Rainbows, Brownies, Cubs and Scouts in South Shields: A Parents' Guide

Few activities give children quite as much as Scouting and Girlguiding: friendships, confidence, time outdoors, and the chance to try things they would never do at home, from lighting a fire to camping under canvas. South Shields, with its river, its beaches and a long seafaring tradition, is well served by both, including one of the region's oldest Sea Scout groups on the Tyne. This guide explains how it all fits together, and how to get your child a place.

A quick note before we start: Scouts and Girlguiding are two separate organisations, each with its own sections and its own way of joining. Most local groups run on the goodwill of volunteers, and popular sections often have waiting lists, so it is worth registering early rather than waiting until your child is exactly the right age.

Rainbows, Brownies and Guides (Girlguiding)

Girlguiding is the UK's leading charity for girls and young women, organised into four sections by age:

• Rainbows — ages 4 to 7. The youngest section, all about play, making friends and trying new things.
• Brownies — ages 7 to 10. Badges, crafts, games, days out and the first tastes of adventure.
• Guides — ages 10 to 14. Bigger challenges, camps, community projects and more independence.
• Rangers — ages 14 to 18. Led by the young women themselves, with travel, skills and volunteering.

Local Girlguiding units generally do not publish their meeting times openly. Instead, the quickest way to find a place is to register your interest through the official Girlguiding website, which matches you to units near your postcode and puts your daughter on the list for the right section.

Best for: Register early. Rainbows and Brownies places in South Shields are in high demand, and units take girls from the waiting list as spaces come up.

Register or find a unit at girlguiding.org.uk. Girlguiding also welcomes adult volunteers, and units in the area are often short of leaders, which is frequently the thing that decides whether a unit can take more children.

Beavers, Cubs and Scouts

Scouts is open to all young people and, like Girlguiding, runs in sections by age:

• Squirrels — ages 4 to 6. The newest and youngest section, with simple games and activities.
• Beavers — ages 6 to 8. Crafts, outdoor play, days out and the first badges.
• Cubs — ages 8 to 10½. Camps, hikes, teamwork and a wide range of skills.
• Scouts — ages 10½ to 14. More ambitious adventures, from climbing to expeditions.
• Explorers — ages 14 to 18. Young people shaping their own programme, including the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

South Shields sits within the South Tyneside district, and there are several long-established groups across the town. The 3rd South Shields Sea Scout Group is one of the oldest, with over a century of history and a nautical programme run from South Shields Sailing Club on River Drive. In the Harton area, the 15th South Shields Scout Group meets at St Peter's Church Hall on Sunderland Road, while the 22nd (Brownsea) South Shields Scout Group meets at Whiteleas Community Centre. To the south, the 30th South Shields (Cleadon All Saints) Scout Group meets at All Saints Church Hall in Cleadon Village. There is also a 7th South Shields group that meets at the Scout Hut on Highfield Road. Between them they cover much of the town, though the exact section and night will depend on where you live and where there is space.

Best for: The easiest way to find your nearest group and check availability is the South Tyneside Scouts website, which lists Beaver, Cub and Scout sections across the borough.

You can find local groups and register through South Tyneside Scouts or the national scouts.org.uk join page, which matches you to groups near your postcode. The individual group sites, such as the 3rd South Shields Sea Scouts website, are also a good place to see what each section does.

What it costs and what to expect

Both organisations are run as charities and kept deliberately affordable. Groups charge modest weekly or termly subscriptions to cover hall hire, activities and insurance, and there is a one-off cost for a uniform, which can often be bought second-hand. Camps and trips are charged separately. Many groups offer help with costs so that no child misses out, so it is always worth asking if money is a barrier.

Weekly meetings usually run for an hour or so during term time, in a local hall, with a broader programme of camps, days out and community events across the year.

Volunteering

Every one of these groups depends on adult volunteers, and it is almost always the shortage of leaders, rather than space or funding, that limits how many children they can take. You do not need any previous experience: full training and support are provided, and roles range from a regular helper on the night to occasional behind-the-scenes support. If you would like your child to have a place, becoming a volunteer is also one of the most direct ways to help the whole group take on more young people.

For more local ideas, see our guides to after-school clubs in South Shields and things to do with children in South Shields.

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