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This resource has been adapted

with permission from

The (U.K.) Scout Association’s

The Patrol Leaders’ Handbook.

Many thanks!

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Chapter 1 — Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5(The Patrol Leader’s Job)

The patrol system Your JobCourt of Honour You and your ScouterHow are patrols organized? Setting the scene

Chapter 2 — Troop Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11(Week by Week Responsibilities of a Patrol Leader)

Flag break Helping new membersKeeping records Select and read troop prayersThe patrol meeting InvestitureHelping to run troop games Other responsibilities

Chapter 3 — You And Your Patrol . . . . . . . . . . . . .21(Building Up a Patrol)

Choosing an assistant patrol leader Sharing leadershipYour first meeting An approach to starting a patrolDeveloping your patrol Handling individual problemsHandling your patrol

Chapter 4 — The Court of Honour . . . . . . . . . . . .29(Decision-Making in the Troop)

What is a Court of Honour? What records are kept?Who comes? Who is the Court of Honour What does it do? responsible to?How often does it meet? What’s in it for me?Where does it meet? Can the Court of Honour do Who does what? anything just for itself?

Chapter 5 — Getting the Job Done! . . . . . . . . . . .37(Training Other Scouts)

Helping your patrol learn How people learnDecide what needs doing Putting training into practiceAgree on an activity Looking back (evaluating)Planning Example training plans

Contents

The Patrol Leaders’Handbook

Contents 3

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Chapter 6 — Patrol Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45(Things to Consider When Planning Patrol Events)

Choosing activities Adventurous activitiesSafety Ready-to-use ideasPermission Just for funEquipment What other ideas can you think up?Ideas

Chapter 7 — Camping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61(Step by Step Guide for Organising a Patrol Camp)

Types of Patrol camp TransportationOrganizing a camp CostCamp programs Getting permissionMenus On your returnEquipment

Chapter 8 — Personal File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77(Your Opportunities After You Leave the Troop)

Where next Your progress within ScoutingUsing your experiences The next Scouting step — Venturers

4 The Patro l Leaders’ Handbook

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Getting Started 5

ongratulations on

becoming a patrol

leader!

In this book we’ve broughttogether ideas which will makeyour job easier. It will also giveyou information about varioustasks which you will have to tackle.

It gives you details of the patrolsystem and the Court of Honour,plus ideas for patrol camps andactivities.

Finally, there is help with your ownpersonal development. Use thebook as your own personal guide.

So let’s start at the very beginning.What is being a patrol leader allabout? Simply, it is a responsiblerole which gives you the chance toinfluence the troop you belong toand, in particular, the members ofyour patrol — a very important job.

You may be asking though...“What do I have to do?”“How do I do it?”or even“Can I do it?”

Well, don’t worry — that’s exactlywhat this book is all about.

C

Chapter 1

Getting Started

C

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The Patrol System

• A group of friends.• A group where everybody is

important.• A group of four to eight people.• A group which plans and does

things together.

At the first trial Scout camp,in 1907 on Brownsea Island,Baden-Powell divided the 20 boysinto four groups of five. He calledthem “Bulls”, “Wolves”, “Ravens”,and “Curlews.”

These groups became the firstScout patrols, and this system isone of the reasons for Scouting’ssuccess over the years. Each patrolwas led by a senior boy — a patrolleader! He was given full responsi-bility for the activities and behav-iour of his patrol at all times. Thepatrol system was used for workand play.

This patrol system is still usedtoday to divide members of a troopinto small groups so everyone canplay a part and be actively involved.Big groups of more than 20 usuallybreak into smaller gatherings any-way; and by having smaller groups,everyone can have a say in what’sgoing on and be important to thatgroup.

A patrol normally has four toeight members, of which one isthe patrol leader and another is theassistant patrol leader. Other patrolmembers may act as quartermaster,secretary and treasurer.

Patrol leaders are trained so theycan play a strong role running thetroop with other patrol leaders in


TROOP

PATROL PATROL PATROL PATROL

APL APL APL APL

PL PL PL PL

COURT OF HONOUR

What is a patrol?

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the Court of Honour. (More aboutthe Court of Honour appears inChapter 4.)

The types of patrols differ fromone troop to another. Here aresome common ones.

• Patrols in which each patrolhas a mixture of age andexperience.

• Patrols in which Scouts of asimilar age work together.

• A “new Scouts” patrol in whichnew members can get to knowthe troop before choosingwhich main patrol to join.

• A specialist patrol in whichthe members have a particularinterest, such as air activities.

Some troops use other systems;there’s no single way to organize —it’s a case of which system suitsyour troop best. However, it isimportant that Scouts do have thechance to choose which patrolthey want to be in and have theopportunity to move if they wish.

Your Job

As a patrol leader, you’ll be givenresponsibilities that you may nothave experienced in the past.

You’ll be asked to lead yourpatrol and organize it so yourpatrol members progress andenjoy themselves.

You’ll need to seek the ideas andviews of your patrol and take themto the Court of Honour to helpplan what the troop is going to do.You will also have to keep yourpatrol informed about what isdecided and why.

You’ll be asked to help membersof your patrol through the differentstages of the award scheme, and toteach some skills.

You’ll have to hear ideas, thenhelp to make them happen so yourpatrol and the troop are active andinvolved.

Getting Started 7

How are patrolsorganized?

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Looking at these responsibilities,you will see that your new positionmeans you’ll need many skills andabilities you may not have neededbefore.

Your main tasks are:

1. To lead your patrol;

2. To help members makeprogress in the various awards;

3. To represent the views of yourpatrol;

4. To help run the troop with theCourt of Honour.

Don’t panic! You’ll get lots ofsupport.

The picture shows the patrolleader as the trunk with the mem-bers of the patrol as the branches.The roots are the troop, thedistrict, the region, Scouting atlarge and others who are there tosupport YOU, the patrol leader,in your job.


Who is there to help?

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You and Your Scouter

Your first line of support willalways be your Scouter. Havingtwo leaders is not easy, but remem-ber that even though you lead yourpatrol, your Scouter still leads thetroop and has overall responsibilityfor the safety and welfare of allScouts — including you — evenwhen you are doing patrol activi-ties. Getting the relationship rightbetween you and your Scouter isvery important, so try and build upa partnership between you.

Keep your Scouter in touch withwhat you are doing at all times.Scouters are trained to help youwith problems that may arise, toknow what the rules of ScoutsCanada are, and how to organizethings properly.

It’s especially important to consultyour Scouter before taking on anyadventurous activity, but you will

also need to share your week byweek plans.

Ask your leader for help with anydifficulties which you might havein planning, discipline or thinkingup ideas.

Other leaders in the group will beable to help you with equipmentand ideas. Many districts andregions have specialists who areavailable to help your patrol andtroop with adventurous activitiessuch as rock climbing, canoeing,hiking, sailing, creative activities,and much more.

Outdoor skill courses and leader-ship courses such as patrol leadertraining courses are run by districtsand councils.

Parents have skills, and many willbe willing to share hobbies, skillsand expertise with you at a patrolor troop meeting.

Getting Started 9

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Your own Scout group will be ableto help you with finances, trans-portation and advice.

Don’t forget: these people won’tbe able to guess what supportand help you need — you’ll haveto ask!

Setting the Scene

Being a leader is mainly about get-ting things done, but leaders areoften remembered for how theyact — not for what they say. Thinkabout some leaders or even teach-ers at school that you know. Whichones do you like and respect?Which ones get the job done? How

do they act? What about the onesyou dislike? How would you like tobe seen as a leader, and how wouldyou like to be seen by your fellowScouts?

Perhaps with a friend or yourother patrol leaders, you couldchat about what sort of leader youwould like to be. Make a plan toachieve this.

How you lead your patrol willchange from situation to situation,but a patrol will follow good lead-ership and be unhappy with badleadership.

Always remember that setting agood example is the best thingyou can do.


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Troop Nigh t 11

here are probably as

many types of Scout

troop nights as there

are types of Scouts. Even so,

your job as a patrol leader will

be important whatever your

situation.What sort of things

might you be asked to do?

• Prepare the troop flag forbreaking.

• Keep a register.• Hold your own patrol meeting

and pass on information to theCourt of Honour.

• Represent your patrol at theCourt of Honour meetings.

• Organize and run troop games.• Look after new members of the

troop.

• Present new Scouts forinvestiture.

• Organize patrol activities forpart, or all, of the evening.

• Keep discipline in your patrol.• Collect dues.• Help train other Scouts.

Sounds like a lot? Well, you won’thave to do them all every night!Let’s look at them one at a time.

Flag Break

Many troop meetings start withbreaking the flag. There aren’tmany ceremonies in Scouting, butit is important that those which wehave are done properly. You canhelp the troop meeting get off to a

T

Chapter 2

Troop Night

T

(The pictures below show how tofold a flag ready for breaking.)

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good start by making the flag breaksmooth and efficient.

We have flag break to remind usthat we have made a promise to doour duty to the Queen. This meansthat as Scouts we care about ourcountry, and have a commitmentto look after it.

At flag break...

• The troop should be standing atthe alert.

• The patrol leader who is tobreak the flag steps forwardand smartly pulls on the break-ing rope.

• The patrol leader steps backand smartly salutes.

• Everyone else should salute atthe same time.

At flag down...

• The troop should be standing atthe alert.

• The Scout who is to bringdown the flag steps forwardand unravels the rope.

• The flag is then lowered slowly.It shouldn’t touch the floor.

• Having lowered the flag, theScout steps back and stands atthe alert for a couple ofseconds. No salute should bemade at this stage.

Your troop might have a differentway of breaking the flag from theone described here. However,whatever your tradition, it’s impor-tant to do it smartly and correctly.

Keeping Records

You may be asked to keep recordsof your patrol. This might involverecording attendance of eachpatrol member at troop meetings,or each Scout’s progress throughthe award scheme. Record keepingis only useful if it’s reliable. Ifyou’re asked to look after anypatrol or troop money, then you’llhave to be very careful that youdon’t mix things up. You will haveto show what has been taken in,what has been spent, and what youshould have left over. Although it’syour responsibility, you may wantto appoint a patrol secretary anda patrol treasurer to do thesetwo jobs.


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The Patrol Meeting

Possibly your most important jobis to represent other Scouts in yourpatrol. To do this properly, youmust have a patrol meeting.

At the patrol meeting you have thechance to:

• Suggest ideas to your patrol.• Make plans for your own patrol

activities.• Get ideas to pass on to the

Court of Honour and yourScouter.

• Report back on previous Courtof Honour meetings aboutwhat’s happening.

When and where should you holda patrol meeting? Sometimes you

might plan a few minutes into atroop meeting when you can getideas from your patrol. You mightmeet at school, or somebody’shouse or perhaps while you’re ona hike. There will be many othertimes. In fact, any time you’reworking together as a patrol youshould be ready to listen to ideasfor future activities.

Remember: The troop programis in your hands. Your patrolmust understand that if theywant to do exciting things, tomake progress through the awardscheme and have fun, they canmake it all happen. If they don’tget involved, they deserve whatthey get!

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Six tips for running a successfulpatrol meeting.

1. Listen to other people’s ideas.

2. Give everyone a chance to puttheir ideas forward.

3. Write down what is suggested.

4. Don’t reject other people’sideas because you don’t thinkthey will work.

5. If an idea seems too ambitious,tell the patrol you will have tocheck with your Scouter.

6. Report back on what is happen-ing, and put suggestions theyhave made into action.

“What happens if my patroldoesn’t have any ideas?”

Try thinking up a few suggestionsand asking your patrol to vote oneach idea. Get each Scout in yourpatrol to think of their ownfavourite sports or hobbies. Could

any of them help the rest of yourpatrol to try the ideas themselves?

Use the award scheme to suggestideas — each Scout looks throughthe requirements to see what heor she needs to do next. Look formatching activities, and pass onthe choices to the Court of Honour.

“What happens if the ideas aretoo difficult for the patrol toput into action?”

Some ideas will be good, but youmay not know how, or where,to start. You’ll need to ask yourScouter’s help. District and regionadvisors are also available to helpyou. Other patrol leaders mayknow what to do, or you could tryasking your assistant district com-missioner for Scouts. It may be bet-ter to do a particularly challengingactivity as a joint patrol or troopactivity.


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“What if my patrol doesn’t wantto discuss ideas?”

Sometimes you may find it difficultto get your patrol to sit downtogether and talk or be sensible.It’s best to find a time when noth-ing else is going on, or whenthey’re ready for a rest afteranother activity; otherwise theScouts might be more interestedin playing games. Sometimes youmight find it easier to talk to mem-bers of your patrol one-on-oneabout their ideas.

Your patrol members will be moreinterested in contributing to patroland troop planning once they seethat their opinions do matter anddo make a difference.

“How long should a patrolmeeting last?”

If you decide to have a propermeeting, rather than just sharingideas in your spare time, don’tallow it to go on too long. Tenminutes is ideal. After all, you wantto get on with doing interestingthings, not just talk about them!

“Why bother with patrolmeetings at all?”

Everyone has a right to express hisor her views about what activitiesthe patrol or troop does. It’s “their”troop as much as it is “yours”; theyshould get what they want from it.To do this, everyone must have hisor her say, so the Court of Honourcan plan the best possible programs,

and makes sure everyone progressesin the award scheme through theactivities decided upon. Scoutingalso tries to develop your ability towork with others and to co-operatetogether — an important skill foreveryday life.

Helping to RunTroop Games

Everyone enjoys games in a troopnight program. If you’re in chargeof running the games, a few simple“rules” may guarantee success. Ifyou haven’t planned what you’regoing to do, games can quickly gowrong.

• Before announcing the game,make sure you have all theequipment ready.

• Don’t play the game for toolong. It’s best to stop whileeveryone is still enjoying thegame. If you play too long,boredom will set in.

• Choose games with rules thatare simple to explain.

• Work together with your fellowpatrol leaders and assistantpatrol leaders. It’s easier tocontrol other Scouts as a team,rather than by yourself.

• Take care to pick games whicheveryone can enjoy. Don’t endup pitting a small, young Scoutagainst a 14-year-old giant.

• Make sure everyone is playingby the rules. If an individualdecides not to follow the gameproperly, stop and remove the

Troop Nigh t 15

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Scout. You could ask anotherpatrol leader to speak to himor her about correct attitude,or you may feel you need topass on the problem to yourScouter. Whatever the case,your job is to get on with run-ning the game with those whodo want to play it properly.

• If a lot of Scouts start to breakthe rules and spoil the game,it’s a sure sign that it’s time tomove on to something else!

• Choose inside games that won’tdamage walls or ceilings. Somegames are too active to playindoors.

• Avoid using too many gameswhich eliminate Scouts. It’sgreat for the winner, but if youlose early on it’s rather boringwatching from the sidelines.Since younger, smaller Scoutsare often the ones eliminatedfirst, it can lead to boredomwith the program.

Games

Here are a few troop games whichyou might like to try. None involvemuch equipment. For other ideas,check out Scouts Canada’s bookentitled, Games... From A to Z.

The Rope Circle

You’ll need a thick rope longenough to be tied into a circlewhich all Scouts can hold onto.Tie the rope with a bowline knotto prevent it from slipping.

Get everyone to hold the rope andlean outwards. Spread the biggerScouts out so they don’t distort thecircle. The rope should becometight. With care, everyone shouldbe able to sit down together, thenstand up again. As long as every-one works together, the rope willspread the load around the circle.


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Quarter Volleyball

Divide your meeting place intoquarters. Use chalk on the floorif you can, or ropes, benches orchairs. Divide the troop into fourteams; each may only stay in theirown quarters. Bat a light ball intothe playing area. Scouts have tokeep the ball out of their sectionby batting it upwards. If it touchesthe floor, blow a whistle and awardthat team a point. The aim is toavoid scoring points. Each time theball hits the floor, players shouldreturn the ball to you; then, toss itback in to restart the game. This isa fast-flowing game, so be on yourtoes with the whistle. As a change,you can limit the amount oftouches allowed in each quarter.

Kickball

Play this game outside on a field atleast 100 metres long. There canbe obstacles, including hills, ortwists and turns. You need a ball

for each team, preferably one thatcan’t be kicked a great distance.Play with two teams. On a signal,one member of each team kicksthe ball forward. They step aside tolet another team member kick it,and so on. The entire team followsthe ball to the finish line, rotatingkicks as often as is necessary to getto the finish line. The first team tokick the ball across the finish line,wins.

Blob

Two players join hands to form the“Blob.” The Blob grows by chasingother players and touching them.(Note: Only the free hands at theend of the Blob can be used totouch players.) The Blob continuesto grow until only one player isleft untouched; that player is thewinner.

Troop Nigh t 17

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Helping NewMembers

It can be pretty scary when a Scoutfirst joins the troop. After all, newfriends must be made, a new rou-tine learned, and above all, mostother Scouts will probably bebigger!

You can do a lot to help new Scoutssettle in. Think back to when youfirst came to a troop night. Whatwere you looking for? Most Scoutswant to be accepted quickly, andto get involved.

“So, what can I do tohelp new Scouts?”

• Remember to explain the sim-ple things: What do I do?Where do I stand at flag break?Who are the different people?

• Find out what interests newScouts.

• Explain the rules of games andactivities.

• Involve them in the patrol.• Protect the new member from

any form of bullying, includingname-calling.

• Make sure the member has aScout Handbook, and be sureto take a personal interest inhelping them achieve theirbadges.

• Be the person’s friend.

You might also ask another mem-ber of the patrol (perhaps someonenearer to the new Scout’s own age)to help take care of them.

Select and ReadTroop Prayers

Most troops have prayers at eitherthe beginning or the end of meet-ings, or both. This helps Scoutswith their Promise to “love andserve God.” If you’re choosingprayers, pick something relevantto that evening or that evening’sactivity. For example, you mightthank God:

• for the work of doctors andnurses after a first aid evening,

• for the fun you had with a par-ticular activity.

Or you might ask for:

• help for a particular Scout whois ill,

• God to watch over your camp.

Prayers don’t have to be long orcomplicated. They can be simple


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and in your own words. If you’reasked to read a prayer, just read itin your natural voice. Speak up soeveryone can hear, and speak alittle slower than normal so thatit’s clear.

Remember: Troop membersmight not all be of the samefaith. Be sure to check with aScouter to ensure that yourprayer is appropriate.

Investiture

At investiture, you have to presentthe new Scout to your Scouter.At the beginning of the ceremony,you bring forward the new mem-ber, and both of you stand in frontof your Scouter.

While the Scout makes the Promise,you remain beside the new Scoutand everyone makes the Scoutsign. After your Scouter has pre-sented the troop, district andregion badges, present the patrolbadge and welcome the Scout intothe troop. You then both go backto the rest of the patrol.

In this way you’re able to give sup-port to the new Scout whom youshould already know quite well.

Take pride in how you welcomenew Scouts to your troop. A set-tled, happy young Scout is a suresign of a good, working patrolleader.

OtherResponsibilities

Besides running patrol meetingsand activities, as a patrol leaderyou’ll also be working with WolfCubs. This will involve meetingnew members before they join thetroop, and possibly helping withCub badges. Your Wolf Cub leaderwill be able to tell you what helpis needed.

You may also be involved with theVenturer Executive Committee,arranging joint activities andevents, and planning the progressof older Scouts to the company.The Venturer advisor and companypresident will be able to help yourCourt of Honour.

Two of your major responsibili-ties — training other Scouts, andbeing part of the Court of Honour— are featured in later chapters.

Troop Nigh t 19

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NOTES

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You and Your Patro l 21

he first few troop

meetings with you in

charge of your patrol

will be very important. The

Scouts will be keen to find out

what sort of a patrol leader

you’re going to be. At the same

time, you might be rather ner-

vous, so let’s get some help!

Choosing anAssistant PatrolLeader

Selecting a Scout who is going tohelp you as an assistant patrolleader can make a great differenceto your job. Ideally you want some-one who is a friend and who yousee frequently. This will help youto become a “working pair,” shar-ing patrol tasks. You’ll find it mucheasier to plan, maintain disciplineand think of ideas if you have afriend to rely on. So what is the jobof the assistant patrol leader?

• To help the patrol leader runthe patrol.

• To take the patrol leader’splace in case of absence.

• To help the patrol leader moti-vate the patrol to tackle newand exciting projects.

Don’t forget that assistant patrolleaders will want to be patrol lead-ers themselves one day, so givethem a chance to get involved and“learn the ropes.”

As a new patrol leader you mightask your Scouter and the Court ofHonour to appoint the person ofyour choice as an acting assistantpatrol leader at first. This way youcan see how things go.

Your First Meeting

You will want to make a success ofyour first meeting so the Scouts inyour patrol get the right messages.What is the ‘right’ message? It is...

• “This patrol leader knows thejob.”

• “We’re going to get on well,and not waste time.”

• “Coming to Scouts is fun.”

T

Chapter 3

You and Your Patrol

T

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• “We’re going to behave becausethe activities are great — notime for messing around.”

For your first meeting, make sureyou’re on top of everything.

Choose something which youthink you can do well so you feelconfident. It may be a hobby orsome Scouting skill which youenjoy and are good at.

Choose something quite simple.It’s important that everyone takingpart sees the activity as successful.Check your idea with your Scouter;he or she might offer some sugges-tions or equipment.

Check the idea with your assistantpatrol leader; use him or her togive you help and support. Planhow long the activity will take andhow you will end the meeting.Finish while everyone is stillenjoying it.

Get everything ready so you don’twaste time when your patrol isready to go.

At the meeting...

Tackle the project enthusiastically!Quickly and efficiently, presentwhat you want your patrol to do.Enthusiasm quickly spreads andwill give your activity pace andinterest. Involve all Scouts in theactivity as quickly as possible.

After the meeting...

Chat it over with your assistantpatrol leader. How did it go? Whatwas good? What could have beenbetter? What tips do you now havefor next time?

Don’t forget that your Scouter isthere to support you. Share yoursuccesses or, if things don’t go wellat first, ask for advice and help.

A few successful meetings willquickly produce the feeling ofvalue, fun and achievement.

Developing YourPatrol

Once you’ve established yourself,you’ll want to develop your patrolinto a good working team.


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When members take pride in theirpatrol, it’s a good sign of a success-ful team.

The following games are designedto develop teamwork. You mightfind some of them useful in gettingyour patrol to work together as ateam, rather than for themselves.Teamwork will develop slowlythrough everything you do together,but you can also help it grow.

The human pyramid

How quickly can you get thesmallest patrol member to the top?Challenge other patrols.


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Blindfold tent pitching

One member of your patrol cansee, but is not actually allowed todo anything except instruct every-one else. Other patrol members areblindfolded. Can you successfullypitch a patrol tent? Can you take itdown again and pack it with some-body else in charge?

Lighting the candle

Your patrol is stuck on one side ofa river (marked on the floor). Theyhave to light a candle placed onthe far side. You are provided withseveral garden canes, some string,matches and a match box. Canyour patrol solve the problem?

Crossing the chasm

Provided with four chairs, can yourpatrol get themselves across themeeting room without anyonetouching the floor? Challengeanother patrol. Who can do itfaster? Can you do it with fewerchairs?

Boil the water

Challenge another patrol to a com-petition to see which one can boila measured amount of water on anopen fire.

Stretcher race

Build a stretcher out of two stavesand a jacket. How quickly can youcarry one patrol member around anobstacle course?

Handling YourPatrol

A leader working with a team ofpeople has three things whichneed to be considered:

The task:Is the project being done suc-cessfully, or is it going wrong?

The group:Is the patrol working together,or are members arguing?

The individual:Is everyone taking part, or havesome Scouts given up, droppedout or been left out?

You, as the patrol leader, have tomake sure all these things areworking properly. This meanschanging often to keep thingsgoing.

Sometimes you might have to leadthe task by organizing everyone.

Sometimes you might have toencourage, keep up morale, andget the whole group workingtogether well.

Sometimes you might let the patrolget on with the project and helpan individual in the group whoneeds attention.

Sometimes you have to do all threethings at once. That’s why being apatrol leader isn’t easy!


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Sharing Leadership

Now that your patrol is workingtogether and you have establishedyour position, it’s time to start toshare the job: to share the leader-ship with others in the patrol(especially your assistant patrolleader), and to encourage and useother patrol members’ ideas. Infact it’s time to hold your first“patrol meeting.”

For more information on patrolmeetings, look back to Chapter 2.

An Approach toStarting a Patrol

Following is a step-by-step guide tosome of the things we have beentalking about. Remember it’s onlyone approach, and each step maytake more than one week.

Week 1:Aim: Establish your position.

You and your assistant patrolleader organize a short activityfor the patrol which you areconfident about.

Week 2:Aim: Build on your reputation.

Hold a short informal patrolmeeting to write down names,


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addresses and telephone num-bers for each member, and toshare any troop information.You and your assistant patrolleader may then organizeanother short activity for thepatrol which you’re confidentwill be a success.

Week 3:Aim: Develop the patrol as a

team.

Take part in some team-buildinggames and challenges. Challengeother patrols to take part in anactivity that you’re good at.

Week 4:Aim: Begin to get the patrol to

share ideas.

Run the first full patrol meeting;decide on an activity for the fol-lowing week. Take notes andpass major ideas to the Courtof Honour.

Week 5:Aim: Reinforce the idea of a

patrol meeting.

Run the activity suggested at theprevious patrol meeting. Hold asecond patrol meeting and startlooking for a larger-scale activityto plan. Share some of the plan-ning jobs around the patrol.Report back to the Court ofHonour.

Handling IndividualProblems

When you’re trying to get anygroup of people together, youwill encounter some individualswho don’t want to fit in. The resultmay be:

• Bad behaviour• Opting out• Lack of respect• Bullying• Arriving late to troop meetings• Not turning up as expected.

So what can you do if you find apatrol member is giving problems?

There is no one single right answersince each situation is different.But here are some suggestions.

• Be positive. If the rest of thepatrol is okay, the problemrests with the individual, notyou. It’s not your fault. In manycases the actual problem haslittle to do with Scouting.


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• Try to figure out what is wrong.What do you think? What doothers who you trust thinkabout the difficulty?

• If you think you will get a sensi-ble answer, ask the person pri-vately and directly (1) what isthe problem? and (2) what isthe solution?

• Share the situation with otherpatrol leaders at the Court ofHonour, and with your Scouter.They can then support you.

• Does the Scout feel he shouldhave more responsibility? Canhe plan/run an activity in thenear future? Should he have aspecific job?

• Is it a personality clash? Doeshe want to change patrols?

• Is the problem related to bore-dom? Would forming a new

patrol help? Could the personsuggest and help organize newactivities?

• If it’s something about thepatrol, can another patrolleader talk to the person aboutany problems and help sortthem out?

Worrying achieves nothing. Findsome support and look for ways tosolve the problem.

Don’t let one person’s poor atti-tude spoil the development of thepatrol. This is important! If a Scoutcontinues to give you problems,don’t be afraid to give the problemover to your Scouter. Your job is torun a patrol as well as you can, notsort out the troop’s problems.


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The Court of Honour 29

his chapter describes

your role as part of

the Court of Honour.

As a patrol leader, you’ll want

to become an effective mem-

ber of your troop’s Court of

Honour, and be fully involved

in running your troop. It may

have a well established Court

of Honour already, with regu-

lar meetings; you may even

have been to one in the past.

If not — don’t panic

If your troop doesn’t have a Courtof Honour at the moment, thischapter will give some ideas soyou can help start one. Watch outfor small pointers called “hints forstarters.” These are specificallyincluded to help you and otherpatrol leaders get going.

Whether you’ve been involvedbefore, or whether it’s all new toyou, find out how it operates.

Simple! It’s a get-together of patrolleaders to talk about everythingthat happens in your Scout troop.

The Court of Honour decides whocomes. Patrol leaders attend, aswell as your Scouter (usually),

T

Chapter 4

The Court of Honour

T What is a Courtof Honour?

Who comes?

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although this isn’t absolutely nec-essary. The Court of Honour caninvite anyone it wishes to a meet-ing; this might change from meet-ing to meeting. For example, youmight invite:

• assistant patrol leaders,• older Scouts,• a Scout who has completed

an award,• assistant Scout leaders,• the group Scout leader,• the assistant district commis-

sioner (Scouts),• people who are helping the

troop with training or anactivity.

If the Court of Honour is to remainan effective group, don’t let it gettoo big. A good size includes thepatrol leaders, plus one or twoothers at any one time.

The Court of Honour meets to talkabout what happens in the Scouttroop and, therefore, plays a signif-icant role in running the troop. Itsdiscussion topics can be very wideand varied. It...

• helps plan the troop program,• shares patrol activities and plans,• discusses ideas from patrol

meetings,• maintains troop standards,• looks after troop and patrol

finances,• discusses and approves

appointments,• checks progress of Scouts with

their awards,• invites guests,• arranges outings.

Hints for Starters

Get together with just oneother patrol leader — perhapsat school — and between you,write down a list of activitiesthat you and your patrols likedoing best. Take this list to thenext Court of Honour.

Hints for Starters

At your first meeting, gettogether with just the patrolleaders and your Scouter.


What doesit do?

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The Court of Honour will decidethis, but six or eight times a yearfor formal meetings is standard formany groups. The number of meet-ings you need, and how long theylast, will depend entirely on theamount of work to be done, andwhen it needs doing. You may notneed a meeting for months andthen need two or three meetingsvery close together when thingsget busy.

In addition to formal meetings,there are many other opportunitiesto discuss items. Take five minutesbefore or after the end of a troopmeeting, late in the evening atcamp, on a bus or in a car on theway to an activity.

You’ll decide where to hold yourmeetings. Anywhere is adequate,as long as you have enough space,and can talk in peace so you canachieve your goals. Here are someexamples.

• Your sponsor’s hall (perhapsthere’s a room set aside forcommittees or there’s a cornersomewhere that you coulduse).

• Either at a leader’s house orone of the patrol leader’shomes.

• In a park or campsite duringthe summer.

Hints for Starters

Ask your Scouter or an assistantScout leader to lead your firstmeeting so you can learn howit’s done.

Hints for Starters

At your first meeting, decide thedates of the next two or threemeetings so everyone can planto attend.


How oftendoes it meet?

Where doesit meet?

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There are quite a few jobs thatneed doing to make a Court ofHonour work. Somebody needs todo the following tasks.

• Keep control of the meetings.• Control the discussions.• Ensure that they stick to the

point.• Ensure decisions are made.• Ensure everyone has a “say.”

The person who does all of thesetasks is called “the chair.” It’s agood job for one of the seniorpatrol leaders.

If the Court of Honour has any spe-cial funds, deals with subscrip-tions, or handles any other money,someone will need to look after it.This person is called a “treasurer.”

Before the meeting, someone hasto write a list of the things to bediscussed. At the meeting this per-son will record what has gone on,list the decisions made, along withthe action to be taken, and bywhom. This person is called the“secretary.”

As a patrol leader, you will proba-bly take on one of these jobs atsome time. Each of these jobsneeds different skills and practice.If you’re setting up a new Court ofHonour, perhaps you could taketurns as the secretary, or chair themeetings until one person feelsconfident to do it more perma-nently. Your group committeehas people who do these jobsso why not ask them to show youwhat to do.

If you have a special skill (suchas being good with money andaccounts), why not offer to dothe job your skills suit.

For formal meetings, everyone tellsthe secretary before the meetingwhat they want to discuss. The sec-retary then produces an agenda.

Hints for Starters

Why not see if you can visita meeting of your Venturercompany’s ExecutiveCommittee? You can watchhow they run their meeting.


Who doeswhat?

What recordsare kept?

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A sample agenda may look likethis:

3rd Weston Park Scout TroopCourt of Honour meetingto be held on Tuesday8th January at Dick’s home, 43 Hoy Street at 7:00 p.m.

1. Minutes of last meeting.

2. Matters arising from the Minutes.

3. Review of recent events.

4. Future troop programs.

5. Future patrol activities.

6. Summer camp.

7. Treasurer’s report.

8. Scouter’s notices.

9. Any other business.

Your agenda doesn’t have to beas formal as this one, but it mustclearly show everyone what willbe discussed.

The agenda can be written at thebeginning of the meeting, but it’shelpful if it’s ready in advance soeveryone knows what items arecoming up, and can discuss themat a patrol meeting.

Whoever chairs the meeting readsthrough the items. The secretaryrecords important details of themeeting. These notes are called“Minutes” and are the officialrecord of what happened at theCourt of Honour. They don’t needto be long, wordy documents, justa simple list of decisions made,describing who is doing what.

The secretary makes sure everyonehas a copy of the Minutes after themeeting, so members know whatthey have to do.

If you have access to a computerand printer, use these. The secre-tary should keep a copy of allMinutes in a book or a file forfuture reference.

The Court of Honour will also haveto ensure that everyone’s awardprogress is recorded if the troopuses a central system. The court

Hints for Starters

If you do your Minutes oncomputer, you can easily printoff the number of copies yourequire. If you don’t have acomputer, just photocopy themat a library. E-mail is also aneffective way to distributeMinutes.

Hints for Starters

The agenda for your firstmeeting could include:

• where and when to meet,• who attends,• agenda for the next meeting.


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should also record past programsso it will be able to plan futureprogramming. Different Court ofHonour members can take on dif-ferent secretarial tasks.

The Court of Honour is responsibleto the whole Scout troop. It willonly be able to make big decisions(such as where to hold summercamp), if it has proved that it canmake sensible small decisions. It’simpossible for every troop memberto be involved directly with alldecisions. Patrol leaders, therefore,have the very important task ofrepresenting the ideas of all patrolmembers, and not just their ownviews.

Remember: your Scouter isresponsible for the overall safetyand welfare of the Scouts. Yourleader, even when not attendingyour meetings, still has the finalsay regarding whether an activitycan take place or not. Somethingwhich you are planning may beagainst Scouts Canada’s rules, orsimply too dangerous. If youinvite your Scouter to the Courtof Honour, it may save a lot oftime. The Court of Honour shouldalways inform the whole troopand its leaders of decisions itmakes.

Hints for Starters

Perhaps you have patrol leaderswho are good at writing or art.They could produce a troopnewsletter to help communicatethe Court of Honour’s decisions.They might even want to puttogether a poster for display ona troop notice board.

Hints for Starters

Write down a list of the mainitems which you must discussat your next patrol meeting.Then, at the meeting, writedown the opinions of yourpatrol on the same sheet ofpaper so it’s ready to take backto the next Court of Honour.


Who is theCourt of Honourresponsible to?

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You can really influence what hap-pens in your troop, help to arrangethe kind of activities you and yourfriends want to experience, andmake sure your Scouting is fullof fun, adventure and challenge.You’ll also be gaining new skillswhich will help you with yourawards, and be useful outsideScouting (see Chapter 8).

Yes. While its main job is to lookafter and represent the interests ofall Scouts in the troop, it can orga-nize a few special events just forpatrol leaders and other olderScouts. These might include aspecial activity camp, a Christmasdinner or special expeditions thatwork towards the Chief Scout’sAward.

Being part of the Court of Honourwill eat up quite a lot of time as apatrol leader. But if your troop isgoing to experience the activities itwants to, you and your fellowpatrol leaders must take responsi-bility and make it happen. So,grasp the challenge and go for it!

Hints for Starters

Why not organize a weekendjust for Court of Honourmembers? You could enjoyspecial activities, while alsosetting aside plenty of timeto complete Court of Honourwork.


What’s in itfor me?

Can the Courtof Honour doanything justfor itself?

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NOTES

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Getting the Job Done 37

Helping YourPatrol Learn

One of your jobs involves makingsure that Scouts in your patrolprogress through the awardscheme and gain badges whilehaving fun and taking part in lotsof different activities. How canyou get started?

Decide WhatNeeds Doing

The first step involves discussingwith your patrol an activity thatthey really want to do. Learning forlearning’s sake is often boring, butlearning because it will let you dosomething exciting is worthwhile.

Chapter 5

Getting the Job Done!

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Agree on an Activity

Once you’ve agreed on an idea,you’ll have to find out what skillsyour patrol needs to do the activityin an enjoyable way, while makingprogress in Scouting.

These skills might be practicalones, such as first aid, tent pitch-ing or fire lighting. Your Scoutswill have to learn what map sym-bols mean, or what foods helpmake a balanced menu.

Alternatively, the skills mightinvolve learning how to work asa team, or how to ask someoneformally to help with an activity.

Idea — Let’s go on a night hike.

Check these details: Are patrolmembers used to hiking? Do theyknow how to use a compass andplan routes using maps? Do they

know what equipment to take andhow to use it? Are they all familiarwith safety precautions?

At a patrol meeting, chat withmembers about what they alreadyknow. Check your patrol’s recordsto see how learning these skillsand doing the activity will helpeach person advance in the awardscheme. Your Scouter will be ableto help you keep track of this. Listwhat tasks need to be done. Ifyou’re stuck for an idea or onemember needs to do somethingspecial to finish an award, youmight look at the records first.

Planning

Now that you have an idea whoneeds to learn what, it’s time tostart planning how to train yourpatrol. As the patrol leader youmay wish to do some of this train-ing but it doesn’t always have tobe you. If you don’t know whatyou’re talking about, don’t leadany sessions. No one is askingyou to be an expert at everything.Besides, others in your patrol ortroop may have mastered a parti-cular skill better than you. If thisis the case, use them to help youwith the training. Ask yourself:

• What exactly will we do?• When?• For how long?• Who will do the training or

help with the training?• What equipment will we need?


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When deciding these details, it’sworth thinking about how peoplelearn.

How People Learn

People learn skills in many differ-ent ways:

By listening...

This can be boring but issometimes necessary.

By watching...

Use visual aids such as video,posters, overhead projectors orslides to make this more interesting.

By copying...

This is a very effective learningmethod, but remember that yourmistakes will be copied as well!

By doing...

This is by far the most effectiveway to learn.

It’s often said,“What I hear I forget,What I see I remember,What I do I know.”

A mixture of these methods is usu-ally best, but always make it fun.If the training is part of a game oractivity, it’s more interesting, too.

Models, games and charts are greattraining aids. These will both keepattention and make the learningeasier. Here’s an even better idea.Get your Scouts to make their owntraining aids: listening, watchingand doing. They will learn by mak-

ing them, and they can use themlater to train other Scouts.

Putting Traininginto Practice

Having decided which skill you’regoing to concentrate on, howshould you organize the training?Your time would be best spent inthe following way:

10% on explanation,25% on demonstration,65% on practice.

Don’t expect everyone to learnimmediately, or at the same speed.Plan your training on several occa-sions so your patrol membersbecome more confident.

Try to vary the way you deal withtopics. How? Pitch a tent blind-folded, try tying knots using onehand only, and so on.

Help each person until he or shecan do the activity alone. Get theScout to practise with, or to teach,someone else.

Put your training into a differentactivity. It could be part of an inci-dent hike around the headquartersor a patrol challenge. Making agame out of the training mighthelp give Scouts the motivationto learn.

Scouts isn’t school, so don’t bebossy! Be a helper. Praise someonewho does things right. Give lots ofencouragement. Make allowances


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for individual members of yourpatrol, but don’t be happy withanyone’s second best — especiallyyour own.

Remember: not everyone is asstrong and quick as everyone else.Make allowances for those withspecial needs or those who havenever done the activity before.They may just need more timeto practise, or a little longer tounderstand.

Looking Back(Evaluating)

At some time you will have toconsider how well your patrolhas learned the skill or activitythat you’ve been passing on. Thisis called evaluating.

Evaluating is a way of identifyingwhat went well, what was learned,and what could be improved nexttime, or need additional attention.Probably, you’ll have a rough ideayourself how things went, but to


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get the most from the evaluationyou’ll need to consult your patrol.

Ask them:

• Was it fun?• Did anyone make progress?• Did they learn the skill by

doing the activities?• Could the Scouts do it on their

own next time?• Do we want to do another

activity using these skills?

Take the previous example of thenight hike. If, for example, youhave now done some trainingactivities using map and compass,equipment and safety, the best wayto evaluate this training is to plan anight hike. Let others lead it, andsee how they do using the skillsthey’ve learned.

A training cycle

1. Agree on an activity (don’t for-get to consult your patrol).

2. Plan...— Who will do it?— When?— How long will it last?— What preparation is needed?— Which method?

3. Do the training activities.

4. Look back (evaluate).

Example TrainingPlans

Cooking on an openfire — Voyageur Award —Outdoor Skills

#12 Demonstrate the ability tolay, light, and safely extin-guish a fire leaving no trace.

#13 Cook a simple outdoor meal.

Session 1

10 minutes

Show how to lay a fire. Point outthe different sizes of wood fromkindling through to larger burningpieces. Tell them that just pilingwood up will make lighting the firedifficult.

20 minutes

Split the patrol up into groups oftwo or three. Each group collectswood and builds a fire.


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30 minutes

Light fires and cook sausages onsticks. Put out fires and clear away.

Session 2

10 minutes

Remind the patrol about layingfires correctly. Show how to pro-tect cooking pots from smoke byspreading dish soap over the outersurface. Mention the importance ofusing lids to keep contents clean.

20 minutes

Run a competition between work-ing groups to see who can be firstto get a litre of water to boil on anopen fire.

30 minutes

Using the boiling water, divideit up into several pots to test outsome of the dehydrated foodswhich you can buy for lightweightexpeditions. Each Scout shouldrate the finished dishes on a scaleof one to ten.

Think of favourite foods whichcould be cooked on an open fire.Make a wall chart. From the sug-gestions decide upon a menu fora full meal.

Session 3

Invite a guest, such as your districtcommissioner or Scouter, to ameal. The patrol has to worktogether to cook the meal whichwas planned last session. Presentthe meal in style with candlestickson the table and full waiter service.Different members of the patrolcould take responsibility for differ-ent meal courses.

Navigation — VoyageurAward — outdoor skills

#9 Demonstrate yourknowledge of maps andcompasses. (#1 and #3)

Session 1

10 minutes

Check that everyone knows thesixteen points of the compass.


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Patrol game

Draw circles on the floor. Eachpatrol member stands in a circleblindfolded. The patrol leadermakes sure everyone is standingfacing in the same direction, whichis then called “North.”

The patrol leader calls out direc-tions and number of paces. TheScouts have to turn to the correctdirection and walk the right num-ber of paces. Give about six direc-tions so they bring the Scout backto the circle again if performedproperly. The Scouts take off theirblindfolds to see how close theyare to their starting positions.

10 minutes

Demonstrate the use of a compass.Each Scout needs a compass topractise with. Call out a bearing,and your Scouts have to point inthe right direction.

30 minutes

Scouts make their own large train-ing compass from cardboard. (Testeach Scout individually as the com-pass is being made.)

Session 2

10 minutes

Review the compass with the patrol.

30 minutes

Patrol game — find yourbearings

In this game you’ll be creatingwords using compass bearings.Each Scout should have a pencil,paper and compass. Mark out acircle in a field and place stakesin the ground with a single, highlyvisible letter on each stake.

Each Scout (or team) must spellout a word by finding its compass


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headings. (See diagram.) Forexample, if assigned the word“SYMBOL”, a Scout would take acompass reading to the first letter(“S”) from the centre stake. Aftermarking the bearing down, theScout would walk to the “S” andtake a bearing to the next letter(“Y”) and continue until finishingthe word. Patrol leaders mustcheck to make sure the bearingsare correct. Depending on thesize of the circle, you could havegroups of Scouts all playing atonce.

Session 3

Set up an orienteering course. EachScout is timed round the courseand has to collect a letter or sym-bol at each base. Make the courseabout six bases long. The Scoutsset off on the course at five minuteintervals. Have a prize for thequickest and most accurate Scout.


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Patro l Activit ies 45

he Court of Honour

and your patrol meet-

ings will begin to

produce ideas for future meet-

ings.Your Scouts need to con-

vert these into action, other-

wise those who suggest them

will be disappointed.

Some ideas will be easy to imple-ment (such as going swimming),while others will involve morepreparation.

• Going on a night hike involvessorting out a route, transporta-tion, checking it with your

Scouter, and making arrange-ments with parents.

• Teaching first aid might involvecalling in an expert to helpyou, and getting equipmenttogether.

• Raising money is a good idea,but how are you going to do it?

Carefully plan and think throughall activities you do as a patrol.

Choosing Activities

Every one of us is different, andwe all like doing some things morethan others. This is, of course, trueof patrols as well. Activities that

T

Chapter 6

Patrol Activities

T

Can the activityinvolve everyone?

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you choose will have to be onesthat most of you want. To be fair,ensure that over time, the patroltries out each person’s favouriteactivity.

Sometimes, Scouts may have phys-ical or medical conditions whichmay limit their abilities to takepart in activities. These Scouts arestill part of your patrol, and theirwishes, ideas and expectationsshould be given as much weight orvalue as those of other members.Leaders may be able to providesupport in these circumstances.

Occasionally patrol members maynot want to do an activity, or feelthat they can’t for some reason. Isthat okay? Sure! Scouting is for fun.No one should be made to do any-thing. Do talk to the Scout, though.You may be able to overcome theperson’s reluctance, or the Scoutmay be just a little nervous.

Try to involve the Scout somehow.For example, could the personorganize the activity or lead itwithout doing it? On troop nights,choose activities that everyoneenjoys.

Safety

When you’re thinking of ideas,some silly or dangerous onesalways come up. You need toexplain immediately why they’renot suitable. As a patrol, though,there’s no reason why youshouldn’t do adventurous activi-ties, as long as they’re properlyrun. Most adventurous activitieshave special rules. Your Scouterwill be able to tell you about them,and probably find some specialistto help with the activity.

Safety is also a chief concern formore everyday activities. In fact,most accidents happen duringordinary games and activities(things like stove burns or accidents when using sportsequipment).

Think safety first, whatever theactivity.


Is the activitysensible and safe?

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Permission

Before you finally agree on an ideawith your patrol, check it out. Thisis where your Scouter comes in.Whatever you’re planning, nomatter how simple it may sound,check it out with your leader first.Your leader will be able to helpyou with the correct contacts,check what Scout rules apply, andwhat training (if any) you’ll need.Your Scouter will also advise youon safety.

It’s important to realize that eventhough you’ll run the activity, yourScouter has overall responsibilityto your parents for what you do.Keep leaders informed about yourplans. You must listen to advice,even it it appears to spoil yourplans.

You’ll also need to make surethe parents of patrol membersapprove, as well as possibly otherpeople, such as camp chiefs orquartermasters.

Equipment

Most activities depend on havingthe correct equipment. Climbersneed good quality ropes and slings;canoeists need PFDs or life jacketsand safety-tested boats; cyclistsneed helmets, and so on. Faulty orold equipment can be very danger-ous. Don’t take the risk.

You can often rent or borrow goodequipment for adventurous activi-ties. Outfitters may also offertrained instructors.

Check all your equipment beforethe activity. Make sure it’s com-plete and not damaged in any way.If it is, replace the damaged itembefore setting out. Never takeunnecessary chances. If you bor-row or rent equipment, of course,it’s your responsibility to look afterit. Take good care of it. If some-thing breaks — accidents do hap-pen — then report it as soon asyou get back. Make sure no oneuses the equipment until it isrepaired.


Is it okay to go? Do you have theright equipment?

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In short, activities can be quiet,noisy, helpful, useful, long, short.They can take place on legs, onbikes, in canoes, in the air. Theycan use footballs, baseballs, pio-neering poles, computers, guitars.They may be cheap, expensive,clean or scruffy. But above all,activities must have a point tothem, and they must be fun!

Here’s an activity checklist.

• Can it involve everyone?• Is the activity sensible and safe?• Have you checked with leaders

and parents?• Do you have the right

equipment?

Ideas

So what do you do and when?There are thousands of differentthings which you can do with yourpatrol, either on troop night, patrolnight, during short camps and longcamps, in the evenings and, of

course, on weekends. The list isas long as your imagination!

Patrol exchange

Swap with a patrol from anothertroop, and “sample” each other’stroop meeting.

Joint meetings

Meet with another troop, aVenturer company, or your localGirl Guides.

Guest night

Invite some friends from school orfrom the local youth club to spendthe evening or weekend “Scouting.”Here is your chance to show themwhat you do.

Game show

Copy an idea from televisionand run your own game showchallenge.


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Wacky fundraising

Raise money with a sponsoredsand castle building project, or anall-night table tennis marathon.

First aid night

Set up a “nasty accident” anddemonstrate how you would han-dle the emergency. This offers agood chance for making simulatedblood and wounds, and plenty ofplayacting for a serious purpose.

Challenge badge eveningor weekend

Take the patrol through the require-ments of a challenge badge. This isa good chance to choose one ofthe more unusual badges, and tocall in some expert help.

“Make a meal of it”night

A helpful parent could open herkitchen at home to your patrol, andinvolve everyone in making a meal,which could be as simple or aselaborate as you wish.

Patrol goes to town

Visit the ice rink, theatre, cinema,bowling alley, a rock concert, fairground, swimming pool, pizzaparlour.

Special visit

Go to your town hall, televisionstudios, radio stations, hospitalchildren’s unit, power station,newspaper office, mosque, ship-

yard, sewage works, ferry terminal,telephone exchange, clothing fac-tory, engineering works, sportscentre.

If you put your mind to it, you’llfind all sorts of people who canhelp to arrange an interesting visit:parents, friends, parents of friends,friends of parents, your leaders,other leaders, neighbours, touristinformation centres. Ask these peo-ple politely and you may be lucky.

Craft night

Make something useful or attrac-tive from a material of your choice:leather, wood, plaster, paper,glass. You may want to bring in anexpert to help.

Photography

Take some interesting shots eitherin colour or black and white, andorganize an exhibit at your meet-ing hall, the local library or shop-ping mall. The beauty of usingblack and white film is that youcan develop, print, and enlargeyour own photographs much moreeasily than you can with colourfilm.


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“Learn a new skill”night

People have a lot of different hob-bies. Members of the patrol andtheir friends will have plenty ofinterests which they will be willingto share.

Information technology

Lots of people have access to a per-sonal computer. Spend an eveningsharing new games or developingskills such as program writing,desktop publishing, spread sheets,or graphic art programs.

Video project

Write, plan, shoot, edit and dub ashort video about something thatinterests you. Lots of people havecamcorders. Call around and you’llprobably be able to borrow one.

AdventurousActivities

Adventure activities offer morescope as long as they are:

• well prepared,• authorised by your leader,• safe.

Adventure activities could involvea half day, a whole day, a weekend,or a series of weekends. Again, thelist is endless. Use the opportuni-ties that present themselves mostreadily.


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Activity alphabet:A ArcheryB Ballista constructionC Candle cookingD Dry slope skiingE EnamelaireF ForestryG Glass BlowingH Horse RidingI Igloo constructionJ Joke night

K Kite makingL LacrosseM Model railwaysN Night hikeO OrienteeringP Panning for goldQ QuizzesR RaftingS SnorkellingT Trampoline night

U Undergroundexploration

V Vehiclemaintenance

W WindsurfingX Xerographic artY YachtingZ Zoo visit

Some ready-to-use ideas...

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More Ready-to-UseIdeas

What’s wrong? Stuck for an idea?Well here are a few activities youmight try.

Things to make

Spit oven

Equipment:3 large size juice cans

(all the same size with labelsremoved)

Bannock mixtureFirewoodMatchesLong “green” stickCan opener

Using the can opener, cut the topsout of two of the cans. Now, put ahole in the bottoms large enoughto thread the “green stick” through.(Cans #1 and #2) Cut the topand bottom out of the third can.(Can #3) Make the bannock mix-ture, and wind it around the“green” stick.

Assemble the oven by sliding can#3 over the stick, then slide cans#1 and #2 on either end. Telescopethem together, poking the greenstick through the holes.

Support the oven over the fire; turnit around occassionally to get evencooking.

What else could you cook in thisoven? Could you cook a whole meal?

Basic bannock bread

Ingredients:1 cup flour1 tbsp baking powder1/2 tsp saltwater

Mix dry ingredients with a fewtablespoons of water. Bake20–30 minutes in a covered oven.Bake the dough either as one largeloaf or in pieces twisted arounda stick, and cooked over coals.Serves 3–4.

Camp stool

Equipment:3–300 mm � 300 mm squares of

10 mm plywood4–305 mm long strips of

10 mm � 10 mm softwoodSawHammerNails or glue

Make the legs by cutting two piecesto the shapes as shown.

Edge the third piece with the soft-wood, and glue and nail in place.

If you want a permanent stool, justnail and glue the top piece together.


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If your balance is good, leave thetop piece separate so you can packyour stool flat for travelling to andfrom camp.

Rockets

Equipment:Plastic bottle (i.e. 2 litre

pop bottle)Cork to fit the bottlePlastic tubeFoot pumpOld wood and hinge to make

a launch padNails and screws

Cut the cork to fit the neck ofthe plastic bottle tightly. Hollowthrough the middle of the cork sothe plastic tube just fits through.For a few dollars, you can buy(from a shop selling wine-makingsupplies) a cork sized correctlywith the middle hole alreadydrilled out.

Make the launcher from wood withside rails to stop the rocket fromleaping off sideways. Put a hinge onit so you can change the angle ofthe launcher. (See picture below.)

To launch the rocket, place a smallamount of water in the bottle

and push the cork firmlyinto its neck. Place therocket on the launcherand then use the pumpto build up pressureinside the bottle. Whenenough pressure hasbuilt up, the rocket willshoot off. Make surethe area in front of thelauncher is clear ofpeople before youlaunch! Never shootit at someone.


SoftwoodEdgeGlue & Pin

100mm

150m

m

75m

m76

mm

150m

m100mm

300mm

300m

m

11mm

11mm

3. TOP

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You could use cardboard and tapeto make directional fins. Test yourrockets for height, accuracy, flightpath. Can you make them turncorners?

Let’s make a sleigh

Here’s a way to carry some of thegear to your next winter camp. Itmakes a great fall patrol project.

Equipment:12 m of 1�2 clear pine.25 kg of 1 1/2” dry wall screwsDrill and bitSawRope

Cut the wood in the dimensionsshown by the diagram. Soak the

wood in boiling water for at leasttwo hours before you try to bendit. While the plan shows how youcan make your own runners, anold pair of skis will do the trick aswell. When you’re finished build-ing the sleigh, paint it in troop orpatrol colours.

Run a saw cut for 35 cm throughthickness of the ski. Use a pieceof veneer or plywood and glue inplace. Form bend. This methodrequires no soaking.

Drill hole and fasten tow rope onbottom.

Drill and countersink all screws.


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Woggles

You can design and make yourown special patrol woggle out ofalmost anything (for example, hol-lowed out meat bones or pieces ofsoftwood). You may want to carveand decorate the outside of yourwoggles.

To make plaited woggles, just cutstrips of leather from old handbags

(perhaps one left from a yard sale).Make two short cuts in the leather,then plait them together. The twoends can then be glued or tiedtogether.

Make your own energy bars

Here’s a trail food you can makefor your next hike or canoe trip.

Ingredients:Raisins, dates, figs, coconut,

prunes, pecans, walnuts andhazelnuts.

Mix the ingredients together inequal portions. Put your mixturethrough a food chopper or blender,or chop finely with a sharp knife.Pack tightly into bars on waxedpaper and wrap in foil. It may beeasier to cover a cookie sheet withwaxed paper, pack down the mix-ture until it’s 6–12 mm thick, cutinto bars and wrap in waxed paperand foil.


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Emergency rations

It’s always a good idea to havehigh energy food with you for anemergency.

Ingredients:3 cups of rolled oats21/2 cups powdered milk1/2 package lemon or orange

flavoured gelatin1 cup sugar2 tbsp honey3 tbsp water

Place rolled oats, powered milkand sugar in a bowl. Add water tohoney and bring to a boil. Dissolvegelatin in honey-water mixture andadd to dry ingredients. After mix-ing well, add additional water a tea-spoon at a time until the mixture isbarely moist enough to be molded.Shape into two bars.

Dry the bars in the oven under lowheat, wrap in foil, and place themin a covered container for indefi-nite storage.

Each bar contains enough food forone day. You can eat the bar dry orcook it in about a pint of water.

Cook an egg in an orange

Here’s a way to cook without dirty-ing a frying pan. Cut the bottomone quarter off an orange. Carefullyspoon out the inside of the orange,eating as you go. Break an egg intoyour orange cup and set on thegrill for cooking.

Hanging boiled eggs

Ingredients:1 raw eggSewing needleStrong cotton sewing threadFire materials

Thread the needle with the cottonthread. Then, being extremelycareful, at the narrowest end ofthe egg about one centimetredown from the top, push the nee-dle through the egg and out theother side. Pull through about50 cm of thread, and tie it in aloop. Hang the egg above theembers of the fire — not theflames, or the thread will burnthrough. The egg will cook insidethe shell.


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Bacon and egg in a paper bag

Ingredients:1 slice of bacon and 1 egg2 small brown paper bagsStringFire building materials

Optional extras:A little milkMargarine and salt to taste

Cut the bacon into small piecesand mix together with the beatenegg. Put one paper bag inside theother, then pour the mixture intothe bag. Tie the neck of the bag upwith the string so you can hang itsafely above the fire’s embers.When the bottom of the paperbags are soaked through with theegg mixture, hang the bag over thefire and the egg and bacon willcook inside the bag.

If you prefer, add a little milk andmargarine when making the mix-

ture. This will produce a scrambledegg rather than an omelette type offlavour. Add salt to taste.

Just for Fun

Air display

Equipment:Scrap paperTape

Give each patrol member a setamount of paper, and thenchallenge the Scouts to make one,or all, of the following which must


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fly over a certain fixed distance:the biggest airplane, the smallestairplane, planes that will roll,planes that will loop, planes thatwill turn. Test your designs to seewhich works best, and discuss why.

Remote knotting

Stake out a three-metre radius cir-cle around a tree for each patrol,and give them a 15-metre rope.Two Scouts from each patrol musthold the rope at each end. Withoutletting go, and without enteringthe circle, each pair must tie aclove hitch around their tree.Outside the circle, the other patrolmembers can give advice and raisethe rope if necessary. The fastestpatrol wins!

The last dodo egg

Equipment:Small football2 or 3 staves or bamboo canes

Tell the patrol that the very lastdodo egg in the world has beenfound (the football). No humanhands must touch it, or it will break.In pairs, challenge them to movethe “egg” from point A to point Busing only staves or canes. This


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could be around the room, aroundan obstacle course, around the camp-site, or whatever. Count the num-ber of times the Scouts drop the egg.

To make it more exciting (and ifyou don’t mind cleaning up), usea real egg in either an unbreakablebowl or on a plate.

Blindfold pictures

Equipment:A large sheet of drawing paperColoured pensPictures from magazinesBlindfolds

As a patrol, select a picture with alot of detail from a magazine orbook. Study the picture togetherfor about five minutes pointingout specific details to each other:

how many chairs, windows, boats,people, what time does the clocksay, etc. Now, blindfold everyone,and working together, reproducethe picture as best you can.

Having tried it once, work out afew simple systems of how youcould accomplish the task better.

Active newsletter

Equipment:Tape recorder and cassette, or

video recorder and cassette,or nothing at all!

Parents and kids are bombardedwith lots of junk mail that no onereads. The next time you need topass on some important informa-tion, or get something done(e.g. permission to go on a patrolcamp, or expedition, or activity),why not use an active newsletter?

You could use two methods. (1)Write a script containing the infor-mation, and then record it on a


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tape recorder (being as enthusias-tic as possible). Now play it to par-ents. OR (2) If you can borrow acamcorder, record the message onvideo, or even write a short playletof a conversation between a Scoutand a Scouter. Now act it out foreach parent.

What Other IdeasCan You Think Up?

These are just a few ideas andactivities you might try. Can yourScouts think up any variations tothem? What other ideas can youtry? What else could you cook?What else could you do?


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Camping 61

Young people join Scouting togo camping. That’s what many sur-veys tell us. In other words, youngpeople want to go camping!

It’s important for the developmentof your patrol that you spend timetogether. This will help you get toknow each other, as well as giveopportunities to help each other,and work as a team. A weekendwill give you much more time to

spend together than a regulartroop night.

A good patrol camp will help youput your Scouting into practice.It takes you out of the meetinghall and makes all the trainingworthwhile.

Types of PatrolCamp

The patrol standingcamp

A standing camp is one where youspend the whole time at one place.Depending on the site which youchoose, this type of camp can givethe opportunity to do all sorts ofactivities, provided both by the siteand by yourselves.

This would be the best type ofcamp for a new patrol.

Chapter 7

Camping

Why camp asa patrol?

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Your Scouter will ensure that youhave had enough experience tolead a camp. He or she will alsohelp you out.

As patrols at a troopstanding camp

You can camp as a patrol, even ifall the troop is together. At this

camp, each patrol is responsiblefor its own program, menu andequipment, but all patrols campon the same site at the same time.They’re separated only for privacy.Your Scouters can then easily checkon how things are going, and offeradvice. This type of camp is partic-ularly suitable for a patrol leaderwho is taking Scouts camping forthe first time.

Indoor camp

Many Scout campsites offer huts.These can be a fun way to spend aweekend. What are the advan-tages? You can camp during cold

Recommended experience forthe patrol leader:

Some camping experience as aScout.


You should have experience inbasic camp skills, tents, fires,stoves, camp cooking. Youshould also have spent atleast five nights on previous weekends or troop camps.This will give you backgroundknowledge to make sure thatyour patrol camp is properlyrun.


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winter months and don’t need totake much equipment. You’ll haveto be sure to look after the accom-modation and leave it clean andtidy for the next group to use.

At home camp

If your sponsor has a building, whynot hold a patrol overnight eventthere, either camping or stayinginside. Perhaps you could use it asa practice for a full patrol camp sothe Scouts can get used to cookingfor themselves. Alternatively, othergroups in your district might letyou use their buildings.

Take a hike!

Why not consider a patrol week-end hike? This is a different typeof camping experience; use light-weight tents and perhapsdehydrated foods.

Base your activities on what youcan see, do and visit along the way.It’s not the ideal camp for first time


This is a good type of camp fora patrol leader with little or nocamping experience.

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campers, but this type of event canhelp you gain awards or badges.

This type of camp takes a lot moredetailed planning. You’ll need toprovide detailed route plans aswell as contact points along theway. The sort of area you choose

to walk in will also make adifference.

District and regioncamps

Many districts and regions offeropportunities to camp with otherScouts. Often, the patrols are leftto make their own arrangementsfor catering and sleeping while thecamp organizers run the program.Activities at this sort of event canbe more unusual; you can alsoeasily join in the Scouting spiriton a larger scale. Look for opportu-nities to join provincial or nationalcamps, too. There are alwaysseveral provincial camps runningeach year.


You should have previouslightweight camping and hikingexperience for this type ofcamping, along with soundknowledge of how to use amap and compass. Most of yourpatrol will also need to havehad some camping and hikingexperience.


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Special camps andexpeditions

What about trying a patrol expe-dition by cycle or on horseback?Don’t forget that it’s not just SeaScouts who can have patrols sailingand canoeing. Naturally, an expe-dition like this can also involvecamping.

Organizing a Camp

How do you and your patrol actu-ally get a camp or expeditionstarted? How do you plan it?

• Hold a patrol meeting.• Take your idea to your Scouter.

• Find out what sort of campsyou might be allowed to do.

• Agree on the following withyour patrol:— Who wants to go?— Where are you going?— How long is the event going

to last?— When are you going?— How much are you willing

to pay?— What equipment will you

need?• Take your outline idea to your

Court of Honour.

It’s a good idea to get your Scouter’spermission now so your patrol isn’tdisappointed if things need to bealtered. Then, plan in more detail.

You’ll want to make firmer plansbefore you approach parents orguardians. You’ll get a much betterreaction if you present a wellthought out plan with all therelevant details which have yourScouter support.

Either do these tasks yourself or,better yet, delegate them to patrolmembers, and help them do them.

• Check that the campsite orvenue is available.

• Work out a camp program.


The patrol needs to have someexperience in the means fortravel they choose.


The patrol leader should haverun at least one patrol campsuccessfully.

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• Work out a menu which fitsyour program.

• Check equipment.• Arrange transport.• Work out the cost of the camp.

At each stage, keep your Scouterinformed about your plans so he orshe can offer advice.

Let’s take each of those headingsin turn, and look at them in moredetail.

The campsite or venue

The type of site you choose to usewill affect your overall program.Scouting sites often offer activitiessuch as archery, pioneering orcanoeing and can help make yourcamp action-packed. If you choosea more lonely spot (such as a farmor a field), check to make sure thatcamping is allowed there. Youcan’t just stick up a tent whereveryou like!

When you have chosen your site,visit it to check out the following.

• Is there a convenient watersupply?

• Are there toilet and washingfacilities?

• What program opportunitiesdoes the site offer?

• Can you cook on wood fires orare stoves required?

• How do you get rid of garbageat the site?

• Is there a resident warden orsome other adult contact in anemergency?

Camp Programs

Patrol members will have manyideas what they would like to do atcamp. Use the facilities and oppor-tunities which the site offers. It’salso important to remember thatyou and your patrol members canall qualify for parts of the awardscheme by going on patrol camps.Scouts can earn many challengebadges in part or fully during aweekend camp, including:

• Naturalist• Pioneering• Paddling• Cooking• Winter Scouting• World Conservation• Exploring• Advanced Camping• Year Round Camper.


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You might want to plan your pro-gram around a theme. This willhelp you think up good ideas; itwill give real purpose to yourweekend.

Themes ActivitiesSurvival Quinzhees

Backwoods cookingNavigationRaftingCommunicationSurvival kits

Pioneering Knots and lashingsSplicingWhippingPioneering project

Conservation Tree pruning/plantingStream clearingPitch-inTrail building

Sports ArcheryOrienteeringCross-country skiing

Cooking BackwoodsGuest mealOvensInternational

Water activities CanoeingBoatingRaftingSailingSwimmingSailboarding

Hiking Incident hikeNight hikeVisit place of interest

Joint Camp With Venturer companyWith other troops

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Once you’ve got your ideas together, put them into a structured programfor the camp. Here’s a suggestion for a weekend with a “survival” theme.

Timetable

Friday6:00 p.m. Arrive at camp, set up site and fence off area.7:30 p.m. Collect wood for campfire.8:30 p.m. Prepare snack.9:00 p.m. Campfire9:30 p.m. Bedtime

Saturday8:00 a.m. Rise, light fire, collect more wood.8:30 a.m. Make breakfast.9:30 a.m. Dishes washed, and site tidied.10:00 a.m. Patrol leader teaches other patrol members various knots and

lashing which they’ll use later.10:30 a.m. Practise by making camp gadgets for site.11:00 a.m. Look for suitable sites for a watchtower, and set up rope swing.12:00 noon Consider different types of fire on which to cook lunch, and

have dinner.1:00 p.m. Have lunch, wash dishes.2:00 p.m. Build a watchtower. Experiment signalling from it.3:30 p.m. Build lean-tos, either individually or in small groups.5:00 p.m. Start preparing backwoods dinner.6:00 p.m. Have dinner.7:00 p.m. Wash dishes and tidy campsite.7:30 p.m. Conservation work or good turn on campsite.8:30 p.m. Campfire and night tracking game.10:00 p.m. Bed (sleeping in lean-tos).

Sunday7:00 a.m. Rise, light fire, have breakfast, wash dishes.8:30 a.m. Dismantle lean-tos and leave site just as you found it.9:00 a.m. Make a rope ladder and use it to climb a tree as a patrol

challenge in a set time.11:00 a.m. Dismantle and clear away pioneering projects.12:00 noon Cook lunch and wash dishes.1:00 p.m. After lunch, allow fire to burn out. Flood with water and stir

the ashes.1:30 p.m. Take down tents and clear site.2:30 p.m. Litter check around site.3:00 p.m. Depart for home.


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Menus

Work out a menuwhich fits in withyour program.

Find out what your patrol likes toeat before planning the menu. Ifyou do this, more people will enjoythe food. List a dozen main meals,and ask patrol members to tick theones they like. With this methodsit’s easy to choose the most popu-lar menu.

Use the Canada Food Guide whenplanning camp menus (seeThe Fieldbook for CanadianScouting). When camping, you’llbe asking your body to do a lotmore than usual, so make sureyou “fuel up” with the best food.Include the following:

Proteins:meat, fish, dairy products andvegetables (including bakedbeans) contain protein.

Carbohydrates:bread, vegetables, pasta, riceand sugar are sources ofcarbohydrates.

Fat:milk, cream, butter, bacon ormeat fat are examples of fattyfoods. You only need moderatequantities of fats.

Here’s a good plan for mostcampers: start with a good break-fast, a light lunch, a substantialevening meal, and follow it by ahot drink before bed.

Some patrol members might noteat certain foods. So, check whileyou’re planning your menubecause:

• some people have allergicor other medical reactions tofoods,

• some religions exclude differ-ent types of food,

• some people are vegetarians(they don’t eat meat or animalproducts).

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Accept these restrictions or beliefs,and build a menu around them.

It’s also important to remember todrink plenty of fluids, particularlyif the weather is hot. Water is farbetter for you than fizzy drinks.

Example weekend menu

Friday

Snack Soup, biscuits

Saturday

Breakfast CerealFrench toast and syrupToast and jamHot chocolate/milk/juice

Lunch Grilled cheesesandwichesAppleCookiesJuice/milk

Dinner SpaghettiGarlic breadPuddingMilk

Snack Hot chocolate, biscuits

Sunday

Breakfast CerealSausages and beansToast and jamHot chocolate/milk/juice

Lunch SandwichesCookiesOranges, bananasJuice/milk

Be careful to plan your mealsaround your program. It wouldbe silly to have stew for lunchwhen you plan to be on a long,exhausting hike!


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Equipment

Check equipment

Before setting off, look throughall the equipment you’re likely toneed. It’s a good idea to put uptents and dining shelters as a prac-tice exercise on troop night so youcan make sure that everything youneed is there. Make sure stoves areworking, lamps have mantles on,and bottles of gas are full. Checkthat cooking utensils and pans areclean and in good condition. Don’tforget the little things like canopeners, potato peelers and toiletpaper. Ask yourself: what sparesshould we bring along?

If your patrol is co-ed, make sureyou have separate sleeping tents.

Here’s a suggested equipment listfor a standing patrol camp. It willvary depending on the length andtype of camp. For more informa-tion on camping and equipment,check out The Fieldbook forCanadian Scouting.

Sleeping tentsGround sheets for tentsDining shelterCamp table

One double burner stove andfuel

One coolerA fire grill (if using a fire)One hand axeOne bow sawOne plastic sheet or old ground

sheet

One lampOne frying panOne kettleSet of potsCooking utensilsCan openerSharp knifePotato peelerWater container

Three dish pans and liquid dishsoap

One scouring padOne dish clothTwo tea towels

String and a few clothespegsTin foilPlastic garbage bagsMatchesKleenex/toilet paper

One basic first aid kit

Activity equipment

As well as the patrol equipment,Scouts will have their own gear tobring. It’s a good idea to issue a kitlist, particularly to Scouts who maynot have camped much before.Here’s an example:

Sleeping bag and blanketPersonal ground sheetPyjamasCamp clothing (shorts, T-shirts,

sweatshirts, pants, etc.)Warm sweaterSpare underwear and socksCamp footwear for wet and dry

weatherSwim suit and towelWash kit (toothbrush,

toothpaste, deodorant, handsoap, face cloth, small towel,comb, etc.)

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Plate, bowl, mug, knife, fork andspoon in a mesh bag

Flashlight with spare batteriesPlastic bags for dirty clothesScout uniform (if required)


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Camping 73

Transportation

Arrange transportation

Transporting people and equip-ment can make your camp veryexpensive. Friendly parents mightbe willing to take you to your sitein cars or vans. Whatever youchoose, bear these points in mind.

• Don’t overload vehicles withpeople. Make sure cars andvans are not overcrowded.

• Fasten seatbelts when riding inall vehicles. Never ride in theback of a truck.

• Offer parents some money forgas if they have to travel a longway.

• Everyone should know wherethey’re going to in case one ormore vehicles get split up.Drivers should have maps thatshow the camp.

• Camp equipment is bulky andmay be wet or dirty on yourreturn. Be sure to dry it beforepacking it away.

Cost

Work out the cost ofthe camp

Managing the finance of a campcan be difficult if you’re not usedto handling money. Keep trackof all income, record all expendi-tures, and keep receipts.

Split the camp budget into four areas.

1. TransportationTransportation costs willinclude the cost of getting toand from the site, as well as anytrips made during the event.

2. FoodWork out a daily rate and multi-ply it by the number of Scoutsgoing. Parents are usually thebest at estimating how muchto allow for each day. Or, asan activity, go to a supermarketand find out the cost of yourmeals.

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3. Camp feesYou may be lucky and find aplace where you’re not chargedfor camping, but some Scoutsites charge a daily rate percamper. Ask when you writefor information.

4. ActivitiesThe activity budget is depen-dent on what you want to doin camp. Ask for any activitycharges when you visit the site.

There are at least two provenapproaches how to budget foryour camp.

Method 1

Decide where you are going, whatyou’re charging for meals and sitefees, and what activities you’redoing. Add all the costs together,add on 10% in case of unforeseenproblems, and divide by the num-

ber of Scouts going. This gives afee per person.

This method emphasizes whatyou’re going to do, rather thankeeping costs down. Make surepatrol members are not discour-aged by the final cost of theproject.

Method 2

Find out what financial figure willbe acceptable to the patrol mem-bers. Subtract from this figure thecost of food and site fees, as theseare fixed costs. The remaining bud-get will give you an idea how faryou can travel and what activitiesyou can afford.

This method emphasizes keepingcosts down. Be careful that theevent is worthwhile and excitingenough to make your patrol wantto be part of it.

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Camping 75

In the end, most budgets involvea compromise between what youwould like to do and what is rea-sonably affordable.

When the camp ends, prepare asimple list showing how muchmoney was received and howmuch was spent; give this toyour Scouter.

Getting Permission

Now that you have developed yourplans and things are beginning tocome together, it’s time to obtainfinal permission. This needs tocome from three sources.

• The Court of Honour.• Your Scouter.• The parents/guardians of each

Scout attending.

The Court of Honour and Scoutershould have been deeply involvedin the camp so far anyway, but par-ents may need to be approachedfor the first time. Set out the detailsas well as you can to show whatwork has gone into the organiza-tion. Try to put the plans into awell presented letter so eachScout and parent gets:

• information about the cost,location and duration of thecamp,

• travel arrangements (especiallyif you want help),

• a personal kit list,• a program outline, including

special activities,• a form for parents to sign giv-

ing their permission.

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Your Scouter will be able to helpyou compile or check this informa-tion. Why not ask parents to attenda ten-minute meeting after a troopnight so you and your leader canexplain the project face to face. Letthem ask their questions here.

Off to camp... Have a good time!

On Your Return

• Return all equipment in goodcondition.

• Give “Thank you” notes to allthose who helped.

• Your patrol should review thecamp and make a few notes soyou can repeat the good thingsin the future, and correct anymistakes.

It’s not easy to organize your ownpatrol camp; look on it as a projectwhich will take several weeks tocomplete. It is, however, one ofthe best things you can do for yourpatrol. You’ll gain a lot of satisfac-tion from knowing that you havehelped make it all happen.

Remember how we began thischapter? Most Scouts join theMovement to go camping. Don’tdisappoint them. The responsibil-ity is yours and the Scouter’s.

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Personal Fi le 77

Where Next?

This book has dealt with your roleas a patrol leader. It’s easy to spendall your time helping your patroldo exciting things, and lose trackof your own development. This lastchapter is, therefore, about YOU asa person and YOUR needs. It’s also

about what you can do after leav-ing the troop.

As a patrol leader, you’ll havegained some useful skills that youwill use during the rest of your life.Here’s a list of personal qualitieswhich would help you in the worldof work. Look through them. Howdo you rate?

Chapter 8

Personal File

Quite Need more Good good help

Working with individuals• Do I set a good example?• Am I able to work with and help others?• Am I good at listening to other

people’s ideas?• Am I able to help people solve problems?

Working with a team• Am I fair in the way I deal with others?• Am I able to lead a team of people?• Am I able to let someone else take the

lead?• Can I teach a skill to a group of people?

Working with equipment• Am I able to organize equipment for a

project?• Can I keep records accurately?• Do I treat equipment responsibly?

Yourself• Can I plan and organize an activity?• Can I accept responsibility?• Am I friendly towards others?• Do I have good self-control?

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Using YourExperiences

All these skills and attributes areuseful to you — both now and inthe future. Employers will look forthem. You can highlight some ofthese in application letters whichyou send for jobs or university.

Your ProgressWithin Scouting

It’s important that you keep devel-oping your own Scouting interests.You may want to complete the

Chief Scout’s Award. Try to keepyour needs in mind, as well as theneeds of your patrol. Activitiesorganized for older Scouts willhelp you make progress in theaward scheme while your workwith the patrol will also count.

Adventurous activities

Regions and districts often have ateam of people that specializes inactivities such as climbing, caving,sailing, and canoeing. They’ll beglad to suggest ways for you todevelop interests. Many Venturercompanies specialize in certainactivities, too.

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Personal Fi le 79

Training courses

Many regions and districts runleader and “Kim” leadershipcourses. Why not consider becom-ing an “activity” leader? Ask yourScouter about these opportunities.

Provincialcamps/jamborees

A provincial camp/jamboree is agreat experience. Many provincesrun provincial camps each year.Perhaps a special patrol made upof older Scouts could attend one.Get information about these fromyour local Scout Office.

The Next ScoutingStep — Venturers

Venturers has a lot to offer if youget involved. As with Scouts, youplay a part in the success of yourVenturer company. It’ll take a littletime to get used to, but rememberyour first days as a Scout. You wereprobably a bit scared; you didn’tknow what to expect; you were nolonger “top dog” of the Cub pack.

If you start linking with a Venturercompany while you’re still a Scout,it will be much easier. You’ll knowa few faces. Find out how the com-pany is run, what activities theydo, and which ones you can takepart in.

Why not...

• invite the Venturers to give atalk and slide show of Ventureractivities?

• attend key meetings and activi-ties over a short period of time?

• invite Venturers to organizeand run a patrol activity?

• arrange for your patrol to takepart in a Venturer activity?

• have a joint Venturer/Scoutmeal, possibly on an interna-tional theme?

• hold a fundraising project withVenturers?

• organize an environmental pro-ject with Venturers?

Venturing offers so many oppor-tunities, you’ll not be able to

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experience everything. It’s worthspending some time choosing thechallenges you want, planning howyou can do them, and sharing themwith your parents, Scouter andothers. They may be able to help.

Good luck!


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Documents

Preserving our environment - haworthscoutgroup.co.ukhaworthscoutgroup.co.uk/gallery/patrol leaders handbook.pdf · Preserving our environment 1 ... Developing your patrol Handling