Preparing for a Nights Away Experience

Preparing for a Nights Away Experience Mick Pether March 2009

Questions to ask ourselves… • Why? • Where? • When? • Who? • How? • What?

Why? • Why do we want to organise a Nights Away experience? • Most young people join the movement expecting to take part in camps etc. Many leave because these expectations are not met • We may wish to organize a camp as part of the progressive training scheme, so that young people can achieve a particular award • We may wish to go to an area that can provide a particular activity that cannot be done near to home • We may wish to provide an international experience, either at home or abroad

Where? • Where shall we go? • We may wish to go to an area that provides a particular activity such as canoeing or caving • We may wish to go somewhere to visit a particular place eg Alton Towers • With younger members we may wish to stay more locally • For older members we may even wish to go abroad

When? • When are we going? • May be just overnight, for a weekend, or maybe even a week or more • Consider the weather at the time of year that you are planning the experience • Winter may be better in a building • Under canvas may be wiser in the summer • Good idea not to organize experiences at the last minute - it can be done for small numbers but most parents need good notice

Who? • Who will be going? • How many young people are you expecting to attend? • What adult support will you need?

How? How the hell am I going to organize all this! • How do I find a campsite? • How are we going to get there? • How much will it cost? • HELP…HELP….HELP…!

What? • What information do I need to give to parents? • What rules and regulations do I need to comply with? • What insurance do I need?

Planning 3 months before the experience… • Together with other leaders, and with input from young people, decide on a date and place, an outline programme of activities, and roughly estimate cost • Put out a letter to parents with a reply slip asking them to express interest, and perhaps pay a small deposit, within a month • Provisionally book a camp site or building

Planning 2 months before the experience… • You should now have numbers in hand • Confirm site booking • Finalise leadership team, book transport, plan programme, book activities, plan menu, inform your Group QM • Finalise cost, organise Home Contact

Planning 6 weeks before the experience… • Put out a final information letter to parents • This should contain all the information that they need; Including an itinarary, kit list, menu, and a parental consent form • Ask them to complete and return the consent form with the balance of the cost camp within two weeks

Planning 1 month before the experience… • With final numbers in hand complete your NAN form and send to relevant person in your District and copy to DC • Put together a contact list for your home contact • Put together an equipment list for your group QM and ensure that it is all available and in working order

Planning 1 week before the experience… • Send reminder to parents about meeting times etc. • Put together shopping list for catering • Fill gas bottles, get batteries, check First Aid supplies • Etc, etc. This is just an example. For longer camps such as a week long summer camp you will need to start planning 9 months to a year before hand. For an expedition abroad you may need to start planning two years ahead!

Choosing a Venue • Consider… • Range of activities/programme you want to provide • Cost • Time of year • Experience and age of campers • Any special needs

Finding a Site • Although there are hundreds of commercial campsites around the Country few are really suitable for Scouts. • Recommend that you use Scout (or Guide) sites • List of sites is maintained by HQ and is on Scoutbase • Be aware, some areas of the Country are restricted for camping by HQ • Good idea to make a site visit if you are going somewhere new

Leadership Team • You should not be expected to do everything yourself. Roles you may need to fill include: • Camp treasurer, First Aider, QM (equipment), QM (catering), etc. • Remember that you must have the correct ratio of adults to young people. • For Cubs this is one to every 6 Cubs. • There is no fixed ratio for Scouts or Explorers and in fact they can camp on their own if a Nights Away Passport has been issued • Every adult on camp needs to be CRB’d

Transport • You need to think not only about how the Scouts will get to the site, but also the equipment. • Public transport is not normally much use! • For local sites it may be best to get parents to transport their own children • For more distant sites your may need to hire transport such as a minibus, van or trailer

Hiring Transport • Book well in advance • Make sure that your drivers are qualified and insured • Minibuses can be hired from Local Authorities or reputable hire companies • Must always be fitted with seat belts • Check hire companies terms and conditions, many will not accept drivers under 25

Costing • Try and think of everything that may incur a cost! • Site fees and visitors fees • Hire of transport and cost of fuel • Cost of activities/instructors • Catering • Specials – badges, T-shirts, etc. • Miscellaneous - gas, batteries, first aid supplies. • Leaders - are they paying to take part? • Contingency (10-20%)

Finance Admin • Appoint a camp treasurer • For a weekend away you probably will just collect a deposit and a final balance • For a longer more expensive camp you may want to spread the cost and have staged payments • After every camp you should always produce a balance sheet and all receipts for payments made should be kept

Home Contact • For every Nights Away Experience you must appoint a Home Contact. • If something goes wrong on camp such as an accident or fatality, it is the HC role to communicate information to parents and HQ • It is wise to appoint someone who is familiar with Scouting, but who would not be emotionally involved with anyone in the party in the event of a mishap • They must be contactable throughout the entire event

Final Information Letter • This should contain the following information. • Contact details of the Nights Away Permit holder and the Home Contact • Address and telephone number of the campsite • Means of transport to venue • Final cost • Details of programme and activities • Timings of departure and return etc. • Menu • Kit list • Parental consent form

Parental Consent • You MUST obtain parental consent. • You can down load a parental consent form from Scoutbase • Always ensure that the from has been signed and dated • The form should provide contact details for the parents during the camp, details of any special needs, medical problems, any personal medication, allergies, dietary requirements etc. • Take a copy - keep one with you at all times on camp, and keep one in a safe place eg Leaders tent or vehicle

Family Camps • Family camps are events arranged where members are accompanied by their parents, carers or siblings. • Parents and carers can nominate another responsible adult to take responsibility for their child at a family camp • That adult can then not be a member of the Leadership team • Insurance - The Associations policy only covers members, parents and siblings may require separate cover • Approval for a family camp must be obtained at an early stage from your DC • Camp leader must have had training for all sections taking part

Visits Abroad • All overseas events must be approved by the DC and also by the County International Advisor. • Factsheets are available on Scoutbase • Extra insurance may be required

Insurance • All Scout Association members are covered by insurance on camp provided that: • POR is adhered to • All proper procedures and notifications have been followed

Questions

Practical Challenge • You are taking a group of 12 Scouts away for a weekend camp under canvass. Activities planned include sailing and climbing wall, and you are planning to cook over open fires. • Put together an individual kit list for the Scouts • Put together a list of equipment that you will need over the weekend for your Group QM

Preparing for a Nights Away Experience