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Congratulations..

... You're looking to start a Beaver Scout Colony. The Beaver Scout Section offers young people a whirlwind of friendship and adventure through a fantastic programme of activities. Scouting is very rewarding and great fun; so good luck!

You may find these useful. The most important aspect of running a Colony is planning. You may be keen to start, but time spent planning now will mean a better start and easier progression in the future.

1. Scout Group - It may be obvious to those involved in Scouting for a long time, that the Colony must belong to a Scout Group. It is not possible to start a Beaver Colony outside of a Scout Group, and if one does not exist then establishing the group must become the first thing.

2. Location - This maybe an existing traditional location, or it maybe a new one. If it is a new location, consider the rest of the District.

   1. Where are their gaps in existing geographical coverage?

   2. Where is there potential for new membership?

   3. Which areas are currently served by Scouting?

   4. Is there a need for another Colony?

3. Meetings - Ask yourself when will the colony meet and what other local activities are offered by other organisations on the same night? Is the night convenient for you and fellow Leaders?

4. If other sections meet in the group ask yourself if you can meet on the same night as other sections? This is a good link between the sections, but logistically tricky.

5. Who Can Join? - Although Membership to the movement is open to all races and religions in the widest sense, Scout Groups can be Sponsored Groups ( in the sense that the sponsoring organisation is a Church of particular denomination/faith or a school)

   In addition, all new Scout Groups must be able to have mixed gender membership in every Section. If you are starting a new Colony in an existing Group, it must be possible for any Beaver joining the Colony to progress through the sections within the same Group.

6. Help - A single Leader may think of starting a Colony, but it is difficult and you must always plan on having a team of adults to be involved with you. The operation of a Colony must be overseen by a Warranted Leader and there must always be at least two adults present at a Colony meeting. As of POR 2006 (due to be published during Feb 2006), there is no longer an indoor ratio of adults to young people for Colony meetings and the outdoor ratio is 1: 6, which also includes activities away from your Colony meeting. You should always consider what assistance you will need and adjust ratios as necessary, depending on your programme and meeting place. It is important that you reference POR rule 3.7 when forming a Colony or Leadership Team.

   Many of the activities that you undertake will be adventurous and extra help may also be needed from time to time.

7. Skills - Do you or any of your leaders have the skills to get things going - remember that The Scout Association is a movement with Aims and Methods, it is not just an activity club. The Scout Association will provide training and advice, but at the end of the day you're the one responsible for delivering the goods.

8. District - Is everything OK with the District? Have you and your Leaders seen the District Commissioner and the District Appointments Committee? Do you know who your contacts are such as your Assistant District Commissioner for Beavers?

   They are there to help, not restrain and they can be of invaluable assistance in getting you started and a resource upon whom you should depend on in early days.

   Consider these points and address them first. Before you even start thinking about membership (prospective members will need to know the if, when and where before they can even think about joining), you can find all sorts of guidance to help you answer these questions, including the local Assistant District Commissioner (Beaver Scouts), the local District Commissioner, and if the Colony is being formed in an existing group, the Group Scout Leader.

So, you know where, when and who - but how do you actually start?

Starting a Colony can be very hard work, but immensely rewarding. To help you get over the trials and tribulations of starting, make it easier for yourself by planning ahead as much as possible.

• Consider where your members are coming from?

• How do you plan to contact prospective members?

• Do you need a start up meeting to speak to the parents etc? (You might want to ask your ADC Beaver Scouts to help you at such a meeting)

Remember that you need positive facts and plans with which to attract members, so the next thing is to consider is...

Plan your programme for the short and medium term future. Make sure that you have a 3 -6 months outline plan for your Colony ( the longer term will depend upon your success in getting things off the ground)

Remember to include District or Joint Colony Events and activities, as these activities could take some pressure off you.

Make sure that your programme plans for Colony nights are always ready for the night itself, and that they fit in the 3 - 6 month plan.

For you to keep your new members they have to enjoy Beaver Scouting, and nothing helps towards this more than a well planned programme.

What equipment will you need? Have you thought about the range of games equipment, training aids, paper, pencils, craft equipment you will need - and the means of raising funds? All these things need to be planned ahead. How much will you charge for membership? What records will you need to have?

All Scout Groups charge a membership subscription, which includes a contribution to the District, County and National parts of The Scout Association. In addition you will need funds to cover the costs of the Colony. You should seek advice from others in the Group or District as appropriate.

What problems can you foresee arising. Think about how you will cope with bad behaviour, bullying, planning for initially small numbers of Beaver Scouts, lack of funds, etc

Remember, the more that you plan ahead, the more you can concentrate upon the members getting the most out Scouting, and the more successful your new colony will be.

Here are few odd things to consider:

• What is your style of leadership?

• How will your personality be balanced by that of your other Leaders?

• Make sure that you manage expectations - if you promise games, crafts, walks and a trip to the moon in the first year... will you really do it all? Disappointment is a strong emotion in a young person, so only promise things you know you can deliver - you can build up to all the other items over time, and things getting better all the time is a wonderful incentive.

Your Colony may not grow over night, it could take time for the message to spread throughout the community. However, one thing is for sure - success breeds success and a good programme will always be attractive to young people.