Hi Martin,

I agree with the person who replied that a youth group is the product of what the leaders make it; I have been in poor ones, good ones and am currently involved in a great one (very functional and outdoor oriented).

In the youth group that I am involved with now the on-person required items for an outdoor event are: folding locking knife or multi-tool, matches in waterproof case, small flashlight, plastic pea-less whistle, notepad and pencil, sunscreen/lip protection, sun glasses, personal identification and a small personal survival kit.

You could teach a survival lesson, the basic one I do takes about an hour, and we follow it up with each student assembling there own small survival kit. I posted what our youth group did here http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=9218&Number=100560#Post100560

Something interesting that I made with the kids years ago was a simple spark-based fire starter.

Take a 1.5" piece of hardwood dowel, angle one end at 45*s and cut a shallow groove lenght-ways on the long side with a hacksaw blade .

Mix-up some 5 minute epoxy and glue about 7 lighter flints into the groove, allow to set. Have the kids print their names on the dowel.

Using a short piece of hacksaw blade, scrape the sparks from the striker into some cotton balls/PJ = Instant fire and a very amazed kid.

Let the child start their own campfire with the sparker-tool and then cook over it (even a marshmellow), to them it is a very big, rewarding accomplishment.

All of the parts of this fire set; dowel/flint striker, mini-hacksaw blade, PJ/cotton balls can be stored in a watertight 35mm film canister (I still have mine from 20 years ago).

This is a great exercise as it involves practicing a lot of useful hands-on skills; measuring, toolcraft, mixing, fire triangle theory, survival, how to build a fire, how to put it out, etc.

You do need to have the responsibility talk with the kids about when a fire is appropriate and when it is not.

Good Luck with your group and have fun!

Mike