Written by Gem Puleston
A few weeks ago, I had the delightful opportunity to visit Land Scouts during their weekly meeting to gain insights into the motivations of the Young Leaders and Scouts. My aim was simple: to understand why they love Land Scouts and what drives their unwavering commitment week after week. On this particular occasion, the Young Leaders had organized an impressive evening dedicated to the global issues badge.
Ostyn, one of the Young Leaders, provided intriguing insights into his passion for Land Scouts, how he became involved, and the positive impact it had on his university application. “I started at land scouts because I was dropping my brother off at a hike and basically never left after that! I’m going to university to study special educational needs education so volunteering at land scouts [and beavers] really helps with my confidence and it also does look good on my CV.” Tonight’s agenda centred on the global issues badge, focusing on topics like alcohol, smoking, vaping, and food health. Ostyn had planned engaging games to make the learning experience more enjoyable for the young scouts. This dedication not only helps him achieve his diamond award with explorers but also contributes to his Duke of Edinburgh, significantly enhancing his CV. It’s evident that Ostyn truly cherishes his interactions with the scouts while benefiting immensely from the experience, showcasing how scouting nurtures well-rounded, confident, and inspired young individuals.
Evan, another young leader, also finds volunteering at Land Scouts rewarding, as it counts toward his Duke of Edinburgh. However, what struck me most was his heartfelt desire to be helpful. As the son of Nick, the land scout section leader, Evan’s commitment to supporting his father speaks volumes about his kind and driven nature.. He said that “I’m also a member of gordo explorers so I’m working towards my DofE but that’s not the only reason I keep coming back every week. I think honestly I wanted to feel helpful. Nick [land scout section leader] is my dad so I want to help and support him. I was a land scout myself and when I left 3.5 years ago, numbers were low but now they’re up again which is good. I think the leaders like it more now that there’s more Scouts; it feels like more of a group. I also kind of looked up to the young leaders when I was a cub and wanted to be like them and now I am! I think it helps the scouts to have young leaders because we’re closer to their age so we can joke around with them more.” As he aspired to be like the young leaders he admired during his cub days, Evan now embodies the role model figure he once looked up to. This seamless continuity from beavers to cubs and onward reflects the cohesiveness of our scout group, with scouting being a constant thread throughout their childhoods.
To gain further insight, I spoke with some of the scouts themselves. T, for instance, joined Land Scouts inspired by their sibling’s experience and the enjoyable memories from cubs and beavers. The prospect of continuing the journey to Gordo upon leaving excites T. He told me, “my sibling was a Land Scout and I wanted to join because I enjoyed cubs and beavers. I’m definitely hoping to go to Gordo when I leave. I like the activities and the movie camp we did recently was really fun!”. P, another scout, highlighted the valuable life skills Land Scouts has taught him, saying, “it teaches you the skills you need like rope tying, fires, that sort of thing. I was in beavers and cubs and then came here. Honestly my parents did encourage me to join Land Scouts and then I found that I really liked it. For example I like the wide games on camp… none of the stuff on camp is tedious, even the stuff you’d find boring on your own are fun because you’ve got people to talk to.”
The camps really seemed to stand out as something the Scouts particularly enjoyed. Another scout, E, told me about one particular camp in a bit more detail: “There was a camp last year, it was called Strategy, in Cirencester. We went around a big area and found lots of things to do like activities and adventure things. It was our troop and lots of other troops from different parts of the country and we had to get points to try and win. We didn’t win but we had fun.” Another scout, H, told me about how much he enjoys the camps too: “I like camping, I go 3 times a year! I went on summer camp last year and we did wide games and games at night and lots of other things. The last camp was a film making camp and the camp before that we did wide games and sitting around the fire.” He told me about a game they played by the fire called “the 9 square game” which sounded very fun. He also tried to explain to me the rules of the ‘infamous’ Land Scout “Ultimate Tag” but it was very confusing! I think Land Scouts just inherently know the rules… perhaps it’s in their entry requirements?
Finally, I had the privilege of conversing with some of the leaders, who play a pivotal role in shaping these experiences for the Scouts. Despite facing challenges with recruiting more help, their dedication remains unwavering. James eloquently described the heart of his commitment: “I like doing it. I wouldn’t come back if I didn’t like it. I see this as a chance to help young people become rounded individuals. They have lots of experiences here that they wouldn’t get elsewhere like outdoorsy stuff. They have to go to school but how often are they going to get to make a fire or play with an axe or build a bridge out of pioneering poles, or go climbing or do archery? For me, it’s about the little wins. There’s always something, even if it’s just someone doing something new that they’ve never done before or achieving something they’ve been trying to do. For me, it’s not about the big ‘WOW’ moments. Of course, there’s an element of that but it’s more about the smaller achievements and the ongoing achievements- it’s a package deal. You can pay and go and have an experience anywhere, not just at scouts. The extra stuff that builds around it is what scouts should be about.” That’s just it, isn’t it? Scouts does amazing things for young people and our leaders see that and make it happen week after week.
Nick, the section leader, echoed similar sentiments about the joy of seeing the scouts flourish and forming strong bonds with them along the way, saying that “I like getting to know [the scouts], seeing them grow up and progress, seeing how quickly they come out of their shells when they join us. I have a good relationship with the leaders and Young Leaders.” He then asked if I’d heard the ‘origin story’ of Ostyn’s commitment to Land Scouts saying that he “dropped [his brother] off to a day hike, ended up staying for the day and stayed with us ever since.” It’s a real testament to how awesome this group is to say that someone saw what Land Scouts do and was immediately hooked! Nick then revealed his passion for cameras, which led to the innovative movie camp idea, aiming to provide scouts with a chance to experience filmmaking. He said, “I’ve got an obsession with cameras so I wanted to do something film related hence the movie camp. I want the scouts to do it twice within their time at Land Scouts so they get the experience. Me and Evan edited all the videos and we showed them to all the scouts once they were completed.” Very cool. Finally, I was interested to see if Nick had one particular ‘stand out’ memory of Land Scouts. “Campfires on camp,” he said, “I love being sat around chatting and playing games. We often get the Scouts to tell us something interesting about themselves so we all get to learn something new about them. I almost don’t want to send them to bed because they’re so happy chatting!”.
In conclusion, Land Scouts undoubtedly offers exceptional opportunities for young individuals, instilling invaluable life skills and cherished memories. The dedication of the Young Leaders and scout leaders alike ensures that this experience remains enriching, character-building, and fun-filled for everyone involved.
