An Explorer Scout Unit is growing in Crick.

Have you thought about, or do you know someone who might like to be an Explorer Scout? An Explorer Scout Unit (boys and girls aged 14 to 17) has recently been opened in Crick and West Haddon.

Some of the activities they have been doing since they opened include, escape room, extreme crazy golf, Halloween event, hikes, night hikes, orienteering, virtual reality experiences, and Winter camp.

Activities they have planned in the short term are, camps, some expeditions, hiking, and if they can, wild camping. In the long term they would like to go abroad.

When asked what they liked about Explorers, Finley said, “The escape room was amazing. We didn’t have a clue what we were doing, and we all ran around like mad things, yet we somehow worked out bit by bit what we were doing. We all found something different and somehow we all got out alive. I’d love to do another one.”

In a recent survey, 94% of Scouts said they had developed skills useful to them in later life because of Scouts and 88% said they’ve tried activities in Scouts they had not tried before.

Volunteer, Mike Dowson said, “The Explorers have definitely developed new skills, problem solving at Escape rooms was a first for most of them, a winter camp was something none had done before and they’ve really worked well taking on the challenge of sorting out the group stores, as well as sorting tents, etc.”

He added, “In Explorers you will get to learn skills for life. These will include leadership, teamwork, commitment, resilience, problem solving and social skills. These skills will help you with apprenticeship, employment and further education applications and they are skills employers are looking for.”

Mike added, “Explorers is the next level, the types of activities you can do with them is so much fun for the leaders as well as the Explorers. We can chat and engage with them in different ways than you would with the younger sections and we definitely learn more from them than they do from us.

"It is so rewarding and lovely to have a break from reality when I am with the Explorers. I expect the relief for us is similar to that for the Explorers having a break from school and home life. It just gives us all a bit of space away from everything.”

In a recent survey, 85% of volunteers said they had flexibility around their volunteering commitment and the same proportion would recommend their charity as a great place to volunteer.

For further information about joining the Unit as a member or a volunteer please contact [email protected].