To run a cub scout camp

[Scoutleader01809]

I am a man without children in his 20s but my mum said it's ok for me to ask questions here so here goes.

I have been a Cub (8-10 boys and girls) scout leader for about 10 years, running a week-long camp in the summer, less than an hour drive away from home, for those 10 years minus Covid. Past few years have become harder and harder to get signups.

I have great memories and experiences from camps I did at that age and older, every year the kids enjoy themselves on camp. It's hugely shaped me to become the adult I am today and most of my freinds are people I went to scouts with. I honestly believe scouting is a great organisation for teaching kids resilience and independence, and that's why I give up 5+ hours a week to scouting.

This year in particular has been a nightmare, almost none of the parents want to send their kids, camp is about £200 but it's an affluent area, we offer discounts to those who need so I doubt it's the cost. Some are genuinely on holiday but a lot of them genuinely insist it's to much for their child often telling me about how 20 years ago in brownies they didn't enjoy camping or that they would miss their child (am I wrong to think that they shouldn't worry about whether they will miss their child but only whether their child will have a good time?).

I hear about a lot of groups who have trouble running overnights and assumed their leaders were the probelm but now starting to question if that's just the parents of today.

I have a WhatsAppgroup with the parents and put photos in of the kids everyday enjoying themselves, I had to make it admins only a few years ago when the parents ask stupid questions like why does my child look tired, why are they wearing a jumper, I now get those questions in DM.

The kids sleep in canvas tents, sing campfire songs, do activities like archery and kayaking, play in the woods, I can't get how being on a screen or sitting bored in holiday camp is even remotely comparable.

I might cancel the camp, I might suffer through the 5 parents who have 'volunteered to help' to come along as a condition to their children attending then just stop running longer camps and only do 1 or 2 night camps. Ultimately, they're less prepared for longer scout and explorer camps, and it's a spiral until you get 18-year-olds unready to go to university.

I don't get it, I know I don't have kids and maybe I will feel different if/ when I do but I don't feel I am a bad person for suggesting their children would benefit from some experiences away from their parents.

YABU- You're the pied piper of hamelin
YANBU- Parents are being to precious and camp sounds great

Weekend camps I get above 50% attendance on and from seeing this thread I may well just move to only doing those. It is a pain because by the time you put up camp you have lost best part of a day, then have one day to do some activites, then pack down and go home.

All weekend camps mine have ever been on start on a Friday night and end on a Sunday afternoon (except BH weekends, when they go into Monday).

But, actually, even if you do start on a Saturday morning (and I understand the point about them never sleeping on a Friday night as you haven't had the chance to wear them out), the activity for the morning is a very valid one of 'learning how to set up camp'. Learning how to set it out / pitch a tent / which way to pitch if the field is sloping / learning how to take it down and pack it away / getting older or more experienced cubs to teach the newbies / learning about different sorts of tens and the pros and cons and the foibles of different ones / putting up the marquee or camp kitchen / etc is all a really useful activity to be doing on a cub camp.

I don't like bunkhouses on principle, it's not camping, we have a good supply of camping equipment and we should use it but if we're going to do more weekend camps, maybe one of them should be in a bunkhouse. When I do a sleepover at the hut I get 80% attendance.

You've sort of answered your own dilemma there. Your current cohort prefer sleeping indoors.

In an ideal world, (and which of us has that?) I would alternate. Do a 'sleepover' in the hut or somewhere local.... do a bunkhouse type of camp where the "activities" are the main attraction..... do more of a back woods type camp where camping skills and cooking and nature are the focus.

Time to move on to Explorers? Your version of cubs sounds brilliant though.
DS 2 did Scouts and is now in Explorers. Camps are absolutely no phones , mostly Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. A big summer holiday Kernow Jamboree last year. A week at an Adventure centre the year before.

When DS 1 was in Beavers we did buy uniform trousers and wear them regularly.

Now it's shirts and neckers, joggers for weekly meetings and smart school trousers and shoes for parades.
Parents went a bit crazy after Covid, very few clubs, of all descriptions, have got numbers back up to pre covid levels.

With the current lack of nap holders at Beavers, I often run overnights for the Beavers as well so there is defintely a case for doing one outdoors camping in summer term like I do and one bunkhouse in autumn with Beavers at the same time and they can do different activites but it would save me a weekend.

I for a long time didn't feel old enough compared to the explorers, now at a point where I am and would be interested in that or scouts but Cubs won't run if I quit I suspect.

I think lots of the troops are struggling for leaders. We've lost one of our Explorers, Scouts still doing ok. The most popular leader in DS 1s' Scouts was a twenty something very trendy young man.

Our Explorers leaders are only late 20s.

Guide Leader here - restart small and build up. We had a gap due to covid of girls having been away, so we did lots of short fun overnights, Ninja Warrior, Museum, Zoo, etc late drop off early pick up lots of fun. We have just done a 2 night camp and had a waiting list.
Parents/Children do seem to be less happy to spend long away from home with us for some reason.

Maybe I'm a terrible parent but, DS 2 started Scouts at 10, did one weekend camp at Whitsun and I packed him off for a 7 day Jamboree that summer. He loved it and I didn't think anything of it. 🤷‍♀️😁

My sons (late teens - mid twenties) did week long summer camps from Cub age, as well as numerous weekend camps. I was forever packing them off somewhere. They loved it! I didn't miss them because I knew they'd be having a great time,and I'd be having a quiet time!

Now I'm a Scout Leader and we have trouble getting enough signed up for summer camp. We did a weekend camp recently and had far more interest. The Cub pack here only do a weekend - same campsite every year.

We have some good campsites locally, so weekend camps aren't a problem, but it's nice to go further afield sometimes, and you need longer than a weekend for that.

My oldest was the same! Started Scouts and then I packed him off to Switzerland for 10 days. He loved it, and also went to Belgium, Poland, Sweden and Norway with Scouts and Explorers. They weren't hugely expensive trips either.

OP YANBU. My son is 25 and was part of Scouting from 6-16. He LOVED it especially the camps, particularly when he got to Explorers. I remember a fantastic weekend he had when he was 15 where they were volunteering for part of it and there was live music in the evenings.
I never had a problem with 5 day camps at that age but I only had him so cost wasn't so much of an issue and he loved being with the other boys.
I guess if you aren't getting the sign ups then you'll need to rethink.

However I just want to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU for doing what you do. My son as an adult has said how much he got out of Scouting and how if he has children he would encourage them to be part of it too. He has very fond memories.

My brownie goes on every camp, all gave been max two nights and around £65