Resources

The Programme 

Scouting offers young people the chance to try many new things and to learn new skills. Our system of awarding badges recognises the efforts of young people, and rewards their success. The top awards for each section are the real culmination of those efforts, and young people achieving them is a great sign of a high quality, well-balanced Programme. 

Programme Planning Tool 

With a bank of over 500 activities to support the Cub and Beaver Scout programmes, this tool can help Leaders and Explorer Scout Young Leaders to plan their terms and sessions with goals designed to help our young members earn badges and achieve awards.  

https://www.scouts.org.uk/programme-planner/

Hints and Tips 

• Consider organising Programme planning dates for the year ahead. 
• Make sure everyone in the section is involved; the leadership team and the young people. 

• Actively involve Explorer Scout Young Leaders in Programme planning, as part of the leadership team for the section.  
• Planning in advance gives you time to ensure the activities are accessible for all the young people in your section. 
• Planning each of the Challenge Awards into the Programme (for example, focusing on one per term), is a great way to ensure a quality Programme, and support more young people to achieve their Chief Scout’s Award. 

Keeping Everyone Safe 

From January 2021, there is a requirement to complete written risk assessments for all Scouting activities (this is different from the covid restart risk assessments). Don’t panic! We have put together a small group who are working on producing template risk assessments and sharing the many, many risk assessments already in existence. In the meantime, we recommend people use the example risk assessments found here:   https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/risk-assessments/example-risk-assessments/ and use the digital programme planning tools, which are full of risk-assessed activities:  https://www.scouts.org.uk/programme-planner/plan

Adventurous Activities 

Activities are an integral part of Scouting, and what makes it so exciting for the young people involved. From here you should be able to find all the information you need to provide all the activities your young people can manage. 

Find an activity 

As a starting point we would suggest you look at the A-Z of Activities under Find an activity. This is designed to link you to all the information you need to run any particular activity, and to give you new ideas of activities you could run. 

Activity permits 

Our members require an Activity Permit to lead some of our more adventurous activities.  The ‘A Clear Process’ guide is a resource that aims to explain how to access adventurous activities within Scouting and how you could work towards providing more experiences. It’s not a one-stop-shop for everything you need to know but hopefully, it will help you understand the first steps you need to take 

Nights Away 

Nights away or residential events, whether camping, hostelling, sleepovers or bivouacs, form an integral part of scouting, and are something that every young person should have the opportunity to take part in. 

Campsites

West Lancs Scouts owns and operates Waddecar Scout Activity Centre 

A number of our districts have their own activity centres: 

• Mowbreck Scout Campsite 
• Fylde Scout Activity Centre  
• Littledale Scout Activity Centre 
• SilverHelme Scout Activity Centre 

For other sites around the UK see The Association of Scout and Guide centres’ Campsite Directory 

Nights Away Permit Scheme 

Before one of our adult volunteers can lead a residential experience; they require a Nights Away permit. 

The Nights Away Permit Scheme is an internal assessment scheme designed to ensure that all those leading nights away events for young people within Scouting have the skills, experience and personal suitability to do so. 

See Nights Away Permit Scheme for more info.

Nights Away Notifications 

The Permit holder is responsible for ensuring that the appropriate Commissioner is informed about each section attending a nights away event (even a District or County event). For all Nights Away events the information should be with your Commissioner (or appointee) 7 days before the event (in normal circumstances). How the information is passed on will depend on local arrangements (this may be for example by telephone call, e-mail or online form). Please ensure that your GSL /DESC is also aware of the event. 

https://members.scouts.org.uk/formnan

(17-seater Minibus or 14 seats + wheelchair) 

Aimed primarily at supporting West Lancs Scouts’ extensive adventure and overseas programme, but after that it will be available for other County/District/Group activities at weekends and during school holidays. 

The running costs are being shared with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust who will use it five days a week for their educational programme, term time only.  Thus it becomes impractical for WLS to use it in the evenings during term time.  When not in use it will be kept in the secure administration compound at the Brockholes Nature Reserve.  As it has been converted for disabled use and is under 4.25 Maximum Authorised Mass, it is driveable in the UK by anyone over 25, and under 70, with two years driving experience.  The usage fee is £50 per day, or part day, plus fuel.  We don’t usually book it out for single days at a weekend. So a weekend’s use is from 4 pm Friday to 9 am Monday and will cost the event £120 plus fuel. 

Enquiries & bookings through Dick Griffiths, dick@globaladventure.org.uk