Age group: Older Pioneers/Venturers

How long it will take: 30 - 45 minutes

What materials you will need: Copies of extract from Paul's autobiography Angry Young Man.

The aim of the activity: To learn about the history of democracy in the the Woodcraft Folk

What to do:
The Woodcraft Folk began life in 1925, and was established by Leslie Paul, who was just nineteen at the time. The initial impetus for the new group came after the south London group of young people associated with the Kibbo Kift, a breakaway from the scout movement which had rejected the scout leaders' militaristic outlook, in turn fell out with the Kibbo Kift's charismatic leader John Hargrave. One of the key issues was whether the group could have Leslie Paul as their leader.

Further extracts from Leslie Paul's writings describing this period are available on the Woodcraft Folk's website, (go to the 'archive' section).

In pairs or small groups of four people, role play the discussions which Leslie Paul and friends may have had with John Hargrave and his supporters in 1924.

Prepare for the role play by rehearsing the arguments each might have advanced. For example:

• Because of the legal responsibilities, adults have to be the leaders.
• A youth organisation should have young people in charge
• Older people have more possibilities to find the venue, funds, etc, which the group needs
• Groups need somebody in charge, otherwise nothing gets done.
• People should have the right to elect whoever they want to represent them.
• Young people do not have sufficient experience of the world to necessarily know what's sensible
• The outside world will take the organisation seriously only if it has an adult in charge

After the role play, discuss how it went. If you have time, do it again, this time with the roles reversed.