Nights Away
  
Background


From September 2004, any adult wishing to take young people under 18 years old, away on a camping or residential experience, must hold an appropriate Nights Away Permit. The Nights Away Scheme will be administered in the District by the Nights Away Advisor, in our case, by Ralph Barnard (bless his cotton socks).

Having obtained a Nights away Permit, permit holders are required to give the Nights Away Advisor adequate notification and information about all Nights away events that they lead, whether they be sleepovers, overnight hikes, or camps, and the minimum time for such notice is 7 days but you need to be sensible about this and give as much notice as possible or you will get Ralph wound up - and we don't need that, do we ?


Camping Permits


The EIGHT primary requirements are as follows:-
  1. planning a nights away event
  2. Ensuring the effective administration of an event
  3. Preparing and co-ordinating a programme of activities
  4. Choosing and preparing the event team
  5. Choosing, organising and maintaining the right equipment
  6. Ensuring the health, happiness and safety of self and others
  7. Organising good catering
  8. Making the best use of the venue
This primary list has been expanded - see below - and the assessors would be looking for an understanding and proof, from the person seeking assessment, for all the relevant sections. This proof can be by direct observation and questioning or, dependent upon the circumstances, by the completion of Witness Statements - see form below.


Key Skills required for Camping Permit


Organisation and Administration
  1. Detail the authorisation, and approval system for camps and residential experiences
  2. Describe the necessary planning steps for a camp or residential experience
  3. Undertake the appropriate administration before, during and after camps and residential experiences
  4. Prepare and manage accurate budgets for camps and residential experiences
  5. Describe how camp fees may be calculated and explain possible payment schemes
  6. Outline the considerations to take into account when selecting a venue for a camp or residential experience
  7. Outline the varying roles of the leader and leadership team involved in a camp or residential experience
  8. Describe the issues to consider when selecting a staff team
  9. Explain the importance of having appropriate adult to young person ratios and the Scout Association's rules governing this matter
  10. Explain the purpose and operation of the Home Contact, parental permission and health form systems and be able to implement these for camps and residential experiences
  11. Undertake risk assessment both before and during camps and residential experiences
  12. Describe the insurance implications of camps and residential experiences
  13. Identify, select and justify appropriate equipment for young people attending a variety of different style camps and residential experiences
  14. List and justify appropriate personal equipment for young people attending a variety of different style camps and residential experiences
  15. Select appropriate means of transport for both young people and equipment
  16. Detail the necessary steps to take after a camp or residential experience
  17. Describe the benefits and possible methods of reviewing a camp or residential experience with both young people and the leadership team

Programme Planning

  1. Plan and run exciting, challenging and development programmes for camps and residential experiences
  2. Use a wide variety of themes to help generate exciting and relevant programme ideas
  3. Plan and prepare alternative programmes for use in the event of adverse weather conditions
  4. Identify those activities that require formal Activity Authorisation and the implications for programme planning
  5. Plan and run exciting, safe and appropriate wide games
  6. Plan and run camp fires
  7. Identify, plan and run opportunities for prayer and worship at camp
  8. Outline the purpose of flag break and inspections, and demonstrate how these may be undertaken

Catering

  1. Plan suitable balanced menus for camps and residential experiences taking into account and specific dietary needs
  2. Use a camp menu to identify the items and quantities of food required, making suitable arrangements for them to be obtained
  3. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of differing catering systems for use at camps and residential experiences - central catering, patrol/small group cooking etc
  4. Demonstrate a range of cooking methods for use on camps and residential experiences - open fires, gas and pressure stoves, hay box, camp oven, water 'otters etc
  5. Demonstrate appropriate techniques for storing and preparing food
  6. Establish and maintain appropriate hygiene and food safety measures
  7. Demonstrate the safe, efficient and effective, design, construction and use of camp kitchens and catering areas

Health, hygiene and environment

  1. Discuss the implications of the Scout Association's Child Protection Policy at camps and residential experiences
  2. Detail the Scout Association's requirements regarding sleeping arrangements
  3. Describe the advised minimum First Aid qualifications for camps and residential experiences
  4. Detail the contents of First Aid kits/medical chests suitable for use on camps or residential experiences
  5. Describe occasions where a specific 'sick bay' may be appropriate or necessary
  6. Detail the consent, information, training, records and organisation necessary to administer prescribed medication to a young person
  7. Detail the actions to be taken in the event of an accident or incident
  8. Describe the possible causes, preventions and actions to take in the case of bed wetting
  9. Detail appropriate methods for disposing of wet and dry waste at camp
  10. Describe the possible methods of providing toilet facilities when permanent facilities are not available

Equipment and skills

  1. Pitch and strike at least two types of tent - patrol, dome, tunnel, hike, marquee, frame tent etc
  2. Describe the care and maintenance of tentage
  3. Light a fire and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various types of fire
  4. Describe the advantages of maintaining a suitable woodpile
  5. Demonstrate the care and use of stove and describe the merits of each
  6. Demonstrate the care and use of a variety of lights and lamps, and describe the merits of each
  7. Demonstrate the use of gadgets at camp
  8. State the safety rules for the use, storage and transportation of axes
  9. Identify the main parts of a hand axe and demonstrate its safe use
  10. State the safety rules for the storage and use of a bow saw
  11. Explain the advantages of using a saw rather than an axe
  12. Demonstrate the safe use of a bow saw

Specifics on indoor residential experiences

  1. Select suitable accommodation for indoor residential experiences under headings:
    location
    sleeping accommodation
    toilets and washing facilities
    catering facilities
    and activity facilities
  2. Consider the safety aspects of bunk beds
  3. Detail the fire precautions, systems and procedures that should be in place during and indoor residential experience

Specifics on outdoor camping

  1. Select appropriate sites for different types of camp
  2. Plan an appropriate campsite layout

Camping in other countries

  1. Identify the benefits to young people of international camps and residential experiences
  2. Outline how and where to obtain information about international camps and residential experiences
  3. Outline where sources of support and information may be obtained when considering planning and running camps and residential experiences abroad

Family camps

  1. Outline the purpose and benefits of family camps
  2. detail the 'parental responsibility' issues surrounding Beaver Scouts attending family camps
  3. Outline the additional insurance requirements for family camps
  4. Discuss the particular care that must be taken with the organisation and running of family camps
  5. Consider the Safety in Scouting, Risk Assessment, and Child Protection issues of family camps

Event Passports

A Scout or Explorer Scout who wishes to lead a camping or residential event can do so when issued with an Event Passport. Each Event Passport is issued for one event only by a permit holder experienced in the category of camp or residential experience proposed. (POR 9.61)

The Permit holder has responsibility for notification and must provide support during both the preparation and the event itself and be satisfied that the young person has the required abilities.

Event Passports and guidance are available from the Scout Information Centre.

An adult Member wishing to lead a camping or residential event for Members aged 18 or over is not required to hold a Permit but must have first hand experience of camping or residential events and be familiar with The Scout Association's appropriate resource material.


Night's away Notification

The Form can be downloaded [ HERE ] in doc format, saved on your computer, or printed out.


Scout Base information

Here is a link to the relevant information on Scout Base - Press [ HERE ]


 



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Last updated: September 16th, 2005.
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