ian_au

Scouts and Scout leaders camp parents visit some may visit for the lenght of the camp and their help in setting up camp and running bases is welcome but they shouldn't be allowed to do jobs that would normally be done by the scouts. Day Hikes and outings are a different matter and I'm quite happy to have whole families along for the day provided they understand that they are reponsible for their siblings who aren't in the scout movement. Leaders are responsible for the scouts.

I'm sorry but I don't see what the fuss is about Australian scouting is co-ed from Joeys at 6 to Rovers at 20. There is also girl guildes from 6 to 20 and very rarely do the girls swap. Both organisations have similar programs and cater to different groups of children. All the girl scouts I've met have been just as capable as the boys and as happy to be covered from head to foot in mud at the end of a day's activities. While the old guard fights their little tuff wars the girls who could be in Scouting you'll find down the climbimg center and at the skate board ramp on saturday afternoon having played soccer in the morning, or been at dance class. Scouting really is for every one.

In my troop it would have been the scouts patrol leader responsibility to "remind" the new boys the requirements of the badge work it would have been the leaders job to "remind" the patrol leader. As for reading the book and knowing before it happens what is required this I've found is a very rare skill in young scouts and usually helped by parental "reminding". Now I may be missing something here but what's to stop the scout arranging with the examiner to bring their pack in on a troop night and have it marked off. You have to allow scouts to catch up missed chances otherwise they end up behind their peers and become the butt of jokes and teasing and then they leave.

Sorry I can't afford it but I can give you some hints from the recent AJ2000. Have a prejam camp for your own contingent troop, for even though there are a thousand scouts in camp your scouts will mainly be involved with their own troop or patrol. Some one in your troop will turn out to be your trader and he/she will trade best with something destinctly Korean, Troop or district badges,troop scarves,are good.Woggles I think are great they can be worn by the reciever long after the Jamboree. Hints: have all your scouts use the same Distinctive baggage this makes finding your stuff easier. Take a simple cook book some times the supplied incrediants can be challanging. teach them how to wash clothing in a bucket before going.

Twice now my troop has contracted from 15 to 4. The contactions a problem but you can still provide good scouting, by taking your troop on the road and joining another troop. I find it's best to join as a separate patrol as this allows for easier returning when your numbers increase. The troop you join can be large or small but if the number of leaders equals the number of scouts, scoutings a breeze. IT's awfully hard to play a successful game with three scouts. Just remember to explain to your parents that it's only tempory and not a merger.