This week we have cause to celebrate. Congratulations to CRAI Network member Craig who is also an Assistant Scout Leader at 1^st Abercarn Scouts who has achieved his DofE Gold. Craig attended the Kent Scout International Jamboree as service team members for his residential experience. We are also celebrating 3 of our Young Leaders who have obtained their Young Leader Belt by completing the award.

Congratulations to one of our Young Leaders who has just completed his Young Leader award. James has undertaken all the Modules and completed all his Mission badges as a Young Leader in a local Scout troop. CRAI District currently has 22 Young Leaders in Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs and Scouts throughout the district.

From the DC

First Response

Many of you have seen the notifications in relation to First Response. Any Leader, Assistant Leader or GSL with more 6 months service needs to have first response. At the end of February, we will be looking at who and who hasn’t got this part of your training.

Please check out our Facebook page or your email that’s registered on Compass to see links that will help you complete the training. If you feel you can’t complete in time, please contact me on 07425153884 or drop me a mail, so we can help.

TA and Module training

It apparent that some leaders have missed the several notifications we’ve put out in relation to Tas, please see below a list of all Tas that can assist with advising you on your Modules

Risca – Symon (A new TA is being assigned soon)

Abercarn/Pontywaun/Newbridge -Linda Terrel

Sirhowy/Gilfach- Elizabeth O’Malley

Cefn Forrest -Debbie Williams

Ystrad Mynach -Mathew Witcombe

Sengenhydd/2^nd Caerphilly -Maria Pitten

7^th Caerphilly Symon

1^st Caerphilly – Jeannette Baker

We need a few more TAs, so if you feel you would like to help, please feel free to drop me a call or email.

To see what training, you have completed and has been signed off for you see the link below. You cannot compete your training via compass.

https://compass.scouts.org.uk/login/User/Login

To find your training, please visit the Scout Assosiation website, the link is below.

https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/learning-development-and-awards/training/learners/support-resources-for-learners/adult-training-scheme/

As always, if you have any queries, questions or concerns, please feel free to call me after 3 pm and before 8pm most evenings or drop me an Email/Teams message/FB message

Symon District Commisioner. 

ADC Inclusion

Mental Wellbeing in Scouting: How to Support Our Young People

The team from Child and Family Community Psychology, in Gwent have kindly offered to deliver a free workshop for leaders/adult volunteers on the subject of mental wellbeing in Scouting and what we can do to help support our members.

The event will take place at Risca Scout Hut on March 19^th at 10.30am.

This is an interactive workshop where you will learn more about mental wellbeing, why it’s important to support our young people and how this can be done within your programme - places can be booked here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/41578072343  

If you have any questions about the event, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch (adc.inclusion@craiscouts.org.uk)

Period Poverty

In partnership with Caerphilly County Borough Council, I have been given a range of period products to distribute across our groups to help address period poverty.  If you would like a bag of items then please let me know and I will arrange delivery – otherwise they will be dropped off to the groups over the next coming months.

Park Update

It has been great seeing people using the Park again!

The Park has been undergoing repair works over the last year. So far, we have had new roofs on all the buildings, so all now watertight. New fire doors put on the lodge and the toilet block. Internal works in the lodge, so we have a leader’s dorm that now has windows and has had walls and ceilings done. The dorms and meeting room have also had the ceilings done and new LED lighting installed. The bathroom has a new window, and we are having the rest of the windows changed soon. The Activity centre and garage have had roller shutters put on for the added security. Once the works are completed and everything has been put back in the lodge, we will be reopening it.

We have a new booking system in place, bookings will only be accepted now via the booking system which is OSM based and can be booked here https://www.onlinescoutmanager.co.uk/v/crai-activity-park .  When you go on to book it will tell you if it is available and what you are able to book, so no need to ask me if its available, you can now see yourself, (something I have been asked for in the past). We are getting everything bookable on it, please bear with us while we do this as there is a lot of new equipment, we are going through to make sure it all goes on.  

I have to say a big thank you to Dave for getting the grants in for us to be able to do the refurbishment. Rich and the new park subcommittee for getting the new booking system up and running and supporting me and the maintenance team for their hard work getting everything tidy and fixing bits and not forgetting everyone who can and helped on our working party, sorry if I’ve forgotten to mention anyone.

ADC Beavers

Plans for Damboree (Beavers & Squirrels) and its activites are in full swing at the moment. I will be emailing all Beaver sections over half term with link for Microsoft form to find out how many are planning to attend it is the weekend of 18^th/19^th June. Full price and details will be out once I know how many are planning to attend.

It will be a catered event so I am looking for volunteers to run the catering for the event, please drop me a message if you are able to help with this.

As restrictions are easing I am going to start getting back out to visit colonies to see the exciting activities happening in all groups.

Its so great to see all the activities that are currently happening so thank you all for everything you are doing for our young people.

ADC scouts 

All wales scout camp plans are in full swing I will be in touch shortly after the 15th with costs for bus travel and catering costs for you to have an accurate figure. 

I'm hoping that we can cater centrally with support from the leaders going and that we can share catering equipment to make this happen. 

As restrictions are easing, I would welcome suggestions for events that you would like to see in district maybe an incident hike or similar drop me a mail with ideas please. I am aiming to start getting back out to groups after Easter so look forward to seeing how your all doing 

Thank you for all your doing for the young people in our district

Gareth 

From the DESC

I would like to start with congratulating all those that have achieved top awards in 2021 it has not been easy. I am pleased to say the Explorer section is going from strength to strength and we now have you leaders in groups up and down the valley and in all sections including squirrels.

As a reminder that like mandatory adult training all Young Leaders must have done Module A with 3 months and if you have any Young Leaders in your group who have not done this, please contact me so we can get training sorted.

Regards

Rich