Scouts are do-ers and give-it-a-go-ers. Yes, we go camping, hiking, swimming, abseiling, cycling and canoeing. But we also get to hang out with our friends every week – having fun, playing games, working in a team and taking on new challenges.
Everyone’s welcome here. All genders, races and backgrounds. Regardless of your child’s physical ability – there’s a Scout adventure out there waiting for them. And we’ll help them find it.
Sign up to help your child discover their ‘thing’: from abseiling to coding to performance art and everything in between. Read on to find out more about the 5 different sections in Scouting. Find your local group in the Group Finder below, contact us and someone will be in touch soon.
Squirrels
Every week, Squirrels will gather to grow and learn their way through lots of different games and activities. Our brand new section for 4-6 year olds, Squirrels can achieve anything they set their minds to – and they have lots of fun along the way.
The one hour sessions will be a brilliant opportunity for young people to take their first step into being part of Scouts, and they’ll help everyone get ready for the adventure of school too. Sessions will be packed with outdoors activities, fun, games, badges, laughter, and so much more to help our youngest members learn the skills they need for life.
Beavers
Beavers is for 6 to 8 years and is the beginning of your adventures with Scouts! Every week, they gather in groups called Beaver Colonies to hop, skip and jump their way through lots of different games and activities – achieving anything they set their minds to, and having lots of fun along the way.
Completing awards challenges you to do more, learn more and be more. The Chief Scout Bronze Award is the highest award a Beaver can earn, and it’s something you work on gradually throughout your whole time in the section. To get your hands on one, you’ll need complete all of the 6 Challenge Awards, as well as any four Activity Badges of your choice. There’s a badge to suit each and every Beaver.
Cubs
Develop new skills and soar to great heights with Cubs, for 8 to 10 1/2 years. Every week, they gather in groups called Cub Packs to take part in lots of interesting and challenging activities – achieving anything they set their minds to, and having lots of fun along the way.
You may have already earned some shiny awards when you were a Beaver and you’ll earn even more as a Cub. Start with your membership badge and then travel all the way up to the Chief Scout’s Silver Award, the highest award a Cub can earn. To complete it, you need to earn six Activity or Staged Activity Badges of your choice, as well as all seven of the Challenge Awards. You can work towards as many as you like, at your own pace. From athletics and astronomy to photography and pioneering, there’s something for everyone.
Scouts
Scouts is for 10 1/2 to 14 years, with new challenges and new adventures. Week in and week out, they gather in groups called Scout Troops to conquer the small task of changing the world.
Scouts start small but think big, always challenging themselves to do more and be more. The Chief Scout’s Gold Award is the highest award a Scout can earn. To complete it, you need to complete all nine of the Challenge Awards, plus six Activity badges. Master something you love, or try something shiny and new. If it spurs you on or stirs your interest, we’ve probably got a badge for it.
Explorers
Explorers are a go-getting group of young people aged 14 to 18. Together, they make up the fourth section of the Scouts. They gather in groups called Units to try new things, make new friends and conquer the small task of changing the world.
If you were a Beaver, Cub or Scout, you’ll already know that being a Scout is all about completing awards at every step of the journey. As an Explorer, there are more chances to soar than ever before, as you’ll be introduced to a whole new range of Top Awards. You can work towards as many awards as you like, at your own pace.
As an Explorer Scout you will also have the opportunity to become a Young Leader. Explorer Scout Young Leaders are Explorer Scouts who volunteer alongside adult leaders in a Beaver Colony, Cub Pack or Scout Troop. As well as developing valuable life skills, the scheme is an opportunity for Explorers to make a positive impact in their communities and to fulfil the service elements of many of the top awards in Scouts, or their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Recognition of achievement is available along the way, and on completion of the Scheme, the Young Leader is awarded with an Explorer Scout Young Leader belt buckle.
Network
Scout Network connects 20,000 18-25 year olds across the UK, and gives them the opportunity to take part in a huge range of exciting projects and events centred on the themes of ‘Adventure’, ‘Community’ and ‘International’.
Whether you’re completely new to Scouts or have been with us since you were 5 years old, joining is a great way to meet new people, seek out new challenges and see the world. Because being a grown up shouldn’t mean you have to miss out on all the fun.
