The Scout Association Today?

[Brains]

got a link to the NCS?

This lot
https://www.ncsyes.co.uk/

 

[Brains]

NICS, like the DofE before them, will probably end up relying on Scouting to make it work.

Whilst many schools can run the basic Bronze level of DofE (which is the Scouting equivalent of a basic overnight Scout hike), the schools struggle with Silver and are usually unable to do Gold.
Just by attending a normal Explorer Scout expedition most members can get silver, and if they organise the expedition they can get gold.

 

[classic33]

NICS, like the DofE before them, will probably end up relying on Scouting to make it work.

Whilst many schools can run the basic Bronze level of DofE (which is the Scouting equivalent of a basic overnight Scout hike), the schools struggle with Silver and are usually unable to do Gold.
Just by attending a normal Explorer Scout expedition most members can get silver, and if they organise the expedition they can get gold.

Spent many weekends at checkpoints/way points along the routes used for the DofE awards.

Most were scout/guide groups and I can only remember three groups that weren't.

 

[spen666]

This lot
https://www.ncsyes.co.uk/

Thanks

 

[marinyork]

got a link to the NCS?

http://www.ncsthechallenge.org/ is the bit I'm talking about. I see actually it only runs in certain places. However I must have just met a lot of people that have travelled/done it. www.nscyes.co.uk is the general site I think. 15-17 year olds if that's not clear.

Met a few people before/after. In role as interviewing people I've now met quite a lot of people who've done it and also quite interesting conversations. I daresay someone on here has daughter/son who's done it who can give you a lot more details than indirect ones. Bits of the tinernet I think do discuss it a fair bit.

 

[marinyork]

NICS, like the DofE before them, will probably end up relying on Scouting to make it work.

Whilst many schools can run the basic Bronze level of DofE (which is the Scouting equivalent of a basic overnight Scout hike), the schools struggle with Silver and are usually unable to do Gold.
Just by attending a normal Explorer Scout expedition most members can get silver, and if they organise the expedition they can get gold.

Interesting concept, but Does DofE have much relevance in today's world?

 

[subaqua]

http://www.ncsthechallenge.org/ is the bit I'm talking about. I see actually it only runs in certain places. However I must have just met a lot of people that have travelled/done it. www.nscyes.co.uk is the general site I think. 15-17 year olds if that's not clear.

Met a few people before/after. In role as interviewing people I've now met quite a lot of people who've done it and also quite interesting conversations. I daresay someone on here has daughter/son who's done it who can give you a lot more details than indirect ones. Bits of the tinernet I think do discuss it a fair bit.

My daughter did NCS last year after her GCSEs thoroughly enjoyed all of it. And has made her realise where she wants her career to head. I will get her to put something together if you want.


My boy is a few years younger and is in the local Sea Scouts. He did Cubs with them and moved up this year after waiting for his sixer to be old enough ( he was a seconder and declined the role when offered and said his friend would be given greater confidence if he was made sixer- which makes him a great leader in my book)
They moved up together. It has helped my boys confidence , his social skills and is helping in career choices. The stuff he goes to away from scouts as part of a varied childhood gets him the badges without “trying”
He marches in full Sea Scout uniform on Sunday at the remembrance parade at our local memorial. Sadly I won’t be there as I am in Guzz for similar reasons.

The leader is in his late 20s early 30s and treats the troop well.

In short , yes it still has a place.

 

[subaqua]

Interesting concept, but Does DofE have much relevance in today's world?

It gives employers an idea about the candidate .

 

[Electric_Andy]

I was in the scouts for 3 or 4 years and had a great time. IMHO it instills discipline, leadership, social skills, adventurousness (?) and I think those things are even more important now than back in the day before gaming and smart phones. My partner was a cub leader and enjoyed it very much, and was well respected. I do hasten to add that when I was a scout there was one exceptionally good adult leader who sadly had to give up due to ill health, and was replaced with a very poor leader which made a lot of boys leave.

The only issue I'd have with the movement now is that it still promotes the Christian faith, but that would not put me off enough to discourage my son from going.

 

[marinyork]

It gives employers an idea about the candidate .

Does it? Seems a very old fashioned view. I'm very sceptical. Not an either/or but I think things like NCS will eat DofE alive.

 

[lazybloke]

I was a late joiner of scouts at the age of nearly 17, also volunteered with the younger group when they did weekends/camps/etc. Wish I'd joined years earlier.

For various medical reasons my eldest has severe difficulty forming friendships so is very isolated at school. Scouts in the one environment where he can enjoy fun activities, be challenged, recognise the importance of teamwork, learn leadership skills, work in/for the community, etc. He's even done an international camp and isn't yet in his teens. The opportunities are amazing, and I'm struggling to thing of any other organisation that exists all over the country, offers so much, and caters for such a wide age-range.

 

[oldwheels]

Once knew a bloke who was a cub leader. He was not very tall but did not seem to suffer from any complexes. He said he enjoyed being a 12 year old again and was well liked. Now sadly deceased.

 

[Andy_R]

People seem to have a misconception of what the D of E actually entails. Yes, they have to do an expedition, but they have to be fully self sufficient. Additionally, they have to volunteer in the local community in some way, discover and develop new skills in a measurable way, and take up and progress in a new physical activity. At the lower bronze level each of these areas have to be maintained over a minimum period of 3 months.

As for Scouting having a role in society, the aim is for the young people to develop emotionally, physically, and spiritually (I don't mean religion, but more along the lines of morality, self respect, and respecting others who may have different lifestyles or cultural differences.) Does this have a role? The answer is fairly obvious methinks.

 

[Andy_R]

The only issue I'd have with the movement now is that it still promotes the Christian faith, but that would not put me off enough to discourage my son from going.

The movement does not promote the Christian faith, as it is non secular - there are different forms of the Scout promise to reflect that. What does happen though, unfortunately, is that a small core of old timers still in leadership roles forget this.

 

[srw]

David Cameron had a few daft ideas, and the NCS was one of his dafter. It's extremely expensive, and not very effective.

Around here we see D of E groups just about every weekend, and most of them come from city-centre schools.