways to lace boots, not just the 'normal' cross type pattern.
I also learned multiple ways to lace boots, not just the 'normal' cross type pattern.
With the ’oldfashioned way’ you just pull on one or both of the loose ends to undo, but need to undo the knot itself with the ’new way’?
of course, if you pull on both of the loops you get a nasty knot, more difficult to undo than if it was created with 4 (2+2) laces.
I use leather laces in most of my shoes, and a knot can be very difficult to undo if the leather gets wet and swells.
of course, if you pull on both of the loops you get a nasty knot, more difficult to undo than if it was created with 4 (2+2) laces.
I use leather laces in most of my shoes, and a knot can be very difficult to undo if the leather gets wet and swells.
Yes the old fashioned way you pull the loose ends to undo. But to secure that to double the knot as it were I was originally taught to pass the loops again under and over each other, leading to a potentially difficult knot to undo. However the new way starting with two loops you still just pull on a free end to undo easily, also if you pass the loops under and over each other multiple timed it makes it more secure but still maintaining the ability to undo with just pulling the free ends.
I don't think I've done a very good job of explaining, but I'll try to look out the webpage I discovered it on...
Edit////////
Anyway, cubs is awesome - go out there and do it
I don't think I've done a very good job of explaining, but I'll try to look out the webpage I discovered it on...
Edit////////
Anyway, cubs is awesome - go out there and do it
I will try that way, and might become a convert!
The Scouting movement is awersome. It has been copied by many countries, but usually given a dose of politics.
My dad was one of the last troops debanded by the Germans, then changed into Hitler Jugend, then one of the first to convert again to Scouting, then debanded and changed into Red Pioneers.
I asked him when I became a scout with was the best, he told me Scouts were most fun as they did not do any political crap, the Scouts and HJ had the same bushcraft stuff, HJ the best songs and the RP the nicest uniform.
They made him into a good man.
The Scouting movement is awersome. It has been copied by many countries, but usually given a dose of politics.
My dad was one of the last troops debanded by the Germans, then changed into Hitler Jugend, then one of the first to convert again to Scouting, then debanded and changed into Red Pioneers.
I asked him when I became a scout with was the best, he told me Scouts were most fun as they did not do any political crap, the Scouts and HJ had the same bushcraft stuff, HJ the best songs and the RP the nicest uniform.
They made him into a good man.
Scouting is a world wide institute. I believe the figure is 28 million members world wide.
One of our scouts is attending the World jamboree in America this month.
Part of the criteria for attending is that each county (Oxfordshire etc) raises money to help pay for scouts from poorer countries to attend.
The target for Oxfordshire which they are just about to hit is £160,000 pounds.
Chalkflint
One of our scouts is attending the World jamboree in America this month.
Part of the criteria for attending is that each county (Oxfordshire etc) raises money to help pay for scouts from poorer countries to attend.
The target for Oxfordshire which they are just about to hit is £160,000 pounds.
Chalkflint
Are you sure it’s 28 million and not half a dozen beavers running around as you try to count them? 
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The meeting up of other groups is always good. Our beavers leader praised two of the kids for mixing on a get together for different groups. Apparently they disappeared and joined in with the other group all day.
I had a mate who worked for the LEA in an outdoors centre. A lot of the work he did was based on trying to integrate kids from different backgrounds. Being Lancashire this often meant Asian and white kids. It sounded like an uphill struggle that always failed. That was about 10 years ago, perhaps things are better now. I just wonder whether scouts does any better in that aspect?
I had a mate who worked for the LEA in an outdoors centre. A lot of the work he did was based on trying to integrate kids from different backgrounds. Being Lancashire this often meant Asian and white kids. It sounded like an uphill struggle that always failed. That was about 10 years ago, perhaps things are better now. I just wonder whether scouts does any better in that aspect?
Well I survived another Scout camp this weekend. 56 young people of all ages Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers.
The most enjoyable part is always seeing so many youngsters enjoying themselves. We split them up into teams of mixed ages and the older ones were brilliant at encouraging the beavers etc to participate.
No one backed out of any activities and we had 6-8 year old beavers doing climbing activities 10 metres above the ground. It always impresses me what kids can achieve when given the opportunity.
Couple of funny moments. Apparently the Explorers did not heed the advice to keep the back of the patrol tent fastened up and during the night a badger came in for a sniff around.
One of the leaders I shared a tent with was using his new down filled sleeping bag.Unfortunately it got a small tear in it and the next morning the tent looked like we sacrificed a chicken during the night.
If you have ever tried sweeping up down all it achieves is make it air borne. We ended up damping down the floor of the tent to get the feathers out.
Had a great time but hard work and totally exhausted. Crawled into work on the Monday only to realise we were taking the scouts sailing that evening.
No rest for the wicked.
Chalkflint
The most enjoyable part is always seeing so many youngsters enjoying themselves. We split them up into teams of mixed ages and the older ones were brilliant at encouraging the beavers etc to participate.
No one backed out of any activities and we had 6-8 year old beavers doing climbing activities 10 metres above the ground. It always impresses me what kids can achieve when given the opportunity.
Couple of funny moments. Apparently the Explorers did not heed the advice to keep the back of the patrol tent fastened up and during the night a badger came in for a sniff around.
One of the leaders I shared a tent with was using his new down filled sleeping bag.Unfortunately it got a small tear in it and the next morning the tent looked like we sacrificed a chicken during the night.
If you have ever tried sweeping up down all it achieves is make it air borne. We ended up damping down the floor of the tent to get the feathers out.
Had a great time but hard work and totally exhausted. Crawled into work on the Monday only to realise we were taking the scouts sailing that evening.
No rest for the wicked.
Chalkflint
Got my DBS certificate through the post. Very quickly, about 3 days! Must have led a good, clean and wholesome life! More likely lived in the same house for 19+ years so less checking to do!
Now I need an interview and two independent character references. Seems a lot to me. A colleague is cleared to coach kids at his local football club. He only had the DBS certificate part to do. Why is the system more complex for scouts?
Now I need an interview and two independent character references. Seems a lot to me. A colleague is cleared to coach kids at his local football club. He only had the DBS certificate part to do. Why is the system more complex for scouts?
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