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What is the Essex Experience?The Essex Experience weekend is a multi-activity camp for young people, aged 12 to 15. The young people live under canvas in sub-camps and are supervised by teams of volunteers who act as leaders and role models to the young people. All the young people and the leaders have the opportunity to try exciting and challenging activities such as go-karts, archery, abseiling, climbing, canoeing, rafting, arts and crafts. All the activities are supervised by qualified instructors / specialists. First established in 1996, the event takes place in September each year. It is held at Skreens Park, the Essex Scout campsite near Chelmsford. Support for the event, in the form of project management, training and logistics, is provided by a large team of adults from Essex Scouting and other organisations, all of whom are volunteers. The volunteers who lead the young people are recruited from businesses, local authorities, community groups and other organisations from Essex. The volunteers attend a five-day residential training course, run by skilled Scout and external trainers, immediately prior to the weekend which gives them the necessary skills to lead the young people. The Challenge Camp, an important, integral and growing part of the Essex Experience, is comprised of separate sub-camps run by teams of experienced Scout leaders and older Scouts. It is held the weekend prior to the Essex Experience weekend and enables young people and volunteers who have taken part in previous Essex Experiences to return and further develop important life skills. The Challenge Camp combines the fun and excitement of camping and adventurous activities with the opportunity for young people to further interact with young adults who are not figures of authority and who become friends and mentors to the young people during the weekend. |
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