IMC SASU Event Terms & Conditions

As a participant on an event run by IMC SASU for Kent Scouts and Guides:

• I understand the Club reserves the right to refuse membership or attendance of any event to any individual. In the event of your application being refused before your participation in any activities, your event fee will be returned.

• I will conduct myself in accordance with the Scout or Guide Laws and will not do anything to bring either Association into disrepute.

• I will behave at all times in a manner which will not put my own safety, or the safety of any other person, at risk.

• I understand that the event leader reserves the right to send any participant home should their conduct and/or attitude fall below that which is expected of them. This may result in me (or my parents if I am under 18) being responsible for making appropriate arrangements for my journey home. Any costs incurred as a result of my early departure from the trip would not be covered by the event fee.

• I understand that if I feel any participant is behaving inappropriately I will inform one of the Scout or Guide Leaders on the trip.

• I will provide myself with the appropriate equipment required to take part in the activities provided safely.

• I am in a fit physical condition to undertake a strenuous weekend.

• I acknowledge that I am responsible for my belongings at all times.

• The 'I.M.C. SASU' will need plenty of notice if you have to cancel your application before the closing date, as it may be difficult to re-fill your place; in the case of this not being possible some / all of your fee may be forfeited. No refunds can be offered if you cancel after the applications closing date.
  
  
• Paid applications for events will be given priority
  
  
• For safety reasons, we discourage participation in adventurous activities followed by a long drive home. However, for those needing to make their own way you will be expected to pay the full fee for the weekend with your application form, with a full / part refund being made after the event, if all the seats on the transport provided were taken.

• The IMC are obliged to keep your application on file after an event. The IMC will store you data in the strictest confidence and it will be properly destroyed after the specified time has elapsed.

• I understand that photos of me may appear on the IMC website and Facebook Page (an opt-out is provided on the application form) and that the IMC will email me regarding future events (an unsubscribe is provided)

You must agree to these terms and conditions on the application from before your application will be accepted.

Age restrictions on trips

We are occasionally asked why events have different age restrictions on our trips, so below is an explanation.

Hillwalking and mountaineering activities require a certain amount of fitness, some specific equipment, a level of self-awareness and certain life skills. It is impossible for the club to know every applicant and how well they may cope with the activity or what equipment and skills they may have. The only way is to generalise and make assumptions based upon a person's age, since the older they are, the more experience they are likely to have. There can of course be situations where a 14 year old is more competent and better prepared than an 18 year old but the chances are that the opposite is true.

General assumptions like this are not ideal but it's the best system that we have. That said, if someone is below an event's age restriction but is known to the organisers to be suitably competent then their application will be considered. The reason that we ask for a Leader's signature on the application form is so that they can offer us some guidance about an applicant's previous skills and experience.

For instance, many of our trips involve camping and self-catering. The organiser needs to be assured that an unknown applicant has the ability to pitch their own tent (usually in the dark) and cook their own food. This would also involve the applicant actually having (access to) a tent and cooking facilities in the first place! Naturally Hill walking leaders on the trip are willing to help people back at camp but they are not there to teach people to camp or to cook, these skills need to have been learned before coming on the trip.

If an applicant's leader or their older sibling is also coming on the trip and is prepared to look after them, then this will also have an effect on how the organiser considers an application from someone below the advertised age limit.

Similarly, decent equipment is essential for the hill: suitable boots, a big enough rucksack and sufficiently robust waterproofs are all considered essential for successful time in the hills. In winter good quality kit is even more vital, especially when it comes to footwear. The problem is that all this kit can be quite an investment, especially for youngsters who are still growing and may need completely new set every two years! The cost of tents, stoves, pans, torches and sleeping bags also adds up and what if having tried it, they decide that they don't like the activity and never want to do it again? Generally the older an applicant is, the more likely they are to have acquired more suitable kit through other scouting activities.

There is no definitive answer to why we have age limits but we hope that this goes some way to explaining. If you have any further questions or would like to discuss things further please use the general enquiry contact from