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.

Hello all! Advice needed. Does anyone have experience of dealing with another volunteer, who seems to rub everyone else up the wrong way? We have one. They mean very well, but can be a bit of a loose cannon. They do stuff they haven't been asked to do (which is great in a way, very proactive) but they don't consult first. So the section leaders are sometimes left a bit blindsided. Or they don't do something they've been specifically asked to do. They're also sometimes rude to parents. When pulled up gently on things, they get a bit "oh I can't seem to get anything right".

I just couldn’t help myself. I’ve joined our local group as an assistant cub leader. I’m also helping with all of the planning and organising for our group trip to Chamboree in the summer. We had a big session this afternoon checking our mess tents and normal tents. Never seen so many tents missing poles or inners. At least we found enough full sets to have enough to take away with us.

Bravo @zebrapig !

Yes, the pre-jamboree kit check is always fun. I find myself uttering phrases like "what do you mean, you can't find the mess tent? It's bloody massive!" and "why in holy hell do we have saucepans but no sodding lids" and "who didn't empty the water jerrycans properly before putting them away, and when I find them I will kill them". Three weeks until Poacher and I'm getting a bit stressed 😆

Hi, hope it's ok to ask on here, I'm not a scout leader but a parent of a kid moving up to scouts. I'd love to get his cub leaders a gift to say thank you for all they've done for him in cubs, what would be a good gift? There are a lot of leaders & helpers in the group so it might be outside my budget to get an individual gift for each person. Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions. Something they can enjoy at their next planning meeting maybe e.g. beers?! Or something for the cubs group e.g. equipment or resources of some kind, I'm not sure. Thanks in advance for suggestions

One of our parents after camp made up a hamper containing different items like beer, chocolate, biscuits etc. It was a really lovely idea and much appreciated. We all got to take an item each.
Equipment for the group is a lovely idea but unless you know that the group is short of something it's difficult to suggest what to purchase.

@Schooliform first, thank you for thinking of doing this - I sometimes feel that Scout/Cubs/Beaver leaders rarely get end of term presents (when teachers get loads, and they're paid to do it!) The things I've liked most have been little things that the young person has either made, or had some involvement in choosing. I have a splodgily-painted Christmas tree ornament that I bring out with pride every year, a pretty rock (found by a Beaver, who then stuck googly eyes on it) on my desk, and a chicken made out of Hama beads. And a few thank you cards and drawings kept in a safe place. But if time is tight, biscuits are usually a winner.

If you would like to buy resources, just ask what they want! You might catch them at a time when they're desperate for new felt pens, for example.

Something they can enjoy at their next planning meeting maybe e.g. beers?! Or something for the cubs group e.g. equipment or resources of some kind, I'm not sure. Thanks in advance for suggestions

Something they can share at a planning meeting is a lovely idea - a box of nice biscuits or similar. We've just been given a box of Haribo by one of our cubs - we're very much looking forward to that on our next meeting!

While it's a very kind thing to give equipment for the group, at the risk of sounding very selfish, if you are thanking the leaders, get something for the leaders. As a group, any donations of money or equipment are always very welcome and appreciated, and leaders often put in their own money in addition to time as it is. But as a thank you for all the work that the leaders put in for free, a gift that is purely for them is, in my opinion, more appropriate. Even just a lovely handwritten card from your child would be cherished, it needn't cost much at all.

Once of our cub parents gave an Amazon voucher - that was very useful, as we could buy exactly the games/craft equipment that we needed.