Case study: DFs running a Pioneer group, and helping out with a Venturer group Summary: We (Toby and Olivia) advertised and set up a Pioneer group in Hebden Bridge as it had collapsed. We now plan and organise different activities for them to do each week with an aim to educate the youth of the North for social change! Recommendations:
Relevant links / information
Make sure you’ve got all the resources that are available as they’re great in giving ideas and things that can be done
Use all the resources, contacts and people you can find!! Coming up with an activity for EVERY week is pretty difficult! There are loads of free and fun resources for the pioneer age group.
Advertise and ask people who you know have got younger brothers or sisters so they can get involved Don’t be afraid to ask people to help out or give you advice if you don’t really know what to do Plan activities for each week night at the end of a half term (for the next one). Get to know your group. Some activities work well with certain people, others don't. Age differences matter hugely at pioneer age - work with it! GO ON THE TRAINING WEEKEND!!
What happened:
Most can be found on the website: www.woodcraft.org.uk/resources/results/ taxonomy-14 Upcoming training is posted at www.woodcraft.org.uk/upcoming-training
Be flexible. Sometimes 10 kids turn up, sometimes 3 do. Make sure activities are adaptable if group size fluctuates.
We went to the Young Leaders Training in Bristol as we were intending to create a Pioneer group and hopefully a Venturer group in Hebden Bridge— both of these groups had collapsed and we thought that the young people in Hebden Bridge would appreciate and enjoy somewhere to go and have a good time. The training weekend was loads of fun and really helpful. Fortunately, in addition to the wonderful training we received, we had an experienced Pioneer Leader helping us for the first couple of months. This helps immensely with ideas and tips! We got loads of support from the Elfin Leader and our old Venturer Leaders, some of whom still help out with the Venturer group which is really helpful because we haven’t got that much time. We then did lots of advertising and had a stall at the local town hall to let people know exactly what Woodcraft Folk is about and why they should join. We taught the other DFs some of the things we had learnt at the training weekend as a few of them had said they would help out. We now have a thriving Pioneer group of about six or seven (but up to 10) children, which we manage to manage! Don't be afraid of setting up or leading in a group if you are only of DF or younger age. An under thirteen will see you as an adult anyway! As long as you’re loud enough to shout over them you won't have a problem! If you want to contact us - ask questions or anything - our emails are naturalattrill@yahoo.co.uk and olivia.beaumontgidley@hotmail.co.uk.