Not so Dyb dyb dyb anymore! (Scouts)

Member Name: LastLine

Product:	Scouts
Date:	04/07/09 (90 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Whatever you make of it - huge range of activities, great people, open minds.

Disadvantages: Impractical Scout uniform

--History--

The Scouts are the largest co-educational youth movement in the world. Founded in 1907 by Robert Baden-Powell (Henceforth BP). BP took a group of young boys from a wide range of backgrounds to Brownsea Island, off the coast of the UK. Here he taught them a range of skills learnt from his background in the . After this initial camp Scout groups around the country soon sprouted up and quite by accident BP had started the World Scout Movement.

Today one hundred and two years on the Scout movement is going from strength with over 28 million members in over 216 countries around the globe.

--Current Structure--
Although the structure of the Scout movement varies from country to country the current UK structure has been in place for somewhere in the region of 8 years now and spans from the age of six upwards.

6-8 years
Beaver Scouts.
The Beavers Scouts are the youngest age range in Scouting, the uniform consists of a turquoise sweatshirt with a group neck scarf, a rolled piece of material in the colours of the local Scout group. This is usually expected to be worn with activity trousers which are navy blue and quite robust for rough and tumble activities but many groups make exceptions on this as it can be quite expensive - the top half of the uniform is usually essential.

The Beavers follow a kind of 'entry level' Scouting experience. Badges include (but are not limited to) swimming, adventure, faith, hobbies and various challenge badges. The activity badges are usually quite simple to achieve whereas the challenge badges may take weeks or months to complete depending on the individual complexity and the ability and enthusiasm of the child.

Nights away at this age are limited to 24 hours, this is due to various laws relating to the amount of time a child is permitted to be away from their parents, however if a group wishes to run a longer trip away parents with appropriate checks can be permitted to accompany their children.

8-10.5
--Cubs--
At the age of 8 a Beaver will typically transfer to the Cub section, this section is where I started my Scouting career (and spent many years as an adult leader in time).

The Cubs uniform is much the same as the Beavers, but consists of a dark green sweatshirt instead of the turquoise. Many of the same badges still exist but are enlarged to a range of thirty plus to allow a greater range of experiences.

Residential experiences in Cubs are also expanded, due to the older age ranges the Cubs can go away for longer periods. I know that when I work with the cubs we typically offered three weekends away a year, one indoors and a couple under canvas, but this typically varies and each group can offer as many or as few as they wish.

10.5-14.5
--Scouts--
The Scout section is the next level in Scouting, this section replaces the coloured sweatshirt with a teal/bottle green button up shirt or blouse - girls are welcome to wear either but obviously the options are there. The shirt is actually somewhat impractical so a lot of Scouts wear a t-shirt or similar underneath so once the opening ceremonies are over they can strip down to something more practical. The activity trousers again carry across and a brown leather belt is usually part of the uniform at this stage, as is again the group necker.

Scouts tend to become a bit more autonomous with their activities, greater freedom is allowed to them although is still under leader supervision to a greater or lesser extent - for example: 'Patrol activities' are part of an introduction to the 'troop' with new Scouts being encouraged to take part in a small activity with members of their immediate group (the patrol) in an aim to help them bond - this might be spending time at the park, going swimming, visiting the local shops - anything really. Leaders don't usually attend on this activity in an aim to offer independence. Similarly 'Patrol Camps' can be run by the young people provided it is fully checked out by leaders before hand.
On a similar note residential experiences tend to get a bit more adventurous at this age often involving journeying to the site, or possibly going abroad but the only limit here really is imagination and funding.

14-18
--Explorer Scouts--
The Explorers go from being a local group based section so are typically based at 'District' level, which essentially means there's a couple of units in each town.

Explorers are very similar to Scouts, the shirt changes from green to brown but the major difference is the fact that Explorers are intended to be independent with only minor supervision from the leaders. Also available in this section is the opportunity to be a 'Young Leader' this is a leadership training scheme designed to help young people into becoming adult leaders in time. This allows the Young Leaders to work under supervision of adult leaders with young people in the younger aged sections completing a training scheme that in turn leads into the adult leader training scheme which can provide nationally recognised qualifications.

Explorers can also complete the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme.

18-25
--Scout Network--
At age 18 Scouting considers you an adult and you can therefore do...well almost anything. You can be a leader, a helper, site crew and/or Scout Network.

Scout Network is essentially an evolutionary development from both Scouts and Explorers, only due to being 18 members can self consent therefore the requirement for adult leaders is gone. Meetings are usually less frequent due to adult member's greater commitments (i.e. family, work. Sadly as it stands Network is still failing as a whole as it seems to find it difficulty to attract members regularly enough to make events work, some counties have it right and working but most are still struggling.

18+
--Adult Scouting--
Scouting doesn't stop at 18, there are a number of roles that you can take part in as an adult.
-Leader-
Working with the youth sections to help them take part in activities. Roles can vary from a small role of an hour or two a week to helping coordinate several sections as a group scout leader.

-Fellowship-
Fellowship are a group of adult volunteers who help out at larger events and can help out in various events as needed.

There are of course dozens of other jobs, it really is endless - you name it and Scouting will have a position for it. There are even a few paid positions within the movement, mostly based at Gilwell Park in the South of England but these are fewer than the unpaid.



---My Personal Experiences---

I've been in Scouting on and off since the age of 8, joining as a Cub Scout. I had a brilliant team of leaders who provided what was at the time a cutting edge programme and a number of residential experiences. I love Cubs and made some good friends during that time, and due to my leadership roles of late I was still in contact with many of the leaders until recently.

I moved into Scouting at the age of 10.5 and left eventually at 12.5. I felt the Scout troop I was with offered too little direction to it's members sadly and due to certain members of the Scout troop also bullying me at school I left the troop.

A few months before my 18th birthday I happened to visit my old Scout troop to drop off some paperwork to a friend of my mum. Noticing how short they were on adult support I offered to stay around and help out, this eventually turned into a regular comittment and I spent time working as a Beaver leader and then in turn a Cub leader - a role I've held for five years now. I know it might sound strange to someone from outside the movement but I have actually found giving back in a leadership role to be much more rewarding than being a member. Having the responsibility to these young people and offering them the activities that they want to do has actually made my life much richer over the last few years and made me more friends than I can remember, from both local areas, around the country, and even as far away as Namibia in Africa.

Currently I find myself non-directly involved in Scouting, I moved last year and have as of yet to settle myself into a new group fully but do fully intend to in the near future - Scouting has a lot to offer in exchange only for a bit of your time, it's provided me with a lot of consistency over the last years and I can genuinely say I wouldn't be where I am today without it.

--Gender--
It's worth pointing out that Scouting does have a stereotype of being 'Boy Scouts' and for a number of years has been. In the late 80's (or possibly early 90's, I actually forget) groups were given the option of allowing girls in, some choosing to and others not, however it's interesting to note that at the founding of Scouting RBP was actually in favour of girl Scouts but Edwardian views at the time didn't actually allow him to do so, hence the founding of the Girl Guides, but as of the first of January 2007 (long overdue) all sections of Scouting have to make allowance for both genders, something I feel to be a truely positive move. This does only apply to the UK still however, and there is some allowance for single gender sections were culturally appropriate (i.e. for religious reasons.)

--Jamborees--

I feel that Jamborees are worthy of a particular mention - the World Scout Jamboree in particular. The World Scout Jamboree (WSJ) is a gathering of Scouts between 14 and 18 from around the world. The most recent of these was held for the 100th anniversary of Scouting in 2007 and interestingly enough was also the 21st such event.

WSJ's are held every four years (occasionally three and a half to four and a half depending on when in the year) and the venue is chosen in an Olympic-esque bidding style with each country's NAtional Scout Organisation putting to the World Headquarters what it feels it can offer as a host. The events themselves can see up to 40,000 young people gather with the UK Jamboree in 07 having 40,000 participants with at least one member from each of the 216 Scouting countries world wide - the largest ever youth gathering in the history of the world. I was fortunate enough to take a group of Explorer Scouts on this Jamboree for the full fortnight and I have to say I have never been in such a peaceful place in all my life. Somehow everyone just got along, the sharing of a common goal and view of life making the language barriers unimportant. It was truely great to see groups of countries that you couldn't imagine working together helping discuss ways to eradicate poverty, bring about peace, celebrate our similarities - have a dance and learn a song, and as of course there were a huge number of adult supporters? Share a beer at the bars!

I haven't written much about the personal development that Scouting offers people as I don't want to sound like I'm preaching, but I think the last paragraph says a lot - how is it that our governments can't sort this out when our young people can - Scouting creates some truly open minded, flexible and free-willed thinkers who have a love for life and each other.

Scouting may be seen as old fashioned and a bit camp, but give it a chance and you'll soon find otherwise - it's the 21st Century, and Scouting's there leading the way for young people around the globe.


Not a part of the review but I'd like to just leave with the letter that Robert Baden-Powell left his Scouts on his passing in 1941 as I feel it shows something of Scouting's motivations and ideologies.

Dear Scouts - if you have ever seen the play 'Peter Pan' you will remember how the pirate chief was always making his dying speech because he was afraid that possible, when the time came for him to die, he might not have time to get it off his chest. It is much the same with me, and so, although I am not at this moment dying, I shall be doing so one of these days and I want to send you a parting word of goodbye.
Remember, it is the last time you will ever hear from me, so think it over.
I have had a most happy life and I want each one of you to have a happy life too.
I believe that God put us in this jolly world to be happy and enjoy life. Happiness does not come from being rich, nor merely being successful in your career, nor by self-indulgence. One step towards happiness is to make yourself healthy and strong while you are a boy, so that you can be useful and so you can enjoy life when you are a man.
Nature study will show you how full of beautiful and wonderful things God has made the world for you to enjoy. Be contented with what you have got and make the best of it. Look on the bright side of things instead of the gloomy one.
But the real way to get happiness is by giving out happiness to other people. Try and leave this world a little better than you found it and when your turn comes to die, you can die happy in feeling that at any rate you have not wasted your time but have done your best. 'Be Prepared' i this way, to live happy and to die happy - stick to your Scout Promise always - even after you have ceased to be a boy - and God help you to do it.
Your friend,
Robert Baden-Powell

Trivia Note: The old Dyb Dyb Dyb saying actually stands for "Do your best, Do your best, Do your best."

Summary: A truely global movement for young people of any age.