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Scouting is the world's largest voluntary youth movement. It is non-political, and open to both boys and girls. Scouting aims to help young people develop physically, intellectually, socially, and spiritually through challenging recreation. There are more than 16 million Scouts in 150 countries and territories. Since Scouting began, some 250 million people--many of them later famous--have been Scouts. Scouting has been growing ever since it was founded in 1907. Membership doubled from 1970 to 1990. Much of this growth was in developing countries. During the 1980's Scouting suddenly reappeared in Central and Eastern Europe, in countries where Communist governments had repressed it for many years, often replacing it with youth movements of their own. Aims of Scouting. Scouting is not just "helping old ladies across the street." It is an education for life. It complements school and family. A Scout makes a personal commitment to a simple code of living--a duty to God or country, a duty to others, and a duty to self. Scouts learn by doing in programmes of progressive self-education, working in small groups to develop leadership, group skills, and individual responsibility. Many of these activities bring them in contact with nature. They learn how simplicity, creativity, and discovery come together to provide adventure and challenge. The range of Scouts' voluntary activity around the world includes health and immunization programmes, building low-cost housing, planting trees, producing food, helping the old and the handicapped, and fighting drug abuse. Scouts are involved in programmes to protect the environment, to increase literacy, in teaching job skills, and in safeguarding the rights of children. Scouts help with relief work to help victims of floods, droughts, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. Lack of clean water and bad sanitation are major problems in many parts of the world. Scouts are helping to clean up polluted waterways. They help to bring clean water supplies to remote villages. They show other people how to avoid polluting water. Scouts also work with friends, neighbours, and community leaders in tackling local problems. They work to promote local, national, and international objectives, such as world peace, and international understanding and cooperation. International Scouting. Scouting is a worldwide movement. Scouts belong to many different cultures, religions, and races. Every four years Scouts from many nations meet in a "World Jamboree," to exchange ideas and experiences. The members of this worldwide movement are motivated by the movement's basic purpose and principles. These are: adherence to spiritual principles, loyalty to the religion that expresses them, and acceptance of the resulting duties; loyalty to one's country in harmony with the promotion of peace, understanding, and cooperation; responsibility for the development of oneself; participation in the development of society with recognition and respect for the dignity of others, and for the integrity of the natural world. The original Promise and Law were laid down by Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scout movement. Each country adapts the original Promise and Law to suit its own conditions. The Scout promise is: On my honour I promise that I will do my best: 1. To do my duty to God and the King (or God and my Country); 2. To help other people at all times. 3. To obey the Scout Law. The original Law is: 1. A Scout's honour is to be trusted. 2. A Scout is loyal. 3. A Scout's duty is to be useful, and to help others. 4. A Scout is a friend to all, and a brother to every other Scout. 5. A Scout is courteous. 6. A Scout is a friend to animals. 7. A Scout obeys orders from his parents, Patrol Leader, or Scoutmaster without question. 8. A Scout smiles and whistles under all difficulties. 9. A Scout is thrifty. 10. A Scout is clean in thought, word, and deed. Organization Scouts generally wear uniforms, which differ from country to country. The age groups and programmes also vary from one country to another. They are adaptable to the needs of young people, wherever they live. Generally speaking, Scouting activity starts around the age of 5-7 with programmes for Cub Scouts, or their equivalents. Members continue through variously-named groups of Scouts, Venturers, and Rovers up to the age of 25 or more. Each country has a different programme of activities and different qualifications. Scouts choose activities from the programme, and progress at their own pace. They are awarded badges for proficiency in the tasks and skills they undertake. The World Organization of the Scout Movement. Scouting worldwide is coordinated by the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). This is an international, nongovernmental organization composed of national Scout organizations. Members of the World Scout Organization are national Scout organizations, not individuals or Scout troops (groups). There are 131 national Scout organizations within the WOSM, representing more than 16 million Scouts and leaders. In some countries there is more than one Scout association. Associations in these countries form themselves into a national federation, in order to be a member of the World Organization, since there can be only one member per country. The World Organization works closely with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), which has its headquarters in London. The WOSM has three principal parts: the Conference, the Committee, and the Bureau: The World Scout Conference is held every three years. It is the "general assembly" of Scouting, made up of all member Scout organizations. Each member organization must adhere to the purpose and principles of World Scouting, and operate as an independent, nonpolitical, and voluntary organization. Each member organization is represented in the Conference by a maximum of six delegates. Observers authorized by their national Scout organization may also attend. Delegations usually include the top leaders of each national organization, including International Commissioners, and the Scouters responsible for relations with the World Organization of the Scout Movement, and with Scout organizations in other countries. The aim of the Conference is to promote the unity, integrity, and development of the Scout movement worldwide. It encourages the exchange of ideas and information between members, and makes general policy. It considers reports and recommendations from the World Committee and from member organizations; and conducts the formal business of the World Organization, including elections, applications for membership, amendments to the Constitution, and rules. The World Scout Committee. The World Scout Conference elects and delegates some of its authority to the World Scout Committee, which meets at least once a year. It is the executive of the organization, responsible for implementing the resolutions of the World Conference, and for acting on its behalf between meetings. The Committee has 14 members, of whom 12 are elected by the Conference. The two remaining members, appointed by the 12 members, are the secretary general of WOSM and the treasurer. Each must come from a different country and represent not that country, but the interests of the movement as a whole. It also appoints subcommittees to deal with specific subjects such as the youth programme, adult leadership, and research. The World Scout Bureau is the secretariat of the World Organization. It carries out the instructions of the Conference and the Committee. The Bureau is directed by a secretary general, appointed by the World Committee, who acts as the chief administrative officer of the organization. The Bureau was first established in London in 1920. It moved to Ottawa, Canada, in 1959, and finally to Geneva, Switzerland, in 1968. It has a staff of 31 people who work out of six offices. The head office is in Geneva and there are regional offices in Costa Rica, Egypt, Kenya, the Philippines, and Switzerland. The secretariat has a number of functions. These include assisting the World and Regional Conferences, and the World and Regional Committees, and their subsidiary bodies. It provides services for the development and promotion of Scouting throughout the world. It maintains relations with member organizations, and assists them in developing Scouting in their country. It encourages the development of Scouting in countries where Scouting may exist, but where there is no member organization. It also supervises the organization of international and regional Scout events, such as world and regional jamborees. It maintains relations with international organizations whose activities are concerned with youth matters. The World Scout Bureau provides the secretariat for WOSM's committees, task forces, and working groups. It assists in the development of youth programmes and publishes regular newsletters, which provide communication among national Scout organizations. The World Scout Foundation is a separate legal entity, and an integral part of World Scouting. It helps the WOSM by providing part of the finance needed for its activities and for further development. The foundation generates money donations in the form of investment to produce revenue for the benefit of the World Organization. The Foundation seeks support from governments, foundations, the business community, individuals, and the Scout movement worldwide. It focuses on 30 priority countries with outstanding economic potential. The Foundation's Board is led by an honorary president. In 1990 the honorary president was King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. The Board is responsible for the Foundation's policies and programmes. It has 25 members, who include business people and Scout leaders from more than 12 |
