Online Scout meetings are Dereel deal

A NEW Scouts group has had to quickly adapt to an online environment as to combat social distancing measures.

Having only been formed at the start of the school year, the Dereel-Enfield section has both Cub and Scout groups, with around 10 registered members in each.

The leaders of the organisation have helped transition the weekly, in-person meetings to an online environment via ZOOM calls.

Assistant Cub Scout leader Amanda Hotchin said moving the meetings to computers and iPads did not come without some challenges.

“One thing that is difficult is knowing what resources families have at home,” she said. “It’s sometimes tough to plan activities for the meetings when I don’t know if everybody has what they need at home.”

“We also don’t want kids sitting in front of a screen for too long, so the usual hour-and-a-half meetings have been shortened to about forty minutes.”

While some activities are not possible in an online format, the group takes part in baking, household item scavenger hunts and splits into smaller groups for more personal sessions.

The Cub Scouts are also receiving activity sheets to complete throughout the week, with a variety of crosswords, jokes and riddles to keep kids engaged without a screen.

Hayley Quach is a parent of both a Cub and Scout and said the program is beneficial for parents and children.

“My kids are always looking forward to their next Scout meeting and since it’s on a Friday evening, it’s a great way to bring in the weekend,” she said. “It’s also great for parents, as we get about an hour where the kids are chatting to their friends and having some fun without us needing to be there.”

In an email to members, Scouts Victoria also announced that they will be suspending fees until 31 March, 2021 to assist families who may be struggling financially.

The group is still accepting registrations for the Cubs and Scouts programs. For more information, contact [email protected].