You have come this far so we obviously haven't managed to scare you away! Below we hope to answer some of your questions regarding Network, what it is, what we do and hope that you will come along to find out more.

So what is Network? Network is for 18-25 year olds and is the oldest section within the Scout Association UK offering opportunities for personal development and adventurous activities.

What do you do in Network? You can do anything you want (within reason). Networks are involved in activities as wide ranging as kayaking, rock climbing, water skiing, international projects in places as inspiring as Chile, Libya and Italy, work with young people and help within the local community... the list of activities, projects and events is almost endless. You and your Network decide what activities you do. Everyone is encouraged to take part and to help out by organising evenings/activites. You can see some of the previous activities that the unit have taken part in on the Past Events and Photos pages. You can also find more on our Facebook page.

So who runs the unit? The unit is run by a committee elected from and by the unit on an annual basis and therefore you as a unit decide and organise what activities you do. The unit also has two leaders, Doug and Iain, who provide support.

Hold on, - you mentioned leaders - if Network runs itself why are there leaders? Contrary to popular belief, the leaders are not there to tell the unit what to do (although there are some activities that are not permitted under Scout Association rules). They are there to provide the unit with appropriate support; be it in developing your programme, planning an activity, providing the initial link to other sections, specialist activity instructors, training support, or simply to provide backup when things get tough.

Scouts is all about badges isn't it? Scouting is all about you as an individual developing and at the same time meeting new people and having a great time. Along the way you can work towards your Queen's Scout and Duke of Edinburgh's award which both make a great impact on your CV. The aim is that through the acitivties and adventures you take part in Network, sections of each award scheme are signed off. There are also opportunites to develop interests further such as achieving nationally recognised standards in outdoor pursuits for example with the British Canoe Union.

This all sounds great, how much does it cost? Ah, yes, wondered when the money question would arise. As a member of the Scout Association there is a yearly membership fee of around £25 which covers HQ adminsitration costs and insurance costs. All members from the ages of 6 upwards have to pay this fee. In addition the Unit itself has a twice yearly subscription to help cover the costs of running the unit. The costs of both of these are kept as low as possible. These subscription fees do not cover all the costs of weekly meetings and camps (e.g. if the unit go bowling or dry slop skiing, expect an additional meeting fee). One way of reducing additional costs is through unit fundraising, e.g. bag packing at local supermarkets.

So when do the unit meet? The unit meets on a weekly basis, normally Wednesday evenings in and around the Guildford and Godalming areas. Weekend events are also organsied either locally or further away. Other events and camps occur throughout the year and may involve travelling to meet other Netowrk units around the country.

I can't make every week due to work - can I still be a member? Yes. It is entirely up to you how invovled you get within Network. Whatever your other committments you will always get a warm reception at the next Network event. Currently many of our members work full time, some work varying shifts, and others are away studying but come back during holidays. The unit try their best to get as many people involved and are particularly aware that some people need to book leave several weeks in advance. We even have members with seasonal work in Spain, working in Gibraltor and working in Scotland.

Anything else I need to know? To be a member of Scout Network you need to obtain a satisfactory clearance through the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). This is nothing to be concerned about and the check does not cost you. As you may have interaction with younger sections when at local/county events, or if you decide to take on a volunteering role with a younger section, eveyone must be checked against the various criminal record databases. It is important that you tell us if you suspect something may turn up on the return - just beacuse something may come up (e.g. a speeding offence) it does not mean that you cannot be a member of Scout Network.

Now what? Have a look at our programme and then drop us a line at info@loki-nsu.org.uk to find out further details.