Explorer Scouts

Young men and women from 14 to 18 are called Explorer Scouts - the 4th section of Scouting. Explorer Scouting allows young people to take part in life challenging adventures, meet up and have fun with other people of their own age, and to become Young Leaders.

Hello from Simon Fairless! (aka Buff's Blog)

 Summer term, or more specifically May 18^th, is a big day in our Scouting diary...our new Chief Scout is unveiled! A few weeks ago, two Explorer Scouts from Wales (one from North Wales and another from the sunny south) were invited to attend The Chief Scouts Launch. Our two intrepid Explorer Scouts rose to the challenge and joined about thirty other Explorers from the whole of the UK. They were soon seen climbing, abseiling and screaming in the 3G swing with our new Chief Scout to be. Every Explorer got to meet our new “action man” and interview him. Of course, all the people who attended this great day were sworn to absolute secrecy....so you will all have to wait for the official launch day...you won’t be disappointed!

Summer term also sees the return of those dreaded exams. But then comes July and August, two of my favourite months. Nationally we have the Malvern Challenge, Sun Run and Gilwell 24 weekends. Locally, many of us will be undertaking the expedition section of the Duke of Edinburgh’s award. Our weekly programmes typically take us outside and see us canoeing, backwoods cooking or shelter building.

 Team X has been more subdued this year. Our original funding has come to an end, and we await for the successful outcome of a new grant proposal. However, one weekend IS running. Team X are assisting Carmarthenshire with their area Cub Camp on 17^th – 19^th July. Any Young Leaders may apply. A booking form is now on the website.

 Many of us will also be participating in Summer Camps – for some, it will be the call of the wild (a Unit camp in the middle of a picturesque wilderness), and for others it will be an international trip (some of our leaders are off for nine weeks on the Three Nations Tour – Mongolia, Siberia and China. I’m heading off to Windsor Great Park and the WINGS jamboree – together with 10000 other people (many from Wales) We will enjoy a week of new activities and new friends.

The application process for the next World Scout Jamboree, which will be held in Sweden in 2011, also starts towards the end of the summer. We now have our leadership team in place...we just need our Young People to apply. Follow the application process on our website. (www.scoutswales.org.uk/explorers/worldjam ) The first official presentation will be shown at AWESOME in September...be sure to be there!

The X Factor

Scouting’s Young Leader scheme has been a success story since its launch a few years ago. It encourages Explorers to get involved with the younger sections and, by completing the 11 training modules, gives young people the skills and experiences to really make a difference. Team X has taken this conceptfurther still.

Any Explorer who is active as a Young Leader is automatically a member of Team X and can purchase Team X merchandise regardless whether you have attended a weekend event or not and can be ordered from the web site.

In the coming weeks, this website will be increasingly used to communicate with leaders, helpers and young people. News, information, opportunities and programme swaps will go out first via these pages (as well as the normal channels).

Please email the links to your own Explorer Unit web page to enable us to communicate more easily. (explorers@scoutswales.org.uk)