Cell Phones use for Camporee event

[Eagle732 27]

I just had a discussion this weekend around the campfire about cell phones on camping trips with my scouts. This was brought up because one scout was on his phone the entire camping trip to the point that his tent buddy was complaining of him using it late in the night. Our troop has a long standing policy that there are no electronics of any kind on camping trips. This policy is largely ignored and I haven't been too insistent on it being followed.

My concerns are that almost all phones today have cameras and most have internet. Scouts camp together, live together and sleep together. Scouts with phones with cameras and internet capabilities are just a few clicks away from serious trouble. I gave a few general examples and the SPL led a discussion with the rest of the troop. The boys decided that the policy would be that cell phones would be allowed on camping trips as long as they stay out of site. I don't know if this is a workable solution but I'll give it a chance.

 

Obviously we won't be doing camp games with cell phones.(This message has been edited by Eagle732)

[shortridge 184]

Eagle Foot wrote: "Normally we say leave your phones at home...why?...is what our camporee staff is now asking ourselves.. ... I am coming to you...yes you on the forum in all of your wisdom and ideas... ... What's your thoughts?"

 

I know you also asked specifically for event ideas, but you first asked for wisdom and thoughts. Don't get yourself in a knot because you got wisdom and thoughts.

 

If you're looking for event ideas, we really do need a good deal more information. What's the theme of the camporee? (Communications? Signaling?) Who's running it - SPLs or Scouters? Who are in charge of the stations - each troop? The OA? Scouters? Is it a round-robin style camporee, or some other format? What are the other activities already planned? Where is it located - a council camp, another wooded area, or the local airport runway? (Done it.) Are the PLs going to be carrying the phones with them throughout, or just using them at one or two stations?

 

Clarity is key.

[Pint 23]

Generaly Scouts are strongly discouraged from bringing phones to camp, and other events as they..

can cause a dsitraction, especialy when a scout is updating his/her facebook status etc etc while trying to give out important information

Phones are easy to loose, easily damaged, and in alot of cases can be expensive to replace, Scouting activities are not normaly kind to fragile electronic devices, and they wont be covered under the UK Scout associations insurance policys.

 

charging facilities may also be few and far between, once the battery is flat youve got an expensive lump thats only use is a paperweight.

 

First night on camp, a Scout may phone his/her parents up complaining that there not having a good time, as they had to do the washing up, or any other chore, parents turn up the next day to take the Scout home, Scout wants to stay.

 

Spending all night texting staying uo all night, and not gettign much sleep.

spending time on premium rate "adult" phone numbers, i know of one leader where one of their Scouts took a phone to camp, despite being advised not to.

This particular scout spent quite a bit of time listening to premium rate calls/numbers, when the parents received a huge bill they tried to blame the leader

 

Going abroad? im not sure what the situation in the USA is with international roaming, but UK carriers charge a small fortune for calls, texts and data while abroad and if your not careful you can run up a bill of over a thousand pounds.

[Tampa Turtle 1011]

I generally just hate the things. I think part of camping is to "get away". I have had entire days at camp spoiled by a ASM who did nothing but talk to work for days on end. Gee, it was stressful just listening to him. Boy use of cell phones also seems to make cutting the apron springs worse for those young lads who get homesick.

 

Boys stay up all night playing card games like "Zombie Fluxx" or telling dirty jokes or describing in minute detail the video games they are playing (Skyrim seems to be overtaking the others lately) so that part does not bother me.

 

I am all in favor of an actually enforced outright Troop ban but feel like I am on the losing side of history here.

[OldGreyEagle 5]

I understand TT, but how did Prohibition work out?

[Tampa Turtle 1011]

Well it made a lot of money for ol Joe Kennedy!

 

My youngest is taking American Business MB, maybe he can figure out a $angle$.

 

Loud announcements to parents that we are not responsible for any damage, theft, or loss of electronics on campouts keeps it in check, a little.

[Get Outdoors 15]

With some resistance from some parents, one commitee member and a few leaders...I the SM, somewhat encourage cell phones!

 

I'm not one that is on the phone all the time, i don't text often, don't use facebook and/or surf the net with my phone. I have a real problem with people everywhere feel the need to use them anytime/anywhere with little regard to others.

 

I teach that a cell phone is a tool and should be used as such. Just like you would with a pocket knife or matches. If you abuse the tool and it becomes a toy, it will be left at home or it becomes mine until you get home.

 

Today's cell/smart phones are a great technology, instead of fighting that, why not embrace it and let it become another way to teach and learn.

[Eagle732 27]

Kinda like the policy my SPL came up with, it's OK to have one but I don't want to see it.

[Eagle732 27]

During our last Camporee competition the rules stated "no handbooks or cell phone apps allowed". Apparently the knot app is very popular among scouts.(This message has been edited by Eagle732)