Cubs is for boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 11 years. After they turn 11, they can commence linking up to Scouts.

1st East Ryde Scout Group has two Cub Scout Units that run on different nights. They join together for outings and activities.

• Explorer Unit meets on Mondays 6:00pm - 8:00pm
• Pioneer Unit meets on Wednesdays 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Some meetings are held together or on other nights, so please always check our program and calendar.

Aims

• To have fun in a safe and structured environment;
• To be introduced to, or continue to develop within the world of Scouting;
• To begin developing, or continue to develop a sense of belonging to a structured fun activity outside of school and sports;
• To become more independent through achieving individual goals in Scouting in an atmosphere of cooperation.

Programme

In the new Scout Youth Programme, our Cub Scouts are encouraged to LEAD, ASSIST and PARTICIPATE in meetings and activities. Planning is flexible to meet the needs and interests of our Cub Scouts.

If you would like to get in touch with our Cub Scout Leaders please phone 0417439456, email phillip.ward@nsw.scouts.com.au or come and see us on a meeting night at our scout hall in John Miller Street, Ryde.

Some highlights from the past year:

• Sleepovers
• Group Transition ceremony with our whole Group, Joeys-Cubs-Scouts-Venturers!
• Clean Up Australia Day at Magdala Park and adjacent Great North Walk
• Canoeing at Narrabeen
• Night walks
• Cycling, North Ryde - Buffalo Creek
• Community Service activities, including development of native & habitat-friendly gardens, and building street library boxes.
• Adventurous journeys arranged by Cub Scouts, towards achieving their Grey Wolf (Peak) Awards
• Cub and Family Camp on a sheep farm at Tuena NSW

See below for the proposed programmes of each Unit. Both Explorer and Pioneer units join together for many outdoor activities, but the programmes for weeknight meetings vary according to the needs and interests of our Cub Scouts in each Unit.

Typical Activities

Cub Scouts begin to develop the 'life skills' learnt though Scouting activities. The badge award system carries on their Scouting adventure, through the Scout, Venturer and Rover Units. They are recognised for efforts to Lead, Assist and Participate in the Scouting Youth Programme.

Cub Scouts pursue interests in the four Challenge Areas:

• "Community", with events like Commemoration of Anzac, visits to aged care facilities, and special service organisations like SES;
• "Outdoors", taking advantage of local parks and bushland, and opportunities to share weekends away;
• "Creative", including art, craft, drama and musical pursuits;
• "Personal Growth", including health, well-being, resilience and spiritual development.

Many of our Cub Scouts have already earned Special Interest Awards (SIAs) in personal activities outside of, but relevant to, the Youth Programme.

We encourage Cub Scouts to lead, assist and participate in Outdoor Adventure Skills (OAS) in the core areas of:

• Bushcraft - Pioneering, Survival Skills
• Bushwalking
• Camping

We are also interested in the OAS Specialist Areas, at an appropriate level for our Cub Scouts' abilities:

• Vertical - Abseiling, Caving, Canyoning, Climbing
• Paddling - Canoeing, Kayaking, Sea Kayaking, Rafting
• Cycling - Cycling Touring, Mountain Biking
• Boating - Sailing, Windsurfing
• Aquatic - Lifesaving, Rescue, Snorkeling, Scuba, Surfing
• Alpine - Skiing, Snow Boarding, Snow Shoeing, Snow Camping

Several 1st East Ryde Cub Scouts achieve the Peak Award for Cub Scouts, the "Grey Wolf Award". This is for individuals who want to try a whole range of things and experience a high number of personal challenges, in their own time as well as being involved in the Unit programme.

Programmes for Term 3, 2023

Our programmes are flexible, to encourage and support all Cub Scouts for their award achievement activities.

EXPLORER UNIT:

   ** To qualify for the SIA, each cub must complete an individual SIA sheet

PIONEER UNIT: