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Patrol programme

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ine The magaazders for Scout Lcetober/ O ber 2010 m e v o N

The axeman cometh

Eddie Langdownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guide to axes and saws

E S A E L P E G N A H ALL C n to Scouts o e v o m o t bs Helping Cu

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Your Scout Support Team Alasdair McBay – UK Adviser (Scout Section), Bianca Cole – Programme and Development Adviser

WELCOME INTRO

New girl in town

Contact them at: programme@scouts.org.uk Scout Support Team The Scout Association, Gilwell Park, Chingford, London E4 7QW; Tel. 0845 300 1818 Advertising Richard Ellacott richard.ellacott@thinkpublishing.co.uk Tel: 020 8962 1258 Read all other Section supplements online at www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

This issue, we roll out the welcome mat for Bianca Cole, the new Programme and Development Adviser for Scouts

CONTRIBUTORS

Regulars Eddie Langdown is a Group Scout Leader in central London and our resident skills expert. Louise Henderson is a Scout Leader in Moray and writes regularly on the subject of Patrols. This issue we are giving away a special Join-in-Jamboree resource; packed with activities and ideas for you to try with your Troop.

To begin with I would like to thank Nicola Ashby for overseeing the Scouts supplement over the past few months and for helping me settle into my new role. I am very excited to be the Programme and Development Adviser for Scouts and can’t wait to get my teeth into developing projects that will help the section grow. This is where I enlist your help as leaders to help me make your supplement all about you and your experiences. If you have any great stories to tell, news you want to celebrate or you just want to pass on advice then please get in touch via programme@scouts.org.uk And if you have any events that the our team could attend or ideas that you think could feature in this supplement then do get in touch. This issue Eddie Langdown has written a fantastic skills piece about hand axes. This is an important Scouting skill but one with obvious safety issues, which sometimes generate a lack of confidence among young people. We look at an initiative in Fordell Firs to help Cubs move through to Scouts and Louise Henderson offers her usual look at Patrols and their important place in the Scout section. Meanwhile Chief Scout Bear Grylls has been leading the way in encouraging leaders to get Scouts to achieve the Chief Scout’s Gold Award by hosting his 24-hour survival camp for Scouts. You can read all about this in your accompanying Scouting magazine (page 35). Lastly, we also feature our special Join-in-Jamboree resource. This aims to give you a host of activities that will inspire you to create a balanced programme in the year leading up to, and throughout, Jamboree 2011 whether you are going to Sweden or not.

Contents 4 The cutting crew Safe yet fun ways to get your Scouts used to axes and saws

6 Fast forward A new camping initiative in Scotland to help Cubs move on to Scouts

10 Is training always enough? Maintaining a good Patrol Leader requires constant attention to their needs

7 Promos The latest offers, activities and resources from our partners

scouts.org.uk/pol

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The cutting crew

ers Skills expert Eddie Langdown off to ys wa some ideas on safe yet fun teach an important Scouting skill

was recently involved in refreshing our 2011 County Jamboree contingent on axe and saw skills. While doing so, I found that only half had ever seriously used them, and even less felt confident doing so. If your Troop owns hand axes and saws and expects Scouts to use them, my serious advice is that they, and all your adults and Young Leaders practise safety rules just about every week around your camping season. The youngest can start, supervised, using two hands with a light axe.

1. Axes and saws are dangerous

How to teach hand axe and saw

A cooking fire needs a steady supply of sawn and split hardwood logs. Posts and pegs need pointing and dresser hooks can be chopped from twiggy branches.

Prepare by reading the Uses of Axes and Saws factsheet (FS315070). Collect examples of different axes: lighter and heavier, sharp, blunt, loose and a felling axe. Source some single, two-handed and folding saws. Use a solid chopping block (bring one back from camp). You need to have your Scouts’ complete attention so don’t bore them by naming parts of the axe. Start by passing the tools around while discussing safety and common sense rules. Always keep in mind the following:

You could easily lose a finger or smash an axe into your foot or knee. A saw is a row of razor blades that could rip a hand open. Step on it and you might tear ligaments. Achieve eye contact when teaching; don’t be side-tracked by tales of horror movies.

2. Axes and saws are safe if you follow the safety rules every time, all the time See box below for tips on safety rules.

3. Using axes and saws is is a great skill

Start them sawing and then chopping in pairs Supervise closely. Personally I find all this chopping a ‘v’ unnecessarily wasteful (you may find differently). If the wood is thicker than a broomstick it is best sawed. Use hand axes for splitting and pointing wood.

A R

Work through and teach the following safety points: 1. Preparing yourself and having a partner. 2. Getting to know the axe/saw and the block. 3. Organising and creating the safe area. 4. How to pass and carry tools. 5. How to squat – with thumbs and fingers safe. 6. Keeping others safe, when to stop, leaving tools safe. 7. As you talk, pass axes around. Let them hear the ‘ring’ of a sharp axe when they drag their fingers across it, not along it!

Th Tr re th re Sc in an C So re re po w ad el fit m

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SKILLS

TOP TEACHING TIPS • Try to catch them out by wrongly handing them the wooden haft and not the metal head. This way they will learn safe handling by fun and repetition. • Trick them by walking up to them while they are chopping. See if they stop when you get too near. Make them ‘order’ you to step away in a loud authoritative voice. • Get them to saw a natural tent peg out of a forked branch, and point it with an axe. • Have a splitting competition. See who can keep splitting a small log the thinnest, taking turns at splitting the thinnest piece each time. Or try splitting matchsticks.

Get in touch Do you have any other tips for teaching this skill? Has Eddie offered some useful ideas which you hadn’t thought of before? Let us know at scouting.magazine@scouts.org.uk

More skills Using axes and saws is just one of the many skills covered in A Complete Guide to Scouting Skills. Available from Scout Shops for just £9.99. www.scouts.org.uk/shop

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i.Eat i.Sleep i.Scout T-shirt Ref 1028202R

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The adult Hooded Sweatshirt with the Scouts ‘be prepared’ logo embroidered on the front. Ideal for wearing at camp when the weather turns cold. Sizes: XS-XXL

This T-shirt has a modern look for wearing when uniform is not required and is a great addition to the i.Scout range. Sizes: S-XXL

With the Chief Scout’s signature and footprint motif, this is a fantastic addition to the i.Scout range. Fabric: 100% cotton, Sizes: S-XXL

Scout Section Knitted Beanie Navy Ref 1027446

Scout ‘Be Prepared’ Knitted Hat Navy Ref 1027660

A knitted Beanie with the Scout section logo.

An essential on cool evenings at camp or on a hike. The whole Troop will want one.

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All proﬁts go back into Scouting. The Scout Association Registered Charity number 306101 (England and Wales) and SC038437 (Scotland).

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Fordell fast forward

National e from across Scotland to Fordell Firs Around 300 Cubs and Scouts cam iasm – hus y brought leaders, tents, energy, ent The y. Ma in Fife in tre cen y ivit Act re to watch and the sun. Ruth Bennett was the

he camp had been commissioned for older Cubs and younger Scouts as there was concern about the drop-off rates between the sections. Some brought young people from both sections while others just had either Cubs or Scouts, depending on the current age make-up of the Group. Camp chief Richard Fairbairn, Assistant District Commissioner Cub Scouts for Midlothian, and his team organised a fantastic weekend of activities using the permanent features of Fordell Firs like King Swing and grass sledges as well as other bases such as hunting famous people and woggle-making. A full programme of activities was on offer which kept everyone busy. There were smiles all round and screams of enjoyment all weekend culminating in a Scout’s Own on Sunday afternoon. Over the weekend all the young people worked together, made new friends, got to know those in their own Group better – and discovered that Scouts are not scary and Cubs are not annoying! Leaders had a fantastic weekend too and were able to chat and share ideas – the best bit about camps.

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Was it worth it? Judging by the graffiti wall comments (see box) it was. Obviously we won’t know until the census whether all the Cubs will move on to Scouts but it has forged stronger links between the two sections within the Groups involved. Most importantly though everyone learned that we achieve more together and the weekend could not have happened without that teamwork.

PARTICIPANTS’ GRAFFITI WALL COMMENTS

Trampoli ne was I’m hav ing a great time! Bungee an Reg – E AWESOM I’m mak ing new friends – Ross of it. WOW – Simon Awesome! Lovi ng ever y second ld come back any day! wou I t. The camp has been grea but fun! The camp has been very tiring ly fun! real is It s! rock Fast Forward ly want to come aga in. nite defi I . zing ama is Fordell Firs halie I love this camp, it is great! – Nat Beth – I thin k it is super fun, fun, fun! ays busy!!! It’s real ly great so far, you’re alw ying it very muc h! enjo am I and Scouting is real ly good p like this Rea lly fun and want to have a cam Gale – in aga d! – Blyt h I thin k this camp is very, very goo ts rule!! Scou , ever e Amazing fun! Best tim t. lian bril is ard I thin k Fordell Fast Forw to. been I’ve p It’s the best cam p ever! I’m hav ing a gr8 time. Best cam activities. the are so and here t It’s grea Good for mak ing new friends rocks! I’m hav ing a great time so far, it Scouting Rules – Beth One of my favourite ever camps! It’s awesome! – Elea nor ’t want to leave! This feels like home now. I don

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Interactive resource for DIY badge An interactive resource has been launched by WD-40 as part of the company’s sponsorship of the Scout DIY Activity Badge The educational tool, in the form of a website, guides Scouts and leaders through the process of gaining the badge. Safety is a key focus and the site ensures that Scouts learn about the potential hazards relating to DIY and how to stay safe. The microsite also includes tips and suggestions for ways in which WD-40 multi-purpose product can help in the home and garden including cleaning paintbrushes, removing crayon from walls, cleaning and protecting garden equipment, and preventing corrosion on tools. Although the site has been designed for Scouts to access at home, there are also downloadable resources for leaders to use with the Troop. It includes a step-by-step guide to creating a handmade toolbox and features a game where Scouts must put each action in the correct order against the clock.

WD-40’s Senior Brand Manager Neil Gow says: ‘After recent research by WD-40 found that people would rather call in a professional than tackle simple DIY tasks by themselves, we felt we needed to teach tomorrow’s homeowners how to carry out simple DIY jobs. ‘We believe by sponsoring the DIY Activity Badge and providing this interactive resource we can educate the DIY experts of the future.’

more info Leaders and Scouts can access the resource at www.scouts.org.uk/wd40

Write a short adventure story and win a visit from Chris Bradford Chris Bradford, The Puffin Adventure Challenge Award Champion, author of Puffin’s Young Samurai series and former Scout will demonstrate how to become a young samurai with a mind-blowing sword display, all-kicking book reading and much more How to enter

The Puffin Adventure Challenge Award

Write and email a children’s adventure story (no more than 500 words) to scouting. magazine@scouts.org.uk by 15 October 2010. Please also briefly outline where your visit from Chris might take place and how you would secure an audience of at least 75 people. Visit www.scouts.org.uk/puffin for Chris’s helpful hints on writing for children and to see him in action in the new Puffin Adventure Challenge Award video. You can motivate your Troop to start their quest for the award by sharing this video with them.

Whether they’re into sailing, orienteering or cycling, the Puffin Adventure Challenge Award will set your Scouts on the right course. The newly refreshed resources pack, including wall chart and cards, will outline the tasks involved, taking Scouts on extreme adventures with Puffin’s most popular adventure titles; Young Samurai by Chris Bradford, TimeRiders by Alex Scarrow, The Enemy by Charlie Higson, Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer and Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan.

Download or order your pack today at www.scouts.org.uk/puffin

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PROMO

Chubb Fire annual Christmas card competition Chubb Fire is calling on Scout Groups to put their creative skills into action to spread a fire safety message in its annual Christmas card competition This year’s competition challenges Scouts to design a card on the theme of ‘How fire is involved in your Christmas’. Scouts are asked to picture ways that fire features such as toasting chestnuts or keeping warm. The winning design will be used as Chubb Fire’s Christmas e-card. The competition is open to Beaver, Cub and Scout Groups with entries produced by the whole Group. The winner will also receive £300 towards a Group outdoor activity. Two runners up will win £100 each. The closing date is 29 October with the winner announced by 12 November. ‘Previous entries have always been of a high standard,’ says Jane Garland, Chubb Fire’s Marketing Communications

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Manager. ‘It’s great to see so many Scouts getting into the festive spirit. Customers loved last year’s designs and we look forward to seeing this year’s entries.’ The competition is part of Chubb Fire’s ongoing support for The Scout Association and its commitment to spreading the fire safety message. Earlier this year, it renewed its sponsorship of the Fire Safety Badge which offers advice on fire prevention, detection and escape routes, causes of fire, calling the Fire Brigade, fire blanket and extinguisher usage, and fire safety for the home. Since its introduction in November 2003 more than 74,000 Scouts have received the badge. more info For further details on the competition and the Fire Safety Badge, visit www.chubb.co.uk and go to the News & Resources page.

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Is training always enough? There is more to inspiring a good Patrol Leader than just training says Louise Henderson

hat would a snapshot of a perfect Troop night look like? Perhaps it would feature Patrols with everyone engaged and the Patrol Leader helping a young Scout with an unfamiliar skill. This is not easy to achieve and may end up with the Scout Leader wondering if all the Patrol Leader training has been a waste of time. Even with the best training in the world Patrol Leaders are only human (and 12 or 13 years old). As well as the skills for their role they need the programme to be designed to allow them to use their training or they are left feeling bored and inadequate. A Patrol Leader naturally tends to want to lead from the front but this is not always best. A useful question to consider is whether it’s always necessary for them to do the task. This can produce interesting discussions as they consider the merits of leading from the front as opposed to co-ordinating from above, and hopefully conclude that each has its place depending on the activity.

Forward planning Another good tip is to spend time with the Patrol Leaders the preceding week to run through the forthcoming task and get them to consider how they might effectively organise their Patrol. This can be an interesting process to observe as they make the change from planning their own actions to planning those of others.

This can also work retrospectively if an evening has gone wrong for no apparent reason. The Patrol Leaders can discuss what would have made it better. The usual result is that they decide that it would have been better if they’d delegated parts of the task rather than trying to do everything themselves.

The right task In order to create the best chance for the Patrol Leader to run the Patrol in a positive and productive way the programme has to be designed to give them all the help it can. For instance, consider the programme titled ‘Five ways to cook an egg’. There’s wood to collect, a fire to light, an orange to be hollowed, a flat rock to find, a tin to turn into a stove, a safety pin to be stuck in an egg, a stick to be threaded through an egg and so on. The whole Patrol has something to do and is working towards a common end. The Patrol Leader is in control and, more importantly, the Patrol sees him/her as being competent and everyone has a busy and enjoyable evening. So next time your Troop night has dissolved into barely organised chaos and you wonder what on earth the Patrol Leaders are up to, consider if maybe they are just doing the best they can within the constraints of the activity you gave them.

10 Scouts October/November 2010

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