It’s never too early to plan a well-organized Scout trip beyond your own borders. The earlier the dates are announced, the more participation you will get. Bookings are often much cheaper if they are made in advance.
Do yourself a favor and put together a timeline of the most important dates and their cut-off deadlines. Put as much planning down on paper and consider the following.
Create a strong alliance within the team
Your team leaders need to work together to keep the Scouts in a secure environment while they are still having the time of their lives. Make sure that even your leaders have a good time by drawing from their strengths and making provisions to avoid leadership styles that might not mesh. You will want to run basic DBS checks on the people in charge to give everyone peace of mind.
Prioritise the paperwork
This will be a very high mountain to climb but it has to be done. Don’t put it off. Give yourself time to acquire the Visits Abroad Pack and get some advice on international activities.
You also need to do a background check on all the leaders that will be in contact with the Scouts during the trip, through a company such as http://www.carecheck.co.uk/basic-dbs-checks/. Leave no stone unturned.
Plan fundraisers and prepare a budget
To help with hidden or unexpected expenses, you might want to consider raising as much money for the kitty as you possibly can. Insurance is essential for these kinds of excursions. Planning and discussing together as a team cannot be underestimated and young people are filled with amazing ideas on how to raise money and candid with feedback for improving future events.
Asses every possible risk
Whenever you are in charge of a group of young people, their safety is of paramount importance. Besides the external factors, you will also need to make sure that individuals are safe within the group as, according to the NSPCC, over 50 000 children in the UK are identified as needing protection from abuse. You don’t want anyone’s life ruined by something that could happen on the trip or within your own group.
A well planned and properly executed trip abroad can be a life changing experience for any Scout. Make sure that that experience is one of their best ever.