Explorers

Explorers – 14 to 18 years

Explorers are about being with friends, as part of a team, and participating fully in the adventure and opportunities of life.

As an Explorer Scout, you get to take part in all the usual great Scouting activities such as kayaking, sailing, and orienteering… as well as work on projects helping to support your local community.

Explorers are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities as part of their programme. Meeting personal challenges is the key approach and, for the Explorer who wants to be recognised for his or her achievements, there are a range of Challenges Awards and Activity Badges, leading to the King’s Scout Award. As well as the Scouting badges, Explorers can also work towards their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards.

Being outdoors is important and there are a wide range of adventurous activities, anything from abseiling to yachting. Many Explorers also help at other section meetings as Young Leaders assisting the adults in running the games, activities and training at all levels in Scouting.

Explorers Meeting Times

Monday 7:15pm to 9:00pm – unless the program requires an earlier start time. Meetings are normally at the Headquarters (HQ) located just off Bishopgate. Please check the website and weekly newsletter for details.

You need to log into the website each week and sign up to attend meetings so we can plan properly. On many occasions, there will be two or three different elements to the programme, and you need to sign up separately for each that you will be attending.

Drop off

The Group is not responsible for members until the meeting starts.

Explorers at Norwich Senior School: can stay in the School Library after school until 5:30pm. Young Leader training is often available (check the website each week) before Explorers and the HQ is open from 5pm most weeks for Cubs. Explorers not involved in Cubs as a Young Leader should take care not to disrupt the Cubs session.

Pickup

We recommend that you meet your child at the HQ rather than they meet you on Bishopgate. While this may slow down collection it is better than having children unaccompanied on Bishopgate and gives you the chance to liaise with leaders.

Please do not drive down the section of Riverside Walk from Bishopgate to our headquarters building. There is little room down there, and there are obvious safety issues with mixing traffic with children. If parking in Bishopgate, please respect resident’s parking spaces.

Explorers Uniform

We are a uniformed organisation and expect Explorers to attend all meetings, unless notified otherwise, wearing uniform. Explorers have two forms of uniform:

• Number 1 (formal) Pale blue explorer shirt, neckerchief, woggle;
• Number 2 (activity) Red Polo Shirt, neckerchief, woggle.

There is no official trousers for Explorers but they should be something appropriate to the occasion and activity and not jeans. For very formal occasions, a cap with a tally band will be provided by the group.

Depending on the time of year and the programme, as well as uniform Explorers need clothing for outdoor activities, sometimes afloat. Please bring, and use, a zip up bag to keep their clothing separate from everyone else’s. And make sure all clothing and uniform items are named – so, when it ends up in lost property, it is identifiable.

Purchase

Please see our uniform page for how to purchase new or secondhand uniform items and other uniform information.

Badges

Please go to the OSM Parents Portal, select your member, and then click on “Badges”. There are four tabs:

• Completed – see what badges have been completed;
• In Progress – see progress towards badges that have been started but not yet completed. Click on a badge for details of which steps are done and which are still to be done;
• Completable at Home – click on a badge to see what needs to be done to get a badge. Click on “COMPLETE AT HOME” to upload evidence for the badge;
• Uniform Placement – see where awarded badges go on the uniform.