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The Mansergh:
Scout Jamboree Japan 2015 Chris Larkin and Graham Drabble

World Scout Jamboree

The Diehards have a long history of Scouting and Jamborees but since restarting in 2010 we have had leaders and young people attend Japan and most recently USA (we hope that some will be selected for Korea in 2023 as well, fingers crossed).

The World Scout Jamboree is held generally every 4 years in a different country around the world, it is typically attended by 10s of thousands of Scouts aged between 14 and 18 from around the world (usually more countries attend a Jamboree than an Olympics!).

Since the 1st Jamboree in London in 1920 the event has been held in countries including but not limited to: Denmark, Japan, Netherlands, Philippines, Greece, USA, Australia, South Korea, Chile, Sweden, Thailand and more.World Scout Jamborees of the Past.

World Scout Jamborees are often thought of as the pinnacle of Scouting with two weeks on site and a few days before and after set aside for exploring and meeting people. Meeting other cultures is central to a Jamboree, for those lucky enough to be selected it is the main thing they talk about when they return (and my its hard to stop them talking about their experiences!).

For the most recent Jamboree in the USA, 7 current active members of the Diehards were lucky enough to attend in several roles, we had two Deputy Unit Leaders, an Assistant unit leader, two young people as Unit members and one person on the International Service Team. All those over the age of 14 can apply for roles or unit members and the leader team will keep all involved of when to apply and what roles you may be best suited to.

Units (comprising 4 Leaders and 36 Young People) are allocated by the Contingent Management Team (CMT) and are offered to Counties, the Diehards are in the County GLMW and had two Units that went to the USA, The Sherlock Homies and The Royal Guards.

Our journey to the USA Jamboree started in New York for a whistle stop tour that made its way to the biggest Scout camp site you could possibly imagine in West Virginia. For the two weeks on site our Young People could take part in a tremendous amount of activities including, but not limited to: Assault courses on land and water, rifle and shotgun shooting, cultural activities, big ceremonies, zip wires, archery, paddle boating, canopy courses, BMX, climbing and bouldering, river rafting, skateboarding, sustainability experiences, faith and belief, Global Development Village and a lot of trading (badges, t-shirts, scarfs, bags, friendships, water bottles… the list goes on).

What happens after the Jamboree I hear you ask?

Return home? Not a chance, we then went to Canada to spend a few days with a Canadian Scout Group, not all to the same place either, the entire UK contingent split and each Unit visited a different part of Canada, making each Units experience different.

There is only one downside I am aware of, the post Jamboree blues experienced by most and only quelled when the applications open for the next big adventure.

Chris Larkin, DGSL

8th St Marylebone Scouts' distinctive neckerchief
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