Scouting is a journey of personal development through fun, adventure & challenge. Scouts learn by doing, acquire confidence within a small team of friends, discover self-sufficiency and independence while on activities and especially on camp and on hikes.
The journey is structured within a programme that is divided into five sections:
- Beaver Scouts are girls and boys aged 6-8.
- Cub Scouts are girls and boys aged 9-11.
- Scouts are girls and boys aged 12-15.
- Venture Scouts are girls and boys aged 15-17.
- Rover Scouts are girls and boys aged 18-25.
If your child is interested in joining Scouts click here. Even if they’ve not been in Beavers or Cubs they can still join Scouting as a 12 year old or teenager.
Scouts typically meet once a week during school terms, and sometimes during school holidays. At the meetings they will play team games and learn Scouting skills like hiking, hill-walking, camping, knots, first aid, cooking etc.
The activities are all geared to allow each Scout to develop in the areas of Social, Physical, Intellectual, Character, Emotional & Spiritual growth according to their own abilities and particular interests.
When they have met a set of challenges or have mastered a particular level in a skill they earn a badge to sew on their uniform.
Scouts work in small teams called Patrols which are led by a Scout – called a Patrol Leader - and an Assistant Patrol Leader. Scouts will be involved in planning and running Scout meetings and activities and may be invited to Group and Scout County planning sessions to give their input on planned events. Supported by Adult leaders - known as Scouters, just one of the many Scouting Terms you’ll learn - they take part in planning & running their own activities, programme and camps. They decide the menu, cook on camp, organise equipment & run activities – all in their Patrols. They learn about teamwork, about leadership and how to look after themselves.
Weekly meetings are only half the story. The real adventure is in the outdoors – hill walks up mountains, water-based activities, mini-expeditions, camps from one night to ten nights in length, community events like litter-picking, hostel stays, and sometimes overseas trips. Scouts love being in the outdoors with their friends and once they have the right gear, won’t mind a bit of rain or cold.
If you’d like to enjoy those activities with them then consider becoming a Scouter – we always need more volunteers. Scouters are Garda Vetted and trained in Child Protection issues. Scouting Ireland is committed to Scouting Safely at all ages.
National events for Scouts include the Phoenix Patrol Challenge, The Sionnach Adventure, Mountain Pursuit Challenges, PEAK and the Crean Challenge and the Patrols in Action camps. They also include Jamborees (national and international camps). You’ll find more details on these in our Glossary. There are also events run by the Scout County and Scout Province.
When your Scout turns 15 or 16 they will be invited to move up to Venture Scouts where the adventure continues with old friends from Scouts and new Venture friends.