Author Topic: Explorer - Scouts...  (Read 2331 times)

Explorer - Scouts...
« on: 09 September, 2012, 09:19:41 pm »
Anyone's offspring do explorer-scouts?  How do they get on, and what is the Male:Fem ratio?

Andy
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Explorer - Scouts...
« Reply #1 on: 09 September, 2012, 10:03:14 pm »
Ah. The Boy was in that. He's now too old (19) but carries on as a leader (when he's not away studying Hard Sums). I have to say it's been a really good experience for him. He's quite shy but it has brought him out of his shell no end.  Having questioned him, he's not sure of the M:F ratio but thinks it's 50:50. The ratio in any given unit is likely to be affected by the make up of the Scout Troops feeding into it.

As I'm a Scout Leader myself, I  should know more about the unit he was in, as that's where our Scouts go when they get too old.  As with many of these things you get out of it what you put in. Some of the young people the full on, arm full of badges kind, whilst others are happy to sit round a fire poking it with sticks, with all points in between.

Give it a whirl. 
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Re: Explorer - Scouts...
« Reply #2 on: 10 September, 2012, 09:02:28 am »
I also help out with an Explorer Unit..  The lot I am involved with  has more boys than girls (might be as high as 2:1)  but as there are 40 of them the girls are not isolated.

It seems to have the right balance of interesting adventure stuff and more practical skills based things.  My group is quite good at supporting them through the DoE awards as well as the Scout equivalents, so most end up with both. 

Go for it. 
Just someone's butler

a lower gear

  • Carmarthenshire - "Not ALWAYS raining!"
Re: Explorer - Scouts...
« Reply #3 on: 10 September, 2012, 10:59:29 pm »
The older of the smaller gears went up from Scouts to Explorers a couple of years ago and enjoys it significantly more save for the greatly decreased emphasis on badges. A tad under 1:1 in his lot with slightly more boys than girls to judge from fund raising and awards events in the local indian restaurant. Lots of support for DOE but the alternate bronze and silver so you may have to time things right if your troop follows the same pattern. Lots of night hikes, wild camping / bivying, etc. Far less pettiness. Much more decision making by the youngsters with only guidance from the leaders rather than the leaders controlling everything. Sounds a lot closer to what good Scout troops used to be like? The younger of the smaller gears can't wait to go up to Explorers from Scouts, notwithstanding his enormous enthusiasm for acquiring badges will be curtailed.

But as with all such organisations, there can be a huge variation between local groups.

Re: Explorer - Scouts...
« Reply #4 on: 17 September, 2012, 12:25:47 pm »
Two of ours have done Explorers, and my daughter went on with it until A2s intervened.  The ratio in her group was probably about 2 male to 1 female, and the same was probably true of the 40 or so Greater London South crew who went to the jamboree in Sweden last summer.

Very dependent on leaders - they recently lost two leaders who had really given the group a sense of direction, and who incidentally were absolute stars when our daughter had something of a medical emergency at the end of the Lyke Wake Walk a couple of years back.  We were just reminiscing lat night about how brilliant they were. 

Son #2 is unsure about graduating into Explorers, as the current leader seems to lack leadership.

Re: Explorer - Scouts...
« Reply #5 on: 17 September, 2012, 10:40:49 pm »
Another Scout Leader here - what everyone else said, really. Ratios, programmes and general tenor of the Unit will vary from group to group. Consider trying more than one if any of these seem to be issues.

Programmes can be quite adventurous, but will depend on the young people and their motivation as much as on the leaders. Highlight of our County's year is Peak Assault, but Explorers are also to be seen helping out at events for the younger sections.

Re: Explorer - Scouts...
« Reply #6 on: 18 September, 2012, 12:22:23 am »
Thanks all - useful info.
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson