Introduction

Since Beaver Scouts became a part of The Scout Association in 1986, it has been one of the quickest growing Sections. It currently has somewhere in the region of 100,000 members in 7,000 Colonies! The Beaver Scout Colony will tend to meet weekly for about an hour, but they will also have the chance to go on a residential experience every year and there might also be day trips away.

Who is Beaver Scouting for?

Beaver Scouting is open to young people aged between six and eight years old who want to join and can make the Beaver Scout Promise.

The Beaver Scout Promise

Scouting differs from many organisations in that it requires its Members to make a Promise. The wording for Beaver Scouts is simpler than that of the Scout Promise, it is:

I promise to do my best

to be kind and helpful

and to love God.

Different wordings of the promise are available for those of different faiths who may prefer not to use the word “God” and for those with special circumstances and needs. By making the promise a young person becomes a Member of the worldwide Movement; they become a Scout.

The Motto

The motto for all Members of the Movement is:

Be prepared.

The Beaver Scout Uniform

Beaver Scouts wear a turquoise sweatshirt. They also wear a scarf (sometimes called a “necker”), which varies in colour from Scout Group to Scout Group. They also have a woggle, to keep their scarf up. Traditionally all Beaver Scouts wear a maroon coloured woggle, but they may also wear a woggle of the colour of the Lodge they are in (see below on how Beaver Scouts are organised). There are several other items of optional uniform.

How Beaver Scouts are organised

Beaver Scouts meet together as a Colony and work within a variety of small groups called “Lodges”. A team of adults will run the Beaver Scout Colony. Some will be uniformed Leaders, others may be informal Assistants or helpers. Explorer Scouts who are Young Leaders might also assist the leadership team in the running of the Colony.

Investiture

Making the Promise is the most important act in Scouting and is common to every Section. Scouting has a special ceremony for making the Promise called Investiture or being invested. When a young person makes their Promise they receive their Group Scarf, The Membership Award and are welcomed as a new Member into the Scout family.

What do Beaver Scouts do?

Beavers take part in a wide range of activities. These include making things, singing, playing games, going out on visits, investigating nature, listening to stories, learning how to be safe and most importantly, making new friends. They do this through taking part in a programme of activities provided by the leadership team.

Beaver Scout Programme

The philosophy underpinning the programme is that every Beaver Scout should participate in a Balanced Programme over a period of time. This ensures that all young people experience a quality programme covering a wide range of subjects, so that they develop in all of the Personal Development Areas. To help, the Balanced Programme is divided into a number of Programme Zones and Methods.

Programme Zones

The following are the six Programme Zones for Beaver Scouts. As part of the Balanced Programme they will take part in activities from all the zones regularly.

Beliefs and attitude

Community

Creative

Fitness

Global

Outdoor and Adventure

Methods

These Zones are delivered using 12 methods, which give the programme variety and range. The Zones give Beaver Scouts the opportunity to:

Help others

Play games

Explore their world

Undertake prayer and worship

Listen to stories

Follow themes

Go on visits

Make things

Meet new people

Act, sing and make music

Chat

Go outdoors

Badges and Awards

Even though the emphasis is on a Programme that is balanced with a variety of activities, there are still badges and awards for Beaver Scouts to aim for during their time with the Colony. Badges and awards are given in recognition of the effort made by each young person at their own level.

Beaver Scout Sleepovers

Sleepovers give young people their first experience of a night away from home without their parents/carers. They are intended to plant a ‘seed’, which then grows as the young person moves through the Sections. Leaders have to be specially trained before they may take young people away, so you know they will always be in safe hands. Sleepovers in the Beaver Scout Section must not exceed 24 hours. They provide an excellent opportunity for young people to try out activities that are not possible at the regular Colony Meeting. As you might imagine, the whole atmosphere of living together even for a short while as a Colony is very special for the young people involved.

Beaver Scouting… it’s just the start!

While a young person is in Beavers they will have fun, make friends and get to do exciting activities that they wouldn’t get to do anywhere else. But this is just the start! Beavers is the first step in Scouting for future development as individuals and Scouts. It will seem that they have only just started before it will be time to ‘swim up’ to Cubs!