Re: Scouts doing Platinum?


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

How so? Given that there appears to be no place for these Scouts why
not try to get them started in the hope that they might travel a
little further to continue once started? After all, one thing that
Central London does not have a problem with is transport.(but see
later comment)


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).


I think that Eddie is being pragmatic and trying to do his best to
keep kids involved for as long as is possible. He is not trying to
hang on to Explorer age Scouts because he can't let them go. My
reading of Eddie is that he would gladly send them off if there was
somewhere for them to go. If he maintains 18-21 in his Troop, every
Explorer-age Scout that stays on longer than needs be is denying a
place to another Scout. That is not Eddie's aim, I'm sure. If an ESL
or two appeared on his doorstep, I'm sure that Eddie would facilitate
their opening of an appropriate ESU - however it might be managed.


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.


That's an easy response and you know it. There are many, many
Districts where filling sections with kids is never going to be a real
problem. However, finding a pair of adults to run a section is a
serious barrier to overcome.

Where we have people going the extra mile to keep kids involved, then
good on them. If we have them with us then we have hope that we can
provide some form of service for them. If we let them go, then they
are lost to us.

Simply saying get the DESC to sort out provision is simplistic. It's
like me saying that my DC should find me a new BSL. It just isn't
realistic to expect a magic wand to wave and Leaders to appear.

Equally, if the kids don't want to travel to another Unit, be it one
mile or two miles away, then how do you suggest the DEC overcomes that
barrier?

Certainly in my locale transport is a problem in the evenings and at
weekends. In London there is no shortage of transport but then again,
would I, as a parent, be happy about my kids traveling in London
unaccompanied, at night? Maybe not.


And here's another element to factor into this sort of situation.
There may well be reasons why a person may not want to travel to
another Unit apart from the unfamiliarity and the distance. It may
well be the ethos of the Unit, or its Leaders.

I've twice had Scouts leave my Troop to go to another Group. Both were
right little pains in the backsides, both trouble-makers, both always
disrupting things and neither gaining any sort of awards. I made their
life difficult when they misbehaved. They had a choice, shape up or
ship out. They shipped out. No loss to us and the general atmosphere
in the Troop improved without them.

They went to another Troop, discipline is shockingly poor, the kids
run riot. Those kids would never in a million years come to a Unit
that I was involved with. Yet my Unit has 18 members and the older
Scouts are keen to join it - even though ES do very little programme
work. The other Unit is down to about six and none of mine will go to
it, none of theirs will come to mine.

As you know, there are no easy solutions to this and any solution is
better than no solution.

Ewan Scott
http://www.claytonwestscouts.org.uk
.

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