Scouts!
The Scout Troop is the third section in the Scout Group, above Beavers and Cubs and is for young people aged between 10½ and 14 years. This section meets on a Thursday Night after Cubs. The Scouts are encouraged to work together and take the lead on all sorts of projects, from community based work to planning games and activities for their meetings. Scouts aims to build and develop young people’s confidence, sense of adventure and outdoor skills, as well as encouraging them to explore their attitudes and be creative. It offers them the independence to put these skills into practice at camps and even on international trips.
Activities
Scouts are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities as part of their programme including traditional Scouting skills, such as camping, survival and cooking, as well as a wider spectrum of adventurous activities, from abseiling to zorbing. Participation rather than meeting set standards is the key approach, and there are a number of Challenges awards and activity badges that Scouts can gain during their time in the section to recognise their achievements.
Structure
A Scout Troop is divided into small groups called Patrols, each headed up by an older Scout called a Patrol Leader, and often with an Assistant Patrol Leader. The Patrols provide the Scouts a smaller group in which they can carry out team activities in and Patrols are also used for camps so that the scouts can camp in team.