Scouting staffroom type thread on Mumsnet?

[PerplexedOnceMore]

I've seen one for Guides on Mumsnet and was wondering if there was anything similar for the Scouting Movement?
I'm fairly new in post and would appreciate a place to go for advice, share some hints and tips etc.

I don't think there is one, but we could start one up? I've been involved as a cub leader for the past 13 years, and I agree it would be good to have a place to chat to other members of the scout movement

Hurrah, I was starting to think I was the only one here!
Wow, so 13 years @budgiegirl, that is admirable and a huge undertaking. Did you start off at Beavers? Or did you leap straight in with Cubs? Did you set out wanting to be a leader in Scouting or did you come to it due to the threat of group closure?
If you'd asked me two years ago if I'd like to be a leader, I probably would have laughed in your face. I'm certainly not a natural. I am enjoying parts of it, but there are some very definite challenges.

I've been a Beavers Section Leader for over six years. I'd love a Scouting community on here.

Did you start off at Beavers? Or did you leap straight in with Cubs? Did you set out wanting to be a leader in Scouting or did you come to it due to the threat of group closure?

My kids were in Beavers, but I didn't start helping until my eldest was in cubs. The cub leader at that time asked if any parents wanted to help on a regular basis, so I stepped up, and became an assistant cub leader. It felt like the right thing to do as I was a Venture Scout (in the dim and distant past) and I wanted to give something back. I stayed at cubs as my kids moved up to Scouts, and after 5 years I became Akela. You're right that there are some challenges, but on the whole, I love it. I don't think I'd have lasted so long if I didn't.

My DD carried on from cubs through to Explorers, and is now an assistant leader at my pack (although away at uni so she doesn't get to join us often). My DH has more recently also been roped in as Group Chair, so we're keeping it in the family!

@PerplexedOnceMore @MyBestFriendKenny How did you both get involved in scouting?

I've been Cub leader for about 7 years now. I got involved because DH was the GSL and I was basically press ganged. DDs were both in Beavers then, now Scouts. (DD2 was actually only 4, but Beavers took her so I could run Cubs... they met at the same time)

I was a Brownie and Guide back in the day, and my Dad was a Scout leader so I helped with Cubs and became a Venture Scout. Lost touch with scouting until I met DH who had been involved since he was one of the first Beavers, and is now an Explorer Scout leader.

DS became a Beaver and the section was struggling for leaders so I was asked to help, based on past involvement. I very quickly became Section Leader and ran it with help from other sections for a year or so until I managed to establish the current team.

Currently we have me and DH, DS(14) in Explorers, DD(12) in Scouts and DS(9) in Cubs. We have other, wider family members involved in the group too!

How do you all manage for leaders? I'm lucky and have a great team of 3 assistant leaders and a part-time section assistant (all now called team members I suppose) plus myself and two young leaders . Most of us have been there for some years, and each leader plans at least one meeting a term, if not more, which takes some of the load off me, which is great. We have 32 cubs in the pack - which can get quite noisy!

I've just taken a step back as District Commissioner after 6 years. Hard work but fun. I'm sure I'll be in a new role soon.

@budgiegirl I have two great assistant leaders and two fantastic young leaders but I'd love at least another adult. Leaders are like hens' teeth locally though, especially in the younger sections. We're looking at starting Squirrels and the main thing stopping us is lack of adult volunteers.

Our GSL is looking at setting up Squirrels, and she was speaking to a group that set it up by offering places to children whose parents were prepared to help out on a regular basis, but in other sections, rather than Squirrels. It seems to be working, and they now have plenty of leaders in all sections. So we may try that with our group. It would be good to have another cub pack, as we had to close one due to lack of leaders, and we have a big waiting list.

@budgiegirl I think that approach would work well with Squirrels. It's something we have talked about too. I've agreed to oversee set up and be team leader with a fixed term of one year so someone else can take over. Until we have that person in place we won't start though.

My eldest is in Scouts and my youngest in Cubs. I'd volunteered as a parent helper ad-hoc, which I had enjoyed.
My DDs Beaver group was threatened with closure so I volunteered to help out each week for a couple of terms but didn't want to become a leader, particularly as we were so close to the end of our time with Beavers. Somehow the group limped on and even managed to recruit a permanent leader.
In our first term at Cubs the leader quit. My DD loves Cubs and whilst I've never seen myself as a leader and I'm not exactly Julia Bradbury, I knew the only thing really stopping me was myself, so here I am as part of a shared leadership team.
Cubs is my limit though! I have no intention of joining Scouts.

Cubs is my limit though! I have no intention of joining Scouts

Do you think you will stay as a leader once your DD movs on to scouts? I'd say about half of the parents that have started as helpers/leaders at cubs since I have been there have stayed, while the rest left when their child moved on. Not one adult has moved up with their child, whether that's from cubs to scouts, or beavers to cubs. It seems that, at least in our groups, whatever section you start at when your child is there, is where you end up.

I started as a Beaver Leader and have since switched over to Scouts.

My eldest made it to halfway through Explorers.

My youngest is currently in Scouts.

I was totally new to scouting when my eldest joined beavers and had zero skills. But learned them over the years.

Despite doing it for 7 years, still feel like I'm learning! I've mastered Fire now (no longer called the fire killer).

In fact, with our usual fire master not available on bonfire night, I might get that joy.

There seemed to be an expectation when I started that I would move up to Scouts with her, but I just don't have the skills at that level unfortunately. Our Scout Group is amazing and they are being taught useful life skills. They don't need me getting in the way.
Ideally I'd like to stay on at Cubs but I just don't know at this point. I'm trying to take it one step at a time, which is quite difficult at times because you're constantly being asked to look to the future e.g. can you go on camp in the summer, which Cubs will be moving up Easter etc.

I'm also a Beaver leader. Just spent my afternoon emailing the local MP and councillors to see if I can rope any of them into parliament week which we're attempting for the first time this year!
I have two cubs, one who's just swum up from beavers and I'm thoroughly enjoying the novelty of not having any of my own children in my section! Occasionally I end up helping at cubs too when somebody is away and I much prefer beavers

Occasionally I end up helping at cubs too when somebody is away and I much prefer beavers

Ha ha, I'm the other way round! Much prefer cubs, although occasionally help at beavers. I guess you just get used to the age group you work with most.

I like cubs as you can do lots with them, but they aren't as "complicated" as Scouts.

DH prefers Scputs and Explorers.

I'm oddly intrigued to try Squirrels but we don't have the leaders for that.

So have any of you set up a group?

I am a Cub volunteer, set up as an Assistant Cub Leader (but I refuse to be known for this).

I was an Assistant Beaver Leader for 8 years and then 2 years ago I was asked to help with Cubs, after a 20 year break.

Another Scout leader here - started as an occasional helper with Beavers 12 years ago, moved up to Cubs when DS moved up, ended up as Cub Leader for a few years then moved up to Scouts. Much prefer the older ones (most of the time!).

I really enjoy helping out with the older sections occasionally but I always prefer my Beavers. DH's Explorers are just overgrown Beavers anyway!

Does anyone have any recommendations for warm but smart looking trousers for the Remembrance Parade?
I will be wearing lots of layers underneath, but I do struggle with the cold.

Fleece lined craghoppers? I've only got standard ones, but DH has fleece lined for rugby coaching and they pass for smart.