FAQ

Scouts provides a safe, fun and inclusive place for young people of all ages and backgrounds to have amazing adventures, make friends and learn #SkillsForLife.

The cost of Scouts varies from group to group. You can expect to pay around £8 - £15 PCM for a "subscription" to a Scout group. This covers normal costs for a group such as hall hire fees and general equipment required for weekly meetings and for the Scouts annual "Membership Fee" which goes to The Scout Association and funds a whole manner of things as well as insurance. 

Outside of this fee, there may be additional costs for activities and of course for camps and events. The great thing about Scouting is that as a group we can do additional fundraising and help reduce the cost of things where possible. A weekend away at an activity centre in the UK, for example, is usually much cheaper for a Scout to attend than it would be to go as a family. This helps open up all sorts of possibilities for young people to access experiences not normally available to them. 

The only other cost that comes up regularly would be the ever-popular doughnuts and popcorn at our annual movie nights...

On top of the membership subscription, there are several other costs to consider. Camps and events will cost extra. There is also the added expense of equipment which you will need to keep in mind. Boots, a sleeping bag, a rucksack and a good jacket can all be expensive if it's not something you already have available. 

The great thing about Scouting is that we can and do arrange fundraising activities. These can be for buying equipment for people to borrow and to subsidise any activities as best we can. The group will always try and keep costs as low as possible and subsidise as much as possible. We may also ask parents to help with transport sometimes to events or camps as this can be a huge cost saver. 

Money should not be a barrier to Scouting and the group will always try out best to help our members out on a case by case basis. If you have any financial concerns and are worried about your young person missing out then please get in touch and we'll do our best to help. If you need help picking a good value sleeping bag or anything like that then again get in touch and we'll do our best. 

Likewise, if you feel you could help the group by raising funds in any shape or form then please let us know. 

#SkillsForLife is the name for the current vision and direction of the Scouts within the UK. In a nutshell it is a strategy giving young people the right opportunities to learn skills which can benefit them in later life. The #SkillsForLife plan provides numerous resources and support to our volunteers to provide the right environment for young people to get the best possible future. 

You can learn more about the #SkillsForLife strategy in Scotland here. 

Scout groups are divided into "Sections" which are for different age groups. The activities and events can then be planned for the members age group. As Scouts get older and move from section to section they'll find that the challenge also increases. Explorers Scouts can find themselves on overnight camping expeditions on their own and being completely self sufficient. 

Beavers - Age 6-8 is the youngest section in any Scout group and is a great starting point for young people. 

Cubs - Age 8-10.5 is the second section of the Scout group. 

Scouts - Age 10.5-14 is the original section for Scout groups. This is where the adventures really start to heat up. 

Explorers - Age 14-18 is the final section of a Scout group. Explorers not only get plenty of opportunities to develop themselves but they start to take a more active role with the group.  

OSM is Online Scout Manager.  

It is a web-based system which allows Scout groups to carry out all of their admin online and cut down on the time spent sorting paperwork. It allows us to automate several tasks and to process payments for subscriptions or events etc. 

Parents can log in To OSM and view badge progress, see upcoming events, view the program and much much more. 

When you join 144th Glasgow Scouts we'll add you to OSM through our waiting list before you are added to the system in the correct section where your new Section Leader will be in touch. From there you can complete all the personal information we require about your young person such a medical details and emergency contacts. 

In the unfortunate event of one of our members being involved in an accident and we need to contact you. We would try the contact details on OSM in the following order:

1. The Emergency Contact

2. Primary Contact 1

3. Primary Contact 2

This could be 3 separate adults known to the member. You may wish a separate emergency contact if for example you expect to be unreachable for some reason and someone more available would be easier to contact while doing Scouting activities. 

Young people can join the Scout movement from around age 6 by joining The Beaver Scout Section. Young people can join a little before this, normally if they would be turning 6 before the end of the current term. So if you had your birthday in December for example you could join the group for that term beginning at the end of the summer holidays. 

If your young person is younger than this but you want to help secure a space then you can join The Waiting List and we can hold your information until it's time to join. 

Note: Being on the waiting list does not guarentee a place in the group. Simply that when spaces become available we will offer them on a first come first served basis. 

Scouting is a volunteer-led organisation. People come and go due to all sorts of external circumstances. The Scouts has set ratios for operating. The best way to help ensure spaces are available would be to join us as a leader. The more adults we have available, the more we can organise and run and the more overall young people the group can accommodate. Even having a pool of parent helpers can help us maintain numbers and grow.