Programs
General
Weekly Meetings: Each section (beavers, cubs, scouts and venturers) in the 3rd West Vancouver Scout Group holds its weekly meetings at West Vancouver United Church beginning in the 3rd week in September and continuing until mid June. No meetings are held during the weeks on which the West Vancouver Public Schools are not in session.
Family Night: In early March of each year all sections in 3rd West Van gather with parents and sibling for a Family Night during which the youth get a chance to demonstrate their talent and creativity for their family members and other youth members of our group.
Fundraising: Young people join Scouting to have fun and learn things. We therefore try to limit our fundraising to one event per year which is the Scouts Christmas Tree sale which is held at the corner of Taylor Way and Clyde Avenue in West Vancouver. Each youth member and a parent are asked to work a shift at the Christmas tree lot during December.
Beavers
Working cooperatively in small groups is essential to a successful wilderness adventure. With its Motto of Sharing, Sharing, Sharing, the 3rd West Van Scout Group Beaver program is where we begin to lay the foundation for future adventure by encouraging the youth to work cooperatively with each other.
Our meeting facility is less than a block from West Vancouver's Memorial Park. This is where our Beavers get their first opportunity to connect with the natural world. Other outdoor highlights are the April sleepover at the Hollyburn Ridge Scout Cabin and a weekend at Camp Byng on the Sunshine Coast.
Scouts
The 3rd West Van Scout section is where the “out” in Scouting begins to predominate in the program. At their weekly meetings, the Scouts focus on developing both the hard and soft skills which will enable them to hike and camp proficiently.
From fall to spring the Troop will conduct seven-weekend camping trips. In the summer the Scout Troop holds its annual expedition, typically lasting 8 to 9 days. Recent expeditions include cycling on the Kettle Valley rail line from Summerland to Hope, hiking in Cathedral Lakes Park and a combined canoeing and hiking trip in the Great Central Lake/Della Falls area.
Cubs
Exercising leadership and achieving goals are critical skills to pursue wilderness adventure. Becoming a Sixer or Seconder of a Cub Six often provides young people with their first opportunity to be a leader. The badge and star schemes provide a variety of challenges for all youth regardless of whether their passions are athletic, artistic or intellectual. Selecting and achieving badges and stars provides young people with experience in setting and achieving goals.
The 3rd West Van Scout Group Cubs enjoy the outdoors as much as possible during their meetings and spend time in Memorial Park and many of the other fine parks in our community. The Cub Pack also enjoys a weekend of snowplay while overnighting at the Hollyburn Ridge Scout Cabin in February and a weekend at Camp Byng in June.
Venturers
The 3rd West Van Scout Group Venturer program is where the serious adventure takes place. Venturer age youth have the skills and strength to go further into the wilderness and seek out spots away from the crowds. Our Venturer Company camps frequently during the year and conducts a wilderness expedition of 1 to 2 weeks duration each summer.
Venturers are encouraged to be self directed and to take responsibility for planning and implementing their own activities under the guidance of adult leaders who are called advisors.
Recent expeditions have included hiking trips through Monkman Pass and Earl Grey Pass and along the East Beach Trail in Naikoon Park in the Haida Gwaii, as well as an ocean kayaking trip in Desolation Sound.