Have fun outdoors, changing lives

Whakaoriori Air Scout Group was formed in October 2018, when the last two scout groups in Masterton - Lansdowne Scout Group and Te Runga Air Scout Group - merged to become Whakaoriori Air Scout Group.

There are now only three scout groups left in Wairarapa; Greytown Scout Group, Carterton Scout Group and Whakaoriori Air Scout Group.

This also coincides with three types of scout groups throughout NZ. Land Scouts, Sea Scouts and Air Scouts. Together they make up 305 scout groups of which only nine are air scouts. Whakaoriori Air Scout Group is proud to be just one of those nine. Each group is run by volunteers who are known as Leaders. At Whakaoriori there are 8 Leaders who run 4 sections: Venturers from ages 14 to 18, Scouts from ages 11 to 14, Cubs from ages 8 to 11, and Keas from ages 5 to 8. Many Leaders cover more than one section which means they do multiple nights per week.

They put in many long hours to organise a fun and exciting programme for young people to enjoy, as well as organise camps, tramps and other activities throughout each term.

Volunteering can sometimes appear to some, as a thankless role with little reward, but for volunteer Leaders there are plenty of benefits. Like seeing the development in a young person from when they first started. Watching youngsters step outside their comfort zones and give things a go. Or seeing adolescents grow in confidence and develop new life skills. Perhaps most rewarding is seeing the influence they themselves can have on bringing a smile to a young persons face and helping them achieve their goals.

The purpose of Scouts is to empower youth through adventurous experiences so they can lead lives that make a positive difference.

Scouts work in small teams to develop new skills and confidence through their achievements system. In Whakaoriori’s case they learn about aviation too. All groups are actively involved in the community, from doing park clean-ups to attending the ANZAC service at Tinui. The Scout section is currently full, with 30 youth enrolled, however Venturer, Cub and Kea sections are open for enrolment. If you enjoy the outdoors, like working with youth and would like to make a difference in the community, come and be a volunteer Leader. For more information, please get in touch with Julz at whakaoriori@group. scouts.nz. crime trauma.