I was taken aback by the letter about the UK contingent to the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea (7 August), in particular its attack on the scouts involved and scouting in general. The writer implied that these scouts, “maybe a little less resilient than their predecessors”, had been whisked to air-conditioned hotels at the slightest sign of discomfort, when in fact the conditions that drove them out of the camp were grim.
Scouts who go on the jamboree have to raise the funds for their own air fares and prepare for the trip for at least a year before they go. They learn how to work in teams and to be self-reliant, show initiative and support others. They are far from all middle-class, and for some this will have been a once-in-a-childhood experience. With due respect to the plight of homeless children, it is also a strange for the letter writer to “wonder how many of them are currently in South Korea”. They probably won’t be in any of the other countries that thousands of parents have taken their children on holidays this summer either. The 4,500 UK scouts who went to the jamboree this year constitute a tiny proportion of UK child travel overall.
Scouting offers children a chance to learn new skills, challenge themselves and explore the great outdoors. It can help children find their own tribes, build their confidence and open doors to the wider world. For some it is a source of lifelong friendship and interests.
Janet Kay
Sheffield
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