The Brownsea Adventure

A Program for the New Scout in Your Troop

What is it?

The Brownsea Adventure is a program designed for scouts who have just joined a troop or have just transitioned from Webelos.  This is a transitional program to help Scouts understand the patrol method, learn basic Scouting skills, and experience many of the programs available at Camp Falling Rock.

Program Goals:

1. To provide a well organized program, based upon the Patrol Method led by qualified instructors.
2. To maintain a low instructor to boy ratio.
3. To teach the basic skills necessary to succeed in Scouting and the outdoor program.
4. To instill in the boys a respect for the Scouting methods and ideals found in the Outdoor Code and Scout Law.
5. To provide an exciting and memorable summer camp experience

Schedule:

This program is an all-day program every day of summer camp.  The boys’ time will be divided into four main periods during the week.

1. Brownsea Troop Time – inter-patrol activities, special topics, field trips, and the Brownsea Outpost.
2. Patrol Time – Specific time used to learn Scout skills and patrol methods.
3. Camp Time – This will be an opportunity for each patrol to sample the various offerings of Boy Scout Camp.  For example, they may tour the new Rock Ranger high adventure area, the Climbing Tower, shoot rifles at the range, or even participate in an excursion with the nature staff.
4. Free Time – Time for the boys to “hang out” with their home troop and new friends.

Why the Brownsea Adventure?

Upon his return from South Africa in 1903, Lord Robert Baden-Powell created the foundation for what would soon become the world’s largest youth movement: the Boy Scouts.  Baden-Powell decided to train boys as “peace” scouts: ready at all times to help others.  He discussed his ideas with many people, found a site on Brownsea Island off the coast of England, and there he pitched his camp on the 25^th of July, 1907.  The Boy’s Brigade helped him to collect a mixed party of boys.  They did not, of course, wear uniforms; some wore trouser and others shorts with shirts and ties.  For shoulder-knots, they had long twists of colored wool hanging almost down to the elbow.  Brownsea was not an ideal campsite, but there was plenty of woodland on the island for scouting games.  The following is Baden-Powell’s report on the camp:

“The troop of boys was divided up into ‘Patrols’ of five, the senior boy in each being [the] Patrol Leader.  This organization was the secret of our success.  Each Patrol Leader was given full responsibility for the behavior of his patrol at all times, in camp and in the field.  The patrol was the unit of work or play, and each patrol was camped in a separate spot.  The boys were put ‘on their honor’ to carry out orders.  Responsibility and competitive rivalry were thus at once established; and a good standard of development was encouraged throughout the troops from day to day.  The troop was trained progressively in the subjects of Scouting.” 

In the spirit of the original Brownsea Island Camp, we at Camp Falling Rock have created the Brownsea Adventure.  This program is designed for new Scouts: those coming to summer camp for the very first time and working on their Tenderfoot through First Class ranks.  In this program, Scouts will form a patrol, elect a patrol leader, and operate as a patrol.  Each patrol will be assigned a Troop Guide from the camp staff.  The Troop Guide’s main duty will be to teach the Patrol Method, provide a strong foundation of Scout skills, and ensure that the boys have both an exciting and memorable experience at Camp Falling Rock.  Each Scout should have the opportunity to serve as the Patrol Leader or Assistant Patrol Leader and have an assigned task that they must perform during their time as a leader.  The Patrol Leader and Assistant Patrol Leader election will take place every morning and a Patrol Leaders’ Council will convene daily.

At Brownsea Island, Baden-Powell used innovative teaching techniques to engage the boys and enhance their learning experience.  According to Baden-Powell, the best way to instruct boys was to teach in “short installments with ample illustrative examples when sitting around the campfire … with demonstrations.”  Making friends along the way is key to a Scout’s success in the Brownsea Adventure. 

Advancement at Brownsea

Although the activities conducted in the Brownsea Adventure are based on the Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class ranks, the objective of the program will be to assist the Scouts in mastering skills they will use for the rest of their lives and in Boy Scouting.  The Scouts will work toward beads that represent specific components of Scouting such as nature, camping, first aid, and personal fitness.  After earning the bead for a specific component, the Scout may then demonstrate the skill to his Scoutmaster and prove that he has retained the knowledge necessary to advance in rank.  Scoutmasters will be given a progress report for each boy at the end of the week.

The Brownsea Adventure will be a hands-on experience where verbal instruction is kept to a minimum and the Scouts spend the majority of their time practicing what they have learned.  This practice will come in the form of games, inter-patrol competitions, and projects.  Fun is the key word for this program.  We want Scouts to enjoy what Scouting has to offer and return to Camp Falling Rock next year!  A strong partnership between the troop’s leadership and the camp staff can make these goals happen.

Scouts will have the opportunity to earn the First Aid Merit Badge during Brownsea, but will not have the opportunity to work on other merit badges.  Other opportunities include: The Rocky Ridge Trail Award (5-mile hike), Fir’mn Chit, and Totin’Chip

Brownsea Outpost & 5-Mile Hike

After completing the 5 mile hike, Scouts will prepare a campfire, and get ready for a dinner of kings.  They will hold there own retreat before dinner, and hold some team related activities after dinner.  They will go on a nature hike and play in a nature game.  After a long evening they will settle down for a crackerbarrel and get ready for a movie to end the night.  After a long night underneath the stars, they will wake up bright and early to clean up camp and head up to the swimming pool for a Polar Bear Swim.