Explorers at Chorlton Bees ESU are young people aged 14 to 18. Together, they make up the fifth section of the Scouts. We gather every Tuesday during term time to try new things, make new friends and conquer the small task of changing the world.

What do we do?

Being an Explorer is all about discovering the world on your own terms and making the most of what you have, wherever and whoever you are. Alongside your new friends, you’ll master the skills for life that will make you feel stronger and happier in the long run and try things you’d never get the chance to do at home or at school as you grow into a young adult. Whether you’re hiking to faraway lands or making a shelter with limited material, you’ll have the freedom to choose what you’d like to do, and work together with adults to make it happen. Explorers stand up for what they believe and make a difference on their own doorstops, confident in the knowledge that their daily actions add up.

What’s different to Scouts?

Explorers are classed as young people, but they are also on the cusp of adulthood by the time they age out of the section. This means as an explorer there is more freedom and larger responsibility given to them such as hands on planning activities with their peers that best fit in with what they want to achieve badge wise.

Explorers also do more nights away camping, longer and more difficult hikes and bigger activities as they work their way through their awards/badges and have the opportunity to complete Duke of Edinburgh award. They also can apply for the World Scout Jamboree which for the last 12 years multiple of our explorers from our section have been picked for which is a UK wide selection process.

Badges in explorers are designed to be harder to achieved – it usually consists of muti night even month to month completion as its about putting the skills they have learnt in scouting to the test in the long term, so it is challenging but doable.

Joining in

Making a promise when you join the Unit is a way of celebrating The Scouts inclusive values. Every time a new Explorer decides to join, they are tasked with revisiting the scout values and promise, running through these with their leader before saying it out loud in front of their fellow Explorers.
The process usually takes place once the young person had a month or so to settle in and has got an explorer shirt. Normally parents do not stay for this as we try to make the process more exciting for our young people by doing this on an event night or on a camp.

Outside adventure!

Explorers group at Gilwell Park

Explorers is about enjoying active adventure with added freedom and responsibility! We’ve been for week+ long camps such as our ‘London Calling’ Trip to scout HQ in Gilwell Park, Essex. Our young people got to enjoy white water rafting at Olympic site. Overnight hikes and camping on their own, trip to Thorpe Park, G-swing and much more! Multiple weekends away to site based in the north and northwest and future planned trips abroad to Kandersteg world scout centre in Switzerland. Our Explorers also take part in several local events such as Pike view activity hike where the explorers set off by themselves to complete a route completing challenges along the way. This year our explorers will be going to ‘Evolution Camp’ in Cirencester which is a multi-activity challenge hike, consisting of 30 bases of varying difficulty and complexity set around a stunning 3,000 acre site where physical stamina, mental prowess and scouting/guiding skills will be tested!

Life after 17!

If we are lucky enough that your young person completes there scouting journey with us up to there 18th Birthday they are able to move onto our young adult section which is Network (18-25).