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Explorer Scouting is for young people aged between 14 and 18, and is the fourth section in the family of Scouting.
The Acorn Explorer Scout Unit meet every other Tuesday, between 18.45 and 20.15. This allows some of our Explorer Scouts to act as Young Leaders with the other sections (see Young Leaders) and provides flexibility to fit around exams, coursework and other commitments. We also do lots of weekend activities, for details of what we're up to at the moment check out the calendar.
Our awards system is mainly based around the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (more below) but we also work towards activty badges too! For more details of the badges and awards we work towards visit www.scouts.org.uk/explorers/resources/
Explorer Scout units technically stand alone within districts but most are partnered with a local group or centre, we are lucky to be partnered with 1st Islington Scout Group sharing equipment, meeting space and leaders.
For more details on Explorer Scouting visit www.scouts.org.uk/explorers.
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
The core of the Explorers' award scheme is based around the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE). The DofE scheme consists of four elements - volunteering, physical, skill and an expedition. Once you have completed your DoE award there are a few extra 'scouty' things to do and you also achieve your Chief Scouts Award and possibly your Queen's Scout Award. It is our aim for each Explorer to complete their Bronze and Silver DofE awards whilst they are with us and thus they’ll also get their Chief Scouts Platinum and Diamond awards. More information about the award, in general, can be found at www.dofe.org. More details about how DofE fits in with scouting can be found at www.scouts.org.uk/explorers/resources/DukeofEdinburghsAwards.htm.
We are very grateful for the financial support the unit has recieved from Tara Support Services. This support has meant that we were able to provide every member within the group with free membership subs for the national DofE programme, expedition clothing, a T shirt and their record book. More details about Tara can be found at www.tarasupport.co.uk.
At the moment - Summer 2010
Following our successful practise DoE expedition over the bank holiday the focus of our efforts is now on getting ready for the real thing in June. We will also be reviewing progress with the Volunteering, Skill and Physical sections of the award. On Tuesdays we are going to continue working with the Scouts for the first half of the evening the last two evenings of term are a chance for the Scouts and Explorers to re-run their favourite challenge to see if they can claim those all important points! We're also going to be doing some of the 'scouty' work towards our Chief Scouts Platinum awards. We're going to be doing an environmental assessment of our upcoming trip to France in July.
We entered two joint teams of leaders and Explorers into the Greater London North Maypole on 22nd to 23rd May. The 'B' team took the 'Veterans' trophy, and 5th place overall whilst our 'A' team took 9th place. The Maypole is an overnight, in-car, navigational scatter event with teams having to find small code boards hidden at various points within a given area (in this case the area of OS Map 182!). This was the first team any of us have entered this event so we're really pleased with the outcome of our navigation, driving and hunting around in undergrowth, in the dark, for tiny, extrememly well hidden code boards! A fun time was had by all and we're definately going to enter next year!
More Questions? Want to Join?
If you'd like more information or to come along and try Explorer Scouting then please e-mail Chris Hunt, our Explorer Scout Leader. You may also want to visit our documentation page to see a copy of our welcome pack. We can accept young people aged from 13 and 9 months until their 18th birthday. Unfortunatley the Scout Assoication is very strict that at 18 young people must move to Network.
Both parents and young people are more than welcome to pop along any tuesday that we meet - our meetings are in the calendar, but please try to let us know in advance.
If you don't live around Clerkenwell, Finsbury or Islington you're still more than welcome but there may be an Explorer Unit nearer. Visit www.scouts.org.uk/join to be put in touch with your local units.
Want to help out?
We're also always on the look out for new leaders and people to help out with the unit. If you fancy being a leader or regular volunteer visit the Vacanices page for more details. If you want to help more informally, come along to teach a skill, give us an idea for an evening or anything else then please e-mail Chris Hunt, our Explorer Scout Leader.
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The Acorn Explorer Scout Unit
