SCOUT ASSOCIATION Western Australian Branch SCOUT YOUTH FORUM 1994 Lion's Dryandra Forest Village 11 - 15 July INTRODUCTION The young people who attend the Youth Forum should be used to help design activities for various scouting events to lessen the burden on leaders. We should work together with them as this Youth Forum as well as the previous ones has shown that they are capable of the tasks when given the chance to prove themselves. The members at the Youth Forum were itching to help sell this document to their respective districts as they were proud of what they had produced. As adult leaders we need to look to the young people for inspiration to help develop programs and show the community the need for scouting today. Getting the youth involved in the decision making at this level can only enhance scouting which demonstrates that the scouting Aims and Principles are prevalent in today's society. This document is the final result of five days hard work, the Scouts formulated it into statements that can be looked at again and again to see if we as leaders are creating the right atmosphere that is conducive to help todays youth learn from scouting and become adventurous and productive people in the community. Use this document and those from previous Youth Forums from time to time as a reference for the Troop Council who may need to change direction to enhance the learning process and to enthuse them with new ideas. This document has been designed as a working paper as it offer different ideas to continue an ongoing process within the troop. The decision to hold the Youth Forum at Dryandra was a raging success as eleven scouts from the country attended and contributed a great deal, we had six girls attend who contributed lots of good information. The age break down was 11 year olds - 1 12 year olds - 5 13 year olds - 17 14 year olds - 9 and there were 21 P.L.s 7 A.P.L. They formed themselves into groups and devised names for their group, Gnome Tim Nicol Peter Elrick Scott Walton Simon Marshall Megan Thomson Ryan Durell A.C.M.S.P.T. Annique Moir Carl Bielawski Scott Beevers Paul Edwards Tristan Barugh Michael Galbraith T.N.T. Michael Bennett Jamie Blake Tristan Barker Matthew Markey Robin Moss Laith Tapper Johnny Whoops Club Nathan Tomms Maree Lim Robert Williamson Neil Dennis Ben Boyd Glen Brayshaw Anti-Beanie Association Jason Traynor Mark Wigmore Chris Higham Stacey Harrison Kylie Carver Purdey Armstrong Douglas Markey The facilitators were Michael Goodall Venturer - Westfield, Helen Suiter Venturer Leader Westfield, Ann Colquoun Scout Leader Eastern Hills, Tiny Small D.S.L. Fremantle District and bus driver. The person who filled our bellies with great delights was Rosa Elrick G.L. 2nd Bunbury with out whose culinary delights we would not have survived the week. On the Friday Derek and Doris Martin and Brian Court accepted the invitation to attend the final day of the Youth Forum to hear the conclusions that were developed over the week. The presenters were: Ben Boyd Patrol System Chris Higham Image Annique Moir Patrol Leader Tristan Barker Learning Process Tim Nicol Sleeping arrangements Many thanks to all the participants for contributing to this very workable document, so go out there and sell it to your district and thanks to the parents for allowing their young people to attend the Youth Forum. Phillip Nieuwenhuis Youth Forum '94 Co-ordinator THE PATROL SYSTEM The Patrol System of today has changed from when scouting first started because there is more organisation and leadership needed to run the Troop today. Scout Leaders have too much input rather than supporting to the Patrol Leaders in developing their patrols to function as they should. In today's society the patrol system still is relevant and has a strong place in developing patrol leaders to run programs with the help of the scout leaders. Recommendations After the discussion on the topic with all groups at the Youth Forum these recommendations were finalised and concluded as to how the Patrol System should function in today's society. * The Troop Council must consist of a Chairperson, Secretary, Treasure and Quartermaster with real jobs to perform. * P.L. Seminars should run twice a year with the invitation extended to P.L.s, A.P.L.s and potential P.L.s. * P.L.s should delegate jobs so no one feels left out but feel they are part of the whole patrol. * The A.P.L. needs to help the P.L. in his/her role to help the younger scouts through teaching or assisting the younger scouts to achieve their goals. * The A.P.L. is to act as the quartermaster and there is no need for any other patrol members to have jobs in the patrol such as a secretary. * Scouts should treat the P.L. and A.P.L. with respect and also be friends to develop that patrol spirit. * The patrol should work as a team within the troop. * Have patrol meetings to set the guidelines and activities that the patrol as a whole will do. * All ideas for activities and camps should come from the patrol and go to troop council. * Within the Troop communication has to be developed better eg. from the Patrol to the Troop Council and back to the Patrol. * Challenges and goals should be set by P. L. and A.P.L. for the patrol. * P.L. should give scouts responsibilities and encourage them more as well and helping them to achieve their own goals. * P.L.s have to be organised and have to co-operate within the patrol for the patrol to work. * Scouts should be able to change patrols only under special circumstances and not by choice such as a riff with people in their patrol. * Troop Council needs to be held regularly, about once a month and P.L.'s should report what the patrol plans to do and report back any decisions or events that will effect them. * Scout Leaders should be advising P.L.s and the P.L.'s should be teaching the younger scouts instead of the leaders. * The Patrol Leader is voted in by the patrol and Troop Council ratifies the decision. * The relationship between scouts and leaders needs to be improved as leaders need to listen to scout's suggestions and help them go in the right direction. * The patrol system should be the same for each troop so that when a scout transfers to an other troop or to another district he/she will be able to interact with that troop. * P.L.s should handle the discipline and if he is unable to handle the problem then the Scout leader should be consulted. The Troop Council should decide the punishment and how to administer it in consultation with the leaders. THE IMAGE OF SCOUTING The Youth Forum felt scouting should be promoted more to remove the misconceptions people have about scouting today and the purpose it serves in the community. This way we as scouts would feel proud to wear the uniform in public without being picked upon by our peers. In the main it was felt that the promotion of scouting was everyone's job from the scouts to the troops, groups, parents, district and branch and not just branch or the troop. We have formulated some suggestions that may help to improve the image of scouting, these suggestions are not the be all and the end all of ideas but only a starting point that can be expanded upon to suit the individual needs depending on the group doing the promoting. These are some of the misconceptions people hold about scouting that we need to dispel. * Help old people in their chores. * All we do is tie knots and things like that. * Scouting is only for boys * Do good turns all the time (goody to shoes image) * Scouts are scabs when it comes to fundraising. * The uniform has a misconceived notion about it. The way we suggest to promote the image of scouting - If we were to advertise on T.V. some of the scouting activities then people would see scouting in a different light. - Paint a mural on a wall or a bus stop of scouting activities. - Do scout activities in public or at school fetes. - Have radio advertisements. - Make up pamphlets and distribute them at Primary Schools because that is where we need to concentrate because at this age children can be enthused. - Put up displays at libraries, shopping centres and the Royal Show. - Scouting needs a new phrase instead of "Scouting is fun". Something that is more catchy because times have changed. The slogan needs to be a little more catching to drag in more members. - Have T.V. Commercials to show the fun side of scouting. - The wearing of the uniform during the activities on the commercials needs to be considered. Instead wear a T Shirt saying where they are from, such as the troop name on the front and a scouting theme on the back, promoting scouting in that manner. - Scouts themselves go down to the primary schools and talk to the classes about scouting at their level. - If place is seen where scouting can be promoted then let Branch or Troop know so something can be done about it. Displays that could be made up to promote scouting. - Pictures of scouts everywhere eg. Jamboree - Badge display of what is achieved by the members of the movement. - Handbooks on display indicating the type of activities each section learn or participate in. - Limit the number of uniformed photos but show the activity clothes worn when having fun. - Set up a working campsite with activities of cooking, chopping wood, camp gadgets and flying fox (Aerial run ways) - Have a big screen video so it can be visually seen by passers by to catch their attention so they stop and look at the display. - Set up guided tours of scouting activities. Most of these misconceptions can be changed through advertising and promoting, eg. getting celebrities to do adverts, but it must be done in the right way. On the money side of things, advertising can become expensive, the promotion needs to be studied carefully to decide it is needed. THE PATROL LEADERS OF TODAY It was felt at the Youth Forum that the Patrol leaders of today still have the same needs as when Scouting first began but the Patrol Leader needs more managerial skills in controlling the patrol as well as the Troop. Overall the members of the Youth Forum thought it would be better to have one Patrol Leaders course a year or a few one day courses through the year. The skills required for Patrol Leaders are: - Leadership skills (show the leadership skills) - Experience e.g. knots, lashings, catering, camp programs, things they need to teach patrol members. - Listening skills (members of the patrol) - Responsibility (honesty, punctuality) - Motivation (how to motivate the patrol members) - Open mindedness (when taking patrol ideas to the troop council) - Delegation (being able to organise the whole patrol) - Must set a good example to Patrol Leaders - Regular training (camps for P.L.s only and at Troop Council) - Communication Skills (to both members and Leaders) - The function of the Troop Council and how to do the jobs. - Self esteem (of self and patrol members) - Teaching skills (the knowledge of how to teach to the members) - Discipline (know how and when to punish members) Scout Leaders Scout Leaders should be supportive to the Patrol leaders and Assistant Patrol leaders and vice versa. The Scout Leader should give the Patrol leaders and the assistant patrol leaders more say in programming and running regular Troop Councils. THE LEARNING PROCESS IN SCOUTING Scouting is all about incorporating learning into activities so that scouts know the skills they use inside and outside. This enables scouts to look back on activities to remember how to do it and to have fun in the process of learning the skill. (learn from mistakes) Some of the ways to develop this learning process are: * Use games to gain badges. * Have an emphasis on scouts being challenged eg. make working objects that are achievable. * Make sure there is a balance between games and badge work to gain that working knowledge. * Organise P.L.s to teach Cub Scouts about Scouts by visiting the Cub Pack eg. running a mini Troop night. * Ensure that scouts put forward their ideas and P.L.s take the ideas to Troop Council to incorporate the programs as these are the scout's ideas of what should happen. * Organise P.L.'s to attend Mindari meetings. * If challenges have already been done then make them harder the next time around. * In the programming of the troop meeting have set goals and/or themes for each month/term. * Learn skills in a practical or simulated situation to make it fun so we as scouts will learn from the mistakes that are made rather than straight forward teaching. * Have different programs every week eg. activities. * Outside activities should be held to do the Award Scheme parts that can't be done on a normal Troop night and not just camps but on Troop nights. * Troop councils are the best people to make the Troop meetings better so that scouts are interested through the enthusiasm of the P.L.s The learning process should be fun and thorough so that they know the subject inside and out. The main aim should be to incorporate fun and games into the teaching of the Scouts. The Decision Chart -----------> SCOUTS ------------------->---- | | | | LEADERS PATROL LEADERS ^ | | | ---------------- TROOP COUNCIL <------------------- - If scouts have an idea or a complaint they should tell their Patrol Leader. - The Patrol Leader takes this to the Troop Council to be discussed with the other P.L.s - The Troop Council sorts out what to do with the information and if needed tell the Scout Leader to deal with the problem as discussed by Troop Council. - Scout Leader tells or sorts out the problem with the appropriate people concern or helps to administer the idea to the troop. THE SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS The Youth Forum discussed the topic of sleeping regulations in scouting. The result was that the majority of the people voted for a change saying that in most circumstances boys and girls could sleep together but to have different regulations governing different situations eg. Mass Sleeping, Patrol Sleeping as group/troop views on the subject The following statements are some of the arguments that are for and against girls sleeping with their patrols when it is a mixed patrol. 1. There should be different regulations for different situations eg. a) in a big hall where everyone sleeps together with a canvas sheet dividing the room for privacy as this would help foster a group spirit. b) in a small patrol tent only use it as sleeping area when everyone is ready to go to sleep. 2. Each scout's personal choice as well as the patrol's must be taken into account when the sleeping arrangements are organised, it must be a unanimous agreement. 3. The patrol's spirit would be made stronger through the comradeship of everyone sleeping in the one tent, part of working together as a patrol. 4. The large tent could have a drape down the middle to separate the two sexes for privacy whilst still being in ear shot of each other. 5. To foster the patrol spirit the whole patrol could stay around the campfire until such time as everyone is ready to go to sleep. 6. An other way to foster the patrol spirit with out breaching the regulations would be to place the girls in a tent next to the boys tent in a position to allow verbal interaction. The following are the arguments against the proposal of sleeping together; 1. An uncomfortable feeling may occur because either gender's privacy could be invaded when they are dressing and undressing. 2. Sexual harassment is a possibility through sexist comments at night time in the tent. 3. Parents may disagree because of the moral views of society and what may happen when together. 4. Privacy may be lost because everyone believe the tent should be accessible at all times for every member of the patrol. Some of the concerns the Youth Forum had in changing the regulations are: a) Privacy b) Morals of society c) Parents who maybe concerned about the scout's wellbeing d) Leaders maybe strongly against the changes because of the above statements. e) The embarrassment of the scouts themselves. Recommendations A meeting must be called between the parents, leaders, group leaders and district leaders concerned and the Scouts themselves to sit down with the scout group concerned as a main body and must listen to all sides of the argument. Then formulate a policy on how the sleeping arrangements will be dealt with within the troop/patrol. This must be reviewed on a regular basis by the above group, either for each scout camp or once a year to allow new members joining to have their say about the arrangement. This must be a unanimous decision but the views should be listened because all the parties will be effected by the outcome.