Taking younger children away on camp can be a little daunting but the experience can be extremely rewarding when you witness first hand their growing independence, enthusiasm for the outdoors and sheer joy at having an adventure with their friends.
We rounded up some of the most common questions asked by Beaver Scout Leaders about nights away and set the record straight on some of those queries.
Help, where do I even start?
First of all, you need to make sure an adult in your group has the right Nights Away Permit for your camp. We run an internal assessment scheme to make sure that anyone leading nights away has the right skills, experience and knowledge to do so, and anyone wishing to lead a camp needs to be assessed under this scheme. You can achieve Nights Away Permits for four levels: residential,camping, greenfield and expedition.
Talk to your District Nights Away Adviser or local training team if it’s something that you or a member of your team needs to do.
You will also have to fill out a Nights Away Notification (NAN) form and send it to your District Commissioner to gain approval for your trip.
Find out more about the Nights Away Permit Scheme and download the Nights Away Notification form.
I don’t have a nights away permit, so how can I hold a sleepover or camp?
You can approach another leader within your Group or District who holds a Permit and ask them to help you organise the camp. They might be able to validate your own Nights Away permit or help you find someone else who can.
Sometimes you can join up with other groups or sections to run a camp. This might be a helpful introduction to running your first camp.
Does it have to be indoors or can I take them camping outside?
Your camp can be indoors or outdoors, whatever you, the leader, feel most comfortable with and is most appropriate for the group. Our National Activity Centres have a range of accommodation options. At Lochgoilhead you’ll find a decent range of indoor accommodation, while at Meggernie or Fordell Firs you can choose to sleep under canvas or tucked up in dormitories.
Find out more about our National Activity Centres.
What do I need from parents?
You need written consent from parents and guardians before taking children away, so please issue a Permission to Camp form to all relevant parties, along with full details about the camp. The form not only grants parental consent but collects important information like emergency contact details, allergies,medical conditions or other requirements that you’ll need to be aware of before your trip.
Download the Permission to Camp form.
How long can I take my Beavers away for?
As long (or as short) as you like. Previously the maximum camp time for Beavers was for one night only but this restriction was lifted last year, giving you far more freedom and flexibility to plan longer, more adventurous trips.
Can parents accompany Beavers on camps?
Yes, just make sure that everyone aged 18 and over who is staying at camp and is over 18 has a valid PVG certificate. You’ll need to allow approximately six weeks for that to be checked.
How can we stay in touch with parents during a camp?
It’s important to think about what contact details you will hold for the parents and carers of those taking part and how you will store these so they can easily be accessed if needed.Think about developing some plans for how you will keep people informed in different circumstances, for example how will you get in touch with an individual parent if a child gets injured or how will you handle a mass announcement.
It’s also important to make sure parents understand what is expected from them and how they will be communicated with throughout the trip.
We use the InTouch system to provide guidance on managing communications during events and activities.
Find out more about our InTouch system.
If I wanted to take 18 Beavers away, how many leaders should also attend?
The minimum ratio for this section is one adult to six Beavers, plus one adult who is in charge of the camp. So for a group of 18, four adults would be the minimum (this does not include Young Leaders). However, do bear in mind that an extra pair of hands is always useful.
I have a Young Leader helping me at Beaver Section meetings, can they come along to camp?
Yes! But because they are under 18, their parent or guardian will also need to complete a Permission to Camp form, and they will be counted as a young person in camp numbers not as an adult, so bear this in mind when checking your adult-to-child ratios.
For further advice and information about nights away with Beavers, please get in touch at [email protected].