Gen-Z is known for being glued to their smartphones, trawling TikTok and Instagram. Or at least that’s the perception of many. However, there is an alternative which is thriving and it’s not all knot tying, badge collecting and tent pitching.
As a member of the Scout Network and an assistant leader at Explorer Scouts, I may use social media and computers daily, editing videos and creating websites, but scouting is still a major part of my life.
I attended a camp on the Isle of Wight as a Network Scout, aptly named ‘Isle of Wight Revolution’. Each day offered a range of activities which included hovercraft driving, a boat cruise to see the Needles, a ballet workshop, rage buggies, headhunters (an outdoor capture the flag laser tag game), a drum workshop, extremely muddy mountain biking, crazy golf and archery!
There was more entertainment each evening with a fancy dress theme, starting with a caveman-themed disco on Friday. Saturday was Games inspired by 90s TV shows and a live band on Sunday with invaders-themed costumes which included anything from the Space Invaders video game to pirates and Vikings. Then closing on Sunday with a ‘Back to the Future’ theme for a UV disco.
These themes were tied together by the overall theme of the camp … ‘The Time Traveller’!
While entertainment each evening may not have started with a disco, it still finished with one and it wouldn’t have been a scouts camp if each evening didn’t have campfire songs by a campfire, sung into the early hours of the morning.
Over 100 years ago Brownsea Island in Dorset was home to the first-ever Scout camp organised by Robert Baden-Powell. Today, the Scouts movement embraces over half a million young members aged 4 to 18 plus Network Scouts for those aged 18 to 25.
Scouting continues to engage with its members in the digital age. This year’s Easter weekend saw over 500 members of Explorer Scouts (aged 14 – 18) and Network Scouts (aged 18 – 25) travel to the Isle of Wight to attend Isle of Wight Revolution.
I wanted to find out why Scouts is still so relevant for so many other young people at the camp in this digital age. So I asked some of the scout leaders involved. The Isle of Wight Revolution Scout leader in charge, Carol Harvey explained:
“We started as a venture camp back in 1995 following a trip that Shanklin Ventures did to Europe, following on from that they asked the DC (District Commissioner) if they could have a reunion on the island. That was 1995 and we’ve been going ever since. My aim is to make sure that Explorers see there’s something for them to go on to when they finish Explorers and they can join Network and continue their Scouting.”
Alex, from East Devon Network, described why Scouting is still attracting so many young people:
“The Scout movement is very flexible in what it can provide. So it doesn’t necessarily just have to be the outdoors. There are digital maker badges and what-not, so teaching people how to program and giving us opportunities to look into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).”
During a discussion, Alex elaborated on what Scouting means to him:
“It’s definitely about the friendships. I go on to a camp just as myself and just make friends as you go on the fly and just create experiences that I wouldn’t have had if I was at home. Meeting a variety of people from different backgrounds, you’re bound to meet them on other camps as well. And it’s almost like the friendship never stops, it’s just carrying on from where you were because you always got something in common, which is you’re all Scouts. You’re both passionate about Scouting and you just want to have fun.”
I asked Alex why he thinks people should join Scouts:
“I think people should join the Scout movement because of the immense amount of opportunities, it’s what you make of it. If you want to organise an expedition to Australia, go ahead and do it, you have the full support of the Scout Association, you have eligibility to apply for grants and funding to do that, and you have opportunities to meet great friends. If you want to go and obtain an outdoor qualification, you have the full support and you can bring that back and teach other Scouts and pass on that knowledge as well.”
Also attending the camp were members of the Hampshire Explorer Ambassador Team (HEAT), these are Explorer Scouts who work at a county level to improve Explorer scouting for our friends and future generations.
Scarlett, from HEAT, said the camp is the “epitome of the Scouting experience”.
“It brings people together to make memories, try new things and push you out of your comfort zone. It is one of the best camps I have ever had the pleasure to experience because of the strong sense of community and joy that the management team have built. At the 2024 closing ceremony, the Scouting values that were shown throughout were highlighted talking about the way that everyone looks to support in any way they can to ensure that everyone has the best experience. I have so many memories from my time at Revo and have such stronger bonds with those that I went with as a result.
“I think camps, such as Isle of Wight Revolution, are so important in today’s age of technology as they provide an opportunity to form connections away from the superficiality and pressures of media. It provides so many opportunities that you just can’t get anywhere else.”
All these testimonials show that scouting is indeed very relevant in our digital age. I certainly am convinced it has a place is many children’s development.
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