COASTAL CHESS CHAMPS
With around 60 enrolled scouts, Ashmore Scouting Group continue an important tradition in teaching life skills to its troop
NOT too many kids know how to treat injuries, create shelter or find food if they ever get lost – but it’s never too early, or too late, to learn.
Ashmore Scouting Group have been teaching people on the Gold Coast how to survive in the wild for 35 years.
Zayden Kennedy, 14, has been part of the group for almost eight years and says scouting has taught him plenty of skills he’ll never forget.
“You get the chance to learn heaps of stuff such as mapping, survival skills and how to apply first aid,” he said.
“You learn heaps of new skills and those skills can help you get a job in the future.”
But, scouts isn’t all that serious.
“We do heaps of camps, and other fun activities like indoor skydiving,” he said.
“It’s just heaps of fun.” The Ashmore Scout Group has around 60 enrolled scouts and throughout the year, the group gets together and has a huge camp – it’s called a jamboree – with other scout groups.
Zayden says his favourite part of scouts is having the opportunity to travel and make heaps of friends.
“Travelling is the most exciting bit. I’ve been to New Zealand, Norway last year and Ireland and Scotland this year,” he said.
“The first week is a big jamboree, and on the second we get to travel around and explore the country.”
Being able to travel overseas has given him a reallife survival story he will never forget.
“We had a big jamboree in Norway. Just us kids went on the 40km trek where we left at 6pm, camped in the forest, and returned home in the morning,” he said.
“One of the leaders was a kid who took us in the wrong direction and it really put us to the test. A few people ended up getting hyperthermia.”
He also said scouts has given him the chance to make dozens of lifelong friends.
“Most of the friends I have are from scouts,” Zayden said.
Scouts has been a part of his life since an early age as his father is a Scout Leader, and he hopes it will be a part of it for many years to come.