Scouting at Home 2021
We are all now more aware of how long and bumpy the road may be before the world returns to some kind of ‘normality’. Covid-19 continues to affect most areas of our lives – including Scouting.
Due to Tier 4 restrictions across Somerset, and now a 3rd national lockdown, face to face Scouting is once again suspended (January 2021). We are in the RED state of alert and all programme must once again be delivered virtually / completed at home until further notice.
Virtual Activities
Between March and July 2020, we added weekly ideas for virtual meetings (for each section) to our Scouting at Home page. They are all still available, along with the County Virtual Camp Site which includes seven zones of activities to explore. If you haven’t explored these ideas yet, scroll down to find out more!
Now that we are back in lockdown, the County Team will once again be adding ideas and activities to this page. Check back regularly for updates!
Animal Welfare Education with RSPCA West Hatch When it comes to animal welfare and nature themed education, the RSPCA at West Hatch are offering free online sessions to all Somerset Scout Groups. Contact Hayley, Community Engagement Manager for RSPCA West Hatch to discuss opportunities available to you. Suitable for: Beavers, Cubs, Scouts & Explorers Experimenting with Natural Dyes These could be delivered as a challenge to be completed over a week or weekend. Have a short video conference meeting to share and discuss the results! With grateful thanks to the Wildlife Trust for this great activity idea. Suitable for: Explorers How to make your own Wind Vane These could be delivered as a challenge to be completed over a week or weekend. Have a short video conference meeting to share and discuss the results! With grateful thanks to the Wildlife Trust for this great activity idea. Suitable for: Scouts Street Tree These could be delivered as a challenge to be completed over a week or weekend. Have a short video conference meeting to share and discuss the results! With grateful thanks to the Wildlife Trust for this great activity idea. If you try this activity now in Winter, you could repeat it in the spring or summer, to compare the changes as the seasons progress Suitable for: Cubs Making music from nature These could be delivered as a challenge to be completed over a week or weekend. Have a short video conference meeting to share and discuss the results! With grateful thanks to the Wildlife Trust for this great activity idea. Suitable for: Beavers Battleships A competition between the leadership team and young people to play a game of Battleships. The classic game of naval combat that brings together competition, strategy, and excitement! Suitable for: Cubs & Scouts British Science Association Here are some great indoor activities from the British Science Association, which could support the Beaver Experiment Activity Badge, the Cub Scientist Activity Badge or the Scout Scientist Activity badge:
Animal Welfare Education with RSPCA West Hatch
Experimenting with Natural Dyes
How to make your own Wind Vane
Street Tree
Making music from nature
Battleships
Racing rockets, Timer challenge, Sneaky shadows
– Racing rockets
– Timer challenge
– Sneaky shadows
Looking for More Inspiration?
Three Counties Project
Somerset is proud to belong to the Three Counties Project, who have been uploading weekly programme since August:
Scoutadelic
Scoutadelic is fun, it’s amazing, it’s silly, it’s inspiring and there are hundreds of episodes to inspire your youth members to #BeALittle Scoutadelic! Mike from Scoutadelic is a great friend of Somerset County and has produced huge amounts of online programme ideas throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, to help us all to continue Scouting at Home. Here is the link to his youtube video channel. Don’t forget to subscribe (for free).
Scouts HQ
The Scouts HQ have developed a six week package of video content. They are launching weekly videos for volunteers to use in online meetings. The videos will lead young people through an activity, and they’ll come with an idea for an online ice-breaker and tips and tricks for virtual reflections.
The package also includes a live session on leadership from the British Army, the online Wintercamp, and a free, online, interactive pantomime for everyone to enjoy.
1st Virtual Facebook Group
The 1st Virtual Facebook group has a wealth of ideas from other volunteers across the country
Scouting at Home Badge
Have you been participating in Scouting at Home? If so, make sure you order your Somerset ‘Scouting at Home’ badge, which you can wear on your uniform or add to your camp blanket! The badge team are waiting to hear from groups, leaders, parents and individual members. Please email your request to scoutingathome@somersetscouts.org.uk
Scouting at Home Activities 2020
All of the South West Scouting at Home 2020 ideas for virtual meetings are still available here.
Somerset County Virtual Camp 2020
No one has to miss out on the Somerset County Virtual Camp!
- On Saturday 9th May 2020, thousands of us pitched a tent in the garden, put up a shelter or built a den in the lounge!
- There were 40 activities for all ages. Check out facebook.com/SomersetScouts/ to see photos and videos that members shared with us from across Somerset, the UK and beyond. We all had a wonderful weekend!
- The opening and closing ceremonies, plus our evening campfire are still available to view on our Facebook page.
- If you weren’t able to camp with us, you are welcome to join in now! All the activity zones remain open and the videos are still there for you to enjoy.
- We are very excited to announce that there will be a camp blanket badge available for all those who took part … details will be released soon
- We had to camp at home – but we did it together!
Somerset County Scoutcrow 2020
Thanks to everyone for your fabulous entries in our June Scoutcrow Event. Visit the county Facebook page www.facebook.com/SomersetScouts/ to see a celebration, in photos, of the wonderful Scoutcrows all over Somerset. It is great that we can still participate together in so many different ways even though we are forced to ‘Scout apart’, in our own homes.
Many thanks to all those wonderful heroes across this county – our adult volunteers who are continuing to provide inspiring ‘distance’ and ‘virtual’ programme experiences, in increasingly innovative ways for the youth members of their sections.
Virtual Scouting:
If you are still unsure about running meetings using technology, we have all the information here.