For the past couple of weeks we’ve held split-pack meetings to make our number of Cubs a bit more manageable and allow us to try some new things.
The Pack that met at the Library was working with Ozobots (little round robots that can scan and read paths and colour codes to perform tasks) on their first adventure requirements for their Cub Science and Cub Technology badges while our other Pack stayed back and worked on a Plan Do Review meeting with our Leaders.
As a youth-led adventure program, from time to time we like to meet with our Cubs and check in with them on what parts of the program they have been enjoying, identify with them any challenges that have occurred, and brainstorm with them what things they’d like to see in the program going forward. Scouting isn’t all about fun and games, we try to build into the program age-appropriate responsibilities and to that end attempt to help guide our youth in developing our adventures and program. Talking about costs, trade-offs, and risks associated with our activities helps our youth to start to better understand how to build safe, meaningful, reasonable, and fun adventures!
Howlers over the two weeks met with Scouter Mark from Scouts to discuss our upcoming Group Camp that is happening in the New Year and the linking opportunity that our Howlers have to move up to Scouts and experience Group Camp as a member of Troop. Our Linking adventures are really an amazing opportunity to ease our youth into the next stage of our Scouting Program, get a feel for the next step, and build and renew friendships with fellow Scouts. It also allows our older youth the opportunity to get away from some of our younger, energetic (loud 🙂 ) Cubs and experience some of the more challenging and rewarding experiences our older Scouts get to participate in.
The Scouts program (whereas Beavers; Sharing Sharing Sharing, and Cubs; Do your Best) is all about ‘Be Prepared’ and in that spirit, our Scouts Leadership will be contacting and working directly with our Howlers and Parents in January to get them ready for our Group Camp Adventure. Moving up sometimes can seem scary and intimidating, our Linking events are designed to remove anxieties and really celebrate our Youth as they mature and grow through the program.
