Beaver subs double Brownies

Nneave

I run a Rainbow and Brownie unit and we charge £1.50, and £2 respectively. However to reach census fees we are constantly fundraising and giving our time to make up the short fall as many of our girls struggle to pay for the extras such as trips.

I never claim expenses and nearly always pay for things out of my own pocket and I for one struggle financially but do it for the girls.

Maybe beavers is more expensive but each unit has discretion on how budgets are managed, and you do have the opportunity to be more involved if you would like. I do not know an organisation in the country that would turn away willing volunteers. (When they tell you it's only an hour a week, they lie).

I do know some units give discount on twins but we are not required to, and really do you expect them to share badges and resources or do you expect us to buy these ourselves?

Leaders NEVER receive a penny, usually make purchases from own pocket and sometimes end up paying towards their training.

If you are stuggling to manage the fees the leaders will try and help, but the implication that they are over priced is really frustrating. Our children get so much out of these organisations and they are worth every penny. Compare it to dance classes, by me they are £6 a week for one hour. Horse riding £30 and hour, Drama club, £3 and hour...

stationaryace

I tried to post this earlier but it got lost..... :cool:

Echoing what others have since said, all this work is done on a voluntary basis often with the leaders covering the costs of organising the group (ie printing the many many forms now required, saving all old forms for at least 5 years, spending what feels like a lifetime on the computer trying to ensure the accounts balance at the end of the year in time for the census). If you do want to raise your concerns over this or even just ask a few questions, I would advise arranging a time with the leader where there are no prying ears (both children and adults) so they do not feel put on the spot- while picking up your son may provide the perfect opportunity for yourself, often after 90 minutes of "fun" the adults in charge may feel more than a little frazzled and not provide the most diplomatic of answers.

Having said that, I would recommend a quiet chat if this is really playing on your mind- there is nothing worse than letting this fester and venting with other parents, leaving this information to leak back to the leader (as a GirlGuiding person I am unfamiliar with Scouting terminology ) which it inevitably will!

galvanizersbaby

redpete wrote: »

The Scouts are not a Christian organisation, although they do "...promote the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potential..." The local group will be a charity and will not be run to make a profit.

I'd be surprised if they don't pay a fixed amount to the Church for the use of the hall.

In the group I am involved with the charge is £100 a year in two lumps; this does cover the significant costs of the maintaining the building that we own.

The leaders might have discretion on charging subs when there is hardship, but just having two children in the group won't in its own right count as hardship. Our group doesn't as a general rule discount for families with more than one child in the group.

As a charity you would be able to check their accounts on the charity commission website to see where they spend their money, although this will cover the whole group, not just the Beavers.

The group will have to pay approx £30 a year to the Scout Association (the capitation) for each member.

I too thought it was a Christian organisation - I guess due to the beavers having to promise to love god when they are invested.
My DS joined a few months back and loves it - I pay 30 pounds subs too and would happily pay more as the leaders do seem to be paying for a lot out of their own pockets for the kids.
I do help them with fundraising and donate as much as I can for raffles and events.
Great Bear ihas been described as one giant beaver and clearly does it for love not for money
It's fab to see everyone including the beavers getting so much out of it!

stationaryace

galvanizersbaby wrote: »

I too thought it was a Christian organisation - I guess due to the beavers having to promise to love god when they are invested.

I remember when this changed in Guiding- it become "my" god, a simple catch-all covering all religions. not 'non-believers' right enough, but simple enough not to offend. It's been two years since I was last at an enrollment so it might have changed again since then.

galvanizersbaby

stationaryace wrote: »

I remember when this changed in Guiding- it become "my" god, a simple catch-all covering all religions. not 'non-believers' right enough, but simple enough not to offend. It's been two years since I was last at an enrollment so it might have changed again since then.

This is Beaver's so Scouting - doesn't cause me any offence but just incorrectly assumed the Christian element.
I was in the Brownies back in the early eighties (showing my age) and back then I'm not sure Beavers existed - think it was cubs and you couldn't be a cub unless you were a boy - things have changed now as there are 2 girls in my son's Beavers group

azjh77

ailuro2 wrote: »

It's a Christian organisation so they aren't doing it for profit. Maybe they make a bigger donatino to the church for the hall than the Brownies do, as these things tend to be a voluntary amount.

As a guide leader can I point out that the Guide and Scouts AREN'T a Christian organisation. As for the rent we pay the church the going rate. And any profit made - and sometimes you may have some at the end of the year (never happened to us!) should be spent on the children - that is the soul reason the organisation is there and the reason we volunteer.. the children.

KellyWelly

My son goes to Beavers and the subs are £2.50 a week or £20 a term. Ours is actually a Church sponsored group so they do identify themselves as a Christian group and attend Church together reguarly and do Church parades.

When I was in guides and brownies the subs were 5p a week - not that I think what we pay now is too much, frankly I think it's very cheap for what they get out of it. Every child I know who goes to Beavers (other lodges as well) absolutely loves it.

coxy07

My Brownies pay £2 a week.This includes the annual census fee. If any of our parents have difficulty paying for trips or pack holidays (our next one is £50 for 4 days) we will always help out. If you are concerned where the money is going you are entitled to ask to see their accounts.I wish the message that we do NOT get paid could be stressed to all parents as I am sure many think we do! I also wish parents could see the many hours of meetings,preparation, shopping, training etc the leaders put in behind the scenes in addition to running the weekly meetings.

peachyprice

My Brownies is £30 per term plus £20 for the census in January. Although we don't have our own premises, and the church hall we use is quite expensive.

Worth every penny.

sunnth

my boys beavers is £2.50 a week but i have twins and they offered me a very generous sibling discount the first time they went( they don't just offer this to twins). i know some people think i should pay double for everything but imo having twins is not the same as having 2 different age kids - i do have an older child too - nothing can be passed down and as they do activities at the same time/age nothing is staggered. I must admit i am already trying to save for a school trip they will be offered in 2 years time as it will be just over £200 each and as i let my eldest child go i think it would only be fair to give my twins the opportunity too. I spent ages persuading my husband to try for a second child when he was happy with one and we got 2 more - twins are a blessing but i have found it financially more difficult than i thought it would be.