Learning basic skills for a life outdoors

The Matua Scout group which is pictured at Kaiate Falls would like to encourage new members to join its ranks. Photo/supplied

Some scouting groups in the Bay are experiencing a resurgence as more parents realise their kids need to learn basic skills.

Others are calling for new recruits who want to explore the outdoors and learn to cook.

Bay of Plenty zone leader Kevin Dwan said some clubs in the region had more than 100 members and interest in the movement had spiked as technology played a bigger part in people's lives.

"There is a lot of kids out there that are very computer focused and so are their parents.

But we are noticing a definite shift as they are realising their children are growing up without any skills. When they go for a walk in the bush they don't know what they should be wearing or doing or how to even follow a track."

Kevin says the scouts had also evolved with the times and changed, but the fundamentals remained.

"Now the youth are far more involved with training and management and we have tried to get the old fogeys like me in behind the scenes working quietly."

At the moment the Matua Scout group was currently looking for new members, he says.

It catered for school-aged children who could join the keas, cubs or scouts and kids were encouraged to step outside their comfort zone.

"They mainly gain self confidence and a good set of morals and standards. We are not affiliated to any church but we are Bible-founded so we keep with those principles of good morals right through."

The great outdoors, camping, survival and cooking were a big emphasis, he says.

"At our weekly meeting you will be doing lots of crafts from pottery to painting. Then we do camps and we have just come back from a scout jamboree in Blenheim which was brilliant."

"The kids I have been involved with over the years just love scouts and the challenge of doing things that they don't usually do. They get a fire for it and love it."

Nationally about 28 per cent of scouts were girls. Matua scout leader Harry Wahab was a scout in his younger days and re-joined with his daughters about five years ago.

"I think having gone through all the sections myself it is really neat to see the kids develop and help them learn these useful skills."

Meanwhile a new survey says many Kiwi kids can use a cellphone and operate a remote - but can't make their own bed or simple meals.

The survey by Sanitarium found 78 per cent of parents of children aged five to seven says their child could use a cellphone and 89 per cent had mastered the remote, but only 29 per cent could make their own lunch.

Of that age group, 67 per cent of kids made their bed and 63 per cent made their breakfast.

Auckland psychologist Sara Chatwin said at the time the results were "concerning" as household tasks were important for teaching children resilience, independence and basic problem solving.

"It's all very well taking over to get the job done quickly and well, but this detracts from children's simple skill knowledge and learning."