Scouting
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Scout organization | |
|---|---|
| Image:Scoutsgreengoldnoscroll.png | |
| Organizational data | |
| Name | Scouting |
| Country | Worldwide |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Founder | Baden-Powell |
| Scouting portal | |
Scouting, or the Scout movement, is a worldwide youth movement of multiple organisations for both boys and girls whose aim is to develop young people physically, spiritually and mentally so that youth may take a constructive place in society. The movement employs a programme of non-formal education with emphasis on practical activities in the outdoors, using the Scout method with programmes targeted for up to five age groups, as defined by the founders of Scouting in the early 20th century. Most countries have Scouting programmes for children and young adults from ages 6 to their early 20s.
Scouting began in 1907 when R.S.S. Baden-Powell, Lieutenant General in the British Army, held the first Scouting encampment at Brownsea Island, England. He was at that time a good friend of William Alexander Smith, founder of the Boys' Brigade. In 2006, Scouting and Guiding have over 38 million members in 217 countries and territories represented through different Scouting associations at the international level. The works of Ernest Thompson Seton and Daniel Carter Beard were influential in the early development of Scouting. Internationally, Scouting has become a significant part of popular culture.
The movement is not without controversy. International Scouting associations have formed outside of the mainstream. Policies on membership regarding sexual orientation, religion and co-education differ between Scouting associations.
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[edit] History
Baden-Powell founded the Scouting movement in 1907 at Brownsea Island, England. He also introduced the parallel movement for girls, the Girl Guides, in 1910 with the aid of his sister Agnes Baden-Powell. Guides are known as Girl Scouts in the United States, Japan, and other countries.
[edit] Origins
Image:Scout stone Brownsea.jpg
The seeds of the idea of Scouting began during the Siege of Mafeking, South Africa, during the Second Boer War of 1899 to 1902, where Baden-Powell served as commanding officer.<ref>The Siege of Mafeking. British Battles.com. Retrieved on 2006-07-11.</ref> Baden-Powell successfully defended the town against the Boers (later known as Afrikaners), who outnumbered his troops eight to one. Volunteer boys in the town were formed into the Mafeking Cadet Corps, to help support the troops by carrying messages, which freed up men for military duties and kept the boys occupied during the long siege. The boys acquitted themselves well, helping in the successful defence of the town (1899–1900). Each Cadet Corps member received a badge, a combination of a compass point and a spearhead. This logo was similar to the fleur-de-lis that Scouting later adopted as its international symbol.
As a result of his status as a national hero, acquired as a result of his determined and successful defence of the town of Mafeking, Baden-Powell's military training manual, Aids to Scouting (written in 1899) became a relative best-seller and was used by teachers and youth organisations.<ref name="NPG">Robert Baden-Powell: Defender of Mafeking and Founder of the Boy Scouts and the Girl Guides. Past Exhibition Archive. Retrieved on 2006-12-03. </ref>
In 1906, Ernest Thompson Seton sent Baden-Powell a copy of his book entitled The Birchbark Roll of the Woodcraft Indians. Seton, a British-born Canadian living in the United States, subsequently met Baden-Powell, and they shared ideas about youth training programmes.
Baden-Powell was encouraged to re-write Aids to Scouting to suit a youth readership. By 1907 he had finished a draft called Boy Patrols. The same year, to test his ideas, he gathered together 21 boys of mixed social background and held a week-long camp in August 1907, on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, Dorset, England. His organisational method, now known as the Patrol System, a key part of Scouting training, allowed the boys to organise themselves into small groups with an elected patrol leader.
In the autumn of 1907, having his draft publication and a successful camp behind him, Baden-Powell went on an extensive speaking tour arranged by his publisher, Arthur Pearson, to promote his forthcoming book. Beginning January 1908 it initially appeared as six fortnightly instalments. The parts were subsequently published in book form as Scouting for Boys, now commonly considered the first version of the Boy Scout Handbook.
At the time Baden-Powell intended that the book would provide ideas for established organisations, in particular the Boys' Brigade in which he assisted their founder William A. Smith. However, boys spontaneously formed Scout patrols and flooded Baden-Powell with requests for assistance. He encouraged them, and Scouting developed by the weight of its own momentum. As the movement grew Sea Scout, Air Scout and other specialised units were added to the programme options.
Baden-Powell could not singlehandedly advise all groups who requested his assistance. To provide for adult leadership, proper training was required. The Wood Badge course was developed to recognise adult leadership training. In 1919 Gilwell Park near London was purchased as adult training site and scouting campsite.<ref name="historyofficial">Rogers, Peter (1998). Gilwell Park: A Brief History and Guided Tour (in English). London, England: The Scout Association, pages 5-46.</ref> Baden-Powell also wrote a book for the assistance of Leaders entitled Aids to Scoutmastership, and others for the use of new sections that were formed, such as Rovering to Success for Rover Scouts in 1922.
[edit] Growth of the movement
Scouting began to spread throughout Great Britain and Ireland soon after the publication of Scouting For Boys. The Boy Scout movement swiftly established itself throughout the British Empire. The first recognised overseas unit was chartered in Gibraltar in 1908, followed quickly by Malta. Canada became the first overseas dominion with a sanctioned Boy Scout programme, followed by Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Chile was the first country outside of the British dominions to have a recognised scouting programme. The first Scout rally was held at the Crystal Palace, London, in 1910. It attracted 10,000 boys, as well as a number of girls, who turned out for this exhibition of Scouting. By 1910 Argentina, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Malaya, Sweden, and the United States had Boy Scouts.<ref name="bsahist97">Snowden, Jeff (1984). A Brief Background of Scouting in the United States 1910 to Today. Troop 97. Retrieved on 2006-07-22.</ref><ref name="woohist">Woo, Randy. The Ultimate Boy Scouts of America History Site. Retrieved on 2006-07-22.</ref><ref name="scoutbase">The History of Scouting. ScoutBaseUK. Retrieved on 2006-07-22.</ref>
Since the programme initially focused on boys aged 11–18 and the movement grew rapidly, the need for four additional programmes quickly became apparent: younger boys, older boys, girls, and leader training.
The first programmes for Cub Scouts, Explorers, and Rover Scouts were in place by the late 1910s. These operated on their own until official recognition was obtained from a country's Scouting organisation, such was the case in the United States, where attempts at Cub programmes began as early as 1911, but official recognition was not obtained until 1930.<ref name="scoutbase" /><ref name="cubusahist">The Evolution of Cubbing, A 90 Year Chronology. Cubbing Through The Decades. Retrieved on 2006-07-22.</ref><ref name="cubusahist2">Cub Scouting History. San Francisco Bay Area Councils. Retrieved on 2006-07-22.</ref><ref name="roverworld">Rover Scouts - Scouting For Men. Scouting Milestones. Retrieved on 2006-07-22.</ref>
Girls wanted to become part of the movement almost as soon as it began. Agnes Baden-Powell, the sister of the movement's founder, Robert Baden-Powell, became the first president of the Girl Guides when it was formed in 1910 in the United Kingdom. She started Rosebuds, later renamed Brownies (Girl Guides) for younger girls in 1914. She stepped down as president of the Girl Guides in 1917 and was succeeded by Olave Baden-Powell, Robert Baden-Powell's wife. She remained as vice-president of the Girl Guides until her death at age 86. At that time, girls were placed into Scouting units separate from boys because of societal standards of the time. By the 1990s, Scout associations mostly had become co-educational.<ref name="gsusahist"> History of Girl Scout Organization. Girl Scouts of the USA. Retrieved on 2006-07-22.</ref>
Early Scoutmaster training camps were held in London in 1910 and Yorkshire in 1911. But Baden-Powell wanted his training to be as practical as possible, which led to the development of the Wood Badge training. The development of leader training was delayed by World War I, so the first Wood Badge course was not held until 1919.<ref name="wbfounding">Block, Nelson R. (1994). The Founding of Wood Badge. Woodbadge.org. Retrieved on 2006-07-20.</ref> A wide range of leader training in 2006 exists, from basic to programme-specific, including the Wood Badge training.
[edit] Conceptual influences
Important elements of traditional Scouting have their origins in Baden-Powell's own personal education and military training. However, it must be remembered that the ideas that he promoted were revolutionary at the time. He was unique, a 55-year-old retired army general who was nevertheless able to inspire and enthuse thousands of young people, hailing from all parts of society, to get involved in activities most of them had never contemplated. Comparable organisations (in the English-speaking world) are the Boys' Brigade or the left-wing non-militaristic Woodcraft Folk, however they were never able to match the development and growth of Scouting.
Aspects of Scouting have been criticised as being too militaristic. Such things as military-style uniforms, badges of rank, flag ceremonies, and brass bands were commonly accepted in the early years because they were a part of normal society, but have been watered down or abandoned in later times. Other popular youth movements have also adopted similar attributes successfully.
Local influences have also been a strong part of Scouting. By adopting and modifying local ideologies, Scouting has been able to find acceptance in a wide variety of cultures. In America, for example, Scouting uses images drawn from the U.S. frontier experience. This includes not only its selection of animal badges for Cub Scouts, but the underlying assumption that American Indians are more closely connected with nature and therefore have special wilderness survival skills which can be used as part of the training programme. British Scouting, by contrast, makes use of imagery drawn from the Indian subcontinent, because that region was a significant focus in the early years of Scouting. Baden-Powell's personal experiences in India led him to adopt Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book as a major influence for the Cub Scouts; for example, the name used for the Cub Scout leader, Akela (whose name was also appropriated for the Webelos), is that of the leader of the wolf pack in the book.
The name "Scouting" seems to have been inspired by the important and romantic role played by military scouts performing reconnaissance in the wars of the time. In fact, Baden-Powell's original military training book, Aids To Scouting, was written because he saw the need for improved training of British military enlisted scouts, particularly in the areas of initiative, self-reliance and observation skills. The book's popularity with young boys surprised him. When he adapted the book for youth in Scouting For Boys, it seems natural that the movement adopted the names Scouting and Boy Scouts.
"Duty to God" is a principle of worldwide Scouting; Scouting organisations in different nations apply it differently to their membership policies.<ref name="faqs">What was Baden-Powell's position on God and Religion in Scouting?. Faqs (1998). Retrieved on 2006-12-03.</ref><ref name="inquiry">Baden-Powell, Robert (1912). Baden-Powell on Religion. Inquiry.net. Retrieved on 2006-12-03.</ref> The Boy Scouts of America takes a strong position, excluding atheists.<ref name="duty">Duty to God. BSA Legal Issues. Boy Scouts of America. Retrieved on 2006-12-03.</ref> The United Kingdom Scout Association does have a requirement that adult leaders acknowledge a higher power, but does not necessarily exclude atheists from roles in Scouting as long as the local Commissioner is satisfied that the applicant leader will support the values of Scouting and the investigation of faith by the young people in the movement. Scouts Canada defines Duty to God broadly in terms of "adherence to spiritual principles" and does not have any explicit policy excluding non-theists.<ref name="dutytogod">BSA and Religious Belief. BSA Discrimination.org. Retrieved on 2006-10-16.</ref>
[edit] Movement characteristics
Scouting is taught via a non-formal education system with emphasis on practical activities in the outdoors, using the Scout method. Programmes exist for Scouts ranging in age from 6 to 25, though exact age limits vary slightly from country to country. Programme specifics are targeted to Scouts appropriate to their age.<ref name="constitution">Constitution of WOSM (PDF) pp. p. 2–15. World Organization of the Scout Movement (April 2000). Retrieved on 2006-07-10.</ref><ref name="goodturn">Scouting: An Educational System (PDF) pp. p. 9. World Organization of the Scout Movement (1998). Retrieved on 2006-07-10.</ref> It is the use of the Scout method that binds Scouts together, worldwide.
[edit] Scout method
The Scout method is the principal method by which the Scouting organisations, boy and girl, operate their units. The 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 and stated below..."<ref name="constitution" /> It is the goal of Scouting "to contribute to the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potentials as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities."<ref name="constitution" />
The principles of Scouting describe a code of behaviour that likewise applies to all members and characterises the movement. The Scout method is a progressive system designed to achieve these goals comprising four elements:
- Scout Law and Scout Promise (Scout Oath)
- Learning by doing
- Development of small groups
- Progressive and attractive programmes of different activities
The Scout Law and Oath embody the joint values of the Scouting movement all over the world and binds all Scouting associations together. The emphasis on "Learning by doing" provides experiences and hands on orientation as a practical method of learning and confidence building. Small groups build unity and a close-knit fraternal atmosphere to develop responsibility, character, self-reliance and self-confidence, reliability, and readiness; which eventually leads to collaboration and leadership. A programme of progressive and attractive varying activities expands a Scouts' horizons and bonds the Scout even more to the group. Activities and games develop dexterity and provides a fun way to develop skills. In an outdoor setting, these also provide contact with nature and the environment.<ref name="goodturn" />
Since the birth of Scouting in 1907, all Scouts around the world have taken a Scout Promise or Oath to live up to ideals of the movement, and subscribe to the Scout Law. The form of the promise and laws have varied slightly from country to country and over time, but must fulfil the requirements of the WOSM to qualify a National Scout Association for membership.
The Scout motto, Be Prepared, has been used in various languages by millions of Scouts since 1907. Less well known is the Scout slogan, 'Do a good turn daily'.
[edit] Activities
Common ways to implement the Scout method include spending time together in small groups with shared experiences, rituals, and activities, as well as emphasizing good citizenship and decision-making by the youth that are age-level appropriate. Weekly meetings often take place in local centres known as Scout dens. Cultivating a love and appreciation of the outdoors and outdoor activities are key elements. Primary activities include camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking, and sports.<ref name="vision">Mission Statement and Vision Statement. Boy Scouts of America. Retrieved on 2006-10-10.</ref><ref name="mbcom">Boy Scout Aims and Methods. Meritbadge.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-27.</ref>
Camping most often occurs on a unit level, such as Boy Scout troop, but there are periodic camporees and jamborees. Camporees occur a couple times a year and usually have a theme, such as pioneering, for units from a local area camping together for a weekend. Scout Moots are camporees, mainly focused on Scouters. Jamborees are large events on a national or international level held every four years where thousands of Scouts camp together for 1-2 weeks. Activities at these events include games, scoutcraft competitions, badge, pin or patch trading, aquatics, woodcarving, archery, and rifle and shotgun shooting.
For Scouts and Scouters, the highlight of the year is spending at least a week in the summer as part of an outdoor activity. This can be a long camping, hiking, sailing, etc. trip with the unit or a summer camp operated on a council, state, or province level. Scouts attending a summer camp, generally one week during the summer, work on merit badges, advancement, and perfecting scoutcraft skills. Summer camps can operate specialty programmes for older Scouts, such as sailing, backpacking, canoeing and whitewater, caving, and fishing.
[edit] Uniforms and distinctive insignia
- Individual national or other emblems may be found on the individual country's Scouting article, and/or at Gallery of Scout and Guide national emblems.
The Scout uniform is a specific characteristic of Scouting, in the words of Lord Baden-Powell at the 1937 World Jamboree, it "hides all differences of social standing in a country and makes for equality; but, more important still, it covers differences of country and race and creed, and makes all feel that they are members with one another of the one great brotherhood".<ref name="uniform">Wade, E.K. (1957). 27 Years With Baden-Powell (PDF). Why the Uniform?, ch 12. Pinetree.web. Retrieved on 2006-07-24.</ref> The original uniform, which has created a familiar image in the public eye, consisted of a khaki button-up shirt, shorts and a broad-brimmed campaign hat. Baden-Powell himself wore shorts as being dressed like the youth contributed to reducing distances between the adult and the young person. Uniforms are now frequently blue, orange, red or green, and shorts are replaced by long trousers in areas where the culture calls for modesty, and in winter weather.
Distinctive insignia for all Scout uniforms, recognised and worn the world over, include the Wood Badge and the World Membership Badge. Scouting has two internationally known symbols: The fleur-de-lis is used by membership organisations of the WOSM, the trefoil by the members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). These badges are part of the official uniform of Scouts and Guides in all parts of the world, whose national organisation is a member of either the WOSM/WAGGGS world organisations. While these are the largest boy and girl Scouting associations, not all Scouts nor Scouting associations belong to them.
The swastika was also used as an early symbol by the Boy Scouts in Britain, and worldwide. According to "Johnny" Walker, the earliest Scouting use was on the first Thanks Badge introduced in 1911.<ref>Early Badge use. Scouting milestones. Retrieved on 2006-01-10.</ref> Lord Baden-Powell's 1922 Medal of Merit design added a swastika to the Scout fleur-de-lis as good luck to the person receiving the medal. Like Rudyard Kipling, he would have come across this symbol in India. During 1934, Scouters requested a change of design because of the subsequent use of the swastika by the National Socialist German Workers Party. A new British Medal of Merit was issued in 1935.
[edit] Age groups or sections
A section in Scouting is an age grouping of members in order to provide suitable Scouting activities and training for that designated age group. The age division has varied over time in member organisations of the WOSM or WAGGGS to adapt to their culture and environment.
Scouting was originally developed for young adolescents. In most member organisation, the Scout (or Guide) Section is designated to this age group. Later, it extended to childhood, with the Cub Scout Section or Brownies for Girl Scout/Guide organisations. And, later it extended to post-adolescence, with the Rover Scout Section. Post-adolescence section were also introduced under a number of different names such as Venture Scouts and Explorers (Explorer Scouts). Member organisations may also have a section for children around 6.
In most countries, Scouting is organised into neighbourhood Scout Groups, which contain one or preferably more sections. Under the umbrella of the Group will exist subgroups divided according to age, each with their own terminology and leadership structures. Within a group there may be more than one subgroup at each age division, depending on the demand among the local population. In other countries the different sections run independently of each other, although they may be chartered or sponsored by the same organisation such a Church.
[edit] Brownies and Cub Scouts
This section originally just for a single sex, it can now be found to be mixed sex worldwide. It focuses on youth aged 7–11, and is formed into packs, potentially further divided into dens, each of which will have its own leaders. Adult Cub Scout leaders may be referred to by the name of an animal character from The Jungle Book series, by Rudyard Kipling. The pack leader is often symbolised as Akela, with their deputy or assistant as Bagheera. Other names are used on a more ad hoc basis, but Grey Brother is usually reserved for the Pack Senior Sixer (see below) or a regular assistant from the older Scouting groups. In the BSA Cub Scout programme, the pack leader is referred to as the Cubmaster, and the adult leader is "Akela". Given the Cub Scouts young age group, packs or dens have been led by one of the member's mothers called a den mother, later changed to den leader.
As a leader's assistants' names, Kaa and Baloo are also found. As the Pack gets bigger, and its leader needs more assistants, more names from the Jungle Book are used, such as Ikki, Chil, Raksha, Won-Tolla, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. Occasionally, Tabaqui and Shere Khan have been known to occur, despite their being negative figures.
Within the pack, Cub Scouts are subdivided into groups of six. The leader of each six is referred to as the sixer, and their deputy as the seconder. Occasionally, when a sixer reaches a level of experience where their influence may be useful to the whole pack, that sixer may be promoted to senior sixer, who will have a more general role within the group. This is also the same for a seconder, who if the sixer leaves, or becomes a senior sixer, becomes the sixer themself.
The Brownie and Cub section can be preceded by another section, with various names: Beaver Scouts in the United Kingdom and Canada, Tiger Cubs or Daisies in the United States, Joey Scouts in Australia, Keas in New Zealand and Teddies in South Africa. Originally just for boys or just for girls it can now be found to be mixed sex worldwide, aged 6-8. This section has no formal hierarchy and acts as one unit under the guidance and instruction of one adult leader and possibly a number of assistant leaders and members of sections for older members.
[edit] Guides and Scouts
This section organises youth, aged from 10–11 to 15–16, into Troops, reflecting Baden-Powell's military background. Each Troop will be lead by a Scoutmaster or Scout Leader, supported by assistant adult leaders who are usually simply referred to by their own names.
The subdivision of a Scout Troop is the Patrol. Each Patrol will be formed of 5–8 Scouts, lead by the Patrol Leader (PL), who is deputised by the Assistant Patrol Leader (APL). As with Cubs, on occasion it is possible that one member of a Troop will be promoted to Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) or Troop Leader, who will act to advise and lead across the entire Troop.
[edit] Explorers, Ranger Guides, Rovers, and Venturers
The section, known as Explorers in the UK, Ranger Guides in Girlguiding UK,<ref name="RangerGuides">Girlguiding in the UK - The Senior Sections. Britsh Broadcasting Corporation (2001). Retrieved on 2006-12-03.</ref> and Venturers in the US, is for youth aged approximately 14–18 (US to 21). They are usually organised into units which are free collectives of older Scouts, reporting to one advising adult leader. This group structure reflects both the older, more mature nature of the members of this section, and the less structured reward scheme at this level. Whereas younger Cubs and Scouts will be working toward badges and awards with specific attainment criteria, awards at this level are more geared towards stimulating the creativity and self-motivation of this older group. Inter-group collaboration is actively encouraged, and units can have a number of major activities all happening at once. The Venturing programme is also co-educational.
Traditionally, Rovers were the section for those over 18. In most countries that retain Rovers the upper age is now 25, and other contries have abolished this section. In the United Kingdom, the section was discontinued, but in 2003 a new very informal section called Scout Network has been introduced. The international meeting of Rovers from all over the world used to be called Rover Moot. It was around 2000 renamed World Scout Moot due to the decline in usage of the Rover term. International scout events in Europe aimed at the older age section usually keep the Rover name. This includes RoverWay, an event which occurred in 2003 in Portugal and in 2006 in Italy.
[edit] Extension
Extension Scouting is a special section for handicapped youth in national organisations, in compliance with Baden-Powell's mandate that Scouting should be "open to all." Constituted in special units, under the sponsorship of specialised institutions, young handicapped Scouts may also join standard units. Local and national Scout camps have been making their facilities and campsites more accessible toward this goal.
In European countries Extension Scouts used to be called Scouts Malgré Tout, also known as M.T. for short, from the French expression meaning despite everything.
[edit] Adults and leadership
Adults who are interested in Scouting or Guiding including former Scouts and Guides often join organisations such as the International Scout and Guide Fellowship. In the United States or the Philippines university students might join the co-ed service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega. In the United Kingdom university students might join Student Scout and Guide Organisation and after graduation Scout and Guide Graduate Association.
Scout groups are generally operated by adult volunteers. These may be parents, former Scouts, students, or community leaders such as teachers or religious leaders. Scout Leadership positions are often divided between 'uniform' and 'lay' positions. Uniformed leaders have received formal training such as the Wood Badge and received a warrant for a rank within the organisation, while lay members range from part time roles such as meeting helpers, parents committee members and advisors, to a small number of full-time professionals in the Scout organisation.
Within a group are uniformed positions such as Scoutmaster and assistants. The names of these positions vary from country to country. Groups are usually supported by lay members ranging from meeting helpers to members of a parents committee.
Beyond the group are further uniformed positions, called Commissioners, at levels such as district, county, council or province, depending on the structure of the national organisation. They also work along with lay teams and professionals. Training teams and other related functions are often formed at these levels. In the UK and other countries, the national Scout organisations appoints a Chief Scout as the most senior uniformed member.
[edit] Around the world
Following its foundation in the United Kingdom (UK), Scouting spread around the globe. The first association outside the UK was opened in Malta. In most countries of the world now there is at least one Scouting (or Guiding) organisation. Each organisation is independent but international cooperation was and is seen as part of the Scout movement. In 1922 the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), the governing body on policy for the then male only national Scouting organisations, started. In addition to being the governing policy body it organises the World Scout Jamboree every four years.
In 1928 the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) which was the equivalent to WOSM for the then female only national Scouting/Guiding organisations, started. It is also responsible for the various international centres such as Our Chalet.
Today at the international level, the two largest umbrella organisations are:
- WOSM- for boys-only and co-educational organisations.
- WAGGGS- primarily for girls-only organisations but also accepting co-educational organisations.
[edit] Co-educational
Worldwide there have been different approaches to co-educational Scouting. Countries such as the USA have maintained separate Scouting organisations for boys and girls. In other countries, notably in Europe, Scouting and Guiding have merged, and there is a single organisation for boys and girls, which is a member of both the WOSM and the WAGGGS. Others, (for example, Australia and the United Kingdom) the national Scout association has opted to admit both boys and girls, but is only a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, while the national Guide association has remained as a separate movement and member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. In Slovenia, Spain and Greece, it is the other way around, as the national Guide association has opted to admit both boys and girls, and the national Scout association has remained a separate movement.
The Scout Association of the United Kingdom has been co-educational at all levels since 1991, but this has been optional for groups and currently 52% of groups have at least one female youth member. Since 2000 sections newly opening are required to accept girls. The Scout Association has decided that all Scout groups and sections will become co-educational by January 2007, the year of Scouting's centenary.
In the United States, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts are boys-only, however, for youths age 14 and older, the Venturing programme is co-educational. The Girl Scouts of the USA is an independent organisation for girls and young women. Adult leadership positions in the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of the USA are open to both men and women.
[edit] Membership
As of 2005, there are over 28 million registered Scouts and 10 millions registered Guides around the world, participating from 216 different countries and territories.
Top 20 countries with Scouting and Guiding, sorted by membership. Full tables on List of World Organization of the Scout Movement members and List of World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts members.
| Country | Membership<ref>Sum of the respective WOSM and WAGGGS member organisations</ref> | Scouting introduced | Guiding introduced |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 10,100,000 | 1910 | 1912 |
| Indonesia | 8,900,000 | 1912 | 1912 |
| India | 3,300,000 | 1909 | 1911 |
| Philippines | 2,600,000 | 1910 | 1918 |
| Thailand | 1,300,000 | 1911 | 1957 |
| United Kingdom | 1,050,000 | 1907 | 1909 |
| Bangladesh | 950,000 | 1920 | 1928 |
| Pakistan | 600,000 | 1909 | 1911 |
| Canada | 360,000 | 1909 | 1910 |
| Korea | 330,000 | 1922 | 1946 |
| Japan | 280,000 | 1913 | 1919 |
| Kenya | 270,000 | 1910 | 1920 |
| Germany<ref>including 90,000 non-aligned Scouts and Guides, see Scouting in Germany</ref> | 260,000 | 1910 | 1912 |
| Italy<ref>including 30,000 non-aligned Scouts and Guides, see Scouting in Italy</ref> | 220,000 | 1912 | 1912 |
| Poland<ref>including 20,000 non-aligned Scouts and Guides, mainly Związek Harcerstwa Rzeczypospolitej</ref> | 190,000 | 1910 | 1910 |
| Egypt | 170,000 | 1914 | 1918 |
| France<ref>including 50,000 non-aligned Scouts and Guides, see Scouting in France</ref> | 170,000 | 1910 | 1911 |
| Malaysia | 160,000 | 1911 | 1916 |
| Belgium<ref>including non-aligned Scouts and Guides, see Scouting in Belgium</ref> | 160,000 | 1911 | 1915 |
| Nigeria | 150,000 | 1915 | 1919 |
[edit] Breakaway and non-aligned organisations
Between the first publication of Scouting for Boys and the creation of the first supranational Scout organisation, WOSM, fifteen years had passed and millions of copies of the appealing handbook had been sold in dozens of languages. By that point, Scouting was the purview of the world's youth, hard to contain by one school of thought.
Alternative groups have formed since the original formation of the Scouting "Boy Patrols." They can be a result of groups or individuals who refuse to follow the original ideals of Scouting but still desire to participate in Scout-like activities. Others maintain that the WOSM is currently far more political and less youth based than ever envisioned by Lord Baden-Powell. They believe that Scouting in general has moved away from its original intent, because of political machinations that happen to longstanding organisations, and seek to return to the earliest, simplest methods.
There are at least 520 separate national or regional Scouting associations in the world. Most have felt the need to create international Scouting organisations to set standards for Scouting and to coordinate activities among member associations. Six international Scouting organisations serve 437 of the world's national associations, and the largest two organisations, WOSM and WAGGGS, count 362 national associations as members, encompassing the vast majority of the world's Scouts.
Breakaway and nonaligned organisations can be divided into four categories:
- Scouts-in-Exile
- Independent Scouts and Scout organisations
- Scout-like youth organisations
- Political and military youth organisations
[edit] In film and the arts
As Scouting has been a facet of culture throughout most of the 20th century, numerous films and artwork use the subject. It is especially prevalent in the United States, where Scouting is tied closely to the ideal of Americana. The works of painters Norman Rockwell and Joseph Csatari and the 1966 film Follow Me, Boys! are prime examples of this idealised American ethos. Scouting is often dealt with in a humorous manner, as in the 1989 film Troop Beverly Hills and the 2005 film Down and Derby, and is often fictionalised so that the audience knows the topic is Scouting without there being mention of Scouting by name.
[edit] See also
</div>- Eagle Scout
- Eagle Scout (Philippines)
- List of notable Scouts
- Oldest Scout Groups
- Philmont Scout Ranch
- Queen's Scout
- Religion in Scouting
- Scout prayer
- Scouts Australia
- Sea Scout
[edit] Notes
<references />
[edit] References
- László Nagy, 250 Million Scouts, The World Scout Foundation and Dartnell Publishers, 1985
- World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, World Bureau, Trefoil Round the World. Eleventh Edition 1997. ISBN 0-900827-75-0
- World Organization of the Scout Movement, Scouting 'round the World. Facts and Figures on the World Scout Movement. 1990 edition. ISBN 2-88052-001-0
[edit] External links
- Milestones in World Scouting
- Scouting Frequently Asked Questions
- Scouting Milestones - UK Scouting History site
- The World Scout Emblem
- Scouts on Stamps Scouts on Stamps Society International
- World of Scouting, describes history of Scouting organisations
- Aids to Scoutmastership
- CMScout A content management system for Scouting, designed so Scouting related groups can easily and simply create a website, without the need to know programming
- Questions on Age Sections (WOSM)
- The Boys' Brigade – The World's Oldest Voluntary Uniformed Youth Organisation
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