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EDNA SMALLWOOD
Secratery
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ANNE WEIGHELL
Accompanist

EXTENSION SCOUTING

What is Extension Scouting? It is providing scouting for the boy who has special needs. Mainly, this means scouting for the handicapped boy. How is this achieved?

The policy of the Scout Association is as far as possible to integrate the handicapped boy into the ordinary pack, troop or unit. However, at times it is more practicable to run special packs or troops, and in Cleveland County there are two cub packs based on special schools: one at the Endeavour School, Ormesby, and one at the Thornhill School, Hartlepool. Both these schools cater for physically handicapped and delicate children. In addition, the 10th Middlesbrough Scout Troop caters for children who are deaf or partially hearing as well as for the "ordinary" boy.

The County has a committee who are responsible for "Extension Scouting". One of the yearly tasks of this Committee is to give the handicapped boy the opportunity of "going to camp". The Committee have therefore, for the past tive years, organised an annual camp for handicapped boys, and on average sixteen to twenty handicapped boys attend each camp. Last year sixteen handicapped boys attended, twelve of whom were in wheelchairs. These camps, which are held at residential schools, are organised as far as possible in the same way as the ordinary troop camp. The handicapped boys are in patrols with "ordinary" scouts—an exercise in integration which works exceptionally well.

Jim Smallwood,
Assistant County Commissioner
Extension Scouting.