Explorers

Take the lead, embrace change

Who are explorers?

Explorers are a go-getting group of young people aged 14 to 18. Together, they make up the fourth section of the Scouts.

Week in and week out, they gather in groups called Units to try new things, make new friends and conquer the small task of changing the world.

Develop skills for life and embrace new experiences...

What do explorers get up to?

Being a Explorer is all about growing and learning in small but mighty ways. Here are some of the things you'll get up to with your new friends.

Discovering the World

Being an Explorer is all about discovering the world on your own terms and making the most of what you have, wherever and whoever you are.

Alongside your new friends, you’ll master the skills that will make you feel stronger and happier in the long run, and try things you’d never get the chance to do at home or at school.

Whether you’re hiking to faraway lands or building a robot in your local town hall, you’ll have the freedom to choose what you’d like to do, and work together with adults to make it happen.

Start small but think big

Explorers start small but think big.

They stand up for what they believe and make a difference on their own doorstops, confident in the knowledge that their daily actions add up.

Seek out the answers to big questions

Explorers seek out the answers to the big questions, and to the smaller questions that don’t seem to matter but really should.

Most importantly, they say yes more often than they say no - whether they’re signing up for their first major hike across Europe, writing their first line of code, or accepting the last of the toasted marshmallows.

Sound like fun? That's because it is. All that's missing is you.

Who leads explorers?

Our Explorer Unit is made up of young people aged 14 to 18, led by adult volunteers who are on hand to share their skills and keep everyone safe. Among our leaders there are fire fighters to ship managers, nurses to bar staff, carers to members of the police – so we really do come from all walks of life!

Within the Unit, Explorers are part of a Patrol - smaller groups of Explorers who look out for one another, and help each other grow. Explorers usually gather in their Patrols at the beginning and end of meetings. They might also stick together on expeditions or trips away, or during certain activities.

Can young people become leaders?

Absolutely. If taking the lead sounds like something you’d like to try for yourself, look at the Explorer Scout Young Leader's Scheme to get some hands-on experience volunteering with the younger Scout sections.

The bigger Scout family

Explorers are part of the global Scout family. Closer to home, they’re part of their wider local Scout District, alongside Network members (aged 18 to 25).

"Scouting helps parents prepare their kids for life"

Promise, Law and Ceremonies

Every Explorer is unique, but they find common ground in their shared Scout values, and make a promise to stick by them.

Making a promise when you join the Unit is a way of celebrating these values.

Every time a new Explorer decides to join, they chat through their promise with a leader before saying it out loud in front of their fellow Explorers. Family and friends might come along to see this, too. The process usually takes place once you’ve had a few weeks to settle in, and is known as being 'invested' into Explorers.

Options for the promise can be found here..

The Scout Law is the same for all members of Scouts, Explorers, Network and all other adults. It is as follows:

A Scout is to be trusted.
A Scout is to be loyal.
A Scout is friendly and considerate.
A Scout belongs to the worldwide family of Scouting.
A Scout has courage under all difficulties.
A Scout makes good use of time and is careful of posessions and property.
A Scout has self-respect and respect for others.

So, how do I join?

The first step to becoming an Explorer is to get in touch using the details from the groups list.

Not sure if you have time to fit Explorers into your week? Being a person is busy work, and being a teenage person is even busier. We get it. That’s why Explorer Units are generally more flexible than the other Scout sections, especially when important landmarks like exams roll around. Although most groups meet weekly, this isn’t always the case – some meet less frequently, or run their activities on the weekend so that you can keep your weeknights free for other things.

Explorers is open to all, and we can usually tweak things to make sure everyone can join in the fun. If you have any questions about accessibility, chat with your local leader as soon as possible. By being upfront from the start, parents/carers can work in partnership with local leaders to make sure their young person has the best opportunities. More information on specific adjustments can be found here .

Our subscription fees (subs for short) vary group by group, they include the following:

Membership of The Scout Association
Insurance for all Scout related activities in the UK
All badges (you may be charged a small fee for replacements)
A necker (you may be charged a small fee for replacements)
Section night activities. The only exception is if we do an outside activity but advance notice will be given if any extra is needed
Most importantly, lots of opportunities and fun

Should you have any difficulties paying, please do contact us because we don't want any young person to miss out on the opportunities we can offer.

More information about fees can be found here

Waiting Lists

Lots of young people are itching to join Scouts, so you might need to wait for a space to become available.

If your local group has a waiting list, parents and other adults might be able to solve the problem. We don’t just need swashbuckling adventurers to lead expeditions. We also need listeners, tidy-uppers and tea-makers, for as little or as much time as they can spare. If your parents or carers are curious about giving it a go but don’t want to overcommit, why not ask them to complete our four-week volunteering challenge? Every hour counts, and everyone is welcome.

You could always try the Four Week Challenge . This is a test drive of Scouting. It's a try-before-you-buy with no commitment to see if volunteering is right for you.

More volunteering information

Uniform and Badge Placement

This diagram shows the correct placement for badges on the Explorer uniform. If you have any queries, please do get in touch with a leader who will be able to advise you.

Uniforms and other Scout merchandise can be purchased from the Wirral Scout Shop.
Please note that the shop can only sell badges to registered leaders. For replacement badges, you will need to speak to a leader at your group.