New Chief Scout Elected...

Scouting Ireland E-Zine Issue 5, April 2009

Chief Scout address to National Council Newcastle Co Down My fellow scouts, Change

always gives new opportunities,...

how we react and manage these

opportunities will dictate the

outcome of the change,.....

for better or worse. Let me

tell you,.......................

A conductor is one of the last

bastions of totalitarianism and

interestingly, this is reflected in the levels of job satisfaction

enjoyed by musicians in an orchestra. Far from my idea of

Scouting! However quartets come out high up the ladder

of job satisfaction, (working in small groups) clearly job

satisfaction is related to the degree of participation and

engagement felt by individuals in the overall task.... This

is my vision of a Corporate Scouting Mind........ where we

take on board the best ideas that come from within all the

membership of our orchestra and quartets all across the

island of Ireland.

It is important not to lose sight of the original motivation,

that primary spark, as to why we all decided to get involved

in Scouting. Working with and supporting young people to

develop dare I say it the S.P.I.C.E.S.

Let’s say you all had to write a letter to the Chief Scout

outlining why you’re Section /Group was going to be the

best it could be at the end of the year (I PROMISE TO DO MY

BEST). In that letter Describe what your Group could be and

would be and if we in Scouting Ireland had a support group to

help you to become that Group in the letter we could make

great strides and changes for the better in Scouting Ireland.

I say to you today that we have those support groups...... but

it is about firstly writing that letter and secondly asking for

the support to become what you want in the letter.

We put undue emphases on avoiding being wrong and on

avoiding telling people our aspirations for what we would like

to achieve in Scouting both for ourselves as individuals and

for the youth members under our care. (Scout is Helpful)

Lets not take a negative view on this lets look to the positive

the change that will bring results for the better. Let’s look

for the “art of possibility “a life changing event,......... why

can’t this happen scouting and why not in Scouting Ireland!

Let us awaken the possibility in the youth under our care and

in our fellow Scouters too, lets develop visions for ourselves

and for Scouting Ireland without boundaries, you will have

an opportunity to do that through the Strategy towards

2012............

WE CAN BUILD ON THIS POSITIVE MOMENTUM THAT HAS

HAPPENED IN Scouting in Ireland over the past few years and

together we can lead this great movement to that level we

all know that we can reach.......

I too have written a letter and I am asking you to support

me in delivering the contents of my letter, as to where I see

scouting Ireland in three years time.

( I ask for your Loyalty)

Dear fellow scouts.

I write this letter to you to tell you where scouting Ireland

could and where I would like it to be in 2012.

. That all the support mechanisms we have to support Groups

at local level are operating and doing their best

. That we have developed further the concept of G.S.F. WITH

MORE AT Provincial level. That we have supported to our

best the implementation of the New Programme.

. That we have carried out a continuous review of our

STRATEGY and done our best to support it.

. That we have taken on board a Gaisce Franchise to support

and facilitate our youth member’s development

. That All Provinces are structured to deliver as they should

with best practice across all six.

. That all national committees are subject to performance on

a set of actions from the Strategy.

. That we ensure that the best resources are available to

both Chief Commissioners to support both youth and adult

membership.

. To develop a financial strategy that will support both

organic

growth and new alike.

. That the staff will be trained to deliver on our expectations

of them and are resourced to do so.

. That Training is accredited and that we deliver on both

wood badge and skills.

. That a team is ready to deliver a Jamboree in 2013.

.Castlesaunderson will have had its “Peace and

Reconciliation” Jamboree style camp.

. That “together we lead this movement”.....and at that

time S.I. is ready for another step forward.

. If S.I. is as good as we all know it is then why are we

keeping it a secret lets tell the Youth of Ireland and “be

prepared” for them.

Yours in Scouting Ireland

Chief ScoutA SCOUT IS Loyal

A career of Devoted & Exemplary Service to Scouting in Ireland....

Bridie O’Sullivan

The longest serving member of Scouting Ireland retired on Friday 1st May 2009. Bridie hasworked for Scouting in Ireland for thirty seven years. She started working in C.B.S.I. on FoundersDay in 1972. Bridie was the longest serving Administrative Officer and is widely known for heradministration of the Chief Scouts Award and diary.

In her days working for Scouting, Bridie has assisted no less than seven Chief Scout’s with theirduties as their Personel Assistant, and supported countless National Officer’s. She exemplified the qualities required as a P.A. through her deep and inspiring interest in young people, she spokedirectly to every Chief Scout Award recipient, taking a personal interest in their endeavors. Herleadership and dedication to the development of National Office has contributed to the evolvementof the excellent professional services now enjoyed by Scouting.

Bridie is an example to us all and exhibits the qualities of a true Scout, even though she has neverbeen invested nor has she spent a night under canvas, yet her commitment to the Scout Law andPromise is evident and admired by all who know her in Scouting.

Loyal, trustworthy, helpful, friendly and considerate to all; such is her unselfish devotion to theservice of Scouting that she has left a lasting impression on all in Scouting.

Bridie pictured here recieving a special presentation from the Chief Scout Michael John Shinnick

Notice Board

Strategy Meeting Willington Scout hallMay 16thThe first meeting to plan the implementation of our strategy to 2012 takes place on Saturday May 16th at Willington where I has invited all teams and committees of Scouting Ireland to address the seven strategic statements and how the statements will impact on Scouting Ireland. The purpose of the meeting is to draw up a list of action items which will drive the implementation of the seven strategic statements. The results or outcomes will be posted on the website.

Chief Scout

Quality Management System

The Quality Management System (SQS) is under active review by the NARC and a group of county Commissioners and Group Leaders. The reaction thus far has been most positive and the group will meet again on May 16th at 11am in Willington Scout Hall. It is planned to meet at least three times to September with a relaunch of the system at the Group Leader /Commissioner conference in October. I have asked Peter Dixon and Tony Sweeney to take on the roles of Joint Chairs for the annual review of the Quality Management System.

John Brennan, CCAR

Adult Awards

The first meeting to review the Adult Awards Scheme takes place on May 9th and should be finished by August for review by the Awards Committee. If you have any thoughts on the subject please mail them to our Office Manager Noel O’ Connor at noconnor@scouts.ie. To those who have already made submissions my thanks

John Brennan, CCAR

Code of Good Practice

The updating of the Code of Good

Practice continues on May 17th and I

expect it will be completed by July. A

number of submissions were received

and have been incorporated into

the document. Any further thoughts

please mail Phil Stapleton at cpo@

scouts.ie

John Brennan, CCAR

6

National Council was hosted this year by the Northern Province and was held in the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle, County Down on 28th & 29th March. A record number of delegates attended to participate in the business of the weekend. National Council was opened on the Saturday afternoon by the First Minister of Northern Ireland, Peter Robinson MLA MP.

That evening, a Gala dinner was held for over 320 people who enjoyed the talents of a magician during the meal and then the thoughts of Sir Gerry Robinson who was the after dinner speaker. The entertainment that evening was provided by Ireland’s Eurovision star, Mickey Joe Harte and his band who had everybody up on the dance floor until the early hours of Sunday morning!!

National Council ‘09Sunday was a full day of business for the delegates. A lot of hard work went into making the weekend the great success that it was and I would like to thank the members of the Northern Provincial Management Support Team and especially the members of the planning team for National Council - Joe Boland, Mo Treacy, Grainne Boland, Sinclair Trotter and Paul Browne.

As Provincial Commissioner for the Northern Province of Scouting Ireland, I certainly hope that all the delegates enjoyed their time in the Northern Province and will come back and visit us again. They can be assured of a very warm welcome.

Wendy MorrowProvincial Commissioner, Northern Province, Scouting Ireland

First minister, Peter Robinson MLA, MP with the Chief Scout and Northern Provincial Manage-ment Support Team

Taking advantage of the recent Artic conditions, two “experienced”, yet ultimately ill prepared, ice climbers set out on Monday 9 February to climb Lugnaquilla in Co. Wicklow. Due to army operations in the area they were forced to climb the “south prison” of the mountain, an area which is precarious even in good weather, rather than the “north prison”. The prevailing weather conditions meant that it took them nearly 4hours to complete the walk through the Ow Valley to the South Prison, a journey that normally takes 1½hrs. Commencing their climb at midday, they reached the summit around 17.00, at which time it was already getting dark and weather conditions worsening. Apparently it was their intention to get a bearing from the summit, rather than taking one before they commenced their climb. While discussing their route back down, their only navigational aid (a map) was lost to the strong winds. Despite this set back, they decided to press on, as they were familiar with the terrain. Unfortunately, due to the fading light and white-out conditions they eventually concluded that they should call the emergency services for “advice”.

Having been alerted by the two climbers, the Dublin & Wicklow Mountain Rescue and Glen of Imaal Red Cross Mountain Rescue Teams began a search of the area, despite freezing fog, poor visibility and deep snow. The lost climbers remained in constant contact throughout the night with the rescue services. The Dublin based Irish Coast Helicopter was also scrambled to search the area but was forced to return to base due to the conditions.

When neither climber was located during the night, the unusual step was taken to request the assistance of the Ogwyn Valley and RAF Valley Mountain Rescue Teams from Wales. Both teams were airlifted to the

Wicklow Rescue A lesson for All

scene by an RAF Sea King HAR3A of C Flight 22 Sqn, RAF Valley. Eventually, some 120 people and five helicopters were involved in the operation, including personnel from the Defence Forces, the Gardai, including the GASU, the PSNI Mountain Rescue Team, the Irish Coastguard and the Search and Rescue Dogs Association, along with numerous mountain rescue teams from throughout the country.

The two men were finally located around 13.30 on Tuesday 10 February 2009, although some distance from their reported position. They were treated at the scene for severe hypothermia and exposure by advanced paramedics. At approximately 15.30 they were carried by stretcher by 16 members of the Army’s Ranger Wing, who were diverted from an operational exercise in the area to assist in the search, for just over an hour. Once below the cloud base, the two climbers were airlifted to hospital. The most serious of the pair, Keith McDonald (32) from Dunboyne, Meath, was transferred directly to Tallaght Hospital by an Irish Air Corps AW-139. While the other climber, Pat Doyle (36) from Rathangan, Co. Wicklow, was placed aboard a second AW-139 which repositioned down the mountain to the Rescue base, where he was transferred to the Irish Coast Guard’s Sikorsky S-61 and then airlifted to Tallaght hospital. Thankfully both climbers were soon discharged from hospital.

The general perception by the media was to treat the episode as a “great adventure” that went unfortunately a little wrong, While the vast majority of the people involved were volunteers, the use of five helicopters and military and police personnel does have a substantial cost. It would be interesting to see who eventually shoulders these expenses.

It is worthy to note that this rescue may not have happened had both climbers properly planned their climb and had sufficient navigational aids, like a second map. Thankfully the rescue was successful and thankfully no other similar emergencies arose else where in Ireland or Wales while these operations were being conducted.

Finally the golden rule that seems to have been forgotten here and one that applies no matter whether you’re climbing in the French Alps, flying your Piper Cub or climbing in the Wicklow mountains, remember that Mother Nature must be respected at all time.

Article courtesy of: ‘Flying in Ireland Magazine’

8

Special Interest Badges are one part of Scouting Ireland’s youth programme. They complement the other two elements of the youth programme: Adventure Skills and Personal Challenges. Special Interest Badges take into account the hobbies and personal interests of the Scout allowing them to acquire new interests or to develop their skills in existing interests. SpeciaL Interest Badges are achieved by the Scout on the basis of personal effort (doing their best) rather than achieving a grade.

Each Special Interest Area will have a different badge design. Badge colour will designate the Section. The Scout keeps a badge until it is replaced by an equivalent in the next Section. A balance or variety in the Scout programme should encourage Scouts to pursue badges in all the different areas. Badge design will indicate second and third time through.

The Special Interest Badge should:• Challenge the young person to learn new skills or develop existing ones• Help the young person increase their knowledge of the particular area• Contain a practical element which will benefit others. Each Scout will decide which Special Interest Badge they want to do in consultation with their Scouter. Each Scout will have a mentor for the duration of the Special Interest Badge. The mentor could be their Scouter, another Scouter from another Section, a parent with a particular skill etc.

Skills/Creativity This can be any new skill e.g. technical, mechanical, music, drama, arts & craftsPhysical This can include any physical pursuit or activityAdventure This should include something completely new i.e. a new location, new method

or travelCommunity This should be a service type project and the plan should outline who will benefit

and howEnvironment This can be any project that improves the environmentSocial This can be where the young person plans to meet with another group and do

something together e.g. at a county, national or world event

There are 6 Special Interest Areas:

Special Interest Badges

New Scout Programme

9

Which Special Interest Area (Which of the SPACES) are you going to work on?

What is your project? Describe what you want to do and the steps to get there?

What do you hope to achieve doing this badge? (How will you know you are finished?)

Which Personal Challenges will this help you with?

At the end: How did your plan go? What did you learn from it?

Planned Start Date: Signed (Scout

Planned Finish Date: Signed (Mentor):

S P A C E SSkills/Creativity Physical Adventure Community Environmental Social

Photography Archery Cycling Good turn/service Eco-energy Disability awareness

Entertaining Orienteering Motors World cultures &

ways of living

Observer/tracker Citizenship

Film/video production Athletics Aqua/Scuba World Scouting Agriculture Collecting

Home repairs Ball games Caving Ethical living Aquaculture Faith & Beliefs

Information technology Climbing Wall Map making Guide Gardening Interpreter

Music Gymnastics Mountain biking Heritage Nature Community radio

Painting/sketching Water safety Sea navigator Languages Pet keeper Reading

Scribe/treasurer/QM Personal fitness Wilderness

experience

Health awareness Science Current affairs

Sculptor/Crafts Swimming Land navigator Representation Weather watch Mentoring/

leadership

Woodcarver/worker Martial Arts Body surfing Surveys Animal welfare Public speaking

Cooking Triathlon Horseback

expedition

Tidy towns Conservation Campaigning

Sample Topics

Programme Section 1

Agata is a 7 year old Tracker Scout who has just joined the Group after she moved from Hungary with her fam-ily. It will shortly be St. Patricks Day. All the Tracker Scouts are busy preparing for the festivities. Agata is not sure what all the fuss is about but wants to find out more.

The project, agreed between the Scouter and Agata is: • Find out about the legends of St. Patrick and other famous Irish saints (Columba or Brigid for example). The Trackers could help Agata find out about these other saints and produce a drama retelling the legend.

• Learn some basic Irish to practice with fellow Tracker Scouts for St. Patricks Day. Pick up a traditional Irish game e.g. Gaelic football, hurling, potato race, sack race etc. • Have gained an understanding of Irish culture and the importance of St. Patricks Day, Agata will be ready to take a full part in the local St. Patricks Day parade with the rest of the rest of the Group.

The Special Interest Badge will follow the Programme Cycle of Plan-Do-Review. A template is provided to allow the Scout to set out their plan, which Personal Challenges they can undertake during their journey and to look back at what they achieved. A Scout can use another method to document their Special Interest Badge e.g. poster, diary, email, social networking website etc. Whatever method they use, they should be encouraged to cover each aspect described in the sample template.Some sample project themes and some example projects are provided. These may help Scouts and Scouters get the idea. The samples are not meant to be prescriptive and Scouts should be encouraged to devise their own projects for their Special Interest Badges. For Discovery Scouts and Rover Scouts careful selection of the Special Interest Badges may support an application for the Gaisce (President’s Award), the Duke of Edinburgh Award in Northern Ireland and the Scouts of the World Award.

Sample Project: Citizenship

10 Programme Section 2

Liam is a 13 year old Explorer Scout. He has just started secondary school. The school is currently undergoing renovations which result in young people not being able to hear in class with construction work and have to walk to and from school through the dirty building site. Liam wants to join the school council as a first year representative to highlight these issues.The project, agreed between the Scouter and Liam is:• Liam will find out about the school renovation work - the plans, when it will finish etc. and what benefits the renovation will have for young people. • Liam will canvass for votes among his fellow first years and learn about public speaking skills to do this effectively.• Liam will explore negotiating skills and conflict resolution skills with his uncle who works for the Labour Court so he will have basic skills which will be of use in School Council meetings• Liam will illustrate his active citizenship by taking a full part in the School Council as a first year representative, representing the students views and reporting back to his fellow first years on the meetings.

Programme Section 3

Alice is a 16 year old Discovery Scout. She is concerned about the town’s litter, particularly on the lane to her house where people dump illegally in the river. An independent candidate for the upcoming local elections is promising to tackle these issues. Alice is considering getting involved in the candidate’s campaign.

The project, agreed between the Scouter and Alice is: • Alice will find out more about the illegal dumping and why people feel compelled to dump in the river. Alice will explore the general environmental issues so she will be knowledgeable enough to join the campaign.• Alice will learn about canvassing skills, body language, vote tallying in count centre, map reading etc.• Alice will join the local candidate’s campaign to highlight local environmental issues and thus become an active citizen.

Programme Section 4

Tony is a 19 year old Rover Scout. He, like many college students, is concerned about government proposals to increase college registration fees. Tony wants to find a novel way of highlighting the hardship these increases will cause for students. The project, agreed between the Scouter and Tony is: • To gain enough knowledge of the government proposals on college registration fees to be able to explain why Tony is so passionate about this issue. • Tony has always had an interest in film-making so he can use these skills and additional ones he will learn (script writing for example) to his opinion on college registration fees. • Tony’s action is to make a short film highlighting the potential hardship an increase in college registration fees could have on students.

11

My name’s Joe Boland and I have recently been appointed Communications Commissioner for Scouting Ireland. I have been an active Cub Scout Leader for over 15 yrs and am presently Group Leader with 19th Donegal (Lifford/Clonleigh). I am proud to have been Team Lead on “Neon Monday” at Jamboree and more recently part of the organising committee for National Council and indeed through my contacts in the media I secured the presence of the First Minister, Peter Robinson and our very own Mickey Harte. In a professional capacity, I have worked for many years in the media and have seen at first hand the influence that can be achieved through this medium.

I look forward to bringing together a dedicated team of enthusiasts to tackle the many challenges which lie ahead. We’ll be working on our new website, providing an up-to-date resource for our adult leaders and somewhere our youth members can find out what’s going on and developing our magazine and e-zines. The team will strive to promote and market Scouting Ireland as a positive outlet for young people today.

If anyone has ideas, articles for our magazines or would like to contact me regarding any communications issues my email is jboland@scouts.ie

New Commissioners

Hi my name is Fiona McCann and I have been involved in Scouting since I was a Scout, which is not today or yesterday. My first experiences of Scout Training were very positive ones and maybe thats why I found myself drawn to training in Scouting, in my professional career I have been training and educating people for about 20 years and I also get to spend weekends combining 2 of my great interests Scouting & Training. My aim during my term is to make training a relevant, exciting and fun experience for all involved, which enthuses amd motivates people to keep improving.

I hope I bring to the role a positive outlook and the ability to work well with other people. We face one of the biggest opportunities in Scouting over the next 18 months where ‘Training’ gets a chance to interact with all Adults and some young people in the Association - its a great challenge - one I hope we all grasp and live up to .....

Joe Boland

Fiona McCann

12

Promotion of Events

There can be limited opportunities for Youth members of all sections to meet and mix, even less at this age group. This can

be due to a number of factors, not least of which being that a lot of this age group have part time jobs and/or state exams.

We must also be cognisant of cost which is even more prevalent in the current climate. However the importance of occasions

which afford the opportunity to mix and make new friendships and associations for life and future scouting careers cannot be

underestimated. I would propose the following small steps: -

1. Raise awareness of National Events and encouragement to participate in same – particularly the Youth Fora

2. Encourage the development of a Network of Venture Programme Scouters where they will have an opportunity to

discuss and plan activities beyond local level

3. Suggested county calendar of events

It is my intention to assign a member of my team to concentrate on this as to not to distract from the main objectives of the

design and implementation of the new Programme

Programme supportI propose the development of a number of programme resources including:

1. Suggested meeting plans

2. Suggested calendar of activities

3. Create a Hand Book for Ventures to show a challenging and adventurous programme provided by themselves with

the aid of Adults. This handbook needs to ensure that the Youth Members get the full benefits of the programme on

offer, including an understanding of and incorporation of the SPICES

• To show a break down of Personal Challenges

• To encourage Youth participation

• To plan activties

• To stress the scouting method

And more to follow....

Promotion of Venture ScoutingWork with the Youth Reps towards a plan to promote Venturing and to retain Youth members moving up from the Scout

section, details to follow.......

I also want to ensure Information is received by Venture Sections, to verify to Youth their value in making decisions and help

with them. Develop methods whereby any news can be communicated to the Youth Members e.g.

By monthly notices from National to provincial Reps onto county youth Reps down to Group level.

Communication is one of the more difficult areas, but it is of great importance in developing this section

particularly with the implementation of the New Programme and Ages due April 1st 2010

The following, while not an exhaustive list are a number of key deliverables I would

work towards to support Venture programme, sections, youth members and Scouters

if successful in my application

Key Tasks/Achievables:

IdentityTime and time, again at Youth Fora and from talking to the reps they seek to have a

method by which they can be recognised as Ventures. I believe we should listen to

them and work with them to develop an identity of which they can be proud, through

shared decision making.

Ruth Wylie

13

Former Communications Commissioner of Scouting Ireland Garrett Flynn has been appointed Programme Commissioner Rover Scouts. A Venture Scout Leader until recently and currently a Group Leader in Dublin, Garrett will have responsibility for developing a programme, an identity and a profile for Scouting Ireland’s newest section.

In addition, the Rover Commissioner will work closely with the Events and Venture Scout Commissioners to ensure that current members get the most out of their involvement as the Rover Scout Programme comes on stream early in 2010.

Commenting on taking up the role, Garrett Flynn said “Rover Scouts represents an incredible opportunity for Scouting Ireland to become relevant to a large number of young people in the 18-20 year age group. The concept is a completely blank canvas and I’m arriving in the role with no preconceptions at all. I want to get as much input as possible from as many people as possible – both prospective Rover Scouts and others with an interest in making a contribution to the thinking behind this new section.

I believe the Rover Scout concept will need to offer a compelling reason to Venture Scouts and potential new members to get involved and I consider that the total overall package will be important - a programme built around our symbolic framework that is easy to engage with and relevant to the age group/life-stage, a strong identity and sense of purpose within our association and a high public profile will all play a vital role in making the concept a success.”

Flynn also considers Group Leaders and County level management to be key stakeholders “I want to develop Rover Scouts into something that no properly functioning scout group can possibly consider being without – part of this will be taking the time to consult widely with GL’s & County staff among others around their expectations and identifying the benefits the Rover Scouting can and will bring to Scouting at local level”

Garrett has already outlined an ambitious target of having 5,000 Rover Scouts in Scouting Ireland within three years and has secured enthusiastic support for this vision from many, including the Chief Scout. “This may or may not happen but it is very achievable – if only half the Scout Groups in the country have a Rover Scout section of 15 members by 2012, we will be well on our way to achieving this target – the opportunity is there and the possibilities are endless, both for the Rover Scouts themselves and the potential benefits to Scouting Ireland generally”

The Rover Scout Programme Team is currently being assembled and already some high-calibre personnel have agreed to get involved to drive this exciting project. The full team of core personnel will be announced shortly.A new email address roverscouts@scouts.ie has been set up and anyone interested in making suggestions, sharing opinions, seeking advice or wishing to pitch in is welcome to make contact.

If you want to do none of these things, but are interested in joining the Rover Scout database, send an email with your contact information to the same address.

Watch out for the Rover Scout Facebook page and read ‘Smack’ for regular updates on Rover Scouts

Garrett Flynn

14 World Jamboree 2011

In July 2011, a green grassy field outside the town of Kristianstad in southern Sweden will be turned into a bustling town of more than 30 000 people.

Small tents, cooking fires, uniforms, music, nature, food, dancing, cafés, wood, adventures, singing, environment, orienteering, meetings, Scout scarves, letters from home, meditation, rock bands, patrols, ice cream, email, celebration, bicycles, pioneering, singing, cleaning, calm, water, sunshine, reunions, sleeping, laughter, solidarity...

This is the World Scout Jamboree.

Visit the World Jamboree website; www.world-scoutjamboree.se

Participants

To be a participant at the 22nd World Scout Jam-boree in Sweden 2011, you need to have turned 14 but not yet had your 18th birthday at the start of the camp. That means you must have been born between 25 July 1993 and 27 July 1997.

Each Scout only has one chance to be a partici-pant at a World Jamboree, so if you are in this age group, now is your chance!

To apply to come to the World Scout Jamboree, you need to apply to become a member of the Scouting Ireland contingent. The contingent is

made up of all the Scouts & Scouters travelling from Ireland. Scouts are then split up to form units. In each unit there is 36 Scouts & 4 Scout-ers.

At the moment we are registering expressions of interest & you will be placed on the mailing list. The official application process will open in mid 2009.

Unit Leaders/Assistant Unit Leaders

To be a Unit Leader or Assistant U.L. at the World Scout Jamboree, you must be an active Scout/Scouter and you need to have turned 18 at the start of the camp. That means you must have been born on or before the 24 July 1993. You should hold the woodbadge or be working towards it. You should have five years Scouter experience and have lead 1 Summer Camp / Venture Scout Expedition abroad.

Unit Leaders will be Ambassadors for the con-tingent, they should be able to get involved in the recruitment process for Scouts. Scouters should have a high level of scout skills. They should have experience in working the Patrol System and be able to work as part of a team.

15At the moment we are registering expressions of interest & you will be placed on the mailing list. The official application process will open in mid 2009.

IST

To be an IST at the 22nd World Scout Jamboree in Sweden 2011, you must be an active Scout/Scout-er and you need to have turned 18 at the start of the camp. That means you must have been born on or before the 24 July 1993.

Members of the IST should be able to speak English and/or French and be prepared to take on any task needed to create the Jamboree. IST must arrive on site 25 July 2011 and can leave 8 August 2011.

The 22nd World Scout Jamboree in Sweden 2011 will have over 6000 Scouters working on

the International Service Team. These older Scouts will help with all areas of the Jamboree, making it possible to deliver a fantastic experi-ence to all the participants. Opportunities will be available in so many different areas: pro-gramme, infrastructure, human resources, and much, much more.

At the moment we are registering expressions of interest & you will be placed on the mailing list. The official application process will open in mid 2009.

You can register your interest by emailing your details to worldjam@scouts.ie

Over the coming months more information will be released from Scouting Ireland in relation to the registration process

16 Beavers Lodge

“We must try through our Beaver Meetings and activities to raise a generation who will take an active part and intelligent interest in conserving the land and all that lives in. The key is your enthusiasm as you introduce your Beavers to the natural world.We are not trying to become expert naturalists, nor are we trying to train our Beavers to be experts. Our aim is to teach them to use their faculties to the fullest (so they can) marvel, wonder and delight in all of creation around them.“

Outdoor activitiesPlay Matching Games as you walk. You can give your Beavers cards of different colours and ask them to look for things to match the colours they have. Or you might give them objects with different textures to match - a piece of bark, some steel wool, a chunk of carpeting, a small tangle of wool. You can do the same with shapes.

Cut out cards in different shapes and give each Beaver a distinct shape to find along the way. Give Beavers some exercise in listening. Ask them to be quite and listen to the smallest sounds of the forest or park.

Play Feeling Games to practise the tactile sense. Ask each Beaver to pick up a rock and explore it with their Hand - feel its shape, texture (smooth or rough), ridges, bumps and indents. What colour is

the rock? When the Beavers think they know their particular rocks well, ask them to put their “pets” in a pile. Mix them all up and challenge each Beaver to try to pick out his/her own rock. Explore dandelions and leaf piles. What’s hiding there?

Collect “bugs”. Each Beaver needs a pill bottle or film canister. Show the Beavers how to pick up bugs on a piece of twig (to avoid squashing them in their hands) and transfer from twig to bottle. Encourage them to examine the bug’s appearance and observe its behaviour. When the exercise is over, have them put the bug back where they found it.

Go on a Litter Chase in a park. Back at the meeting place, sort their pickings and count how many cans and what kind, how many pieces of paper and what they’re from, etc. This might lead to a meaningful poster-making activity

How many things can a Beaver put into a film canister? Tell the Beavers the things must be whole (a pebble or an ant is okay, for example, but not a broken piece from a twig). With a leader to every Lodge, take a “worm’s-eye view” of the world. Lie on the tummy and move like a worm. What are the hazards?

17Follow an ant without disturbing him. In particular, notice his strength. Explore different kinds of soil (clay, sand, etc.), stones, grass, roots. Buy some inexpensive magnifying glasses and teach the Beavers how to use them. Then examine grass, leaves, bark, feathers, soil, and bugs (How many legs? How many parts to the leg? Wings? Body parts? How is this bug different from others? Compare a bug’s body and a human body).

Play Kim’s Games with twigs, leaves, seeds or flowers. Lay the materials in front of the Beavers and give them some time to look at what’s there. Ask them to close their eyes. Remove an item, then ask them to open their eyes and tell you what is missing.

Adopt a tree. Visit a nature reserve, for example, and ask each Beaver to select “his/her” tree. Visit the tree several times during the year. Encourage each Beaver to get to know their tree with questions like: How does your tree look? Feel? Smell? Taste? Sound? Are there any mammals, birds or insects that use your tree? If your tree could talk, what stories do you think it would tell? Look at your tree from different viewpoints: from close up and far away; from upside down and lying on the ground, etc.Does your tree have any relatives close by? Is your tree alive? How can you tell? How does your tree get food, water, air? How does it survive in the winter? Does your tree lose its leaves in autumn? What happens to the leaves when they fall from the tree? Does your tree have visitors? How do they come to your tree (fly, walk, crawl)? Do they come to eat? Play? Rest? Find shelter? Live? Pretend that you are your tree on a windy day; on a sunny day; in winter after a heavy snowfall; at night; etc. Make leaf and bark prints from your tree. Try to draw the kind of roots it has.

Nature craftsSome of the best nature crafts come from the Beavers themselves. Let them use the natural objects they’ve collected and their imaginations to come up with their own creations. Then, allow enough time for the Beavers to tell you about them. Here are a few other ideas.

Make a Nature Notebook.Glue coloured construction paper over the cover of a small notebook. Glue on a dry pressed leaf. Protect by covering with clear contact paper.

Create Butterfly Wings. Give each Beaver or lodge a large cardboard butterfly and ask them to decorate one wing with natural materials (stones, twigs, leaves, moss, etc.). After five or 10 minutes, ask them to decorate the other wing by copying the first one. Remind them that butterflies have wings that are a perfect match.

Pet Rocks are always fun to make.Wash and dry the rock. With acrylic or tempera paint, make a sad face on one side and print “Please turn me over.” On the other side, paint a bright happy face and the words: “Ah that feels better!” Finish with varnish. Whether the Beavers make a Pet Rock or this variation, encourage them to tell you a story about their critter. Let the boys make themselves a name tag from a branch slice. First sand the wood, then write their name on it. Glue a safety pin to the back. Finish with varnish.

is the National Campsite and Training Centre of Scouting Ireland. Situated in the picturesque valley between Kilmashogue and Tibradden mountains 7 miles from the centre of Dublin. Larch Hill is an 88-acre campsite surrounded by natural amenities to enhance your experience. The Campsite is within 5 miles of 3 major supermarkets and the public bus service runs nearby.

Camping

Larch Hill has 80-acres of camping ground in 13 fields. Larch Hills water is supplied from two deep water wells, this water is tested and analyzed on an annual bases. The water is 100% natural with no chemicals or chlorine added. Water taps can be found in most camping fields.There is plenty of fire wood available on site from the campsite woodpile and 3 hectares of forest. Alter fires are also available and there are many small campfire circles dotted along the perimeter of the top forestry.

The Toilet and Shower Block is located in the main car park; the recently built shower block consists of male and female showers for scouts and separate showers for leaders. The toilets and showers are of the up most cleanliness and are cleaned regularly on a daily basis. The Toilet and Shower block is wheelchair accessible.The Wet Weather Shelter is a 50ft by 40ft Barn like building located near the main reception and car park area. This building allows you to run a wet weather programme on those not so sunny days. The indoor Climbing wall is located in this building and archery takes place here on rainy days.

Larch Hill can also supply your group with tentage and other camping gear. Visit www.larchhill.org for a full list of equipment available to rent.

Indoor Accommodation

The Centenary Lodge is situated in Larch Hills Training field to the rear of the main reception and carpark area. Opened in November 2007, the lodge is a partly solar powered timber build chalet and sleeps up to 26 people. All bedrooms are dormitory style and the Lodge consists of four 4 person bedrooms and a large 10 person bedroom. All beds have pillows and mattress covers. All you need to bring is a sleeping bags. A male, female, disabled toilet and showers alike are available in the lodge; it is also equipped with a modern kitchen which is attached to the main dining area. All kitchen utensils and equipment are provided. The Main House is situated near the main reception area in Larch Hill. It sleeps up to 54 people and is ideal for school groups, training courses and conferences. This building consists of a large kitchen and dining area, leader’s room, reading room, large conference hall, 4, 8 & 12 bed dormitories, male and female shower areas and a large private garden area with flag pole. Like the Centenary Lodge, all beds have pillows and mattress covers. All you need to bring is a sleeping bags. The kitchen consists of two large fridges and freezers, large catering sized gas cooker, toaster, microwave and more. This building is block booked and is exclusively yours for the duration of your stay.

Campsite Report

Larch Hill

18

Nature

Larch Hill is a place where young people can enjoy outdoor pursuits and sport in a safe friendly and secure environment. And “to assist young people in achieving their full spiritual, intellectual, physical, and cultural potential so as to take a constructive place in society as good citizens”.

Larch Hill is filled with many natural amenities and wild life. Animals that can be found throughout the estate include deer, rabbits, squirrels, fox, badgers and much more. The estate is also home to many different rare and exotic species of trees, some of these are over 150 years old. As you travel around the estate you will see young trees that have been recently planted as part of Larch Hills policy on renewing trees on the estate. Maybe your group would consider buying some trees as your contribution to improving the environment. The campsite also operates a reduce, re-use, recycle policy.

Activities

Activities on Offer in Larch Hill include• Indoor Rock Climbing • Outdoor Climbing & Abseiling Tower • Archery • Orienteering • Pioneering • Hill Walking • Tree Trail Nature Hut • Ghost Walks • Obstacle courses.

Coming Soon....

Crate Climbing – How’s your balance? How high can you go before you topple? Crate Climbing....Coming Soon Enclosed activity complex - this self contained activity area will include enclosed tunneling networks, bouldering walls, high ropes and much much more....Coming soon

Hiking ExpeditionsSituated at the start of the Wicklow Way and in the picturesque valley between Kilmashogue and Tibradden, Larch Hill is in an ideal location for many expeditions into the remote wilds of the Dublin/Wicklow Mountains. Day Expeditions - There are many mountain roads and tracks in the area, stay local and hike to the Hellfire Club on nearby Mount Pelier or spend the day in Glendalough located in Wicklow National Park Overnight expeditions - Why not explore the Wicklow Mountains and spend a night in our neighboring Campsite Lough Dan. Our experienced staff are always on hand to help plan expedition and route that best suits your needs. All expedition equipment and maps are available to rent & buy from main reception

For more information on Larch Hill and its facilities please visit www.larchhill.org or email info@larchhill.org

20 Cubs Corner

Hi All,

Last edition we looked at how we could Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, as the weather is getting better I thought that we could bring our 3R’s theme outdoors! Now let us look at how we can “leave no trace” when we visit the country side or our local parks. There are also some ideas for you to get started with camping, some ideas for building a tepee (which you could do in your den!) and how to build a small fire and cook some marshmallow and hot dogs using your own, home made cooking gadgets!Have fun ….. Annette

Let me explain a bit about the “leave no trace” programme…………Leave No Trace is a plan that helps people to be more concerned about their environment and to help them protect it for future generations. Leave No Trace can be applied in your back garden or local park as much as it does in the wilderness.

We should practice Leave No Trace in our attitude and actions--wherever we go. Understanding nature strengthens our respect toward the environment. One person with thoughtless behavior or one shortcut on a trail can spoil the outdoor experience for others. Help protect the environment by remembering that while you are there, you are a visitor. When you visit the outdoors, take special care of the area. Leave everything just as you find it.

Hiking and camping without a trace are signs of a considerate outdoorsman who cares for the environ-ment. Travel lightly on the land.

• Follow all the rules of the park or outdoor facility.• Remember proper clothing, sunscreen, hats, first aid kits, and plenty of drinking water. • Visit in small groups when possible • Re-package food to minimize waste (or use a lunch box!)• Learn how to read a map and use a compass

• Stay on marked trails whenever possible. • Walk in single file in the middle of the trail• Taking short cuts cause the soil to wear away or to be packed, this will eventually kills trees and other vegetation. • Trampled wildflowers and vegetation take years to recover. • Stick to trails!

Six Leave No Trace Guidelines for Cubs

21

• Keeping your pet under control will keep people, dogs, livestock, and wildlife from feeling threatened. • Make sure your pet is on a leash or controlled at all times. • Do not let your pet approach or chase wildlife. • When animals are chased or disturbed, they change eating patterns and use more energy that may result in poor health or death.• Take care of your pet’s waste. Take a small shovel or scoop and a pick-up bag to pick up your pet’s waste wherever it’s left. Place the waste bags in a bin for disposal.

• When visiting any outdoor area, try to leave it the same as you find it. The less impact we each make, the longer we will enjoy what we have. • Even picking flowers denies others the opportunity to see them and reduces seeds, which means fewer plants next year. • Use proper toilets. • Graffiti and vandalism have no place anywhere, and they spoil the experience for others.• Do not build structures or dig trenches

• Expect to meet other visitors. • Be courteous and make room for others. • Control your speed when biking or running. Pass with care and let others know before you pass. • Avoid disturbing others by making noise or playing loud music. • Respect “No Trespassing” signs. • If property boundaries are unclear, do not enter the area.

• Make sure all rubbish is put in a bag or a rubbish bin. • Rubbish is unsightly and ruins everyone’s outdoor experience. • Your rubbish can kill wildlife. Even materials, such as orange peels, apple cores and food scraps, take years to break down and may attract unwanted pests that could become a problem.

22Build a TepeeCub scouts why not build a Tepee that you can use on your next camping trip. With your tepee you can sleep outside under the stars! Make sure you have an adult to help you with the power drill.How to Build a Tepee

What You’ll Need: Four 1 x 2-inch Wood Boards about 4 feet long Power Drill 3/8-inch Drill Bit 12 inches of Cord 2-1/3 yards of Muslin about 44 inches wide Scissors Fabric Paint Fabric Glue Needle and Strong Thread

Step One: Drill a hole 2 inches from the top of each board. Thread the cord through the holes and tie the boards together to make the tepee frame. Tie the cord in a knot. Spread the boards out to form the frame.

Step Two: Trim one end of the muslin fabric to form a half circle. Cut a U-shape at the center of the straight edge of the muslin. Use fabric paint to decorate the muslin with a Native American design. Let the paint dry.

Step Three: Fold the straight end of the fabric over about 4 inches and glue a seam to make a pocket. Let the glue set.

Step Four: Slip 2 boards of the tepee frame through the fabric pockets. The tied ends of the boards should poke through the U-shaped hole at the top.

Step Five: Sew a piece of thread around the center point of the 2 back boards of the tepee to hold them in place. Stand the frame up, and spread the boards out to form the tepee.

Fire Building

Here’s how to build a safe campfire for roasting marshmallows or hot dogs. How to Build a FireWhat You’ll Need: Shovel Small Bits of Flammable Material for Tinder Thin Wood for Kindling Larger Wood for Fuel Matches Bucket of Water Cubs make sure never to light a fire without an adult present.

23Step One: Learn to lay and light a fire safely before trying it in the woods. When you gather firewood, only pick up what you see on the ground. Don’t cut down living trees or break off branches for your fire.

Step Two: Use an existing fire pit if possible. If there is no fire pit, clear a safe area. Remove any flammable material within a six-foot radius of your fire. Dig down to mineral soil. Have a bucket of water handy to put out the fire later.

Step Three: Start with a fist-sized wad of dry tinder (any material catching fire when lit with a match). Wood shavings, dry pine needles, dry moss, pocket lint, and bundled dry grass make good tinder.

Step Four: Then build a small log cabin of pencil-thin kindling around the tinder. Lay some sticks on top of the cabin but leave space for air flow. Lay three or four one-inch diameter sticks of fuel wood on top of the kindling.

Step Five: Light the tinder. When it catches fire, gently blow on it to encourage the flame. Add more fuel wood when the fire is burning.

Step Six: If you’re cooking over the fire, wait until there is a good bed of coals. When you’re finished, pour water on the fire until the ashes are cool to the touch. Never leave a site or go to sleep without putting the fire out.

Cooking on a grill ….. outdoors of course!

What You’ll Need: Grill Old Newspaper or fire lighters Charcoal Briquettes Matches or a Lighter Hot Dogs Hamburgers Serving Dish Spatula

Step One: To make a charcoal fire, place crumpled newspaper (or firelighters) in the middle of the barbecue. Pile charcoal briquettes loosely over the paper. Leave space between the briquettes and the grill.

Step Two: Use a long match or a butane charcoal starter to light the paper. Once the charcoal is burning, put the lid on the grill to hold the heat in while the charcoal burns to coal. (A homemade grill has no lid, so you’ll have to wait a bit longer.)

Step Three: Once you have a good bed of coals, grill something easy, like hot dogs -- all they need is to be heated. Set them on the grill and let them cook until they sizzle, turning them once. Once they’re hot, put them in a serving dish.

Step Four: place the hamburgers on the grill. Cover and let them cook about five minutes. Turn with a long-handled spatula and finish cooking on the other side.

Camp Cooking Gadgets

What You’ll Need: Unpainted Coat Hangers Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil Wire Cutters (with adult help) Pliers

24

Make a pan to cook biscuits out of aluminum foil and a coat hanger

Step One: Rather than buying things you might only need once, see how inventive you can be with wire and foil. To make a meat fork, cut the hook off a stiff wire coat hanger and straighten the wire.

Step Two: Bend the middle of the wire around a thick stick to form a loop. Twist the stick while holding the two strands with pliers. Leave about four inches of wire untwisted.

Step Three: Separate these to form two tines. Remove the stick from the loop in the handle. If the handle sags, wire it to a straight stick.

Step Four: To make a ladle, begin as you did for the meat fork, but leave six-inch ends. Bend the ends around a tin can or flashlight to form a circle. Wrap the overlapping ends of wire around each other.

Step Five: Shape the bowl of the ladle from foil. Push the bowl through the wire circle. Leave plenty of foil for the overlap, and fold the overlap under the bowl of the ladle.

Step Six: To make a biscuit pan, straighten a wire coat hanger. Fold the wire into a square and twist the ends together. Use any extra wire to form a loop.

Step Seven: Using the wire square as a pattern, form a box from two layers of foil. Leave several inches for overlap. Place the foil box in the wire square and fold the overlap down and under the edges of the box.

Step Eight: Set cut biscuits in the pan. Sprinkle on a layer of smooth ashes. Set the biscuit pan on the coals. Cover with foil. Check often.

26 Scouts Circle

Being guided by Nature...Finding our way using map and compass can be exciting but what if you had no map or compass and found yourself stranded in open countryside. Nature navigation relies on your skill of observation. Through it you can find your way to safety. This article offers a few suggestions as to how you can find directions without a compass, of course if you are prepared you will not be caught out in open countryside without a compass.

The simplest and most obvious way to find North by the sun is, at dawn, to stand with your back to the sun as it rises in the East. Your shadow will point West. Raise your arms shoulder high. Your right arm will point approximately North, your left arm will point approximately South.

You can then mark a cross on the ground, and use pegs or stones to indicate, approximately, the North, South, East and West positions. You can use the sunset in the same Way. Just reverse the situation, with your back to the setting sun. Your shadow will point East. Your left arm, in this instance, will point North, your right arm South, approximately.

The moon as a direction-finder Except for a few nights every month the moon, like the sun, can help give you direction. Because it reflects the sun’s light, the moon always points towards the sun, and thus even at night indicates the direction of the sun. Whether the moon is waxing or waning, an imaginary line through the horns of a crescent moon will always give you, approximately, a north-south line.An accurate way of finding north by the sun.On a level piece of ground plant a straight stick upright. To get it perfectly upright, use a make-shiftplumb-bob - a pebble tied to a length of string.Using a loop of string and a small pointed stick, describe a circle on the ground, with the upright stick as centre. The loop provides an accurate pair of dividers, and the larger the scale the more the accuracy.

Now mark the end of the shadow of the upright stick with a small stick - or use a small pebble as a marker. In a few minutes you will observe that the shadow has moved away from the marker stick, or pebble. Continue marking the ends of the moving shadow at intervals, until you have a clear arcof markers. This takes time, but it is as accurate as a compass.

27are affected by many factors, and you should not jump to conclusions after studying a single tree only, but confirm your findings by observing several trees in the same vicinity.

Most trees tend to develop more foliage on the sunny side. In many species the branches exposedto the arc of the sun, and thus receiving more sunlight, will tend to be branches that are well developed, and that reach out southwards at an angle nearer the horizontal, while the branches on the northern side, lacking sunlight, will tend to grow at a more acute upwards angle.

The tree trunk itself may lean sunwards, slightly. (While the prevailing wind usually causes a tree to lean with the wind, the sun can also affect its angle, as do some other factors). Though not always, mosses and lichens will tend to grow on the North side of the tree trunk, rather than on the Southern, sun-facing side. Note however that mosses and lichens are also affected by humidity- they flourish best where moisture is present.

Using your watch as a direction finding tool.Point the hour hand at the sun and divide the angle between the hour hand and 12. This direction is due south.

Then complete the arc freehand, until it cuts both sides of the circle. The points of intersection of the circle and the arc give you a true East-West line.To find North, simply bisect the East-West line at right-angles. Carefully done, it is so accurate that you can use it to orient a map.

The WindAlmost every area has what is called a prevailing wind - that is, a wind that blows longest and strongest from a particular direction. Prevailing winds have their impact on trees, among other things on the land. You can very often observe how trees in a given area have been influenced by the prevailing wind to lean in a particular direction.By observing the direction in which trees in an area are leaning, you can tell from which direction the local prevailing wind blows. If, say, the trees are leaning North East you will find than the prevailing wind blow from the South-West, which is the prevailing wind direction in Ireland. There are but a few exceptions to this general rule - such as with the trees on some of our coastlines.

Other Natural GuidesNature also provides other wind-influenced indicators. Spiders, for example, do not construct their webs against the wind, so observation of the general direction in which spider webs are laid can be helpful.Birds and insects almost always build their nests in positions that will protect them against the prevailing wind, so observations of this kind can also help you establish the direction from whichthe prevailing wind blows. Thus the prevailing wind can in various ways be your guide - and you can learn some more about Nature’s other fascinating ways at the same time.

How trees can help you find your wayWe have indicated how many trees become navigation aids when prevailing winds cause them to lean in a certain direction. A study of the trees around you will reveal that they can assist youto find direction in other ways. Concentrate your observations primarily on indigenous trees, because Nature designed different trees in different shapes, with the main object of enabling them to receive as much light as possible.Here are some pointers that will be useful to you - but understand that these are generalisations; trees

28North Eastern Province

Welcome Back to North Eastern Provincial News!

14th Roscommon Scout Investiture

The province was delighted to see the investiture of a new Scout Troop in 14th Roscommon on the 25th March 2009. On the night there were 3 leaders, 14 scouts, 13 cubs and 10 beavers invested by the group leader, Margaret Hurley. This brings the total in the group to 57 youth members and 10 Scouters. The County Commissioner, Brendan Martin, was unfortunately unable to attend but sent his congratulations to the thriving group. Keith Tuohy, group leader in Athlone, was present on the night and commented on the success of the group. The province wishes to congratulate the group on a very successful investiture.

New scout den opening in 4th Monaghan Magheracloone

4th Monaghan opened their new prefabricated den recently. It’s the first time the Group has had a den of its own and it promises to be a springboard for the Group going forward. Congratulation to Group Leader Eoin Cooney and all concerned.

Provincial Youth Forum

The Provincial Youth Forum took place on the evening of the 13th of March in Swords scout den. There were 21 youth members present from around the province and the feedback from the evening was very positive and we can build on this for next year.

New Group in Virginia started

3rd Cavan Virginia Scout Group has re-opened in April having been dormant for over ten years. The Group has started with Beavers and Cubs and will start a Scout Troop in September.

Provincial Beaver Challenge

The Provincial Beaver Challenge took place on the 14th of March in Balbriggan and was organised by Stephen Halpin. The winners on the day were 98th Dublin Skerries. David Smith, Fingal county commissioner, presented the winning team with their prize. For the full report, check out the provincial webpage.

Provincial Sectional Challenges/Events:

Note: The provincial cub challenge was cancelled due to low numbers but has been rescheduled for the weekend of the 14th/15th of November, so keep this date free.

There are two remaining challenges that are taking place in the month of May. For more information on the challenges, check out the provincial webpage.

Section Description Date Location

Scout Night Hike with

bases on the

23rd/24th

May

Kingscourt

Venture Provincial Venture

Challenge

8th/9th/10th

May

Boyne Valley,

Co. Meath

29There should be a prequalifier for all sections run in your county and the top three teams will sent on to the provincial challenge, for information on the county qualifiers please contact your CPC.

Provincial Summer Camp 2009

This summer the province is running a camp for scouts from around the province from the 3rd to the 7th of July in Portlick Campsite, that’s situated outside Athlone, Co. Westmeath. This camp is geared towards scout sections that don’t traditionally have an annual camp. This camp is starting to book up so if your scouts/leaders are interested please contact James Fox. The deadline to book this camp is the 31st of April, though if you are still interested after this date please contact James Fox. More information on this camp can be found on the provincial webpage.

New Groups/New Sections

The province is in the process of reopening a scout group in Ardee, Co. Louth. The leaders are in the process of doing their basic training, so watch this space! If there are any groups out there who feel that they are ready to open a new section and aren’t sure how to go about it, please contact your county or province.

Keep up to date with Provincial News and events by regularly checking the North Eastern Provincial Webpage on www.scouts.ie. This has recently been updated and includes things such as: current training calendar, Booking form, provincial directory, up and coming events in each county and much more. If any group wants a report of an event that they took part in you can forward this along with a few pictures to James Fox on jfox@scouts.ie for inclusion on the website.

The Big PictureMalahide Sea Scouts are celebrating 90 years this year having been first registered at Imperial headquarters, London in January 1919 as part of the Port of Dublin Sea Scouts Local Association....

As part of the celebrations the Group wanted to take a Group photograph which happened on Sunday 5th April in front of Malahide Castle (by kind permission). The Group assembled 324 Beavers, Cubs, Sea Scouts Ventures, Leaders and Honorary Members plus four dogs for the photograph.

The oldest member present was 86 year old Honorary Member, Nan Lindsey (seated centre) who was Akela from 1949 to 1973.

We believe this to be the biggest photograph of a single Irish Scout Group, can anyone beat this??

30

National Water Activity Centre, Killaloe

The National Water Activity Centre in Killaloe has recently received two new craft that will add considerably to the training opportunities available at the centre.

In January, a kind benefactor donated a small sailing cruiser to the Centre. The boat was in Skibereen, Co. Cork, and on 17 February, the Camp Chief, Secretary and Quartermaster went to Skibereen to see the boat, “An Rón”. They were very satisfied with what they saw, and arrangements were made to transport the craft to Killaloe on a low-loader. On Saturday 28 February she was lifted into the water at Lough Derg Marina, and the mast was stepped and rigged. She was brought to the Water Activity Centre and moored there.

The vessel has a single chine GRP hull with marine ply topsides, fin keel and transom-hung rudder, LOA 7.3m, LWL 6m, Beam 2.75m, Draft 1.5m. She is rigged as a Bermudan sloop and also has an outboard motor.

“An Rón” will be a very welcome addition to the fleet of the centre. As well as a number of sailing dinghies, Killaloe has 4 “Lilievlets”, the standard

Sea Scout and Water Activities

boats of Sea Scouts in the Netherlands. The addition of a keel-boat will mean that keel-boat training and assessment can be added to the dinghy sailing skills already offered.

A further addition to the fleet is a four-oared East Coast rowing skiff. Up to now, rowing instruction and assessment has been in the Lilievlets, but now full rowing drill and practice will be available. The skiff was surplus to requirements in one of the Dublin Sea Scout Groups, and arrangements for transfer were made by Stephen Taylor, National Commissioner for Sea Scouts and Water Activities. The ability to offer traditional crew rowing as an activity had been considered for some time, and a group of four Killaloe instructors had attended a rowing course with Dun Laoghaire Sea Scouts last Summer. Stephen went to Killaloe as an official ISA observer for a Powerboat Race on Lough Derg. He took the opportunity to tow the skiff down from Dublin to the Water Activity Centre. He was very impressed by the Centre, its training standards and the hospitality of the staff.

31Sea Training

Scouting Ireland Sea Training, Dun Laoghaire, runs navigation theory classes during the Winter each year. The Courses have now finished until next September. The total number of students this year was 38. This was the largest number since these courses started in 1976. Practical training for the Irish Sailing Association powerboating certificates has continued through the winter. Sailing Training will start in May. The last issue of Ezine included a summary of the new dinghy sailing scheme of the ISA, and how this has been regarded by Sea Scout Groups as a great advance in usefulness of this scheme to Scouting. The use of the ISA Competent Crew and the Day Skipper Certificates of the Cruising Scheme is also being examined for their possible use in the new Scout Programme at Venture Scout level. So, those Scouts in Transition Year who completed the Coastal Navigation Course during the past Winter, will have the opportunity to be “guinea pigs” in the next few weeks.

International Certificate of Competency

This is an international certificate for boat owners or people wishing to charter boats outside their own countries. It can be endorsed for power or sail or both, and for coastal or inland waters, or both. The scheme is administered by the Irish Sailing Association on behalf of the Government. Scouting Ireland Sea Training, Dun Laoghaire, is a recognised training and examination centre for the ICC.

Training Cruise on “Lord Rank”

Ocean Youth Trust Ireland is based in Belfast, and maintains the training yacht, “Lord Rank”. The vessel cruises around the coasts of Ireland, North and South.

The first sail of the new season from 9 – 13 March had a predominately Sea Scout crew. The OYTI had planned the first cruise as a “shake-down” cruise, but for a number of reasons, very few volunteers had taken up places.

At the Irish Sailing Association Instructors Seminar in the Burlington Hotel on 7/8 March, the OYTI representatives asked the Sea Scout reps on Saturday afternoon if they could arrange a crew, aged 15+, to join the “Lord Rank” in Bangor by 1100 on Monday morning! This caused a great interest and a certain amount of panic, but, to cut a long and complicated story short, nine Sea Scouts in Transition Year, from Rosses Point, Dollymount and Dun Laoghaire joined ship in Bangor Marina on the dot on Monday morning.

They had a great 5 day cruise, with quite strong winds, but great sailing. They sailed along the Antrim coast and then across to the island of Islay – quite a small island with 5 world renowned distilleries! The highlights of the cruise were being “buzzed” by two low flying jets, and being stopped and boarded by a Customs patrol! They all returned safely.

Lord Rank under sail

32

Connecting People, Ideas & Knowledge

VIBE is a national weekend for Venture Scouts to gather and explore their programme. Groups can share ideas and experiences and meet other Venture Scouts from around Ireland. The weekend involved Outdoor Activities, Programme Workshops, Knowledge Cafés and bowling!

The programme workshop revolved around the idea of ‘Scouting and Disability: Accessibility and Involvement’. The participants concluded that disability and scouting is an important because as people with a disability might be denied the right to join another group but in Scouting everyone is welcome to join the movement. Also it was felt that scout groups should be committed to facilitating and integrate people with special needs, but they should also look at the option of specialised groups. The Venture Scouts also came up with a number of suggested month-long programmes (see below).

In knowledge cafés, Venture Scouts from different groups discussed issues of common interest such as: What is a Good Venture Scout Group?, What do you

get from/bring to your Venture Scout Group? and What is more important, the quantity or quality of your Venture Scout Group? A selection of the results are included below.

The weekend also included all the participants running around Larch Hill on a scavenger hunt, going to Tallaght for a bowling trip and campfire. Also there were training session on publicising your group’s activities and researching service project activities.

Most disabilities are unseen

Week 1: Brain storm on disabilities Exercise to look at how everyone has varying abilities. Learn everyone’s views on disabilities.Week 2: Plan Day Activity 20 Questions Variant: Game in which each person gets a piece of paper with a type of disability on it. Others have to guess the disability by asking questions about their life experiences, such as: Have you issues communicating with people? Can you move freely? Week 3: Communications Activity, examples: semaphore, morse code, sign language, brail, public speaking.Week 4: Carry out an audit of your meeting place and other areas in your community for accessibility issues.

The Language of Disability

Week 1: Get a sign language specialist to teach the basics to the groupWeek 2: Learn basic phrases from a new language Get a Polish National to educate about their culture, so the break down barriers.Week 3: Learn more advanced sign language Signalling related gamesWeek4: Plan fundraiser for a local special needs groupActivity: Go on a day trip with a local special needs group. Learn new skills and get to experience and activity with those of different abilities.

Events Team

VIBE 2009

33Acceptance and Involvement

Week1: Discussion on bullying and means of preventing it Team building gamesWeek2: Discussion on anti-racism Shoe box appealWeek3: Activity based around excluded groups: people with disabilities, Travelling Community, Immigrant Community and Irish speakers. A small group is given a topic and discusses it. Then play out a scene whereby these people try to to and be served in a shop.Activity: Organise an activity for the whole Scout Group – fun day with barbecue

Characteristics of a good Venture Scout Group

Work as a team• Fun, Friends, Co-operation• Organised Active Programme• Leadership• Commitment form all members• Involvement• Appropriate leaders – not over controlling• Practising Scout Skills•

What do you get from Venture Scout Group?

Programme & Experiences• Friends• Life and Scouting Skills • Independence/Confidence• Opportunities•

What do you bring to your Venture Group?

Yourself• Ideas & Opportunities• Perspective/opinions• Diversity• Experience & Leadership• New Skills• Inspiration & Spontaneity •

What is more important, the quantity or quality of your Venture Scout Group?

If the quality is good, the quantity will come. A group works better when they have come up together from scoutsQuality scouters in the beginning, until the Venture Scouts become more independent

What have you done in your programme to make yourself proud?

Making friends• Organised our own programme• Fundraised for the Cope Foundation• Explorer Belt• Volunteering in Loudres • Get people on an event that wouldn’t have •

usually goneGaisce Award• Being active• Leadership• V-Moot Projects• World Jamboree• Trip to Switzerland/Kandersteg • Climbed Snowden/3 highest mountains in the •

UKPhysical challenges •

34 Ventures Area

Making a successful film is more about planning and research than pressing buttons and waving cameras about. So here are five ways to make your film-making more professional.

1. Ask the question. Who is your target audience? The answer to this question makes you decide how detailed your film is to be. If you are making a film about brain surgery for surgeons then its going to be very detailed. If it’s a holiday film then its going to be seen by a more general audience, but that isn’t an excuse to wave and zoom your camera at everything that moves.

2. Running Time. If you can’t tell your story in 8 to 10 minutes, forget it. People today are used to watching television at home with its constant interuptions, commercials, phone calls, family coming and going, tea making, etc. Which is why going to the cinema is always a more enjoyable experience. Let’s say your running time is 9 minutes. Allocate the first three minutes or one third to the intro, titles, setting the scene and leading up to the main story. Three quarters of the remaining 6 minutes is for the main storey building up tension or excitement as the story unfolds. The last quarter of the six minutes, approx one and a half minutes is to re iterate the main points of the film and a modest list of credits. It might be worth pointing out here that films made for the cinema have directors who are responsible for the artistic content of the film. Producers are usually the money men, the fixers, and are usually on the directors back to do everything as cheaply as possible. In television it is usually the producer who is responsible for the artistic side of the film, the director, if there is one, acts more the role of a technical manager.

3. Research. Absolutely vital even for a holiday film. If your film is a local documentary visit the site. Speak to the boss, minions usually don’t have any authority, ask for history and access to archives get permission to go where public are not usually allowed (I don’t recommend actually getting inside the tiger’s cage, well not at the same time as the tiger anyway). For holidays get books from the library, write your commentary before you go to help get the interesting shots that you want. Don’t include naff things like folk dancing night at the hotel, they all probably live in London anyway and everybody does that. Don’t take shots of your travel companions walking away from you, rear ends are not very interesting, faces are.

4. Shooting Don’t Pan or Zoom (your eyes can’t do either) unless there is a really good reason. Shoot plenty of cutaways, always very useful at editing stage. Shoot action and reaction shots. If you’re shooting an action lets have some shots of people looking at the action, make sure they are all looking the right way, don’t cross the eye line. Don’t linger on shots where nothing is moving, capture a single frame during the edit then it doesn’t wobble about.

5. Editing Start with a rough cut, get all our shots on the timeline in the right order now edit each cut, try to make a matching change to the next shot, don’t use cheesy transitions, be Ruthless (with a capital R). Try to match what is happening on screen to the commentary. When you are happy with that, look at each shot and ask yourself: Does it add to the story? Will it convey information to the viewer, bearing in mind you were there and the viewer wasn’t. Put it away for a couple of days and then go through the film and be Ruthless again (with a capital R).

35South Eastern Province

News and Events from around the Province

Waterford Scout CountyWaterford Scout County have been very active over the last few weeks. The county Beavers (all 177 of them) had their annual Easter Egg Hunt in Kennedy Park on a glorious Sunny day on 5th April.

On the 29th March the county cubs had their annual “Cub Talent Show” in Ferrybank community centre. The hall was packed to capacity with leaders, family and friends and of course cubs. Congratulations to 4th Abbeyside for winning the overall event.

4th Abbeyside Winners of County Talent Show

The Audience

Just one of the acts

The next event for the cubs is the County Fun Day on the 19th April where the cubs came in fancy dress to a theme of their choice within the pack and compete at a number of skills and fun bases. This year’s winners where the 1st Port Waterford.

The next event for our scouts is the County Challenge, which is being held in Rathgormac on the 24-26th April 09.

Our Ventures are planning a trip to Oakwood and are busy planning their annual camp. The Waterford City based Venture just recently went to Dunmore East Adventure Centre to do indoor rocking climbing, while the Dunhill/Tramore (Middle Earth) ventures organised the Footfest in the Grand Hotel, in Tramore.

Training wise a Beaver skills night was ran in St Pauls Den with a big turnout and great fun was had by all. Child protection course was also ran on the 3rd April and again a big turnout on the night. Thanks to Breda Collins and Rose Power for running both events.

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On St Patricks we were delighted to present 5 National Scout awards to members of the 7th De La Salle. We also presented Paschal Guilfoyle Scout Leader of 3rd De La Salle and Chairman of the County and also Tom Casey of the De La Salle Pipe Band with their Gold Medal of Merit

Scout Leader Robert Windel and myself with Jana Cox, Aaron Mooney, Ross Phelan, Eoin Falconer and Hazel Murray of the 7th De La Salle receiving their National Scout Award

Our Board Meeting which was held on the 7th April in Abbeyside was attended by John Brennan(National Commissioner for Adult Resources) and Michael J Shinnock(Chief Scout). They thanked us for their support at National Council and told us their plans for the future.

Slieve Bloom CountyThe Slieve Bloom County held its annual Leader Skills training weekend in Srahan Scout Center On February 21st and 22nd. There were just over 60 scouters from around the county taking part. The training was divided into 2 levels, Level 1 being aimed at Beaver, Cub and new Scouters and Level 2 for more experienced Scouters. Level 1 scouters covered Tents and Tent Pitching, Knots, games, Map and Compass and Cooking. Whilst Level 2, concentrated on a Patrol Campsite and the different aspects related to competition camp craft. Both sections did some open fire, Indian oven and Backwoods cooking, Alter Fire, &Trangia. Joe Robinson from MPSE paid Srahan a visit as part of an upcoming Provincial MPSE training weekend in April. Joe demonstrated how to produce

a Tin Can stove for all present and generated much interest in Most Primitive Scouting Experience as a result. The scouters enjoyed a lovely evening meal in the local pub and had a great campfire afterwards, which was well enjoyed by some of the locals as well.Sunday morning started early with Drill and Marching. Highly entertaining, as some scouters kept getting confused with right and left. Needless to say this might have had something to do with the late social program from the night before. The morning continued with Hiking and Gear, Program ideas and games for Level 1, whilst Caroline Marks went through route cards and explained what is involved to prepare for a Phoenix with the Level 2 scouters. Level 2 finished with Route cards delivered by the route card expert Seamus Doyle.Great weather, great ideas shared, great fun over a fantastic weekend for the Slieve Bloomers! Many thanks to Donny Molloy as Trainer in Charge, Joe Robinson (MPSE), the troops who donated their gear for the weekend, Srahan Scout Center and the leaders who helped and organized the weekend.

James Marks County Commissioner

37Group Leader Training 09South East Province held group leader training on the 18th and 19th of April in Wexford. The course was well attended by group leaders from all of the 7 counties. 34 participants in total. Well done to all and a particular thanks to all the trainers for the weekend.

Note: The Provincial Training Calendar for 2009-2010 will be available after the PMST meeting on the 17th of May. Bookings for courses can be made with Caroline Marks in the training office in Roscrea.

South KildareSouth Kildare County have been hosting skills workshops for scouters over the last couple of months which have been very successful and well attending. The County is looking forward to continuing to providing these skill workshops and a big thank you to the County team and trainers for providing the workshops. South Kildare held their County day on the 18th of April in Donadea Forest Park. 560 participants from all over the County in attendance on a beautiful sunny day. After the opening ceremony all participants took part in the Orienteering. Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Leaders all out to run the courses in the fastest times. After lunch plenty of activities provided, tug of war, scavenger hunt, crazy maze, and lots lots more. The Chief Scout Michael John Shinnock and Adult Resource Commissioner Michael John Brennan were the special guests in the afternoon. County Commissioner Annette Byrne carried out one of her final duties in handing out the SQS awards to the groups and prizes for the day. Chief Scout then presented the Order of Cu Chulainn to Annette Jennings the County Treasurer. Annette has been a stalwart as a Beaver leader with the 4th Kildare Naas group and also as member of the

County Team. This was the second Order of Cu Chulainn for South Kildare this year. Sean Power from the Portarlington group received his award from the Chief Scout at National Council. Many Congratulations to Sean and Annette on their well deserved awards and all their scouting achievements throughout their many years in the association. Final South Kildare with great sadness said goodbye to Annette Byrne as County Commissioner on Saturday. Annette and the Chief Scout presented Declan Hendrick from the 8th Wicklow Blessington with his Commissioners Neckerchief. As the county flag was lowered by Annette for the last time and handed to Declan it was a very emotional time for all present and also for a Commissioner who has carried out her duties with such enthusiasm, dedication and scout like manner at all times. Annette will be missed and all in South Kildare wish her well in her new position as National Commissioner for Cubs for youth programme. Sean Power Portarlington receiving his Order of Cu Chulainn at National Council

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Cill Dara CountyCill Dara County had a very big night recently with the Investiture of Leaders, Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in the 24th Kildare Carbury Scout Group. Over 50 youth members and 15 adult members were invested on the night. A great night for all involved and a huge thanks to the County Commissioner Martine Phelan and the County team for the work and time given to the group in the early stages. We wish Shirley Burns the Group Leader and all the leaders continue success with the group.

Additional Provincial News

75th anniversary De La Salle Scout Group Pipe Band

The Chief Scout and the Mayor of Waterford paid tribute to the De La Salle Scout Group Pipe Band at Waterford City Hall on Saturday May 2nd 2009.....The band was celebrating its 75th anniversary and over 100 pipers and drummers from all over the world and various parts of Ireland gathered in Waterford for a weekend of celebrations.Included in the gathering were band members from all decades since the band’s foundation and from as far back as the mid forties

The visitors from abroad came from all over Scotland, the UK, Switzerland, Hong Kong, The USA and Australia and included members of the Scout Centenary Pipe Band which was formed in 2006 for the Scottish and Irish 100 years of scouting celebrations in 2007 and 2008.

Irish band members from Waterford, Gorey, New Ross, Portlaw, Cobh, Cork City and New Castle West came to Waterford

over the weekend to join the De La Salle Scout Group Pipe Band members in their programme of activities.

Visitors to the city on both Saturday and Sunday were given a fantastic treat when all of the pipers and drummers formed a massed pipe band and paraded through the city. This was a rear experience for Irish people to see and hear such a large group of player perform together.

De La Salle Scout Pipers are Munster champions.

At the Munster Solo piping and drumming competition held on Sunday May 3rd in Newcastle West in Co Limerick twelve De La Salle Scout pipers and drummers flew the flag for Waterford and competed in the Munster championships.

James Stone and Pat Murphy came first in their grade and were crowned Munster Champions for 2009.

Kellie Clarke came second in her grade and also took third place in the open grade Piobrach where she was competing against pipers of all age groups, this was a wonderful achievement for Kellie. Paul Burke came third in his grade.

Emily Costello and Mark Bardgett came second in their side drumming grades.

All of the pipers and drummers who competed in the competition were commended for their commitment to their band and were told by the various judges that they had excellent potential to improve their skills in the art of playing pipes and drums and were encouraged to maintained a rigorous practice regime.

In May and June the full De La Salle Scout Group Pipe Band will compete in competitions in Cobh and Tralee.