Scouting@Home

Tools

There are many online tools your Patrol Or Unit can use to help organise activities, design your program, or submit reports for review while you can’t be together in person. Here are a few:

Teamapp

Already in use by Scout groups all across Victoria, Teamapp is a great tool for organising programs, tasks, sharing news, and chatting on topics in forums. You can use Teamapp on the web or it has a great mobile app. You can great a new team for your Unit at https://www.teamapp.com.

Zoom

An online video conferencing tool, Zoom is super easy to use and is pretty tolerant of low bandwidth connections. Use Zoom to run virtual Unit Nights. Participants can share documents and present to the group, great for Proficiency Badges. Zoom is free for video calls up to 40 minutes in length and you can try it at https://zoom.us  

Trello

An online task management system, Trello is like a digital noticeboard and whiteboard in one. It’s a great way of keeping track of what your Patrols are up to, and members of the Patrols can upload photos of their Lone Scout activities for the approval of Unit Council. Trello is free and you can create an account at: https://trello.com

Slack

Slack brings all the messages and communication of a Unit into one place. Using Slack reduces back and forth emails- all your conversations are in one place, organised into “channels”. Your Unit could have a channel for specific projects, virtual activities, and organising an upcoming virtual Movie Night. In each channel, you post messages that can be text, images, PDFs… almost any form of attachment. It’s great for keeping in touch because messages pop up instantly, replying is a breeze, and you can search older posts easily. You should be aware that Slack’s terms of service limit user accounts to over 16’s, so it might be limited to Leaders. Slack is also free and you can try it at: https://slack.com

Scout Leaders, a note on digital tools-  remember the 2-deep rule applies online like it does in person. Avoid direct messages or calls with Scouts, and always ensure another leader is cc’d on emails or included on messages or calls (if you can) when communicating with a Scout. 

Program Ideas

At home Scout Chef

Patrols come up with a 4 course meal from limited ingredients. No shopping, just what they have in the kitchen.
Each member of the Patrol makes a course ie. one does pumpkin soup. It’s then filmed or done via web and judged on presentation and taste (obviously taste is done by a parent in the house). Scores are then added up. 

Indoor scavenger hunt around the home/yard

Leaders can come up with a list of common and obscure items to find around the home. Bring them to the Zoom meeting and do a show and tell!

Indoor Orienteering

Use a compass to map route around your house.

Home Pioneering

Design and build a mini pioneering project from household items.

Minecraft Scouting

Design and build a Minecraft world/town with your Patrol. Give it a Scouting theme- maybe a model of your last campsite, or your ideal Scout Hall.

Home Shelters

Build a shelter from household items in your lounge room and sleep in it overnight. Provide a report to your Patrol on what it was like (did your cat wake you up at 2am?).

Virtual Bike Hike

Use Google Maps to plan a cycle route around your local area, then your patrol uses street view to experience the ride.

Outdoor the backdoor

First Patrol for all members to pitch a hike tent in their back yard. Make it super fun by recording a time-lapse video of your tent going up!

Scouts got Talent
Perform an act live over Zoom or pre-record and share over the virtual scout meeting!

Fastest Knots

A knot tying challenge via video. With everyone on screen, the Unit Leader calls out a knot for everyone to tie.

Going on a Bear Hunt

Many homes in Victoria are putting Teddy Bears in their front windows during the COVID-19 pandemic. Create a map of the Teddy Bears in your street, then work with your troop to collate them into a suburb guide. Your Scout Leader can share them with Joeys or Cub Scouts who can go on a treasure hunt to find them all!

Campsite Layout

Lay out your Patrol Camp site for a weekend standing camp using the shapes provided. Use the size of the big or small sleeping tents depending on what you have in your hall. Your Patrol might need a combination of both. You will also need an eating shelter and a cooking area. You might choose to have a camp fire and other luxuries! Discuss your layout with your Patrol and Scout leaders via email or Video. An extension of this might be the Patrol leaders lead a discussion on the best place to place tents, eating shelter, etc. See if you can work Participate, assist and lead into the activity as well. Patrol Challenge – Campsite Layout PDF