Scout camp plans excluding weak swimmers

[LostMySocks]

DS scout group have announced a summer camp....surf camp. They have also linked the camps to getting the Gold award.
DD is a weak swimmer. No way should he be in the sea as there is a real risk that he will get into trouble. There doesn't seem to be an alternative plan even though there are younger children joining before summer. I'm assuming they won't all be super swimmers. I know they are all volunteers but this seems short sighted as a supposedly inclusive organisation. DS is very upset at the idea of not going but I don't want to pay for him to sit on a beach.

I just wanted to add, swimming lessons didn't stop for 2 years due to covid, at least in England. They were a bit stop start, but my son had lessons every time the pools opened. They only closed during the lockdowns.

Hazarding a guess here. When you go to do the mandatory risk assessments for any activity as a cub leader you need to identify what mitigation you are putting in place to reduce the risk of harm.

Making sure that DC have a basic swimming ability before tackling any other water activities is a pragmatic solution.

If you can't get your DS into lessons OP, are you able to commit to regular sessions as a family to boost his confidence?

Sign him up to an intensive course. He'll be swimming in a week.

If anyone can't imagine why volunteers put restrictions in place, there is a wee clue here.

Son needs an operation following camp, is there negligence www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_matters/4896180-son-needs-an-operation-following-camp-is-there-negligence

They will have to have qualified surf instructors at a ratio of 1 to 8 and they will all have to be over eight years of age. Your child won’t need to be able to swim but they must be water confident e.g able to put their head under. They won’t be taken out far at all . You have plenty of time to take your child swimming before the trip.

What if the weak swimmers are also weak rock climbers?

sorry but you are pretty pathetic

Don’t blame Covid for not being able to swim. Lessons have been running for the last 2years… my 9year old started his lessons again as leisure centres reopened. Your son has got almost a year to learn.

Sorry, but I think you’re being bit over critical of the scout leaders. They’re obviously seen this camp and decided to offer to the scouts. They could have chosen canoeing, sailing, rock climbing etc but opted for this. Unfortunately, they can’t please everyone at all times.

However, as you’ve identified a gap in the market, I presume you’re going to volunteer as a scout leader, so you can run a camp your dc would enjoy.

The Chief Scout Gold award absolutely does not require you to surf!

Speak to the leaders with about your concerns! Find out what skills requirements will be covered by the surfing - I suspect it will be the "adventure challenge" part of the Gold Award, which does ask you to try new activities - surfing is suggested, but nit compulsory. Work with the leaders to find a job-swimmer alternative I imagine they are struggling to find something that nNo one has done, so that the majority can clejmnit as a new activity.

See here

There's plenty of swimming lessons options. Private lessons he could be swimming 400m within 2 months. I would love my kids scouts groups to put on something like this. Would be doing everything I could to secure them a space.

You def can't moan about the scout leaders! Push them too much? They will give up volunteering and cancel the whole thing.

Covid is a piss poor excuse for a ten year old to still be a non swimmer. He was 7 when covid kicked off, if you’re insistent on formal lessons, why hadn’t he had any by age 7?
Absolutely nothing stopping you taking him the pool and teaching him yourself. It’s how my kids learnt. YABVU.

Not sure about scouts rules but DD had surf lessons this year...she can swim but I don't recall them ever asking and typically the water was far shallower than the local pool.

Not being able to swim is not a protected characteristic. Even if it was....shouldn't stop others doing what they want to do. What if they ran a climbing camp and someone was afraid of heights?

OP you need to get him swimming. Get him on the waiting lists. That should be more of a priority than scouts anyway tbh.

As for Covid, my 8yo has been having lessons for 2 years now

I'd want to get a child of that age swimming properly tbh. Even if you have to just take him yourself several times a week, or pay for some 1:1 boosters

I do agree that you've time to get him swimming by then.

I can't believe your flapping about an activity that's next summer.
Get him some swimming lessons.
If he still needs it he can wear a life vest. Don't hold him back

To do a water activity with Scout, you do have to be able to swim.

Surf schools can make their own rules from their pov, but Scout Leaders have to comply with POR (Policy, Organisation and Rules) of Scouts.

However, like most people are saying - your best option is to get your dd swimming properly anyway. Not just for this camp, but for holidays, social life of their own, other Scout camps and other day activities they might be offered, their own safety for the rest of their lives, and for their future fitness and you know, just for fun.

YABU

Do you mean "non-swimmer"? How far can he swim? Put his face in the water? Float? Honestly OP get on YouTube and teach him yourself. It's more than reasonable to assume the boys can do basic things like swim, ride a bike etc by that age. Scouts shouldn't be about pandering to the lowest common denominator. Use this as the rocket you need to get a life skill sorted.

Swimming is so important for safety. Sign him up for a bunch of courses this winter so he has a solid level of water safety/competence.

I agree with posters who say you need to catch him up with swimming. It's an important skill and you have plenty of time

You don't really need to be a particularly strong swimmer to learn to surf, especially in a well-supervised group. They're really unlikely to go further than chest deep, if that, but there will be lots of falling in - and I think that should be presented to him as great fun (not something scary/risky)

And talking of risk, good surfing programmes also teach a lot about sea and shore safety. That's also valuable to have.

Was about to say the same
My kids learnt to swim before they started school

How long has he been on the waiting list? Has he had any lessons at all? Can you not take him and help him practice? Be needs to be able to swim so I'd focus on that. It really doesn't take long with regular practice.

This!!