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Specific issues for cub moving to scouts

It’s easy for a cub scout to feel like a small fish in a big pond when they move onto the scout section. With this in mind flexibility in the age ranges may sometimes be appropriate. 

 

The role of the cub scout leader

  • Talk to the scout leaders about places in the troop.
  • Agree visits for cubs moving on - discuss best nights/activities for them to join in with.

  • Within the group agree a standard record keeping system to ease transfer when moving sections.

  • Work with the scout leader to perform a moving on ceremony.

The role of the scout leader

  • Maintain regular contact with the cub scout leaders and arrange termly joint activities with them for the cubs and scouts to join in together
  • Visit your cub pack to run an activity once a term and speak to older cubs about the scout troop and promote the scout programme – you could take patrol leaders with you
  • In conjunction with the cub leaders, review the membership records of the cubs, and consider the date that young people should be invited to move up to scouts (taking into consideration changing schools)
  • Produce a ‘Welcome Packs’ (or use the national 'parent guides' for young people and their parents to introduce the scout section, the activities and awards available.

Some more great ideas

  • As part of the link badge, cub scouts go to both cubs and scouts for at least three weeks. You could set them a challenge, for example, to meet at least three new scouts and remember their names.
  • To prepare Cubs for the changes ahead, why not spend an evening completing part of a Scout activity badge? Giving them a taste of the exciting things that lie ahead of them.
  • In the our welcome to scouts activity book there is lots of space for cubs to record key information about their new scout troop. 
  • As a scout leader, you could ask your patrol leaders to look out for younger scouts by buddying them up. Scouts can use this opportunity to achieve their Team Leader Challenge Award.  
  • The scout leader could send birthday cards to cubs on their 10th birthday to show that they are already thinking of them as prospective scouts.
  • Scout leaders can attend the cub pack, joint camps or outings and get to know the cubs’ names by leading games and activities.
  • It is important to move young people into scouts as part of a small group because at this age friendships become more important in young people's lives.
  • Keep young people who have just moved in pairs within patrols rather than splitting them up, this way they always have at least one friend by their side.
  • Many scouts have the ability and maturity to be able to teach cubs new skills and this should be encouraged to help cubs and scouts get to know each other. 
  • Remember to speak to parents about the key differences between cubs and scouts as these are greater than between beavers and cubs and this is often the only experience parents have of the process.