Cambridge scouts Jasper Cook, Jessica Hill, and Zac Ward know how to lead small teams in adventurous experiences.
The trio of 11-year-olds completed the annual Scouts Aotearoa Sandford Leadership Skills Training Course at Epworth Retreat and Recreation Centre at Horahora this month.
Scout Jasper Cook, 11, and his team used SALADA to light a small fire in plastic container safely.
All three are team (or patrol) leaders tasked with leading small teams of 10 to 14-year-old scouts. Senior scouts had vacated the positions as they graduated to the venturer section after the 23rd Aotearoa New Zealand Scout Jamboree at Mystery Creek in the summer.
The course included short theoretical sessions on subjects like the team leaders’ job, training other scouts, teamwork, planning, communication, and team meetings.
Each session was followed by practical sessions.
“I learned lots of acronyms, which was very useful, breaking it down into what to do and what not to do,” Jessica said. “Salada is my favourite, and you got to eat crackers.”
Scout Jessica Hill, 11, fans the flames during a practical exercise on the Sandford Leadership Skills Training Course.
Scouts learned about breaking big projects down into small tasks. They were asked to fit a cracker into their mouths, then break it into four more digestible parts and enjoy a snack.
Salada was used to remind scouts how to plan an activity with their teams like moving a boat out of a shed or setting up a campsite. It stands for Stop, Assess, Listen to all ideas, Allocate, Do, and Assess again.
Edicts was another acronym used to remind scouts how to train their peers in practical skills like lighting a fire, pitching a tent, skippering a boat, or tying a knot. It stands for Explain, Demonstrate, Imitate, Correct, Try again and Summarise.
“I loved the short activities that demonstrated what you had just learned,” said Zac Ward.
His favourite activity was putting the Salada mnemonic into action on a base called spilly cup in which his team had to move water from one barrel to another using only a cup tied to a piece of rope.
Working in teams, Scouts also had to light a small fire in a wet wheelbarrow while keeping it moving.
The aim of the course was to help Scouts develop leadership skills and provide opportunities to learn and experience aspects of teamwork, teaching, communication, and planning.
Scout Zac Ward, 11, rises to the challenge of keeping three tea lights burning on the move.
