Jamboree Training

Before I get started... just to warn you... I'm extremely excited about the fact that I am getting to go to another World Scout Jamboree, this time as an Assistant Unit Leader getting to share all the experiences with the participants!

I suppose I should really fill you in as a lot has changed since I last blogged about this stuff.

[clock appears on screen running backwards]

Let me take you back, back all the way to.... March (this year too, so it's even less dramatic really)

In March this year we ran an activity camp for nearly 60 Scouts and Explorers, all hoping to secure one of the 36 spaces on the Lincolnshire Jamboree Unit. I have to admit that I found the activity camp itself rather strange. Normally when I am at camp I try to make sure that all of he sprogs are having fun, are safe and happy etc etc. But this time there was other people there to do all that... the job I had was to analyse all 50odd of the applicants and take notes on everything.

Basically, between us, we were building up personality profiles for each and every one of them. It's not as easy as it sounds... and it doesn't even sound that easy to begin with! Its only slightly easier to take all the notes from all the staff working that weekend and to compile them (in less than a week no less!)

Anyway... from the weekend we were able to select our 36 successful candidates.

[imagary of calenders flying forward with the pages pealing off] I've been working on these special effects you know, although the budget isn't what it used to be

Last week we had our first Unit get together! yee haa. well, they eventually got together. Initially we weren't allowed in the hall (the armed forces are very particular about their lists so after a little bit of sorting we found another location, thus requiring me to hang around in the car park telling people where to go... even though I had never been their before and it was my first time in that car park! Luckily no one got too lost.

The parents all got the meet each other and come up with plans of action for fundraising while we delt with the kids. During the selection activity* weekend, they had had to get someone else to draw a picture of them, which proved to be a valuable source of a ice-breaking activity.

I was to get them to design a unit badge, I had dragged along a load of badges and my campfire blanket so that they could see what sort of things were possible in the world of badge design.

In the end this design one the vote(s):

Not too shabby

We're going to make a couple of changes to it tho, mostly the flag at the back (prob to the Lincolnshire Flag)

So I am currently chasing badge companies to make it... should be interesting (will post up pics when I get them)

*can't have the little darlings put under pressure now can we lol