Explorers Blog
Keep up to date with all of the goings on in the Explorers, here on the Explorers Blog...
Friday Night Wash Up
Why not bring your Unit along to the Barrwood on Friday 25th June for a final night of fun before the summer holidays start. You can just come along for the evening or camp overnight - it's up to you. We will put on a small BBQ - cost £ 2.50.
Forth Region Explorer Scout & Explorer Belt Expedition Holland 2011
In association with a Forth Scout section event*, we are offering an Explorer Scout expedition opportunity in Holland. This is being planned to meet the Explorer Belt Award requirements and, as such, is open to Explorer Scouts and Network members.
The Explorer Belt itself is 10 days and we intend to create a 2 week programme within the July 26 – August 11 period to include some additional group activity time.
We may consider a parallel non-award expedition option, depending on the type and level of interest we get. This decision will follow further discussion with prospective participants and initial training. See the Scoutbase web site for Explorer Belt details http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/6to25/network/badges/explorer-belt.htm
You will want to go because you enjoy Scouting, like new challenges and developing your own abilities, wish to learn about and experience a different culture and people and want to work with and share friendship with Scouts from Forth Region.
To be eligible to participate you need to be age 16** years old by July 25 2011.
Other conditions of acceptance and inclusion
i) Have your Explorer Leader agree your participation if under 18
ii) Take part in the expedition training weekends and events, and in fund-raising events, to be agreed. Dates will be set in association with your local section events, which you are expected to remain as active in.
iii) Develop with training from, and demonstrate to, the expedition leadership team, the necessary skills and level of independent responsibility to undertake the Explorer Belt challenge
There will be Family Information Nights in June. To receive notification of these by e-mail, please register your interest to colinrobertson46@tiscali.co.uk
An application form will be distributed. If you join there will be a deposit to pay this summer to cover travel bookings. Total cost before fund-raising will be about £550.
Colin Robertson Gerry McPeake
F R International Advisor A R Commissioner Explorers and Network
* Forth Region is organising an expedition for Scouts up to age 15 to Holland in summer 2011 for two weeks including the Haarlem Jamborette, July 31 – Aug 9.
** If you are age 15 or over in summer 2011you can alternatively join with Forth Scouts in International Scouting in 2011 on the Scottish Scout expedition to Malawi.
Forth Region Expeditions Holland 2011: Family Information Nights
There will be joint Family Information Nights in June for the simultaneous ‘Scout’ (ages 12-15 inclusive ) Jamborette and ‘Explorer’ (age 16 and over) Explorer Belt trips to Holland in late summer 2011.
The Expedition Leader teams will be there to present information and take any questions.
19.30 Tuesday, 8th June The Craigs Campsite, Torphicen, West Lothian
19.30 Wednesday, 16th June Menstrie Scout Hall, Clackmannanshire
There will also be a display at Barrwood Open weekend Saturday 12th June. Colin Robertson, Forth Region International Adviser, will be on site and if not at the stand will have his campsite location details showing.
To receive an application form and any further information e-mail, please register your interest to colinrobertson46@tiscali.co.uk
Applications must be submitted by 23rd June.
MALAWI 2011
Do you want to take part in an overseas project?
Do you want to work with Scouts from another country?
Do you want to go to Malawi?
Celebrate the fund raising efforts of Scottish Scouting – go to Malawi, camp and work with members of the Scout Association of Malawi, come back and tell your friends and group members about what you have seen, help Scouting in Malawi grow and flourish.
Scottish Scouting is planning an expedition to Malawi in the summer of 2011 to mark the conclusion of our Malawi Appeal and you could be part of the team.
We are inviting applications from members of the Scout Association in Scotland who are currently Explorer Scouts and will be 15 by 1st July 2011, Young Leaders, members of the Scout Network or Adult Leaders to join the expedition. Leaders who would be interested in helping with training Scouters in Malawi are welcome in addition to leaders to work on the project with our Explorers.
The expedition will last up to 5 weeks. However, if you can only make 3 weeks then please do not let this deter you from applying as the opportunity to participate in the project may be offered to those who can only attend for a shorter period of time.
The expedition is being led by Anne Masino who has previously led or been involved in expeditions to Mongolia, Namibia, Malawi and the Gambia. Anne currently works at Lochgoilhead National Scout Activity Centre. Anne will be assisted by Deputy Leader Sandy Jack who has previously led expeditions to Tanzania and Namibia. Sandy is Regional Commissioner for Forth Region and Lenny Jamieson, who has led six multi based European (4) and USA (2) trips.
The expedition will cost no more than £2,220. It is expected that this cost may reduce as we get sponsorship and carry out fund-raising. It is intended that the majority of the fund-raising will be organised locally and this should help to offset the £2,220 fees.
The cost will cover all expedition expenses including training weekends and a contribution of £200 towards the project but it does not cover any vaccinations, visas, passport and UK internal transport for training weekends or for travelling to or from the point of departure.
If you are interested this is what you need to do:
• Complete the application form and enclose two passport size photographs
• Send the application to Malawi Expedition, The Scout Association, Fordell Firs, DUNFERMLINE, KY11 7HQ . It may be sent electonically to international@scouts-scotland.org.uk no later than 14th May 2010. The application can be sent without being countersigned however the signed paper copy must be brought to the June training/selection weekend. If being sent electronically please be sure to bring photographs as well as a hard, signed copy to the weekend.
• Commit to attending all the training days. The first training/selection weekend is on the 19th and 20th June at the Barrwood, Denny, Stirlingshire. Details will be e-mailed to you on receipt of your application.
• If your are selected in June a non returnable deposit of £100 must be made at the weekend.
If you do not already have an electronic copy of the application form and would like one, please e-mail keith.scott13 @btinternet.com
Malawi 2011 - Additional Information
In response to some questions about the expedition we have put together a little more information about it, although with any trip to a developing country, things can change day by day and projects identified can suddenly change or be completed by another group of people – so nothing is definite until it happens!
The Scout Association of Malawi are our partners in the expedition, so we will have their support and guidance at all times. There was an 8 week UK expedition to Malawi in 2007 so good links and experience has been gained from this.
• Training
There will be 4 or 5 training weekends, including the June date, in the lead up period to the expedition. Expeditioners will be expected to attend all of these; however exceptional circumstances may allow missing a maximum of one weekend. The other weekends are likely to be in September, November, February and April.
• Individual costs
Costs include all training weekends; travel from chosen departure airport to Malawi and travel during the expedition; insurance for the expedition; badges/equipment/bags, etc; subsistence; contribution to the project costs; admin; tentage etc. Not included is travel to and from the training weekends, to and from the airport and spending money in Malawi. A budget has been agreed for the expedition, but this may need to be re-allocated should air fares rise excessively due to the recent problems related to the volcano in Iceland.
There will be dates released for staged payments, anyone who is having difficulty with their fund raising should approach one of the team leaders to discuss this. Although individuals will be responsible for raising their own funds it is hoped that they may receive support from their Group, District and possibly Region. Grants can also be sought by individuals, but only if it is a local specific Trust or it is done on behalf of the whole expedition, but this must be agreed with the Expedition Leaders.
• Project Costs
Any money raised corporately that specifies a specific use will be used for that purpose and any surplus funds from the Scottish Scout Appeal Fund will be only used for the project and not to reduce individual costs. (e.g. If we receive a grant it will go towards projects, if you bag pack it will go towards your costs).
• Projects
We are in communication with Steve Kanane, Chief Executive for the Scout Association of Malawi, but he has not identified which area of need he wishes us to work on, but it is hoped that we will have a better idea of the project(s) after a recce visit later in the year. When considering the project(s) we will need to take into account the number of expeditioners and the available time. Should we decide to take a large expedition out we will look at splitting the group and working in different parts of the country on different projects. It is anticipated that we will more than likely be working in mid to south Malawi as there is already quite a lot of UK support for groups in the North.
• Duration
The plan at present is for the expedition to last up to 5 weeks. This will depend on the projects on offer. It may be possible for participants to attend for a shorter period, but it should be borne in mind that most people who do not participate in the whole expedition feel they are missing out either in the bonding at the beginning or the satisfaction of seeing the project completed at the end. With an expedition of this type the major cost is transport so reducing the duration has little effect on the overall cost.
• Rest and Relaxation
Discussion will take place with the expeditioners over use of days off. It is hoped to include a 2 or 3 days visit to a National Park. Costs for tourists in Malawi have risen considerably over the last few years so other experiences would need to be carefully costed out.
There has been a fair bit of interest shown in the expedition so interested parties are advised to get their applications in as soon as possible.
