Re: Scouts doing Platinum?

On 12 Oct, 08:35, "Eddie Langdown" <the3l...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
We are in a situation where our scouts do not have a conveniently near ESU.

You are not alone.

Many stay-on til 15 and either leave,

That should be a concern for the DESC. If it truly is 'many' then the
DESC should be looking for a solution to this problem.

Of course what you believe to be an inconvenience might not be so for
others.

or become YL's.

If they become YLs then they are Explorers.

A few are doing DofE
at school and use YL experience towards DofE and some join occasional ES
activities for specific Dof E stuff ( expeditions )

Okay.

So the issue is not whether the scouts can move on to Explorers but
one where there is no 'convenient', regular meeting that they can
easily attend.

Kick that issue into the DESC's lap and tell them to fix it. And if
they can't fix it then tell them to come up with alternatives for you
to consider.

It's a two-way thing. DESCs need to be mindful of demographic changes
and demands and respond to them as best as possible and groups need to
keep DESCs informed of these demands. Strategic management of the
explorer provision is a skill that all DESCs need to learn and
develop. Sadly there are a number who don't possess the skills and a
small few who completely ignore it.

In the troop, nearly all of our scouts get Gold by about 14,

As should be the case in a well-run troop!

and that is
always the last scout award they ever get.

Well the last main programme award they get while in the troop.

It has occurred to me that
during the final months in the troop,

They should be looking at the moving-on award and preparing themselves
for explorers.

and for those who stay helping as YLs,

??? You can't 'stay' to 'help' as a YL.

It's: 'Those who return as members of the explorer provision to
support a section in the group in the role of YL'.

they could be working towards, or possibly getting their Platinum?

While YLs will primarily be working towards learning and developing
skills towards awards in the YLs scheme they should be encouraged to
participate in other parts of the explorer programme and combine all
these towards achieving the CSPA.

Scouts work towards the CSPA by completing their CSGA. They start out
on the specifics of the CSPA when they join explorers. Scouts should
not be working on the specifics of the CSPA.

Anyone else in this situation?

Probably quite a few are.

I think what you're really intimating at Eddie is getting those yp who
are coming towards the end of their troop experience (and have got
their CSGA) started on the CSPA in combination with those who are
supprting the troop as YLs.

And I clearly understand your reasons for doing this!

Maintaining progress and keeping the challenge of scouting fresh for
yp is a sure way of keeping them involved in scouting.

But be careful here because you're potentially opening up a can of
worms.

For a start the CSPA is a part of the explorer programme. You have no
responsibilities for that programme (or at least I'll assume you've
been given no responsibilities). In starting that programme you'll
then be taking on two programmes - a scout one and an explorer one.
It's a big enough challenge trying to do one very well! You may also
be viewed as running an 'integrated section'. For a start, you need
the permission of the DC to run an integrated section and, secondly,
the DC cannot authorise an integrated section at the scout/explorer
level (IIRC).

Rather than trying to come up with many creative solutions I suggest
you try working with the DESC on solving the one problem - providing
'convenient' access to the explorer programme for yp progressing from
scouts in your group.


GAGS

.

Relevant Pages

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