;

Welcome

everest and the seven summits

Shooting to success

Technical adviser funding

Nights away permit scheme review

BCU changes

Duke of Edinburgh's Award review update

Duke of Edinburgh's Award workshops

Diary dates 2006/2007

Making a splash

A Gilwell Adventure

YHA offer

Waterways directory

Leading the leaders

Explorer Scout South African expedition

Module 25 for Activity Assessors

First Aid provision

Air opportunities and news

Offshore sailing opportunities

Factsheet update

Badge updates

HQ profile

and (nerarly) finally

and finally finally

Contact information

This document is also available as an Adobe Acrobat (PDF) file: an-2006-11.pdf

Welcome to the November 2006 issue of the activities newsletter from the National Activities Team and the Activities Office at Gilwell Park.

In this issue we take a look at:

• Scouting success stories
• Funding opportunities for Technical Advisers
• The Duke of Edinburgh's Award review
• The latest activity offers
• A range of activities opportunities

In the last edition of Activities News we were able to tell you of 19 year old Network member Rhys Jones who was in the process of scaling Mount Everest. We are now pleased to be able to report that on his 20th birthday Rhys successfully summited the mountain, making him the youngest person ever to climb the highest mountain on each of the world's seven continents. This predictably led to much publicity, including an interview on how he got into mountaineering through Scouting on Radio 4's GFI (Go 4 It).

You can find more details of Rhys' record breaking achievement, along with information on his latest ventures, at: www.youthunlimited.co.uk

More good news from the shooting world where Explorer Scouts Nathan Sutherland, Rebekah Pidgley and Melanie Flowers recently represented Great Britain in the World Championships in Croatia. All three are now members of the full Great Britain squad, and all competed recently at the National Scout Air Rifle Championships, making it the first time the event has ever included three full internationals amongst its competitors.

A key part of the implementation of the Adventurous Activities Permit Scheme is the need to support Assessors in their role. Typically this could be conducted in forums and workshops lasting one day or one weekend. Although such events may be available through external activity providers and National Governing Bodies, they may also be conducted within Scouting, possibly at County/Area level or at Regional / Country level, both providing the benefit of networking opportunities.

To assist these locally run events, the National Activities Team have secured funding from the Association's Development Grants Board to subsidise the cost of using Technical Advisers. Full details of how to apply for this funding can be found on ScoutBase UK at: www.scoutbase.org.uk/ps/activities/assessment.htm

Thank you to all of those who took the time to comment on the consultation document. Recommendations will now go forward based on the feedback received. It is not envisaged that this will lead to huge changes, but just a chance to tidy up what is going on already and remove some of the barriers that have been identified. Any changes will be announced to the Movement towards the end of 2007 with an implementation period through until 2008.

As many of you will be aware the British Canoe Union (BCU) are reviewing their coaching awards to fall in line with the UK Coaching Certificate scheme. We do not yet have any definitive answers from the BCU as to exactly what the changes will entail, but when we do we will publicise any effects this might have on Paddlesports within Scouting.

Over the past 18 months we have been conducting a review of the way that the Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE) is supported from Headquarters. The review has four strands to it, and to help us meet the proposed outcomes we have appointed a volunteer Project Leader, Christopher Dean, who is a County Scout Network Commissioner in Greater London South West and a District DofE Leader.

Headquarters Support - Headquarters is able to give practical support to Counties in developing the Award within their area. If you think your County could use this support, please contact the Activities Office via your County Commissioner / County DofE Adviser, or email: dofe@scout.org.uk

Resources - We have updated all our factsheets and made them more user friendly: www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/hqdocs/facts/index.htm#sec_54

Publicity - We are producing a joint resource of a flyer and poster with the DofE to map out the links with our Programme and awards. This will be available to download from the DofE resources section of ScoutBase UK and will be in the Explorer Scout and Scout Network supplements of Scouting magazine in the Feb/March issue.

Workshops - We have two regional workshops planned for January to support all of those adults in Scouting involved in supporting the delivery of the Award within their local area.

The two workshops will run in:

Manchester - 27th January 2007

London - 28th January 2007

They are be aimed at County/Area/District DofE Advisers, District Explorer Scout Commissioners and County Scout Network Commissioners, and will look at how best to provide support for the award within Scouting in England.

Full details and a booking form can be found on ScoutBase UK at www.scoutbase.org.uk/ps/activities/assessment/workshop.htm

Below are listed a number of activity events taking place in 2006 and 2007. Many of these allow novice levels to take part without the need to bring specialist activity equipment. The fact that we are advertising them does not mean that these events are necessarily vetted or endorsed by The Scout Association nationally. For a full and up to date list of activity events and dates please see: www.scoutbase.org.uk/direct/events/activitiestemp.htm

Snowdon Dragon Expedition
Snowdonia - North Wales
27th December 2006 - 2nd January 2007
Info: www.yr-hafod.org.uk

Snowjam
Newport - Wales
30th December 2006 - 1st January 2007
Info: network.catvog.org/snowjam/index.php

Pike View Hike
West Pennine Moors
27th - 29th April 2007
Info: www.pikeviewhike.co.uk

Southport Sailing Club National Junior 12 Hour Race
Southport
30th June 2007
Info: www.southportsailingclub.org.uk/Products2.htm

Richard Adams is Splash! Manager at the 21st World Scout Jamboree. We spoke to him about the challenge ahead.

What is the most exciting thing about Splash! at the 21st World Scout Jamboree?

The fact that we will be bringing together an instructor team from all over the world to work together here in the United Kingdom and all in the name of Scouting. We are still looking for more volunteers for Splash! - to cover a range of roles in trading, administration, support, first aid and aqua challenge, as well as the water activity instructors.

What's been your biggest challenge in putting Splash! together?

Finding enough equipment to put 1800 participants plus the 550 instructors on the water twice a day. We are interested in hearing from anyone who is willing to loan or hire to us some of the 430 kayaks, 90 open canoes, 150 sailing dinghies, 40 bellboats, 20 pulling boats and all the buoyancy aids, paddles, etc. to go with them. Anyone can register their equipment via our website www.splash2007.org.uk.

What would you say to someone who's thinking about joining the Splash! team?

If you are still undecided, please believe me you will have the time of your life. You will be expected to work hard but we also play hard.

For full details of everything Richard had to say, please see: www.scoutbase.org.uk/ps/activities/richard.htm

For more information about supporting or getting involved in Splash!, please see: www.splash2007.org.uk

Kevin Heritage is Gilwell Adventure Manager for the 21st World Scout Jamboree, we asked him why Gilwell is so important to this event.

What's been your biggest challenge in planning Gilwell Adventure?

The biggest challenge for me is to ensure that the vast number of participants we will get through Gilwell Adventure (4,000 every day) will get the chance to do a large number of exciting and challenging activities. We are ensuring that everyone gets an opportunity on all of the wide range of activities that will be available.

What's been the most interesting part of planning Gilwell Adventure?

The most interesting part of whole of this experience has been meeting people. Whether they are established teams from other areas who have become involved, International Service Team members who helped us to deliver Gilwell Adventure at EuroJam, or participants. I have met a number of great people over the last few years and have had a number of unforgettable experiences as a result.

How will Gilwell Adventure impact on the future of Gilwell Park, Scouting and Activities in the UK?

Gilwell Park Scout Activity Centre is continually enhancing the activities that it can offer. I think that Gilwell Adventure provides an ideal opportunity to show off the wide range of exciting activities that we have on offer and encourage Scouts from the United Kingdom and the rest of the world to spend some time enjoying the home of Scouting.

For full details of everything Kevin had to say, please see: www.scoutbase.org.uk/ps/activities/kevin.htm

For more information about supporting or getting involved in Gilwell Adventure, please see: www.thejamboree.org/gilwell

Scouts can head to the Norfolk coast for a short break at bargain prices thanks to a new offer at YHA Sheringham.

The deal provides full board from only £20 per person per night for under 18s or £25 for adults, and runs from 8th September to 31st March 2007 at weekends and half-term holidays. The price includes equipment and resources for group activities including: a coastal activity kit, town treasure hunt, an environmental footprints activity and various team building games.

One free leader place is provided for every 10 paying group members and extra activities can be booked through the hostel manager. The offer only applies to groups of 10 or more under 18s. Further information and bookings can be made by calling YHA Sheringham on 0870 770 6024 or emailing sheringham@yha.org.uk

To save dozens of pages of factsheet, the waterways directory is now available as a webpage. Next time you need to find the classification of a piece of water you will be able to search for it at: www.scouts.org.uk/aboutus/activities/waterways

The latest edition of Scouting magazine included a very interesting article on how one District Commissioner is looking at ensuring her Leaders are skilled, motivated and supported by running a 'Skills and Chills' weekend. If anyone feels inspired to put on something similar you can find the full story from the magazine here: www.scouts.org.uk/magazine/OctNov06/p76.html

This summer saw 60 Explorer Scouts and 15 Leaders embark on the journey of a life time.

Split between two expeditions, the parties spent three weeks exploring South Africa. Their adventure took them from the city of Johanesburg out to the eastern edge of the Kruger National Park where they spent a few days learning how to become Game Wardens.

Once finished at the Game School and having sat an exam they moved on through the Kruger National Park and down into Swaziland. After a night stop and local tours the group moved onto the coastal town of St Lucia.

The stay in St Lucia consisted of two elements; conservation work for the wildlife department, and a three day wilderness trek. The conservation projects were part of the area plan to return it to its natural state and help towards its classification as a World Heritage Site.

Following the group's stay on the coast they ventured inland to the Anglo-Zulu battlefields. Whilst staying at Fugitives Drift the group made visits to Rorke's Drift and completed community work for local schools in the area. They then returned to Johannesburg for their flight home and a well earned rest.

With the Adventurous Activity Permit Scheme coming into full effect in September 2007, the most common question we are getting is about Assessors validating the Activity Assessor version of Module 25. Many Assessors will have already completed the learning, through attendance at assessing courses (inside and outside Scouting), together with actual experience in carrying out assessments. These Assessors will simply need to validate the module by talking through two assessments with their Training Adviser. The ideal model is where the ACC/AAC Activities or an experienced Assessor takes on the role of Training Adviser to guide new Assessors through the process, although it is possible for non activity specific Training Advisers to carry out these validations.

A number of questions have been received regarding why the Adventurous Activity Permit Scheme has an 'access to a first aider requirement' rather than imposing this on the Permit Holder. As a principle, and converting this to a Rule, it is the 'access' requirement that was established during the consultation phase of the Review of the Authorisation Scheme. Operationally, some Permit Holders may wish to also be the first aider in order to avoid any confusion. However, the following gives a number of scenarios where first aid provision by the Permit Holder may be impractical/unnecessary:

Where the Permit holder is remotely supervising a hillwalking trip for young people. In this case someone in the party (ideally all) needs to have been trained (on this point, you may care to note the introduction of the new staged Emergency Aid Badge).

In water activities, the first aid provision could be from a safety boat.

With climbing walls (particularly during events) first aid provision could be by way of a dedicated first aid team.

Sport and Leisure Aviation Show

SPLASH is the biggest indoor show covering the whole spectrum of lightweight sport flying, and is at the NEC in Birmingham on 2nd and 3rd December 2006. Members of The Scout Association who turn up in uniform and all under 16's will be entitled to free entrance to the show.

Information on the show itself can be found at:

www.sportaviation.org.uk

Scout Aviation Camp Experiences

Over the last few years, Scouting and the Popular Flying Association's Youth Strut have worked together to provide weekend camps for Scouts and Explorer Scouts on, or close to an airfield. Planning has already started for similar events around the United Kingdom in 2007. Scout County/Area teams wishing to host one of these Aviation Camp Experiences are asked to contact Chris Shaw or Geoff Rhodes for further information and an Aviation Camp Experiences planning CD on:

activities@scout.org.uk

Overview information of these weekends and pictures may be found at:

Tall Ships Youth Trust

The Trust have just secured funding which allows them to offer their Tall Ship voyages in November and December for just £50 plus insurance and travel to/from the ships. These voyages are available for 16 to 25 year olds for both youth and adult trips To apply please send us an email with a bit of background information about the applicant to Chas Cowell on 02392 832055 or:

chas.cowell@tallships.org

The Trust also have Day Sails and Weekend taster experiences on offer. This can be a great introduction for parents, teachers and youth workers. More details are available at:

www.tallships.org

Adventures Offshore

Adventures Offshore are a scout sail training organisation based in Essex operating two 49 foot ketches from Ipswich, Eastbourne and occaasionally other ports. They can offer a mixture of weekends and longer trips including participation in the Tall Ships Races each year.

Full details can be found at:

www.adventuresoffshore.co.uk

There have been a number of new and updated factsheets and assessment checklists in the past six months. As ever details of these changes can be found on their dedicated web page at:

www.scouts.org.uk/recentupdates

New Beaver Scout Activity Badges

You may have seen that among the new Beaver Scout Activity badges introduced at the beginning of October was the Adventure and Air Activities activity badges.

The Adventure Activity badge has been designed to encourage Beaver Scout Colonies to try adventurous activities. To gain this badge Beaver Scouts need to take part in 3 activities, 2 of which they have not tried before.

The Air Activities Activity badge encourages Beaver Scouts to think about flying and different ways of flying. Those who support air activities may get queries from Beaver Scout Leaders.

Cub Scout Activity Badges

While the Cub Scout Section hasn't introduced any new adventurous activity badges, it currently has some which those who support and provide activities may have queries about. The adventurous activity badges currently available in the Cub Scout Section are Adventure, Air Activities, Cyclist, Equestrian, Physical Recreation, Skater, and Water Activities.

Scout Activity Badges

Many of the seventy Scout Activity badges have seen some changes in October. Those that directly affect 'Activities' are listed below:

Air - Air Spotter; Aviation Skills Training Options (new options)

Snowsports - Now using the Snowlife awards for skiing and snowboarding.

Water - Nautical Skills Training Options (new options); Racing Helm (now covered by the Dinghy Sailor PLUS badge) Pulling; Canoeist (now British Canoe Union (BCU) one star); Watersports (BCU one star taken out of requirements);

PMR - The Radio Communicator badge has been renamed Communicator, and an added option of using mobile and internet communication introduced.

Land - Master at Arms; Orienteer; Navigator (added GPS option); Hill Walker; Climber.

The other new item in the Scout Activity Badges is Activity PLUS, which offers Scouts the opportunity to gain recognition for activities that they take further having already received the relevant activity badge.

Explorer Scout Activity Badges

Activities formerly provided for within the Creative, Mountain Activities and Recreation badges now have their own badges, meaning that there are 18 new activity badges for Explorer Scouts. The adventurous activities now with badges are:

Land - Caving; Climbing; Hill Walking; Motor Sports; Mountain Biking; Navigation; Skiing; Snowboarding

Nights Away - Activity Centre Service

Water - Canoeing

There have also been some changes to the requirements of the following badges: Nautical Skills; Water Activities; Air Activities; Aviation Skills.

For full details of all the Activity Badges, please go to:

www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/hqdocs/badges/

Cub Scout Mum and ex-Venture Scout Fran Georgel is the National Activities Adviser for Snowsports. She didn't reveal her connection with 1907 until after she had got the role...let's now expose some of the things that makes Fran tick!

What is your first recollection of Scouting?

Hearing about my grandfather's career in the early days of Scouting. He attended the very first experimental camp on Brownsea Island in 1907, worked alongside Baden-Powell for many years, and was awarded the Silver Wolf in 1937. I joined the Venture Scouts shortly after they became mixed, and the next thing I knew I was off to France on a summer expedition for a fortnight with 29 people I'd only just met - I had the time of my life and never looked back!

What activities do you do when you have spare time?

Don't get a lot of that, but skiing (of course!), playing my flute (although not necessarily at the same time), and particularly being in the great outdoors with my 3 young sons.

Where is your favourite haunt...where can we find you?

In the Alps, away from the crowds, feeling truly alive in the clean air with a big blue sky, and preferably a fresh fall of powder snow! More likely though chilling out with friends at a local coffee shop whilst the kids are at school!

Who provides you with inspiration?

I am inspired by the resilience and determination of world beaters like Ellen MacArthur but also by the tremendous inner strength of anyone who has difficulties or disabilities to overcome. My family are a great inspiration, as is anyone who gives willingly and unstintingly of their time and skills for the benefit of other people.

What is your ambition?

To be fit and well and still skiing at 80! More immediately, I'd like to find ways to enable more young people to experience the exhilaration and sense of freedom gained from participating in snowsports. I'd also like to spend more time in the mountains, and to ski from the summit of Mont Blanc.

What is your claim to fame?

Selling a huge pile of used paving bricks on Ebay!

If you could go to any worldwide destination, where would you go?

There are many places I'd like to visit, in particular the Andes, New Zealand, the Himalayas and both Poles.

What is your favourite food?

Pasta - simple, easy and versatile. (Actually, it's dark chocolate really!)

On 31st October Alex Minajew's five year appointment as National Commissioner for Activities came to an end. As the UK Commissioner for Programme I would like to thank Alex for his hard work, leadership and creative thinking in developing Activities. I am sure that many of you, both those who met Alex personally and those that have benefitted from the work he has lead, would join me in thanking Alex for his exceptional contribution in getting more young people to take part in activities by making it easier for Leaders to undertake them.

Many of you will have seen, there is currently a search group to find a successor to Alex to continue to move Activities forwards and to build on his solid foundations. Until the new appointment is made it is very much business as normal, and I, together with the National Activities Team and the Activities Office, will continue to support you in providing those all important activities to our young people.

Andrew Wellbeloved - UK Commissioner for Programme

My five years as National Commissioner for Activities very neatly coincides with the restructure of the volunteer support at Headquarters. This move aims to give more localised support and is certainly something that 'Activities' has been very much pushing with events like supporting County/Area team meetings, ACC/AAC Development Workshops, Activity Assessor Forums and a host of other opportunities.

2007 gives the Movement a massive opportunity to demonstrate that Scouting gives young people tremendous opportunities, often through the vehicle of the activities that we provide. But 2007 is not the end game - it is about looking for springboards for the future - young leaders to support activities, suppliers and contacts, and time to sit back and ask 'are we providing the right activities in the right format?'

My five years have been fantastic. I could write a book about what people have done, how they have turned situations around, and the many, many smiling faces. And I was given the opportunity to see all of this with the tremendous friendship of Scouting people that I have never met, from young people to the young at heart. I wish you all the very best.

Alex Minajew - outgoing National Commissioner for Activites

If you need help or advice, please contact us:

The Activities Office
The Scout Association
Gilwell Park
Chingford
London
E4 7QW
Tel. 020 8433 7157
Fax. 020 8433 7114
Email. activities@scout.org.uk
Web. www.scouts.org.uk/activities