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Scout meetings online
nick205 - 27/3/20 at 10:44 AM

Another post regarding isolation and doing things differently.

I'm a volunteer scout leader with my local scout group. The scouts in our pack are aged between 11 and 14, we have 30 of them in our Troop. A couple of weeks ago, following PHE guidance, the scout organisation took the decision to postpone/cancel all Beaver, Cub and Scout gatherings and meetings. With schools now closed as well many of the kids are feeling quite cut off and lacking interaction with each other.

Last night we held our first online scout meeting using a service similar to Skype. It was different all being sat down, screen based and limited primarily to talking. Challenging to keep the kids attention, but we ran a 30minute meeting rather than the usual 2 hour meeting.

Overall IMHO it was a success and got the kids interacting with each other and the adult leaders.

we've set them some challenges for next week:

1. Make a model from clean recyclable material
2. Make some cards we can send to patients and staff at our local hospital
3. Camp indoors in the most imaginative place (bathroom, kithcen, under a siblings bed etc. with confirmation from a parent)

Hopefully it'll keep the kids engaged in scouting and occupied with some activities whilst they're confined at home

Any activity ideas you might have are welcome, but remember they have to be suitable for 11-14 year olds.


ianclark1275 - 27/3/20 at 01:46 PM

Hi Nick

good to hear that it went well,

i need to do ours and was planning to use Zoom.

is that what you used?


what did you plan for week 1 or was it just a free for all ?


thanks

IC


nick205 - 27/3/20 at 04:51 PM

Yes, we used Zoom (free version).

Plan was covering online badge work, which we've enabled in Online Scout Manager. Then we talked about tasks and challenges between 1st and 2nd meeting. Finally we discussed the idea of an online at home scavenge.

U2U if you want to discuss further in private.


nick205 - 27/3/20 at 04:53 PM

I use Skype at work so learning Zoom was something new, but it's not hard to use.


ianclark1275 - 28/3/20 at 04:22 PM

Thanks Nick

i have zoom cheers


nick205 - 28/3/20 at 06:30 PM

Excellent, hope it goes well.