Troop

What we do:

The Troop is the section for scouts aged between 10½ and 14½. Our aim of the Troop is to provide fun, challenging and interesting activities for our members and at the same time give them the skills and values they need to face the world tomorrow. Life in the troop is a Journey. The troop age comes at a very critical time in the development of the scout. It’s an age when the scout has to make and take several decisions both at an academic level and a social and emotional level.

Our Members:

The Troop is split into several teams called Patrols. Each Patrol has a team-leader called a Patrol Leader (PL) and an Assistant Patrol Leader (APL). The Patrol Leaders are led by the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL). The Troop is run by the SPL and the Patrol Leader’s Council (PLC) who are supported by the adult leaders: the Scout Leader (known as Skipper) and his Assistant Scout Leaders.

Our Meetings:

The Troop meets every Friday at 6.15pm. The meeting starts at 6.30pm and finishes at 9pm. During the weekly meeting, scouts have the chance to play games, get instructed on new scouting skills, earn badges, share ideas with the rest of the Troop and plan new activities for the Patrol.

Our Activities:

Camping, Hiking, Climbing, Canoeing, Parades, Cycling, Sports, Model Building, Crafts, Abseiling, Helping the Community, Meeting Friends, Archery, Horse riding, Expeditions, Snorkeling, Arts, Football, Conservation, Fishing, Reading, Rifle Shooting, Boating, Diving, Paragliding, Pioneering, Acting, Traveling, Mini-Golf, Rugby, Cooking, Meetings, Judo, Chess, Obstacle Courses, Tree Planting, Parties, Mud Fight, Fencing, Judo, Windsurfing, Singing, Tennis, Baseball, Off-roading, Rambling, Basketball, Music and much much more…

Take a look at the Photo Gallery and see for yourself! If you have a taste for fun and adventure and you like a good challenge… and if you want to be part of a strong team of friends… you found the right place!!

Our Method:

In Aids to Scoutmastership, Baden-Powell wrote: “The aim of the Scout training is to improve the standard of our future citizenship, especially in character and health; to replace self with service, to make the lads individually efficient, morally and physically, with the object of using that efficiency for service for their fellow-men.”

The six areas of development are:

   Social development;

   Physical development;

   Intellectual development;

   Character development;

   Emotional development;

   Spiritual development.

Character development is the dimension of personal identity and will It unifies all the other areas in a process of personal growth. Without the dimension of character, the person cannot be the actor of his/her own development.

Scouting takes all the dimensions of the human personality into account and, therefore, identifies several areas of growth on which the Scouting’s educational objectives are based. The areas of growth should not be considered separate elements, but as parts of a whole. These six dimensions have been presented on the same level as separate areas in order to make them easier to analyse. In fact, they are all interrelated and form a whole, the human personality.

Our Programme:

Life in the troop is a Journey. The troop age comes at a very critical time in the development of the scout. It’s an age when the scout has to make and take several decisions both at an academic level and a social and emotional level.l.

Like in all Journeys the troop program is structured in such a way that the scout prepares, undertakes and ends the journey. And what is the end of the journey if not the start of a next one?

There are five pillars on which the scout program is structured, all building blocks on each other for the scout to achieve a holistic non-formal education to work in tandem with what the scout is achieving and accomplishing in his formal part.

The main objective is to present a program which helps in the development of the character of the scout. Through the Scout method, the scout develops in all areas of growth (SPICES) which any educational format adheres too.

These objectives are also achieved by allowing the Scout to be involved in his own training path. Being a member of a patrol gives the scout a chance to shape his own path, what he prefers to achieve in that particular task and what to actually do while attempting the task.

All of this depends on one of the pillars of the scout method which is the patrol system. The Patrol System is based on the Patrol Leader’s Council where the Patrol Leaders, with prior discussions with their Patrols through the Patrol in Council, decide on what to do and how to do it under the guidance of the Leaders.

A scout is part of the troop for four years. Upon starting his Link badge and Tenderfoot at the age of 10 ¾ till age 11 the scout is alternating between the pack and the troop to get used to how things work in the troop. Within these 3 months, the scouts will be able to achieve the Tenderfoot.

The other levels follow the same procedure. In all the levels there are no more than 12 tasks. This is specifically designed to allow the scout to attempt one task a month, which means the Scout will complete each level in one year. This system is a target-oriented system, which means, the Scout not only sets himself a target for completion but also plans his path in advance.

Keeping with the ‘one a year’ target the age takes us to 15 where the scout will start (three months prior) to bridge the gap with the venture unit, when upon reaching age 15 the scout joins the Venture Unit.

The scout program is structured in such a way that a scout can travel along his desired path and that is where the leader plays the largest role. His main duty is to help the scout understand his path and that whichever path is taken the scout arrives at the end with an amount of experience that has helped him grow in character.

How to Join:

This is an easy one! Just come along to one of our meetings and ask for Skipper. You will be introduced to the other Leaders and they will help you find the patrol you would like to be with. There is no cost involved in doing this. A new member normally spends a month or two with us before we invest him as a scout. This is so that the new member has enough time to make sure that he knows what we are all about and that he wants to join us.

Try it! You have nothing to lose! (and a lot to gain…)