Vancouver Island Fall Skills Camp
The 2024 Fall Skills Camp will be held October 18-20 at Camp Barnard! Bookmark this page for details as they develop, and join our Discord server to be a part of the team!
The 2024 Fall Skills Camp will be held October 18-20 at Camp Barnard! Bookmark this page for details as they develop, and join our Discord server to be a part of the team!
The Fall Skills Camp takes place annually at Camp Barnard, and is widely recognised as one of the major Scouting events of the year. This camp aims to provide participants with a unique and diverse learning experience, with several stations relevant to Scouting. Unlike Spring Challenge, Fall Skills is geared to be a learning experience, where Scouts will practise and perfect their skills over a three day time period.
Participant and Volunteer registration for the Fall Skills Camp 2024 is now open! See the links below to register for camp.
$20 for youth and $15 for adults until Sept. 13 at 2359;
$25 for youth and $20 for adults from Sept. 14 to Oct.13)
Volunteer Registration: For Volunteer registration, please contact the Event Coordinator, Jesse Poilivere, for further information. Volunteers are not charged.
This year our theme is Force of Nature, exploring the diverse and beautiful natural world around us and the extreme natural disasters that take place.
Seven stations will take place on Saturday, along with the Cooking Skills Test, and Campsite Gate Skills Test. The Bridge Building Skills Test will take place on Sunday, although it is recommended to begin planning for this skill test as soon as you can.
Awards and prizes will be handed out during the camp closing, to not only recognise expertise and success, but also camaraderie, teamwork and selflessness.
Campers will arrive on Friday around 1830 hrs, and will hike into camp. All Scouts must hike in their personal gear. Campsites for Scout Troops are available at Yukon with McKenzie for overflow only.
Due to limited parking, only two vehicles per troop will be allocated parking in Fraser Field. Vehicle parking at Yukon or Skeena will not be permitted.
At 2100 hrs on Friday, an information meeting for Scouters will take place in McKenzie shelter.
To contribute to the pantry for the Cooking Skills Test, all Troops are requested to bring non-perishable food items such as canned beans, canned vegetables, or others. All remaining non perishable food items will be donated to charity following the conclusion of the camp.
1st Aid kit
5-6 staves
1-2 medium sized tarps
1-2 axes
1-2 hatchets
1-2 saws
A sign or banner displaying your Group name
Non perishable food item for the cooking skills test
Twine and rope
Small to mid sized logs (for bridge building)
On Saturday night a magic campfire will take place at McKenzie Field. Here Scouts Troops may be called upon to conduct a song, skit or cheer.
1830 - Intake
2000 - Volunteer info meeting led by Camp Chief & Event Coordinator
2100 - Scouter info meeting led by Camp Chief & Deputy Camp Chief
2300 - Quiet time begins
0700 - Wake up call
0900 - Opening horseshoe
1000 - Head to stations
1010 - Stations begin
1200 - Lunch break
1240 - Stations resume after lunch break
1520 - Stations end and free time begins
1530 - Wide game begins
1700 - Pantry opens and cooking skills test begins
1830 - Judges review meals
1900 - Cooking skill test ends and dinner time / free time begins
2000 - Campfire begins
2300 - Quiet time begins
0700 - Wake up call
0900 - Bridge building skill test begins
1100 - Bridge building skill test ends
1130 - Closing horseshoe and prize winners etc:
1230 - Exhaust
There will be seven stations that Scouts will take part in throughout the day, located throughout Camp Barnard. These stations will focus on demonstrating specific Scouting skills, with Scouters able to assist and coach if need be. Scouts will be scored based on their improvement and scouting spirit at the station (see scoring explanation below).
On the final morning of camp the Scouts will participate in the bridge building skill test (more details below). Scouters are permitted to assist their youth, within reason.
The First Aid Station will provide Scout groups with the skills to effectively respond to a variety of first aid scenarios, while utilising correct techniques and maintaining a calm and collected mindset. This station will require knowledge of basic first aid.
The Fire Building Station will provide Scout groups with the skills to build, light and maintain small warming or cooking fires. This station will require knowledge of fire building using a limited supply of wood, and fire lighting with a limited supply of ignition sources.
The Axes & Saws Station will provide Scout groups with the skills to safely and effectively separate wood using axes, hatchets and saws. This station will require knowledge of proper handling and safety of tools.
The Temporary Shelters Station will provide Scout groups with the skills to construct temporary shelters in a limited frame of time, with limited resources. This station will require knowledge of knot tying, lashing, shelter planning and execution.
This station is still being developed but details will be provided shortly.
The Archery Station will provide scout groups with the skills to shoot targets with accuracy and precision, using the classic recurve bow. This station will require knowledge of proper safety and operation of an archery range.
The Ham Radio & Camp Cooking Station will provide scout groups with the skills to communicate over radio networks, and to safely use camp stoves to cook some basic meals. This station will require knowledge of radios, camp stoves and basic cooking.
Each Scout group will be marked on their improvement throughout the course of a station, and their scouting spirit. Be advised, bribing will no longer be able to affect your score. Please note that contrary to prior years, scores will be recorded by the station leaders and revealed to scouts at the end of camp.
Improvement refers to a Scout troop’s positive change in ability while at a station. When first beginning a station, if a troop improves throughout their time there, they will receive a higher improvement score. A scout group’s improvement at a station, shall be marked out of 5, with a 1 for minimal improvement, and a 5 for maximum. A group shall not receive below a 1 for improvement.
Scouting Spirit refers to a scout group’s ability to work together as a team, while maintaining good morale and enthusiasm. A scout group’s scouting spirit at a station, shall be marked out of 5, with a 1 for minimal teamwork and enthusiasm, and a 5 for maximum. If a group fails to complete the station due to lack of teamwork, they shall receive a 0.
The Campsite Gate Skill Test encourages Scout Troops to personalise and decorate their campsite, which promotes creativity and helps serve as an identifier for that troop. A campsite must have a gate for judges visiting the camp to enter/exit, and should display the Scout Troop’s name if possible. We recommend inspiration be drawn from environmental notice boards, which detail information about natural environments, and state warnings about the natural disasters that could occur there.
The Campsite Gate Skill Test will be scored based upon creativity, and will be judged at the same time as the Cooking Skill Test.
The Cooking Skill Test will give Scouts a chance to demonstrate their culinary skills, with the added challenge of choosing from a limited supply of ingredients. Each group will receive a set of base ingredients with which to prepare a meal. Scout groups will use tickets, received based upon the number of Scouts registered, to purchase the remainder of their food with which to prepare a meal. The pantry will stock several donated non-perishable food items.
Participants in the cooking skill test will have approximately 1 hour to prepare their meal, and must use only ingredients purchased or received from the pantry, with the exception of cooking oil, salt or pepper.
The cooking skill test will be scored based on presentation, taste, and creativity. Please note that if your dish is not prepared by the time the judges come around, you may lose marks.
The Bridge Building Skill test presents Scout Troops with the task of building a small bridge capable of withstanding the weight of the entire Troop crossing, though not necessarily all at the same time. Scout Troops must construct their bridge using materials that they have brought with them, as scavenging from the campground is not permitted in this instance.
The Bridge Building Skill Test will take place on Sunday, and will be the final event before the closing of the camp.
The Bridge Building Skill Test will be scored based upon construction. A bridge must hold up to an inspection of its construction, and must be constructed primarily from staves, logs and rope or twine. In your bridge you must include at least four sound lashings which contribute to the structure of your bridge and some sort of sign, flag or banner indicating your troop’s name.Your bridge may not be constructed with pre-cut lumber, plywood or metal plating.
Scout Troops must construct their bridge at camp, within the two hour parameters given for this skill test.
The Fall Skills Camp Chiefs are asking for volunteers to run stations for the Fall Skills Camp. The initial plan is for seven stations, but if we have more volunteers, then additional stations will be considered.
Venturer Companies or Rover Crews that would like to run a station are advised to consult the list of available stations (see above), and register before the end of September.
If your Group volunteers to run a station, you will be responsible for formulating how that station will run, marking Scout participants at your station, and organising your team to run the station.
Each Scout Troop will have a maximum 20 min at your station. Since this is a skills focused camp, these stations must have a demonstration period for volunteer at your station to show the Scouts what they will be doing. This will be at your discretion, but it is recommended that this take between 5-10 minutes, and fully explain the skills at your station.
Please contact Camp Chief James Petersen (petersenjames248@gmail.com), or Deputy Camp Chief Paul Nicholson (paulh2006@icloud.com) to volunteer or for further details.
Stay safe and be prepared!
For questions regarding Fall Skills Camp 2024, please contact Camp Chief James Petersen (petersenjames248@gmail.com), or Deputy Camp Chief Paul Nicholson (paulh2006@icloud.com).
When: October 18, 6:30pm - October 20, 12:30pm 2024
Where: Camp Barnard, 3202 Young Lake Rd., Sooke
Media inquiries, please contact Naina Trivedi: naina.trivedi@scouts.ca
Scouts Canada Charity Number: 107761694RR0028