The Scout Movement

The Scout Movement

The Scout movement is an organization witch aims to help young people between 6-18 to develop and become more constructive. It uses the scout program witch teaches their members about practical outdoor activities and knowledge like camping, woodcraft and hiking. It was founded 1907 by Robert Baden-Powell.

Baden-Powell (1857-1941) served in the British army as a lieutenant between 1876-1910 and was stationed in India as well in several colonies in Africa.

One of his greatest efforts was when he defended the town Mafeking in South Africa against the Boer. This became known as The Siege of Mafeking (1899-1900). The Siege lasted 217 days.

During the siege he used boys to send messages and orders instead of regular troops. This is said to be one of the two sources of inspiration to found the Scout Movement, the other source being his military instruction manual Aids to scouting.

When Baden-Powell returned to England 1903 he noticed that many youngsters were restless and in need of organized activity. He decided too re-write his best seller Aids to scouting to fit a younger public. The new manual was named Scouting for boys, but before he decided to publish it he wanted to test the ideas in practice. In July 1907 he gathered 21 boys from different social classes and took them on a camp for a week on Brownsea Island in southern England. The camp became a success and one year later Baden-Powell released Scouting for boys. Soon after its release spontaneous scout groups started to emerge all around England and the movement quickly spread to the rest of Europe and USA.

The Scout Movement was in the beginning mistaken for a new part of the British military because it shared many common concepts as the military but that was quickly corrected. World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) describes Scouting as "...a voluntary nonpolitical educational movement for young people open to all without distinction of origin, race or creed, in accordance with the purpose, principles and method conceived by the Founder..."

Scouting is an informal education system that is designed to help a person to develop and consist of seven parts:

• Law and promise
• Learning by doing
• Teamwork
• Symbols and ceremonies
• Outdoor life
• Social progression
• Supporting leadership

Law and promise

The Scout law is what binds all scout associations together and sets up the goal to what a scout should strife to behave. The promise means that a scout manifests his desire to develop to a better individual.

Learning by doing

By participating in exercises a scout gathers experience by planning, performing the task and then evaluate the exercise by for example discussing with team members. This system also helps improve self-confidence. By working in small groups the participants build up unity, responsibility and reliability.

Teamwork

By being part of a group the scout develops as an individual and learns how to cooperate and work in a team. It also promotes friendship.

Symbols and ceremonies

Symbols are often given to a scout that has reached an achievement, have participated to a camp or some sort of event. Ceremonies are often used to bind scouts of different nations and districts together. It also gives the scout time to evaluate and reflect over past events or lessons.

Outdoor life

Scout groups often makes hikes and do activities in the nature witch often provides challenges that encourage creative problem solving and cooperation.

Social progression

In time the Scout becomes more and more social and is much more outgoing than common people. The Scout becomes more engaged in discussions and work that requires collaboration.

A common way to realize these seven parts is by letting the group makes activities that give them experience in some sort of skill like dexterity or go camping for a week. Once every fourth year thousands of scouts gathers in big international events called jamborees that is usually two weeks long and follows some kind of theme. Games, sports and entertainment shows are common activities at a jamboree.

Many countries have national jamborees that are held at regular intervals within the country.

The international jamboree 2011 will be held in Sweden.

Ebbe Lieberath introduced the Scout movement in Sweden 1909. After he translated Baden-Powells  <...