Nights away with younger sections
Explore resources and ideas to support you to take our youngest sections on a night away.
Nights away with younger sections
FS120073 Published February 2026, replacing October 2024.
Before beginning your Nights Away process, please check with your Lead Volunteer or Nights Away Assessor or Approver to confirm the correct procedure that you should follow.
Districts are in the process of moving all approvals of Nights Away to within the new digital membership system. As a result, your County/District may implement this process right away or choose to wait until closer to the transition date (deadline to be determined). At the District's discretion, you can still use the existing systems (downloadable nights away notification form or local digital solution).
For more information about the changes, please visit the Volunteer Experience webpages.
Nights away are an important part of the Scouts programme and badge work, offering new opportunities and experiences to our members.
Any nights away experience for young people needs to be led by an adult holding an appropriate Nights Away Permit.
Working with your local Nights Away Assessor, you’ll decide what the path to completing your permit looks like. It'll vary depending on your experience, but they’ll be there to support you along the way. This is a great way to build your confidence and learn new skills and about how to run a safe residential activity.
There are some helpful questions and answers to guide you through some of the unknown ground.
Remember that a good team makes for a great event. Plan together with other volunteers from your team and ask other permit holders in your Group or District about what they have done that worked well.
A theme for the residential is a good foundation, and start simple. Have shorter events closer to home, before reaching out and being a bit more ambitious.
Take a look at these Nights Away pages to explore ideas for planning, running and reviewing your nights away experiences.
This guidance is specifically aimed at those who work with younger members, offering hints and tips which will be useful along the way.
This doesn’t replace the bank of resources available to support all members with nights away activities.
To watch in full screen, double click the video
Amazing event, the Squirrels were engaged with plenty of leader and young leader support. Lots of careful planning and communication. Squirrels were awesome and just got on with everything showing Squirrels are more than capable of sleepovers/camp
Volunteer on a Squirrel nights away pilot
The Beavers were so excited to be outdoors and joining in with such a big adventure. They wanted to try every activity available to them. They felt so grown up, getting into their tents and ‘being just like Scouts’.
Volunteer after Beaver camp.
Don't forget to check out the nights away staged badge.