Who are Cubs?

Cubs are young people aged 8 to 10½ who:

• Master new skills and try new things
• Have fun and go on adventures
• Are curious about the world around them
• Help others and make a difference, in their own communities and beyond

Every week, they gather in groups called Cub Packs to take part in lots of interesting and challenging activities – achieving anything they set their minds to, and having lots of fun along the way.

What do Cubs get up to?

Being a Cub is all about growing and learning in small but mighty ways. Here are some of the things you’ll get up to with your new friends:

Going on adventures

Adventures such as wide games, walks, camping, chip shop runs and indoor potholing.

Learning new skills

Skills such as fire lighting, cooking over an open fire, putting up tents, pioneering, archery, kayaking and first aid.

Helping others

Cubs work as a team to help other people. Together, you’ll learn about global issues and what we can all do to help solve them. We learn about local charities and how we can support them such at the local foodbank. We also invite people to come and talk to us such as waste and recycling team who have shared with us how to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Who leads Cubs?

Our pack is led by adult Cub leadership team. All the adults are on hand to supervise activities, share their skills and keep everyone safe. Other young people aged 14 to 18 might help out too. These are Explorer Scouts taking part in the Explorer Scout Young Leader programme. All leaders are called by their first name. 

Within our Pack, Cubs are also part of a Six. A Six is a smaller group of Cubs, headed up by a Sixer and a Seconder. Sixers and Seconders are Cub Scouts who are chosen to take on leadership responsibilities, such as welcoming new members to their six, representing their six, or taking charge of a particular game or activity.

Investiture and Promise

Making the promise is a big celebration within the Pack. Every time a new Cub decides to join permanently, they chat through their promise and Cub Scout law with a Cub leader before saying it out loud in front of their fellow Cubs. Family and friends are invited to come along to see this. The process is known as being ‘invested’ into Cubs, and it usually takes place a few weeks into your Cub experience, once you’ve had time to settle in.

Cubs choose the promise that best suits them.

The Cub Scout Promise

Cubs choses the promise that best suites them.

The Cub Scout Law

Cub Scouts always do their best
Thinks of others before themselves
And do a good turn every day

Uniform

If you are moving up from Beavers then you wear your Beaver uniform until you get a cub uniform. Otherwise as you’ll be taking part in lots of activities, you should just wear clothes you feel comfortable in.

Eventually, you’ll get your own Cub uniform to wear to meetings and camps. Wearing a uniform is comfy and practical. It means no one feels uncomfortable or left out and helps everyone to feel part of the Pack. It also gives you a place to show off all the badges you earn.

For Cubs at 12^th Chichester, the uniform consists of a green Cub sweatshirt with your badges sewn on and a gold and blue coloured scarf, with the blue worn on the left. Most of our cubs wear a green Cubs polo shirt as well. Uniform can be purchased from the official scout shop online, the district scout shop or there is usually some preloved uniform available to purchase via the Cub Scout leaders.

Badges

Cubs take part in many activities at pack meetings that work towards badges. Cubs can also earn badges in their own time. A list of all the current cub badges can be found here. There are also challenge award badges and details about these can be found here. When a Cub is awarded a badge, it is needs sewing onto the uniform in the positions outlined below.

Our code of conduct

The Cubs have written there own rule which they review regularly which are:

• Each Cub Scout shall practice living by the Cub Scout Promise and Cub Scout Law in everyday life, as well as at all Cub Scouting functions. 
• Each Cub Scout will show respect to Adult Leaders, other Cub Scouts, parents, and guests. 
• Each Cub Scout will listen and pay attention to others, particularly the Adult Leadership Team, Young Leaders and Sixers at all times. 
• Each Cub Scout will respect other Cub Scout’s property and other Cub Scouts at all times. 
• Cub Scout uniform will be worn at every meeting unless directed not to by the Cub Scout Leaders or via the Programme. 

As a group we have adopted the West Sussex Scouts behaviour police which can be found here: https://www.westsussexscouts.org.uk/youth-programme/west-sussex-behaviour-policy

How much does it cost?

There is a basic fee covering the cost of the hire and upkeep of the head quarters. Trips, camps and activities that take place away from the head quarters are usually charged separately.

Cubs is designed to be an accessible and affordable way for young people to learn lots of new skills through a single membership. Nobody should feel excluded from Cub activities because of money worries. If your parents/carers are concerned about costs, they should speak to their leader in confidence, to see what they can do to help. In most cases, support is available to make sure nobody misses out.