Section Organisation

Where possible, organise young people into Beaver Scout Lodges, Cub Scout Sixes and Scout Patrols as appropriate. This assists with the delivery of the Balanced Programme and helps create peer groups. Integrated Lodges/Sixes and Patrols (perhaps called Dens) may be needed if young people don't fall into neat groups of about six!

When working with mixes of age groups you need to try to ensure that all age groups have an appropriate peer group of about four young people. Two 14 year old Scouts mixing with 15 Cub Scouts will not stay long if they are not offered challenging activities appropriate to their age range - with peers and with appropriate leadership styles. Sometimes it's not possible to get a balance of ages - but at all times we should be providing a Balanced Programme appropriate to the ages of the young people involved - with suitable leadership styles.

Colony, Pack and Troop Forums will be difficult to organise. The crucial point, however, is to provide other ways for Sixers, Patrol Leaders and older members of each Section to be actively involved in decision-making and having real responsibility for running activities, both within the Integrated Section and their individual Lodges/Sixes/Patrols.

All young people should have opportunities to make real choices and decisions in the programme rather than act in deference to Leaders' decisions. Don't be afraid to delegate to younger Members.

This may cause some difficulty among younger Members who see older ones allowed to do things they are not. Conversely, older Members may resent constraints on their freedom by Leaders applying controls more appropriate to younger Members. Think it through, develop ground rules appropriate to each age group and be consistent in their application. Explain these and the reasons for them, to all concerned.

At all times you need to maintain Leader to young person ratios appropriate to age groups. For Beaver Scouts there should be at least 2 adults for regular indoor meetings and a ratio of adult to 6 Beaver Scouts plus the Leader in charge for outdoor activities and Sleepovers. For Cub Scouts, again, there should be at least 2 adults for regular indoor meetings and a ratio of adult to 8 Cub Scouts plus the Leader in charge for outdoor activities and residential experiences. If, during the course of an evening meeting, age groups split up in order to undertake activities appropriate to the age group, then appropriate Leader ratios need to be maintained during these periods. This might mean you need more adults throughout the whole meeting.