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HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF SCOUTING A GUIDE FOR BEGINNER SCOUTING PARENTS/CAREGIVERS

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INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on providing an opportunity to a young person to join your local Scout Group. Clearly you have already found out enough to think that Scouting is a worthwhile pursuit, and we couldn’t agree with you more.

The following information sets out ideas and suggestions by which you, as the parent or caregiver, can support your child to help them get the most out of their Scouting experience.

SECTION 1: WHAT IS SCOUTING?

Scouting is a non-formal education system which aims to provide our youth with the opportunity to progress the knowledge and skills they need to become self confident, resilient and responsible citizens. The knowledge and skills they gain will help them significantly in dealing with the challenges which adolescence and being young adults will throw at them.

“We empower youth through adventurous experiences to lead lives that make a positive difference.”

Essentially, your local Scout Group will provide your child with the opportunity to make good friends, learn practical and life skills, and have lots of fun while doing so. The tagline of SCOUTS New Zealand is “Adventure Plus”.

Scouting is a three way partnership between the child, the parents/caregivers, and the trained Adult Scouting Leaders. What your child gets out of Scouting depends on the effort contributed by all three members of this partnership. Will you do your bit?

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SECTION 2: THE SCOUTING METHOD

The successful Scouting method developed by the world Scouting Movement over the past 100 years offers youth a progressive training scheme, and operates on the basis of small groups.

The training scheme is also referred to as the Award Scheme. It consists of a progressive set of 3 awards and accompanying uniform badges referred to respectively as the Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. A specific set of Award Scheme requirements have been developed for each of the Kea, Cub, Scout and Venturer Sections in keeping with their age and maturity. Scouting is outdoors focused, and most of the learning on offer is delivered by doing.

The Scouting Leaders will provide a Programme which will allow your child to achieve most of the requirements of the Award Scheme. If your child attends every week they will achieve their Bronze Badge after a year in Cubs, Scouts or Venturers; their Silver Badge after two years; and their Gold Badge after three years. In their fourth year as a Scout they can achieve their Chief Scout Award, and in their fourth year as a Venturer they can achieve their Queen’s Scout Award. Did you know that a Chief Scout Award or a Queen’s Scout Award is highly regarded by potential employers?

To ensure that your child gets the most out of Scouting, it is important that you have a good understanding of the Award Scheme. You can do this by reading through the Award Scheme Book every youth is issued with. If your child doesn’t have one, contact their Leader to get one. Once you have an understanding of the Award Scheme and its importance in delivering a non-formal education offered by Scouting, you will be able to:

• Maintain a dialogue with your child regarding their progress, and to offer support and encouragement.

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SECTION 3: THE SCOUT PROMISE AND LAW

• Act as a supervisor for aspects of the Award Scheme which require your child to perform tasks at home, for example the Home Help Badge, and to sign off when the specified tasks have been satisfactorily completed.

• Encourage your child to participate in activities which take place away from the Scout hall, but which form a significant component of the Award Scheme, such as camps, regattas, local Zone activities (mudslides, camp fires, Founder’s Day etc).

• Take your turn to offer assistance with transport, and parent help at activities such as camps.

Two key aspects of the Scouting Method and the general philosophy of Scouting are the Scout Promise and the Scout Law. Each and every member of the Scouting movement throughout the world, on joining the movement, makes the Scout Promise, which includes an undertaking to live by the Scout Law.

Taken together, the Scout Promise and Law prescribe a set of moral and social values and attitudes which all members of the movement undertake to live by. These are the values that are strongly encouraged as part of the Scouting Method, and which make up the characteristics deemed to be the hallmark of good citizens.

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THE SCOUT LAW

Have Respect- For yourself and others- For the environment

Do What is Right- Be trustworthy and tolerant- Have integrity

Be Positive- Accept challenges with courage- Be a friend to all

THE SCOUT PROMISE*

On my honour, I promise to do my best, To do my duty to my God, To the Queen and my country, To help other people, And to live by the Scout Law.

*The Scout Promise is currently under review to make it more relevant and inclusive for today’s youth.

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In order for your child to get the most out of Scouting, you can ensure that you have a good understanding of the Scout Promise and the Scout Law. This will enable you to:

• Better understand what the aims of Scouting are, and to recognise that the Promise and Law are the key to the Award Scheme.

• Communicate to your child that the Scouting values are indeed worth knowing and striving for as part of their development through adolescence and into adulthood. Some Scouting families choose to live by the Scout Promise and Law as a lifestyle.

• Recognise when your child acts in accordance with one or more of the values set out in the Scout Law, and let them know that you have noticed it, and provide them with praise and encouragement for doing so.

SECTION 4: SUPPORTING YOUR LOCAL SCOUT GROUP

Your local Scout Group, and the Zone Team which supports it, are run entirely by volunteers. These people give up some of their free time to support their own and other children through the educational opportunities, challenges and fun offered by the Scouting movement. All are Police checked and provided with appropriate training opportunities.

The key person in your local Scout Group is the Group Leader, who reports to the Zone Leader for the running and management of the Group. The two key groups of people who are responsible to the Group Leader are:

• The Group Committee are responsible for ensuring that the Group has all of the resources required to be able to operate effectively. This includes a place to meet and sufficient funds to meet the cost of resources and day to day operations.

• The Adult Leaders who are responsible for delivering the Scout Programme to the youth members using the Scout Method.

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In order to ensure that your child gets the most out of Scouting, you can ensure that you have a good understanding of how the Group works, and join the other adult volunteers in contributing in some way to the operation of the Group. It is appreciated that not all parents or caregivers have the time to volunteer their time, but for those who are prepared to do so, a suitable and rewarding role will be found.

Supporting your child and the Scout Group can vary from the simplest level of:

• Supporting your child to attend regularly, to be on time for meetings, to be dressed in uniform, and to bring whatever materials your child‘s Adult Leaders have asked for.

• Checking regularly on Online Scout Manager (OSM) what activities are being planned and offered, and providing a timely response with regard to your child’s participation.

A greater commitment of your time may see you:

• Being a periodic “parent helper” at meetings, or weekend activities, or camps.

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• Joining the Committee and being allocated a task within your area of expertise – everyone can make a valuable contribution!

• Becoming a Warranted Leader.

Supporting your local Scout Group? View it as an opportunity to support your child, to make friends and to participate in challenging and fun activities. Go on – give it a go! We are confident that you will find it enjoyable and rewarding, and that your child will also enjoy having you involved.

At SCOUTS New Zealand we are committed to ensuring the safety of your children. We have a Code of Conduct, Duty of Care, Equal Opportunities, Complaints and Child Protection policies in place, as well as promoting and adhering to all relevant legislation – in particular, the Vulnerable Children Act 2014. Health and safety is a high priority for us and it is everyone’s responsibility, with relevant and ever evolving training given to volunteers to ensure they are well equipped to manage Scouting activities.

SECTION 5: OUR COMMITMENT TO CHILD PROTECTION

If you or your child feel unsafe for any reason, please contact 0508SCOUTHELP or call the appropriate authorities. For more information and to view these policies, please see our website www.scouts.org.nz/health-and-safety

GLOSSARY

Kea (School years 1 - 3)The Kea Clubs provide a safe and nurturing environment for children to develop their creativity.Cub (School years 4 - 6)Cub Packs offer learning programmes where children are encouraged to experience, experiment, and explore.Scout (School years 7 - 10)Scouts learn by doing, in a programme of exploration and leadership based in a variety of patrol groupings.Venturer (School years 11 - 14) Venturers develop their own programme - from vocational activities developing self-confidence, to leadership courses and team building exercises.Rover (Aged 18 - 26)The aim of the Rover Programme is to encourage the self development of young adults between the ages of 18 and 26.Leader (Aged 18+)A vetted and trained volunteer who generously gives up their time to develop your young person.SCOUT Group Individual entity made up of at least one or more sections, in which your young person is involved. SCOUT ZoneZones are groupings of up to 20 Scout Groups. Several Zones make up a Region. SCOUT RegionThere are five regions (Upper North Island, Central North Island, Lower North Island, Upper South Island, and Lower South Island) in New Zealand. Each region has a Regional Development Manager who is a professional staff member of the National SCOUT Centre.National SCOUT CentreThe National SCOUT Centre is made up of professional staff members leading the movement in areas of development, capability, communications, training, delivery, and business services. It is located in Kaiwharawhara, Wellington.Group Leader The manager of the Scout Group.Zone LeaderThe Zone Leader is the senior Scouting volunteer in each Zone. Group Leaders report to the Zone Leader.Online SCOUT Manager (OSM)This is the national database of all member details, and is protected by policy.

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SCOUTS New ZealandPO Box 11348, Manners Street, Wellington 6142

Level 1, 1 Kaiwharawhara Road, Wellingtonreception@scouts.org.nz

ADVENTUREPLUS!0800 SCOUTS scouts.org.nz

VENTURERS ROVERS LEADERSSCOUTSCUBSKEAS

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