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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: June 13th, 2023

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  • I am in the US so I don’t know much about the UK specifically, but generally speaking I would think about starting small and working your way up.

    For example, in the US there are many state or national parks that offer campsites where you could rent a basic cabin so you don’t have to worry about a tent. Or you could get a site with a covered pavilion with tables and benches so you don’t have to worry about seating or shade. Many have built in charcoal grills and fire pits. I would also recommend you start with somewhere that has access to plumbing and maybe even electricity for your first few go rounds.

    There are also privately owned parks that cater to the “glamping” crowd where you can have access to a fancier cabin and other amenities like swimming pools, sports equipment, etc.

    As far as camping equipment I would highly recommend you start off buying used gear. Good equipment can be pricey because it is meant to last, and you are not even sure if this is something you’re going to stick with yet. Try out some used gear and see what you like and don’t like about it. If you decide to stick with this you can always invest in better gear later. The basics should include a sleeping bag, tent, and maybe a propane stove. There are many things you probably already have or can make do with something. For example you don’t need to go buy specialty camping cookware when you can just bring a pan and utensils from home. You don’t need a backpack unless you plan to do some actual backpacking; a trunk or duffel bag is fine if you’re driving into your site.

    Anyway, hope this helps! Enjoy your journey!








  • Well they already tried suing them when they began accepting girls and changed their name the first time to Scouts BSA, but that didn’t work. But truthfully the two organizations have different missions and methods.

    Historically, a lot of girls who joined GSUSA thinking it was going to be Boy Scouts for girls were disappointed and would leave. GSUSA is more about empowering girls through community engagement and exploring careers. Yes there can also be camping, hiking, etc but these are more or less optional components, up to each troop to integrate. Rank advancement is based on age and grade level, while awards are based on merit.

    Boy Scouts is much more focused on outdoor skills and citizenship. These are integrated into the program in that advancement in rank is based solely on merit and demonstrating proficiency with these skills. You can spend six years in Boy Scouts and never make it past Tenderfoot.

    So for girls who want more emphasis on the outdoors built into their program, Scouting America would be the better option. For those that want more flexibility and are less outdoorsy, GSUSA is still an option. Both are good programs. I have kids in both. There are some things I like better about GSUSA and some I like more in Boy Scouts. I think Boy Scouts is a more challenging program overall, but GSUSA’s Gold Award is way more challenging to achieve than an Eagle project. I definitely prefer GSUSA not having a religious requirement.

    Both programs will continue to adapt and change. Both have been experiencing declines in membership for decades anyway, so there’s bigger problems that they’re facing.




  • BSA literally helped set the standard by which all modern youth organizations operate to keep kids safe. Back in the 80s/90s they began making background checks mandatory, implemented 2-deep leadership (minimum of two leaders present at all functions and never one-on-one with a scout), and mandated reporting suspected abuse to local authorities and the national office. All leaders must go through a training on these policies and recognizing signs of abuse every 2 years. No one is allowed to overnight functions who isn’t a registered leader and current on this training.

    Most of the sexual abuse from the big law suit took place before all this was implemented. At the time BSA tried to cover it all up. Since then they have changed course.

    Are there still things to improve to improve safety? Probably, but I’m honestly not sure what that would be at this point.