The purpose of Scouting is to contribute to the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potentials, as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities.

Our first aim is to ensure the safety of young people with whom we are entrusted. Scouting is characterised by exciting and adventurous outdoor and indoor activities. All adventurous activities are subjected to a formal risk assessment to ensure that all risks are properly managed

and that the benefit to the children far outweighs the possible risks involved.

All adults who are involved with the children at Scouts are required to undergo an enhanced DBS (formerly Criminal Records Bureau) check. All activities, including water activities,

which require specially trained leaders, are led by such leaders, who may or may not be Scout Leaders, but who will be trained by appropriate bodies and specifically authorised by the Scout Association.

At weekly meetings, Beavers, Cubs and Scouts will be offered a wide range of activities appropriate to their age. In addition to these meetings, many other activities are arranged. Boys and girls from all sections will have the opportunity to camp away from home – with our Colony, Pack or Troop and at District, County or National camps and also at camps and sleepovers of our own. Typical of other activities might be hiking, water activities, barbecues, pioneering (e.g. building unnecessary bridges over non-existent rivers!), backwoods cooking over open fires without utensils, and many others.

Leaders are all required to undergo very extensive training courses, especially during their first 3 years of service and from time to time thereafter. The wooden beads on a thong around a leader’s neck are the Wood Badge, awarded for satisfactorily completing all the training.

All leaders are volunteers and receive no payment whatsoever for the time that they give to Scouting and rarely claim expenses for what they do. Most have full-time jobs, partners with full-time jobs and children of their own; Scouting has to be a compromise with the demands of these family and employment commitments. Please bear this in mind and please realise that Leaders’ personal and professional obligations may have to take precedence over Scouting.

Scouting is a single organisation, providing training and development of young people from the age of 6 years onwards. It is divided into sections only to enable activities appropriate to age to be offered. We are the 5th Littlehampton Sea Scout Group, of which all Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts and Scouts are members and collectively (and confusingly) called Scouts.