Friday 28th – Sunday 30th March 2025

Voice is a camp for all Explorer Scouts across Essex, hosted by the County Youth Team, providing an opportunity of a youth shaped weekend. Explorers will not only have the opportunity to develop some of their key scouting skills, but also have the opportunity to see what may lay ahead in their scouting careers as well as contribute to the national youth forum and help have an impact on the future of scouting both in Essex and across the UK.

The camp will take place between Friday 28th and Sunday 30th March 2025, and will be held at Belchamps Scout Activity Centre, Holyoak Ln, Hockley, SS5 4JD.

The camp schedule

Friday 28th
Arrival between 18:00 and 19:00
Friday evening will mostly consist of chill time for Explorers with a campfire and supper. Chill out time is what all explorers want after all!

Saturday 29th
Saturday will start with breakfast, followed by skill workshops, each consisting of 90 minutes. These are designed to either refresh, enhance or learn new skills. The stations will be as follows:

• Advanced Backwards Cooking
• Knife, Axe and Saw skills
• Survival skills
• EDI communication skills

We will then have a jobs fair showcasing some of the opportunities available in scouting outside of a section level for Explorers once turning 18! There are so many but here is just a few to give you an idea……

• 14-24 program team
• 4-13 program team
• Equality Diversity and Inclusion team
• International team
• Training team
• Mountain team
• Water team
• Events team
• Archery team
• Youth leads
• Essex International Jamboree
• Media / Digital teams
• Welcome team
• Permits team
• Support team
• D of E
• Kings Scout award
• Explorer belt buckle
• SAGOs

The teams are coming to Voice to showcase what their team does and how Explorers can get involved in their future scouting lives! We want to really showcase how many opportunities there are in scouting!

We will then have chill out time with a campfire, film or whatever the explorers’ preferences are on the Saturday evening, with dinner included of course!

Sunday 30th
After breakfast on Sunday morning, we will run the youth forum. As well as feeding into the national youth forum taking place throughout march this year, Explorers will be able to give their Voice on how they want to see the future of scouting in Essex shaped. This could range from event ideas, camping or expeditions, days out, development at sites, changes to youth programs and anything else you can think of! It is all about the Explorers’ VOICE!

Collection will be at 12:00 noon

Catering
Catering will be centralised with a supper / snack on Friday night (please ensure Explorers have therefore eaten a proper dinner before coming on camp), Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner on Saturday, and Breakfast on Sunday morning. There is no need for Explorers / leaders to bring cooking facilities for the weekend, we will ensure we have plenty of tea, coffee and hot chocolate for you all!

Camping
This event will be camping tents. Braintree Explorers will provide the tents for you to use.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A COUNTY ORGANISED EVENT AND BRAINTREE EXPLORERS WILL BE ATTENDING THIS EVENT ON AN EVENT PASSPORT – THIS MEANS ATTENDING WITHOUT A LEADER. Whilst this event will be well staffed by adults who will be looking out for the Explorers, there may not be a familiar Explorer leader from our district present

Welfare and medical provisions
There will be a dedicated welfare officer on site to assist with any needs for all those in attendance, and they will also be the first point of contact for any Explorers on passports that need to raise any issues. Most staff in attendance have up to date first aid qualifications and there will also always be a minimum of 2 paramedics on site to assist with anything should the need arise.

Booking
Please respond on OSM as attending and pay the £45 camp fee. We shall then register you on the event with county.