Two young members of the Northants Adult Training Team went to Uganda on Monday 12 June for three weeks to hone their training skills in a different and challenging country.

Emily Stubbs (20) and Kris Roberts (22), are both young leaders in the Northants Adult Training Team under the ‘Voice for Young People’ initiative. This initiative is designed to ensure that young people have a real input into all decision made in the Scout Association. Northamptonshire Scouts were the first Training Team in the country to extend the initiative to adult training and it has proved very successful.

In order to further develop their training skills Emily and Kris, used already established links with the Scouts in Uganda and secured the opportunity for them to travel to Kampala and train young people and adults in UK Scouting skills. Included in this were several sessions of work with the ‘Street Kids Scouts.’ These children and young people are on the streets due to family difficulties, which include the death of one or both parents from Aids. They live rough under the bushes and trees near the more affluent city centre of Kampala begging for food and money. The Ugandan Scout Association has forged links with some of these kids and once a week they become ‘Scouts.’ The Uganda Scouts specifically requested Emily & Kris to train these street Kids for a forthcoming national camp that the ‘Street Kids’ will be taking part in.

Emily, a Cub Scout Leader with the Kings Heath Scout Group in Northampton (as well as part of the Training Team) said, “this trip was be particularly challenging for us, we have had to prepare all our own training notes ready for the sessions, but training in Uganda was an entirely different from here in the UK.” Kris Roberts a Cub Scout Leader at the 17th Wellingborough Scout Group agreed, “it took us a little time to adjust to their training culture, we are used to learning through games and activities but we found they are still using a 1950’s style of training – sit and listen. We hope we showed then some different methods of training”.

During their trip Kris and Emily visited Outspan School in Bwasie, few miles outside of Kampala. The school provides education to a number of former street kids who are now settled in more stable living conditions. While at the school they provided a training session for the School Scout Troop who are also attending the national camp.

Dean Smith the Assistant County Commissioner for Adult Training said, “This was wonderful opportunity for these two young people. Having been to Uganda many times myself I know that they would have had a difficult but also a very enjoyable experience. Training in Uganda is totally different from here.”

Primarily the Millennium Commission through the Millennium Award Scheme has financed the trip. A grant of £1000 each was provided to Emily & Kris. They made up the shortfall by fundraising locally. Kris says the Millennium Awards are a great opportunity for people to carry out charity projects.

Emily and Kris returned to the UK on Saturday 1 July.

To contact Kris email  krissroberts@hotmail.com

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