A local youth group is calling out for more adult leaders to help keep the club alive.
The Paeroa Scout group’s two Scout leaders are stepping down at the end of this year, and with no one yet to fill the gap, the group is concerned it may be at risk of closure.
The group currently serves around 20 eager kids aged five and up – keas, cubs, and scouts – and more children are always welcome.
Potential leaders will be working with the 10 or so scouts in the over 11 age range.
“If we don’t get any Scout leaders we lose our group leader… you need someone to facilitate the actual group, and any activities you’re doing outside need to be safety approved as well,” Kea and Cub leader Matt Bowie said.
“And it’s more fun when you’ve got more adults than you need… it just lightens the load for everyone.”
Current Scout leader Chelsea Anquetil told The Profile her ideal successor would be someone willing to help local youth get outdoors and learn practical life skills.
“Someone who’s interested in building a child to really expand themselves and be the best they can, [and] who wants to show up and have some fun with them as well – the right person will just enjoy it naturally,” she said.
“We’re doing a lot on building the values of how the Scouts see themselves and just building their confidence as a person, as well as other skills.”
Potential leaders don’t need experience – there’s a small amount of training and plenty of support provided by the organisation.
Chelsea became a leader two and a half years ago to support her children.
“My son was here, and it got to a point that there weren’t enough leaders and it was going to collapse. So, that’s where I stepped in,” she said.
Matt said scouting was very different now than when he was a child.
“It used to be about Queen and Country, and God as well, now it’s about developing your spiritual beliefs. It’s not as rigid as it used to be, and we’re open to ideas about how we run stuff as well.”
What hasn’t changed though, is the focus on outdoor activities and fun, practical skills.
In the past year, the kids have taken part in many activities, including kayaking, raft building, code breaking, team-building games, fishing, hiking and bushcraft, camping, rock climbing, small bore rifle shooting, and building shelters. Last term they completed a unit on fires, which involved basic fire lighting, cooking, and fire safety skills.
The Scouts are now working towards their engineering badge, building things like bamboo soccer goals and slingshots.
There is also a strong emphasis on the environment and community service.
“A lot of kids haven’t lit a fire or done basic knot tying… some of them haven’t even been on bushwalks before,” Matt said.
“It just creates opportunities for [them], gets them outdoors and off the screens.”
DETAILS: Paeroa Scouts group, Wednesdays, 4.45pm to 5.45pm (Keas and Cubs) and 5.30pm to 7.30pm (Scouts) at the Paeroa Community Hall, Wood St. Contact paeroa@group.scouts.nz to get involved.
