Scout Welcome Pack Page 1

Cherokee Cub Pack

Penkridge scout Group Welcome Pack

Group Name 15th Stafford (Penkridge) Scout Group

Cub Section 15th Stafford (Penkridge) Cherokee Cub Pack

or "Cherokee's"

Meet on Monday

Time 7.30 to 8.45 pm

Location Penkridge Scout Head Quarters

Goods Station lane

Penkridge

Staffordshire

ST19 5AU

Web site www.

Tel. 01785 715325 Robert Turner Akela

Reg. Charity No. 524531

Est. 4 Jan 1912

Run By. Entirely by volunteers

Please complete the last 3 pages of this booklet and return it to your cub leader at the next meeting.

Don't forget to sign by the 3 red cross at the back

THIS WELCOME PACK BELONGS TO

CONTENTS

Penkridge scout Group Welcome Pack 1

CONTENTS 2

Introduction From Your Cub Scout Leader 3

Contact details for the scout group 4

General Information 5

What is Scouting? 5

Promise & Law 5

Uniform 6

Investiture 6

Sixes 7

Badges & Awards 7

Pack Night Programme 8

Procedures for entering and leaving the Scout Centre 8

The Groups Leaders 9

Behaviour & Discipline 9

A Cub Scout’s Obligations 9

Parental Support – We Need You! 10

Financial Matters 10

Subscriptions 11

Subscriptions – by Gift Aid 11

Camps & Trips 11

Cheques should be made payable to: Penkridge Scout Group 11

Activities & Supervision 11

Group Newsletter – Akela’s Shout 12

Other Sections 12

District & Special Events 12

Questions & Answers 12

Adults Help Out - Case study 13

Chris - Parent Helper 13

Andrew – County Commissioner 14

Tina – Beaver Colony Administrator 14

APPENDIX A 15

Health & Safety Policy Of Penkridge Scout Group 15

APPENDIX B 15

Young People First Policy 15

APPENDIX C 15

Group Antibullying Policy 15

MEMBERSHIP - INFORMATION. Page 1 of 3 17

Gift Aid declaration 3 of 3 19

Introduction From Your Cub Scout Leader

If your child is joining us from another Group or is new to Scouting, we welcome you to 15th Stafford (Penkridge) Scout Group, one of the largest and most successful groups in Staffordshire.

If your child has been a Beaver with us you will already know a lot about the way the Group works, in that case this booklet should act as a reminder. You may like to read “The cub Section” to find out about the pack and keep the rest for reference.

In this booklet we tell you about your local Group and introduce you and your child to the cub Section which they are now ready to join.

Let me take the opportunity to remind you of what Scouting is about. It aims to appeal to a young person’s desires for fun and adventure provided through attractive and active programmes. It provides opportunities for developing in young people the qualities that

·  make good citizens;

·  honour,

·  self discipline,

·  dependability,

·  respect for others

·  self reliance.

Young people learn by doing, and Scouting offers activities to capture their imagination and enable each individual to find something in which to participate, develop skills and gain confidence. As far as possible, these activities take place outdoors as in camping, hiking, caving, sailing, mountaineering and many others, alongside a training programme which is structured from Beaver Scouts to Explorer Scouts. Scouting teaches what is not learnt at home or at school and assists in character development.

However, we rely on adult volunteers to make it all possible, either as leaders to run meetings, camps and so on, or as supporters to provide the material requirements and assist the leaders with the running of activities. We hope your child will enjoy the new challenge and build on the skills he/she has already acquired.

As you probably know, when your child joined the Group you became members of the Group Council, which usually meets once a year at the Group AGM. Thank you for your participation so far. We hope you will continue to ensure the Group survives and flourishes by either helping with a section, helping with the general running of the Group or helping with at least two fundraising events a year.

Please complete the Membership Information form at the end of the booklet if you have not already done so or wish to update information, and return it to your child’s section Leader as soon as possible.

Thank you

Robert Turner

Akela

Cub Scout Leader (CSL)

Contact details for the scout group

17

Cherokee Cub Pack

General Information

This information pack has been compiled as an introduction for Parents containing information about Scouting and

the 15th Penkridge Scout Cherokee cub pack.

Cherokee Cubs meet Monday evenings from 7:30 – 8.45 p.m. at Scout HQ, Goods Station Lane, Penkridge. Please note we are closed on Bank Holidays and during the Six Week summer Holiday.

Please take the time to read the information in this pack as it is there for your information and contains some

important points to note.

When you have read all of this pack please complete the slip at the end and return it to a leader.

If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact any of the leaders.

What is Scouting?

Scouting is an international, uniformed, youth movement. It is divided into several main sections

·  Beaver Scouts 6-8 years of age.

·  Cubs 8-10½ years of age.

·  Scouts 10½-14 years of age.

·  Explorer Scouts 14-18 years of age

·  Scout Network 18-25 years of age

The aims of scouting are clearly stated but can be basically surmised as providing an opportunity for young people

to develop, to learn and to enjoy themselves. Scouting can offer a wide range of skills and services and is open

to any young person, of any creed or colour, mental or physical capabilities and of any sex.

All scout sections rely upon a balanced programme. There are Challenge badges that complement the balanced

programme. These have been developed to extend Cub Scouts' skills and experience. The Challenges are optional

and continue throughout the Sections providing continuity from 6 to 25. There are 32 Activity badges specially

designed for the Cub Scout section, along with the four Staged badges. Additionally there are three awards to be

completed in association with other sections of the Group. The Chief Scout's Silver Award is the highest award in

the Cub section.

Scouting is not just about schemes, awards and badges. The 'games' and adventurous activities are very important

to scouting, not just because they are enjoyable, but because they are also important in the young persons

development. If you still have any doubts or questions about Scouting, please speak to one of the leaders or take

a look at one of the scout websites.

Promise & Law

The important underlying values of Scouting are surmised in the Cub Promise and Law. Each member ‘agrees’ to

these values when they are ‘Invested’.

The Cub Promise -

·  I promise that I will do my best

·  to do my duty to my God and to The Queen

·  to help other people and to keep the Cub Scout Law

The Cub Scout Law -

·  Cub Scouts always do their best,

·  think of others before themselves

·  and do a good turn every day.

Uniform

Scouting is a uniformed organisation. All Cubs are expected (indeed are required) to wear uniform for Pack Meetings, when arriving and departing from events and for parades. Cubs should take pride in their uniform and do their best to look after the uniform and to look smart. Cubs are not expected to wear a uniform until they have been ‘invested’ (officially joined the Pack). The uniform is available from many local stores. If you want any details on prices or where to obtain the uniform, please ask one of the leaders.

Cub Scout Uniform consists of :

·  Green Cub Scout Jumper (& optional Group T-Shirt)

·  Group - Light blue and navy necker or Scarf - See Below

·  Woggle

·  Black Trousers/Skirt (school style)

·  Black Shoes

·  Pen/Pencil, Paper, 2 Handkerchiefs & A4 Folder (This is for keeping handouts in for parents to read)

·  Cub Powerpack record book - See Below

Please note we will provide the Necker and Powerpack book when a new cub is invested. This is at an extra cost of £10.00. If you have a necker already the cost is only £5.

Investiture

To invested as a Cub Scout , you will need to complete the following over a 3 to 4 week period with Akela.

Find out how Scouting began

Learn the Cub Scout Law and Promise

Learn the Salute, Sign and handshake

Learn about Grand Howl

Design an invitation card

The Investiture Ceremony

Cubs will need a Cub Scout Uniform.

The Pack will form a circle around Akela and the Sixer will bring up the Cub to be invested and say “This is .... and he would like to become a Cub Scout”

Akela - “Do you want to become a Cub Scout?”

Akela - “What is the Cub Scout Law?”

Cub - “Yes, Akela I do”

Cub - to state the Law

Akela - ”Are you ready to make your Cub Scout Promise?”

Cub - “Yes, Akela I do”

Akela - ”Pack, please make the Scout sign”

Cub - to repeat the Promise after Akela

Akela - ”I trust you to do your best to keep this Promise. You are now a Cub Scout in the worldwide family of Scouts”

Akela - Present the Neckerchief and badges

Cub - to salute the pack and rejoin Six and can now take part in the Grand Howl

The investiture will be held at the start of the night, parents are welcome the following dates have been set for this year please see the wall programme in the SCOUT HQ. Cubs may also be invested on Camp.

Please note we will provide the Necker and Powerpack book when a new cub is invested. This is at an extra cost of £10.00. If you have a Necker already the cost is only £5. Subs will also be due on the night.

Sixes

Cub Scouts borrows a great deal of its ‘system’ from the ‘Jungle Book’ by Rudyard Kipling. The Cubs meet in a group called a Pack (as in a Pack of Wolves). The leader of the Cub Scout section is Akela and other leaders may take Jungle Book names such as Bagheera, Baloo, Kaa etc.

At the beginning and end of each pack meeting the Cubs hold a type of ceremony called a ‘Grand Howl’ as well as Flagbreak/Flagdown.

The Cubs in the Pack are organised into Sixes. Each six has their own colour and the Cubs in that six wear a woggle on their scarf of that colour. Each six will contain approximately six cubs of a range of ages. New Cubs will usually be put into a six where they know at least one other cub. Each six has a ‘Sixer’ who is ‘in charge’ of the six. He/She is helped by a ‘Seconder’. A cub is not usually made up to a Seconder or Sixer unless they have shown their competence and good behaviour.

If your child is unhappy with any aspect of their six, or if they have a problem with any other members of the pack, please let one of the leaders know.

The colour of our sixes are based on the colours of the Cherokee nation’s flag.

Black, Blue, Green, and Yellow

Badges & Awards

Cub Scouts will work towards many badges during their time in the Pack. There is detailed information available about these badges and their requirements. A Cub may begin working towards badges as soon as they first come to the Pack. Badges will not be worn until they are invested, and then they will be worn on the uniform. The various badges will involve work at the Pack meeting, sometimes work at special events or camps, and also a certain amount of work to be completed at home. If your child wishes to undertake any of the badgework, please discuss it with a leader.

Pack Night Programme

The Cub Scout Section works to a loose program each night.

7.30: p.m. Flag/Inspection/Subs.

7.35 p.m. Game

7:50 p.m. Badge Work etc

8:30 p.m. Game

8:40 p.m. Sixes/Notices/Flag Down/Dismiss

Come in and see what happens if you want to know more!

The Cubs will be inspected each week for their uniform and general appearance. These scores are totalled monthly and yearly, with a trophy and prize going to the highest scoring Cub each time. The words ‘Games’ and ‘Work’ are used loosely as all of the nights activities are presented in a fun and interesting way. Often the Cubs will be playing a ‘Game’ whilst learning some important scouting skills, or they may be doing some really enjoyable ‘Work’ without realising it. If you have any questions regarding the Pack night programme please come and ask one of the leaders, perhaps you could even ask to stay for a night to see what they get up to!