To run a cub scout camp

[Scoutleader01809]

I am a man without children in his 20s but my mum said it's ok for me to ask questions here so here goes.

I have been a Cub (8-10 boys and girls) scout leader for about 10 years, running a week-long camp in the summer, less than an hour drive away from home, for those 10 years minus Covid. Past few years have become harder and harder to get signups.

I have great memories and experiences from camps I did at that age and older, every year the kids enjoy themselves on camp. It's hugely shaped me to become the adult I am today and most of my freinds are people I went to scouts with. I honestly believe scouting is a great organisation for teaching kids resilience and independence, and that's why I give up 5+ hours a week to scouting.

This year in particular has been a nightmare, almost none of the parents want to send their kids, camp is about £200 but it's an affluent area, we offer discounts to those who need so I doubt it's the cost. Some are genuinely on holiday but a lot of them genuinely insist it's to much for their child often telling me about how 20 years ago in brownies they didn't enjoy camping or that they would miss their child (am I wrong to think that they shouldn't worry about whether they will miss their child but only whether their child will have a good time?).

I hear about a lot of groups who have trouble running overnights and assumed their leaders were the probelm but now starting to question if that's just the parents of today.

I have a WhatsAppgroup with the parents and put photos in of the kids everyday enjoying themselves, I had to make it admins only a few years ago when the parents ask stupid questions like why does my child look tired, why are they wearing a jumper, I now get those questions in DM.

The kids sleep in canvas tents, sing campfire songs, do activities like archery and kayaking, play in the woods, I can't get how being on a screen or sitting bored in holiday camp is even remotely comparable.

I might cancel the camp, I might suffer through the 5 parents who have 'volunteered to help' to come along as a condition to their children attending then just stop running longer camps and only do 1 or 2 night camps. Ultimately, they're less prepared for longer scout and explorer camps, and it's a spiral until you get 18-year-olds unready to go to university.

I don't get it, I know I don't have kids and maybe I will feel different if/ when I do but I don't feel I am a bad person for suggesting their children would benefit from some experiences away from their parents.

YABU- You're the pied piper of hamelin
YANBU- Parents are being to precious and camp sounds great

Are you the only adult with the kids (except the parents?)
What are your safeguarding procedures?
Camp sounds great but maybe you’re missing something.

£200?!?!

my youngest son is going on cub camp next weekend. It’s £65…

How long is it? We've definitely found cub camps are better capped at 2 nights. Even scout camps are shorter, often 4 nights.

Maybe that's a part of their worry.

The initial plan had 4 adults including myself, all DBS checked and done scouting safeguarding training which is pretty good.

Leaders should never be 1 to 1 with a child, don't befreind children, don't promise to keep secrets, should report all concerns to our safeguarding team etc. Safeguarding is something we take seriously and have a lot of written rules around.

I have no involvement with Scouting, but in my village the Cubs just a one-night camp. A week seems far too long for that age-group and is also more likely to be disruptive to family plans for the summer holidays.

I would shorten the camps to weekends only. It’s a shame as o have happy memories of guide camps.

I think it might be the week part that is the stumbling block. All our cub camps are only a weekend - Friday to Sunday. I think a week away is too long for many kids of this age and also makes it expensive ( although 200 for a week residential is great value).
it’s also likely to be easier to find other volunteers and parent helpers for 2 nights instead of 7. Most people with jobs and families just don’t have a week they can devote to cub camp.

Maybe try cutting back to weekend camps and seeing if the uptake improves.

in my experience longer camps are normally only for the older sections. In our group only the Explorers go for longer than 3 nights away on any given trip.

So, if that was the initial plan, what's the plan now?

£200 for a cub camp???

That's super expensive.

It seems too long for that age group.

It's 5 days, so about £40 a night and has some activites, a printed shirt, we do get pizza on the last night. A weekend camp I would charge about £60. It's been around that price for a few years because the area we're in no one has seemed to mind. In future, I might try to make it cheaper.

I think age 8-10 is young to go on a residential camp for several nights. I don't think that means they won't be ready to go to university at 18 (I have a child at uni who is managing fine).

I think it’s too long and the cost . I was a beaver and cub leader when my kids were growing up and the longest camp under canvas was 4 nights and I think that is plenty for most children of that age .

Also, cubs are fairly young. Id have thought no more than 3 nights away?

Will probably be a few extra parents coming along who have said if their children are coming they need to come as well. Still DBS check etc

My son goes scouts and it's amazing. However, at cubs they only did 1-2 nights of camping. 1 week is too long for that age.

I do run a weekend camp early in the year as well and get fairly good attendance. I may move to 2 offerings of weekend camps.

You should plan a 2 night camp at that age.

Drop off Friday afternoon/after school. Pick up Sunday just before lunch.

Poacher is only £300!

Please keep doing camps. They are so important for kids. They learn about independence and loads of other great stuff. I keep signing my kids up to them and they always get cancelled at the last minute and it is such a shame.

We don’t, despite me being the Group Treasurer, because a week means DS missing cricket fixtures that he’s desperate to play in. I suspect that’s a big change from 25 years ago…most of his friends have summer sports or music things.

I pulled my son out of Cubs because in 2 years they only had one 2 night camp. Yours sounds great!

Agree it’s a duration issue - for ours it was 2 night camps for cubs and only longer when they went up to scouts

My dc have all been Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers. So I am not new to this.

A week is too long for cubs.

£200 is too much.

For working families, esp if they have more than one child, then the summer holidays are a painful dance of balancing childcare and working commitments.

Having just one child away for a week is not always a blessing but an added hassle. You have to get them there and back, sometimes during work hours. The childcare you use may not keep their space or need a block booking. The others kids may not want to drive there and back to drop off and pick up.

DC may have other commitments or things they don't want to miss for a week.

There will be family events like holidays, weekends away, weddings and meet ups in the holidays.

I don't want my kids coming home so sleep deprived and filthy they are then ruined for the following week too.

So many reasons.

Fellow cub leader here. We only do 2 nights now, we find that quite apart from leaders not being able to get the time off work for longer camps (we use our annual leave for our families!) parents just don't seem to want to send kids for any longer. Scouts too.

It's a shame but if you get the balance right then you can still have a great time. I would get the parents together and actually ask what they want. Do a survey monkey or something with options.

I usually do a sleepover for 1 night indoors in autumn or winter, often joint with beavers which appeals to my younger cubs and then alternate in the summer, one year the crazy county festival/jamboree style camp and the next year a 2 night back to basics style camp with a hike, fires and pioneering. Often joint with the scouts so means the cubs get to know them and it eases transition for my older ones.

During the year we do a couple of the district or county competitions and do an activity day and a hike. So not overnights but good opportunities to try something new and put skills to the test.