1st Glen Iris has two Cub Packs that meet on different nights:
‘A’ Pack: Mondays 7:00 – 8:30pm
‘B’ Pack: Tuesdays 6:30 – 8:00pm
ABOUT
The Cub Scout section is for boys and girls aged 7½ years to around 10½ years old (maximum 11 years old).
Cubs work in small teams of ‘sixes’. Each Six is named after a colour, and is led by an older Cub Scout called a ‘Sixer’, and assisted by a ‘Second’. This is where learning leadership starts and important lessons for life are taught.
The Cub Scout theme is based around Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, with the Cub Scout Leader named ‘Akela’ after the leader of the wolf pack, and the other leaders taking on other character names from the book, such as ‘Baloo’, ‘Bagheera’, ‘Raksha’ and ‘Chil’.
All Cub Scouts are encouraged to make friends and to ‘do their best’ at whatever they try and to help others to ‘do their best’ also!
The Cub Scout program revolves around playing games and doing activities to develop team work and relationship skills, personal values, helping others and participating in the award scheme. Along the way they can engage in outdoor adventures (such as bushwalking, camping, cycling, canoeing, sailing, archery, rock climbing), environmental activities (such as projects that care for native bushland, eg Cleanup Australia Day, tree planting) and community service (eg Dawn Service, singing Christmas Carols in aged care home).
They can also earn a range of badges for bushcraft, cooking, canoeing and many other skills. There is even a ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ badge, designed with the help of Victoria Police, which involves the Cub Scouts being aware of emergency phone numbers and learning about security issues for themselves or their homes.
Once a term the Akela will get together with the sixers at a Pack Council to talk about the Pack’s activities.
TERM PROGRAM
PARENT INFORMATION
History of Scouting
Scouting was started back in 1907 in England by a man called Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell. He became Lord Baden-Powell when he was made 1st Baron Baden-Powell of Gilwell. He is affectionately referred to as BP. BP had been in the British Army, serving both in India and in Africa. Whilst in Africa, he was present at the siege of Mafeking that lasted 217 days. He had so few soldiers with him that he used boys to help with first aid, carrying messages and other jobs. He found them to be a fantastic asset.
When he retired from the army, he wrote a book to help Army Scouts. Boys started reading this book, so he took a group of them to Brownsea Island on what was the first Scout camp. He went on to write ‘Scouting for Boys’. This book became extremely popular and boys were forming their own groups. Younger boys wanted to join, so in 1916, he created the Wolf Cubs and used ideas from a book by his good friend, Rudyard Kipling, called ‘The Jungle Book’ … and so Cubs was born.
‘The Jungle Book’ is a series of stories about a boy called Mowgli, who is adopted by a wolf pack in the hills of Seeonee in India. It tells of how Mowgli is taught the ways of the jungle by a number of characters: Akela, Raksha, Baloo and Bagheera, and of his adventures in the jungle.
You may like to pick up a copy of ’The Jungle Book’ from any good book store, or a copy of the DVD. There are many versions of the story on DVD, however the one recommended by the Scout Association is the film Sabu (1942). You can find this film on iTunes at the following site: www.criterion.com/films/27649-jungle-book. Unfortunately, the Disney versions are not true to the Rudyard Kipling stories Cubs is based on.
Starting and Finishing Times
‘A’ Pack: Monday nights 7:00pm-8:30pm
‘B’ Pack: Tuesday nights 6:30pm-8:00pm
Both Cub Packs meet in the 1st Glen Iris Scout Hall, Ferndale Park, Glen Iris Road, Glen Iris. All Cubs are expected to be on time to meetings and other activities, as a late start can mess up the timing of a night’s program.
If your Cub is unable to attend on any Cub night, please contact your leader by email (cubs.apack@1stgleniris.org.au or cubs.bpack@1stgleniris.org.au) or phone.
Dropping Off and Picking Up Your Cub
All parents/carers are expected to bring their Cub into the Scout Hall at the start of the night, and to collect them from inside the Scout Hall at the end of the night. Please do not expect to pick up your Cub from the car park; no Cub will be allowed to leave without their parent/carer present. Arriving at the Scout Hall 10 minutes early at the end of the night, in time for the final parade, is also beneficial, as parents/carers can be there for badge presentations and can hear any announcements.
Activities
Cubs is not confined to the Scout Hall. Each year, your Cub will have the opportunity to attend fun and adventurous activities outside the hall. These activities may include visits to places of interest (eg police station), swimming nights, community activities (eg Clean Up Australia Day), Boroondara District activities, bike hikes, annual Pack Holiday (a weekend camp), and Cuboree (a 5 day camp held every 3 years).
What to Wear on Cub Nights
When your Cub first joins, we recommend that he/she wears comfortable clothes such as shorts/pants, t-shirts and boots/runners. He/she will be doing lots of running around, so dresses, skirts, thongs or sandals are not suitable.
If your child has come up from Joeys, they continue to wear their Joey shirt and 1st Glen Iris scarf until they are invested into the Pack.
Once your child is invested into the Pack, they must wear a Cub uniform, which consists of a Cub shirt (with yellow sleeves) and the 1st Glen Iris scarf (for details, see Uniform).
Also, it is 1st Glen Iris policy that your Cub has a full, named water bottle with them. Cubs is thirsty work.
White Scarf of a New Chum
When your child is new to Cub Scouts, they will be presented with a white scarf (read the story of the white scarf). This tradition stems from BP’s days in Africa, when the boys of the tribe would be painted white and sent into the wild for about 6 weeks, to fend for themselves. Obviously, this is not an option here in Melbourne, hence the white scarf.
Investiture
After your child has been coming to Cubs for about 6 weeks and he/she decides that Cubs is for them, they are invested. This means they become a full member of 1st Glen Iris. They swap their white scarf for a 1st Glen Iris one, and proudly wear their Cub shirt for the first time. Your Cub will be required to make the Cub Scout Promise and know the Cub Scout Law at their investiture (they can repeat after leader if preferred).
Parade
At the beginning and the end of every meeting, we hold what is called parade. These are the official parts of the night and it is very important that Cubs respect this time. During opening parade, there is an inspection of the Pack, followed by what is called ’Grand Howl’. This is a ceremony held by the Cubs Scout section only. Here, the Cubs promise Akela that they will do their best. The Australian flag is broken and saluted. The closing parade consists of the presentation of badges earned, announcements and reminders, ’Grand Howl’, the lowering and saluting of the Australian flag, and the closing prayer.
Cub Scout Prayer
Part of the philosophy of Scouting is to assist the spiritual development of our youth members. As such, the Cubs says the Cub Scout Prayer each Cub night, as part of the closing parade:
‘Help us, O Lord, to serve thee day by day,
To do our duty and to enjoy our play,
To keep the Cub Scout promise and to rest,
Happy that we have tried to do our best. Amen’.
Badges
When your Cub is invested, they will be presented with a number of badges that need to be sewn on to their shirt (see Badge layout).
Cubs can also earn badges through two Cub Scout award schemes, the Boomerang Badge scheme, and the Achievement Badge scheme. These are detailed in the yellow Cub Scout Record Book (known as the Yellow Book). You will need to purchase a copy of the Yellow Book either from Akela or Snowgum stores.
Working on the Boomerang Badge scheme is programmed into the regular meeting nights. However, Cubs are also encouraged to work on Achievement Badges (such as the Pet badge, the Swimming badge, or the Collector’s badge) in their spare time. The Yellow Book contains the badges Cubs can earn. How many Achievement Badges they achieve is up to the individual Cub. They are great for the school holidays, when Cubs may be at a loose end.
Testing of Achievement Badges is generally done at the start of a regular hall meeting night with one of the leaders. Cubs need to talk to the leaders about which badge they want to be tested on and then arrange a time to be tested on that badge work. They may need to bring in evidence of their badge work, eg baked goods (always a winner!), photos, or written information.
Sixes
Each Pack is divided into four teams (each with approximately 6/7 Cubs), known in Cubs as ‘Sixes’, and your Cub will be assigned to a Six on their first night. Older Cubs will be the Sixer and Second in each Six, that is the team leader and assistant team leader. Their role is to help the younger cubs, to organize their Six, and to perform duties such as flag break and prayer. The Sixes are named after the wolf colours: black, tawny, white, brown, red or grey.
Juicy Bone Scheme
‘A’ Pack runs a reward scheme over the course of each term, known as Juicy Bones. This reward scheme is intended to encourage punctuality, clean and tidy appearance, good behaviour, and above all team spirit. The Juicy Bone scheme is an inter-Six competition, with the members of the winning Six each term receiving a movie voucher.
Juicy Bones are awarded to Cubs for the following:
- arriving at the Scout Hall before 7.00pm;
- clean and tidy appearance. Each invested Cub is expected to attend Cubs in a clean and neat uniform, with a neatly rolled scarf.They are expected to be clean and tidy in their appearance. At the beginning of each night, the Cub Leaders will inspect the Cubs. Points are able to be earned for wearing a correct and neat uniform;
- displaying exemplary behaviour, such as helpfulness, putting others first or doing a good turn;
- as rewards for competing in games and activities at Cubs;
- sewing badges onto their uniform themselves;
- attending special events, such as the 1st Glen Iris Going Up Ceremony.
Pack Council
The Pack Council is an advisory body, whose members, as representatives of the Cub Scout Pack, pass on the program and activity suggestions of the Pack members. It is also a valuable medium for informal discussion on issues which may be affecting the smooth running of Pack meetings and the Sixer’s or Second’s leadership of his/her Six. It is an excellent training ground for Sixers and Seconds. Pack Councils enable the Leaders to ascertain and meet the needs of the Cub Scouts. Just as important, it gives the roles of the Sixer and Second a sense of importance and status, resulting in a good team spirit and overall Pack co-operation.
The Pack Council members are:
- Cub Scout Pack Leaders
- Sixers
- Seconds
The Cub Scout Leader (CSL) normally chairs the Pack Council meeting. Should the CSL not be available, another leader should do so. Pack Council generally meet once per term usually before a normal Cub night.
Major Events
Pack Holiday – the main highlight for the Cub Pack is an annual weekend away at an approved campsite. Accommodation is generally in dormitory style buildings. The activities for the weekend are around some sort of theme such as Environment, Pirates or Spies.
Sixer and Second Camp – Boroondara District run an annual fun weekend camp for the Sixers and Seconds (usually the 10 year olds) for all the Groups in Boroondara District.
Cuboree – this is a camp available to all Cub Scouts in Victoria every three years. It is held at Gilwell Park, Gembrook. Accommodation is in tents and activities are geared to the Cub Scout age. Duration is usually five days, and attracts around 3,000 children.
CareMonkey Profile
CareMonkey is an automation platform for online forms, medical records and out of hall trip management. All of our Cub Scouts and Leaders have CareMonkey profiles that are only shared with appropriate people such as leaders and first aiders. You will be sent a link to fill out a CareMonkey profile for your Cub Scout. Please complete it as soon as possible.
Bullying Policy
Just as in school, bullying will not be tolerated on any level. We encourage the Cubs to speak to a Leader if they witness or experience bullying. Cubs that engage in bullying practices will be spoken to by Leaders and may be placed in time out. In the unlikely event that this behaviour continues, avenues such as a break from Cubs may be exercised. Cubs is a safe environment for everyone.
Parent Roster
The Cub Packs operate a Parent Roster, where a family is rostered for every Cub night in the Scout Hall. The rostered family is asked to have one parent come to Cubs that night to provide assistance. The Parent Roster is set out in the term program. If your family cannot make it on your rostered night, please arrange a swap with another family on the roster.
Leaders and Committee
Your Leaders are all volunteers. They willingly make time on a weekly basis, and often on weekends, to plan and execute a fun and adventurous program for your Cub. To become a Leader, they have participated in a number of training courses, all in their own time. Scouting Australia is an accredited training provider. Leader Training is recognized as a Certificate 4 accreditation. Being a Leader is very rewarding and loads of fun. We are always looking for new Leaders, so please consider volunteering to join the team.
Likewise, the 1st Glen Iris Committee is made up of volunteers. The strength of our Group stems from the Leaders and the Committee. The Committee is another great way for parents to become involved in their Scout Group, ensuring that our kids have a strong and active Scout Group.
If you are interested in becoming a Leader, a regular Parent Helper or a member of the Committee, please talk to our Group Leader or one of your Cub Leaders. If you have any particular skills or hobbies, we are always keen for parents to demonstrate or assist in the running of a night to highlight new skills/hobbies to our Cubs (and leaders) – please let us know.
Fundraising
The 1st Glen Iris Committee is able to keep the registration fees affordable by holding fundraising events throughout the year. All Scouting families are expected to participate in these, so that the whole Group benefits. These funds are used to replace equipment, to maintain the Scout Hall, to provide badges and scarves for our members, as well as keeping the registration fees down.
PROMISE & LAW
Cub Scout Motto
Do Your Best
Australian Scout Promise
On my honour,
I promise to do my best,
To be true to my spiritual beliefs,
To contribute to my community and our world,
To help other people,
And to live by the Scout Law.
Australian Scout Law
Be respectful
Be friendly and considerate
Care for others and the environment
Do what is right
Be trustworthy, honest and fair
Use resources wisely
Believe in myself
Learn from my experiences
Face challenges with courage
BADGES & AWARDS
The major components of the Cub Scout Award Scheme are the Bronze, Silver and Gold Boomerang badges. To earn each of these badges, Cub Scouts must complete at least ten challenges under the guidance of Leaders.
Cub Scouts can set challenges for themselves to earn Achievement Badges from the areas of Arts and Literature, Nature, Science and Technology, Sports and Recreation, and Our World. There are also a number of Special Interest badges.
Grey Wolf Award
The ultimate badge for Cub Scouts is the Grey Wolf Award. This can only be attained by earning a certain number of badges from the other levels of the scheme as well as completing several additional challenges
Scout Link Badge
The Scout Link Badge links the Cub to the next step in their journey, the Scout Section. The Scout Leader and a Patrol Leader from the Scout Section jointly carry out the training and testing for the eight requirements of this badge.
UNIFORM
Cub Scouts are expected to wear their Cub uniform to all meetings unless advised otherwise.
The standard Cub Scout uniform consists of a blue shirt (Scouts Australia logo embroidered on pocket) with yellow shoulders and collar, a scarf and a woggle. The 1st Glen Iris scarf and all badges are provided by the Group and you need to provide the rest. This includes pants or shorts in a neutral colour (eg beige or khaki), and runners or closed shoes (no thongs or sandals).
Cubs are “Sun Smart” and need to wear a broad brimmed hat or something similar when participating in any outdoor activities.
Cub shirts can be purchased in person from the Snowgum Factory Outlet (1702 Dandenong Rd, Oakleigh East), or online via The Scout Shop website. Occasionally, the Group has 2nd hand shirts for sale. Please check with a leader if this interests you.
Cub Badge Placement
All badges need to be sewn onto the Cub shirt in specific locations. The diagram below shows the correct placement.
RESOURCES, FORMS
Please fill the Form to join the team.
GALLERY
