FEES

The costs of being a Scout include:

  • Scouts Australia (NSW Branch) fees (see below for details)
  • 1st Murrumbateman Scout Group fees (see below for details)
  • Activity Charges – Additional charges are levied for various activities. These charges vary according to the duration, location and nature of the activity, and any transport and food provided. Examples are $15 to go ten-pin bowling, $60 for a weekend camp, or $1800 for the 12-day Australian Jamboree held in SA in January 2019.
  • Uniforms, clothing, shoes and equipment – These include the cost of the uniform shirt, and other clothing and shoes suitable for outdoor activities. As your child progresses through their scouting journey, and undertakes more complex activities (such as canoeing, camping and hiking), you may choose to buy additional equipment such as sleeping bag, hiking tent, backpack, dehydrated meals, GPS unit, etc. We often find ways to share equipment to minimise these extra expenses for parents. However, some scouting youth members prefer their own equipment (these items can make for great presents for birthdays, graduations, and religous festivals).

How the fees are determined.

The fees that are payable for each youth member include two components:

  1. Scouts NSW Branch fees.
  2. 1st Murrumbateman Scout Group fees.

Our Treasurer combines both the Branch and Group fees into one invoice, although each type of fee is separately itemised in that invoice.

At this time, the invoices are being issued at the start of each term to cover that term. Once the COVID19 situation stabilises or reduces, fee invoices may revert back to six-monthly.

The Group cannot operate without funds. Our primary source of funds (and only source during COVID19 restrictions on fund-raising activities) is through our very reasonable fees. Therefore, we ask that each family pay the due fees as soon as possible after receiving the invoice, or contact us to make a suitable payment arrangement.

Scouts NSW Branch fees.

These are levied on all members of Scouts NSW to cover the expenses of the operation of the scouting program at the state level, including: the software that we use to conduct aspects of the scouting program, insurance, compensation cover for participants, salaries of the paid support staff in NSW Branch headquarters and each regional headquarters, and other whole-of-program costs.

Scouts Australia (NSW Branch) is a membership organisation, so fees are payable for each term that a person is listed as a member in the Scouts NSW online database – that is, from the date of joining until our Group Leader is formally advised of a person’s resignation and enters that resignation into the database. Fees are due as at the date of each Scouts NSW quarterly census (see below). This cost is charged to, and initially paid by, the Group. If a family does not pay the Branch fees then every other family in the Group must pay those fees instead (through our Group fees). Therefore, we ask that each family pay the fees invoiced as soon as possible in order to reimburse the Group for the money already paid to NSW Branch.

If your child is not going to attend Scouts in the next term, please let the Unit leader or Group Leader know at least five days before that next term’s census date. If not, your child will be automatically included in the census and charged the Branch fee for the next term. Census dates are usually 1st January, 1st April, 1st July and 1st October each year, but may change slightly (hence the need for the notice five days in advance).

Branch fees may be reduced through the use of the NSW Government’s Active Kids Rebate (see below).

1st Murrumbateman Scout Group fees.

These are levied on all members of the 1st Murrumbateman Scout Group by the Group, and are separate from the Branch fees. These fees enable the Group to cover its operating expenses, such as hire of the hall, insurance payable to NSW Branch, building of our new hall, registration of our trailers, repair and replacement of equipment, uniform items (scarf, woggle and badges) for each member, training of our uniformed leaders, and more. Fund-raising events and donations help to lower the Group fees.

The Group Support Committee determines the quarterly fee payable for each youth member for each term.

Support to families to pay fees.

We understand that some families may find it difficult at times to pay scouting fees. There is support available to families to help cover Branch and/or Group fees, including:

You can also discuss your concerns with either the Group Leader or the Chair of the Group Support Committee. Together, we can make a mutually suitable payment arrangement.