Whether you are new to Scouting or have been a Member for many years, the Explorer Scout Section will be unlike anything you have experienced before. You are now a senior Member of the largest youth Movement in the world. Over 28 million people like you have taken the Scout Promise and are currently enjoying Scouting.

NO LIMITS
The opportunities available to you as an Explorer Scout are limitless. Grab these opportunities while you can!

	What is Explorer Scouts?
	When can I become an Explorer Scout?
	How do I join Explorer Scouts?
	How did Explorer Scouting begin?
	What badges do they have?
	What do they wear?
	What do they do?
	How much is it?
	The Scout Promise, Law & Motto
	Where's my nearest Unit
	How do Explorer Scouts Meet?
	So, what really happens to a Scout
	Scout Facts

Explorer Scouts are young people, usually aged between 14 and 18 years old. They make up the fourth Section of the Scouting family. There are many types of Explorer Scout Units, some may be linked to your local Scout Group, others may be based around different activities.

Not all Units meet each week, because you will often be out and about at weekends or in the holidays doing activities. There will be times when you will be busy doing other things such as exams, and being an Explorer Scout will have to fit around these.

As an Explorer Scout, you will get the chance to work with other Explorer Scouts in your District, not just your Unit. By doing this, you will get the chance to do many more actvities, not just the ones your Unit organises.

You may already be one! Explorer Scouts are usually aged between 14 and 18. It is possible, however, to join at 13½ and leave at 18½. Why is this? The flexibility at both ends of the age range allows you to join and leave when it suits you. You may want to join Explorer Scouts at the same time as your friends or you may wish to join at the start of the school year. If you are already a Scout, you may wish to join when you have finished a particular badge or activity. Likewise, you can move on to the Scout Network between the ages of 17½ and 18½, with your friends or when you complete certain activities or awards as an Explorer Scout.

If you want to take part in the fun of Explorer Scouting, either as this form.

By joining The Scout Association, you will be joining in with a world of fun and adventure. You will make new friends, go to new places, and learn new games and skills. You may even have opportunities to travel to foreign countries. Scouting will help you to enjoy the world, and get more out of life.

For more information about Explorer Scouts, please contact any of the Unit Leaders or Commissioners on the 'Contact Us' page.

Scouting has always been a dynamic and forward-looking Movement. In the early days of Scouting, Lord Baden-Powell saw the need to provide a programme for young people who wanted to continue after their time in the Scout Section. Senior Scouts was developed to meet this need, and the Section continued to evolve over the years.

In 1967, Venture Scouting was formed from the existing Senior Scout and Rover Scout Sections. During the late 1990s, it was decided that, in order to meet the changing needs of new generations, two new Sections should be created for young people over the age of fourteen. Explorer Scouts for 14 to 18-year-olds and the Scout Network for 18 to 25-year-olds were created.

Membership and Participation awards mark the progress of young people through the movement. Group Awards allow them to work together with the whole group as a collective achievement.

Activity Badges allow young people to be rewarded for participating in an interest or activity that they enjoy.

The Chief Scout's Platinum and Diamond Award, along with the Queens Scout award, provide the highest challenge to young people and are counted among the highest awards a young person can earn, both within and outside of Scouting.

Scouts wear a full uniform. Scouting is a uniformed organisation and the uniform tells everyone that you are a Scout. For instance, people can tell what group you belong to by looking at the colour of your scarf. The uniform consists of:

Beige long sleeved shirt or Group T-shirt
Group Scarf
Most troops will have other items of uniform...The exact details differ from troop to troop. The following may be included as part of your uniform:

Long trousers / Skirt
Black shoes
Scout Handbook
Notebook, pencil, handkerchiefs

Explorer Scouts are young people, usually aged between 14 and 18 years old. They make up the fourth Section of the Scouting family. There are many types of Explorer Scout Units, some may be linked to your local Scout Group, others may be based around different activities.

Not all Units meet each week, because you will often be out and about at weekends or in the holidays doing activities. There will be times when you will be busy doing other things such as exams, and being an Explorer Scout will have to fit around these.

As an Explorer Scout, you will get the chance to work with other Explorer Scouts in your District, not just your Unit. By doing this, you will get the chance to do many more actvities, not just the ones your Unit organises.

Each member in the movement is required to pay a fee to the UK Scout Association and their local area. This fee helps to maintain the structure of the movement and includes insurance for its members. This fee and any other costs that have to be met are collected in the form of a regular payment to the group that the member belongs to. How this fee is collected varies from group to group but normally takes the form of a weekly payment of a few pounds. Additional costs for special outings or camps are met separately.

In terms of 'cost' Scouting can provide every member with a net gain. They may lose a little financially but they 'gain' a great deal in Enjoyment, Fun, Experience, Respect, Self Discipline, Trust, Skill and the immeasurable benefit of improving their life and the life of people around them.

The Scout Promise is:
On My Honour, I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to God and to the Queen,
To help other people
And to keep the Scout Law

The Scout Law is:
A Scout is to be trusted.
A Scout is loyal.
A Scout is friendly and considerate.
A Scout belongs to the worldwide family of Scouts.
A Scout has courage in all difficulties.
A Scout makes good use of time and is careful of possessions and property.
A Scout has self-respect and respect for others.

The Scout Motto is:
Be Prepared

Unfortuantley we are unable to publish our meeting places online but if you are interested please send us an email with as much information about yourself as possible to one of the leaders on the 'Contact Us' page.

All Explorer Scouts are members of a Unit. There are a number of different types of Explorer Scout Unit. Most are attached to your Scout District, but some may be attached to a Scout Group. Others may be linked to an activity centre, for example. Which one you join is entirely up to you. Of course if you like different activities, you can be a member of more than one Unit. The choice is yours. BE AN INSPIRATION! You can also choose to be a Young Leader in a Beaver Scout Colony, Cub Scout Pack or Scout Troop. If you make this choice, you will get some training to help you.

So, what really happens to a Scout, when they have left the Scouting movement? Records show that for every 100 people who join Scouting:

Rarely will one be brought before the juvenile court system.
4 will become Queen's Scouts.
At least 1 of these will say they value their Queen's Scout Award above their College degree.
17 will become future Scout volunteers.
12 will have their first contact with Church.
1 will enter the clergy.
18 will develop a hobby which will last throughout their adult life.
8 will enter a vocation that was learned through the Progressive Training Award Scheme.
1 will use his/her Scouting skills to save his/her own life.
1 will use his/her Scouting skills to save the life of another person.

Additionally, Scout's Account for:

64% of RAF graduates.
85% of FBI agents.
26 of the first 29 astronauts.

- Scouting is the UK's biggest co-educational youth movement
offering young people aged 6 to 25 and adults the experience of a
lifetime
- Worldwide it boasts nearly 30 million members in 216 countries
- Every Year 50,000 Scouts travel to every continent to climb
mountains, canoe down rivers, help developing countries build schools and to have fun and adventure!
- Each night of the week 100,000 people go to Scouts. That's more
than the Millennium Stadium can hold!
- Scouting will be celebrating its centenary year in 2007!