I recently went to a County Skills day where the Leaders from all Sections were shown some new things to try.

It was commented by an old Scouter that there were a lot of Leaders who didn't know how to do basic lashings. I responded with "How are are they supposed to know? Who teaches the Leaders?"

Do you get any courses on Scouting skills aimed at the Leaders rather than the Scouts?

wasn't that what the County Skills day was for?

To say the least it was lightweight. I picked up a few ideas but couldn't say I was trained in anything.

If I was going to do some decent pioneering construction I would want a lot more practise and experience than someone just showing me a quick lashing.

They did show a couple of ways of lighting a fire with potassium permanganate which I'll use at some point.

Most leaders in our district learn of each other. I myself, going through all the sections picked up allot of knowledge from experienced leaders

potassium what? I've been in scouts since I was 6 and never heard of it! Did they show you how to light a fire with matches?!

To be honest all of our leaders know the basics like knots and lashings etc through being through the scouts themselves, although clearly if your leaders and helpers didn't do this it could be a problem. Do you not have any experiecnced leaders who could teach them? Maybe you could go down to another group and get them to show you.

Well no they didn't, but it was a display on alternative fire lighting!

Potassium Permanganate - available from all good chemists.

Method 1 - Small amount of PP and grind it with a teaspoon of granulated sugar under the end of a stick - woof, flames.

Method 2 - Small amount of PP, add a couple of drops of antifreeze, wait five seconds - smoke and flames.

Interesting - and whats the death rate for this different method of lighting a fire?

Read the instructions - a SMALL amount of PP.

How much is small enough? A pinch, teaspoon of PP?

Between a teaspoon and a tablespoon would be enough.

its the same at my group. i learnt all the knots i know by going through scouting, but i find that if i dont use them regulary i forget how to do them.

I could only manage a few knots now. Probibly a square lashing and thats about it as its been ages since I did them.

can you do a clove hitch you need that before you do a square lashing!!

well... you could do a timber hitch... that's what i got taught when i was a Scout

I can. You need it for most lashings.

you didnt say that earlier!!!

Ours...
District....none
training i have done recently (last summer) pioneering course run by the Surrey branch of the International Guild of Knot Tyers.

That was very good, the do huge projects. Was good.

I personally would use the constrictor as apposed to the clove hitch, better method of securing :)

I have only ever known and done it one way, so I would always do it that way.

Even if someone suggested a different way, possibly one that would work better?


Anyway, ei ho, ei ho, it's of the the Group Leaders meetings I go....


:)

:)

I have just got transferred to the new system. I only need to do one training course and a few validations, and thats me done.

What training course do you need?

Not sure off hand, although the course is planned for march next year.

I've just been on the training course doing modules 18, 15, 11, 19 and 17. I've now completed all the modules, just need to validate these ones then ive got my wood badge :D

Well done, we are still awaiting to hear....

i still havn't done my module 3 and my 5 months is pretty much up! oh well, i think there is a course in June.

don't worry Toni - it was three years before I got my module 1 and 3/4 validated...


way to go Smiler...

Only the validation to go.

I think I enjoyed the nights away module best. Best one to socialise on and enjoy a few beers with other leaders youve never met before and get ideas from them.

The skills module 17 I enjoyed as well. Anyone know how to do an alphine butterfly knot? Have you heard of it?

that's a good knot to know for climbing, actually... equal load in three directions :)

i could tie it once, but I haven't had much practice recently so probably a bit rusty

I used to be able to do it once as well. Also for climbing. I will need to learn it again soon as I want to get qualified on climbing walls. Going to try and get archery leader first though.

It is a good knot to know, im going to try and teach it to some of your scouts soon. got a good game to play with it as well i learnt on the course

explain...

its a knot you can use in a relay race. have a couple of teams for instance or do it in a patrol. get the first person to run up to a chair with a carabeana on it and hock it to there belt. then they do the knot and hock it up to the carabeana and then unhock it and run back letting the next person go, if they struggle or forget how to do the knot the other members in the patrol can talk them through how to do it.

OK, makes sense.

Well I've done it - got my GNAS archery leader. Two weekends of course though.

I'll have to try and get the air gun one next as there's supposed to be a shortage of those in our district.

So what area are you then Kastor?

Will have to keep in mind your qualifications!

Wood badge here I come!

I've completed all my modules and got them validated, so I'm just waiting for my wood badge to come through now!

Hows everyone else doing?

that's excellent news Smiler...

I am working through my modules at a slowish but steady rate...

i've been more focussed on getting my ESLs all trained up - the County team helped a great deal here by providing bespoke module 1 and 3 to account for all the prior experience my leaders have already (amazing what you can get if you ask the right person :) ).

still, I aim to clear quite few modules in the new year...

So what's the tale with Module 22...Avon aren't running it at the moment. Is anyone?

Please, as I do not have my documentation with me, remind me what mod 22 is about?

:)

Module 22: Section Support
"Enables those not working directly with young people to understand the Sectional Programmes,Section method and Section characteristics."